DATSUN 240Z: The ULTIMATE History of the First Z Car
The Datsun 240Z (known as the Nissan Fairlady Z in the Japanese market) was one of the most important sports cars of the 1970s. This video covers the conception, development, and lasting legacy of the Datsun 240Z.
The Datsun 240Z made its first public appearance on October 22, 1969, at the Pierre Hotel in New York. Coverage from the New York Times was rather cut and dry, though it did compare the overall form to Jaguar’s machines. It also earned praise from the LA Times.
It was a smash hit with the general public, but would the motoring press come around to it?
First impressions were quite favorable. Ron Wakefield called it a bargain in the 1970 edition of Road and Track magazine. He praised the generous level of standard equipment and strong performance figures before saying that the thought Datsun had a winner on its hands.
The 240Z even impressed reviewers in Great Britain, which had historically been a tough market to penetrate for Japanese makes. In the March 1972 edition of Motor Sport Magazine, writer Andrew Marriott referred to the car as a “civilized GT carriage.” The no-nonsense IP earned favor with him. It also had little trouble accommodating drivers over 6 feet tall. The author notes that this was an area that Japanese cars struggled with. Perhaps Nissan was trying to appeal to his British sensibilities by sending out a model finished in Racing Green, but it wasn’t necessary. The magazine thought highly of it and lamented the fact that their own country didn’t build a car that was on par with it.
The Z was one of the most accomplished racing machines of its day, proving its mettle on the circuit as well as in the rally scene. Datsun was already making a name in the SCCA racing scene in both the east and west divisions. The 510 and Datsun Sports found some success, but the Z would take the brand to heights unseen. Brock Racing Enterprises spearheaded their efforts out west. The club didn’t race for them officially in 1969, they won their division in the SCCA Pacific Coast circuit and earned a spot in the SCCA Nationals in Daytona. Nissan took notice.
The 240Z was the right car at the right time. It outclassed its contemporaries in many respects, offering strong performance and unprecedented practicality in an affordable package. It was a smash hit, but how long would this be the case? The 1970s were a period of massive upheaval for the automotive industry. Many 60s sports cars were altered beyond recognition once they crossed into the new decade. Would the same be true for the Z?
ARTICLE VERSION: www.barchetta.co/articles/dat...
SOURCES: www.barchetta.co/240z-sources
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 INTRO
6:01 EARLY DESIGN PROCESS
11:59 ENGINEERING
21:33 NAMING/USA TESTING
28:48 DEBUT
34:11 MAGAZINE REVIEWS
39:38 RACING PEDIGREE
44:47 CHANGES/260Z/280Z
In August 1975, i bought a blue Datsun 1973 240z. I told everyone while still in h.s. in March 1975, i was going to buy my first car. On the way to my first semester in college in my Z, I passed the bus i rode for almost 4 years on the highway. Everyone saw me on one side of the bus pressed against the windows. I said i would, & I did. I miss that car!
I am planning on getting one by next summer!
Back when you could afford to get a new car and go to college at the same time😮💨
Back when tou could afford college…
I bet you had the girls chasing you afterwards 😊
@@johnnyboy1586 Actually only one that became my wife and 42 years later, I still have her but the Z was gone by 1980. Go figure.
I had a 1974 280z. Loved it! Bought it in 2004 for $500. Only had 60k miles.
It hurts to think prices were that good back in the day
1974 280Z ??? They didn't come out until 1975 with the larger 2.8 liter engine, 260Z was made for one year (1974). Do you think someone switched badges to make it look like a 280Z ? Curious.
@@nightcrawleroriginalgood question
Yutaka Katayama ("Mr. K") understood that the name "Fairlady" would doom the vehicle in the USA but senior management in Japan insisted on the name. Mr. K took a Fairlady badge from a prototype in Japan and found a company in San Diego who could make "240 Z" badges that matched the pin locations on the "Fairlady" badge. When the first batch of cars arrived at the port in Long Beach he and his VP brought a box of new badges and tools to the port. They carefully pried the "Fairlady" badges off every car and installed the 240Z badges, and the rest is history. The way to tell which cars were involved in this is to look for the 2 small ents at the base of the rear window. This feature was apparently only on cars sent in the first shipment. Kataya was nearly fired for his act of 'treason' but the press reviews were absolutely glowing and the name was printed everywhere. A legend was born. (I heard this story from Mr. K himself when I worked at Nissan and he was visiting the HQ in Gardena in the late 1990s.)
My dad had a Fairlady 280z, silver with maroon interior. Completely impractical, but absolutely gorgeous. She was certainly a fair lady. Like some fair ladies the maintenance costs were horrendous, and she was always needing a new this or that. 😂
And right he was, that name would have gone over about as well as the "Tinkerbell" would have.
That's a great story.
But did they also print new Owner's Manuals???
BULLSHYTE! People to this day value the JDM "Fairlady" higher than US Cars labeled 240Z,
Back in the late 70's, I had a '73 240Z. Man that was a great car and I loved it! Im old now and looking back, there are 3 cars that I owned at one time which I wish I still had, and that Z is one of them.
When I first traveled to central America i was amazed to find Datson taxi's from the 60's still serving customers. In the 90's most taxi's were Datson 210's but new toyota's were entering the private fleet. Today in 2023 several 210's from 69 were still serving customers when I was there. I call that amazing.
In Cuba, they're still driving American cars from the 50s, and early 60s.
Wow!
I've never owned a "Z" car but respect the hell out of them. Innovative for it's day, I loved the 240Z but just never got around to buying one. Now at age 72, I opted for a Mazda Miata, the "other" sports car from Japan which offers a top-down driving experience similar to the English Triumphs and Austin-Healeys. To me, that's what a true sports car needs to be IMHO.
Friend bought 240 z great car only z in our town
I went to test drive a Miata when they first came out; I couldn't even get IN one with the top up (it was winter at the time). Top down, I couldn't work the pedals, since my legs were just a bit too long. I was so sad, that Mazda had made a terrific classic 2 seat sports car, AFFORDABLE, but I just couldn't fit in it. That was nothing new; my first dream car, a Lotus Europa, was also too tiny for a 6'4" man to get into. Oh well. I settled for a Mustang GT.
Back in 1972 I worked for a Datsun Dealership & was lucky enough to have driven all the current vehicles of that time. Being used to driving old Fords etc as a teenager, driving one of the Datsun range was for me like night & day. My very first drive was with a Datsun 1200 2 door Sunny, who I delivered to a customer many miles away from the dealership, so I had nearly an hour to enjoy what it had to offer,& I loved it! For me there was only 3 standout models in the range at the time & this being one of them, the other two were the 180B SSS & the 240Z Both were the most liked models by the public too, as there was always a backlog these models.. The 240 Z was like a breath of fresh air to what was available from it’s competitors in the same price range .. The only problems with them as I remember was the chrome bumpers going rusty after the PDI was completed & removal of the wax coating . Something of an embarrassment to Nissan but rectified by upgrading the chrome thickness. I don’t know if it’s my age but shape of the 240Z wouldn’t look out of place in today’s marketplace..❤
I had a Model 1200 in 1977. Had a bad flywheel that kept chewing up starters. Rust issues too, including the floor area beneath the driver.
I think most cars from the 70’s had rust issues, I know all my Fords Cortina’s & Corsairs did, along with most Minis that I owned to, it wasn’t until until I dipped my toe into owning an 1989 Peugeot 205 GTI that rust stopped being an issue. It’s amazing that there’s so many classic’s still around, but then they’re not an everyday vehicle.. I own a couple of 65 lambretta’s that I bought & restored & attend most of the classic cars & bike shows in & around my area, so get to see some cars from yesteryear.. Come to think of it I can’t remember seeing any Datsuns lol 😂
I experienced the opposite; my first car was a 1966 Mustang GT, with interestingly had performance roughly identical to the 280Z. Sure, different styling due to a 10 year gap in design, but very similar quarter mile time, 0-60, as well as handling. Fascinating enough, my 1986 Porsche 928 also had very similar driving experience, up to, of course, over 125MPH, when the Porsche of course pulled away from the other two. But up to about 120? Very, very similar. All still have a special place in my heart. My still current 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII also feels very similar. Great vehicles feel very similar to each other, and my current Mark has the advantage of being able to be worked on by any local mechanic, which the Datsun and Porsche could not.
This brings my old brain back to the first 240Z i saw. I was a police officer back then when on motor patrol at about 0200 hrs. Few vehicles were on the road that morning and I pulled to a stop behind what I thought was an Italian sports car. As the light turned green I pulled up beside it and my eyes bugged out. The driver thought I was pulling him over so he stopped. We both got out and once I saw he was sober, we began to talk. And he told me it was not Italian but Japanese built. Years later I saw 260s and 280s but the 240Z was my favorite.
MY first new car I bought after I graduated college was a '77 Datsun 280Z with a 5-speed. I learned to drive a stick on that car. It also had the best resale value too. I bought it new for about $7500, had it for about for about 7 years and put on about 77K miles on it and sold it for $5300 without even needing to advertise it (I sold it to a friend from work).
In 1999 Senior year of high school I bought a 82’ 280z and traded it a month later for a 88 Mustang GT, I wish I knew what I had 😭😭😭
I had a friend 1972-73 who had a 240 Z it was such a beautiful great car. He had the income to purchase one I did not. I have always wanted a Datsun 240Z and\or a 1955 to 57 Thunderbird. I saw a Fairlady Z on the streets in San Diego in the 70's
I consider myself lucky to have a 270 ZX (1986), a beauty which I could not keep because of my crosscountry relocation however, in 2019 after my spinal surgery I decided to purchase the last of the real Z, a 370 Z (2020 model) my wife strongely opposed my decision but I went ahead with an an online purchase. I live in Maine, the cardealer is in Scottsdale Arizona, it was a leap of faith, purchasing a car without seeing and test driving it, but I knew that every Nissan will carry the old tradition. The car was transported + 3,000 miles in a closed container, it was delivered to my doorstep. The trucktriver was somewhat confused seeing the empty lands of Maine, he asked me, " if you don't mind then please tell me, what do the people do here?" I smiled and told him, we don't do anything, we just enjoy the life. My 370 Z is a beauty & always a head-turner. I am so glad I purchased it when it was available, yesterday it turned 5,000 miles (it is driven only & only in fair weather, never in rain or snow). Now & then I go to my garage and look at it & admire the designer, there are no straight lines, only CURVES, nothing can be more appealing to 78 years old eyes. Well done Nissan.
Women always strongly oppose a guy buying a classic or sports car. It takes away the attention the woman feels she, and she alone, "deserves" and the money spent is not spent on her. Good for you! I bought a '66 XK-E Jag in 1980 and it was either sell the car or dump the Broad. I chose the latter. Best thing I ever did. Enjoy your purchase, sir.
@@robertscheinost179 Thank you, Sir.
Back in the day when I was a much younger man, I bought my 280Z and loved it very much. Took care of that car with fuel injection, full leather interior, it was a gem of a car. Not much needed service back in those days. Miss that car very very much. My Z car looked just like the original 240Z but was updated with A/C and a host of extra features. Sure do miss that car very much.
I was a Datsun/Nissan mechanic in SoCal in the mid 80’ - late 90’s. Out of all the cars I got to drive, including the 300z twin turbo, the 240z was always the one I enjoyed “test driving” the most. The ones with the wide body kits have the best stance.
In my early teens, the 280 was on the market. Just before I graduated High School, the 300 came out. But I had a friend whose parents bought him an older 240. Compared to the 280 we were used to seeing, it was very understated which gave it a smoother appearance. In my opinion, that made the 240 MUCH better looking than it's later siblings. The 240 was a truly beautiful car.
Beyond the looks it weighs 500 pounds less than the 280z. They really made them a blast to drive
The 240 Z are great looking cars and also had some very nice interiors and dash / cluster and console. and that straight 6 had respectable performance. One little detail that I loved was the little flip up cover on the back side of the engine bay. I've never owned any vehicle that was not American made, rear drive V8, muscle car type cars but the 240Z was one of the few foreign cars that I would consider owning
I have been a fan of British sports cars for many years. I am also familiar with the Datsun 240Z. I always have thought that the 240Z was a Japanese take on a Triumph GT6 DONE RIGHT.
I can remember buying my first 240Z back in the late 80's. I took one look under the car and was amazed at the design and immediately told myself, this is a race car. I just had to have it.
LOL, that is the first thing new owners do when they buy a classic Z. They are surprised that they are not "fast" and want to make them "fast". They were never "fast"; they were quick. Modern V6 Civics's put them to shame. Please just buy the car and enjoy it for what it is.
@@williamwilson2696 V6 Civic you say???? LMAO
@@williamwilson2696 I owned and dragraced my 71 240Z for nearly 26 years until an unfortunate accident in a FL Thunderstorm ended my glorydays. In its final iteration I had a Maxima Diesel Crankshaft inside a 1975 280Z 2.8L N42 Block with stock 280Z pistons that I shaved .030" by hand on my garage floor and a .070" shaved, ported and polished N42 head while running two Nissan Headgaskets. I had a 78 Datsun 810 Electronic Distributor with Stock 71 240Z round top DUAL SU carbs bored out 2.5mm with SM needles and flied down throtttle shafts I ran a mild Crane Cam 272/282 .460" lift with .030" shimmed Cam Towers and a 1 7/8" Chromed Motorsport 3 into 2 header. Drivetrain was a slightly modified 82 280ZX gearbox with an 3.9 ratio R200 Open Diff Rear Gear. Back in 2001 the Car ran a 12.801 @ 107.26 on shittty street tires with a horrible 1.95 60 ft. On slicks at the 1/8 mile track it pulled a 1.703 60ft, but I never risked running slicks at the 1/4 mile track since it was 150 miles from my home. Before wrecking it I installed a 4.11 R180 front diff out of a Datsun 4X4 Truck for added low end UUMMPPHH The 240Z was the greatest LEGO CAR ever invented and I've missed her everyday for the last 10 years.
In 1972 just discharged from the army returning back to Detroit, I find myself in the only Datsun dealer in the city ..😊looking at the Z 24, but the pick up truck caught my eye. Laughing I bought the pick up truck. Such great memories. Thanks for a great video.
I bought my first Datsun (not the Z) in 1977 after my Dad had passed away. Being a WWII vet I don't think he would have appreciated that decision but gas had doubled during the previous five years to 62 cents and I couldn't afford to feed my big block Monte Carlo any more!
I owned a 280z around 1980 . I kept that car for 3-4 years and run the hell out of this car. I absolutely miss this car and hope to one day buy another one. Such a killer car to drive and for the price back then was unbelievable for the performance.🔥
I find it fascinatingly noteworthy that most people who commented saying they had this car back in the day, really misses their car
Basically everyone with an "old Z" stopped caring about them in the late 80's. That's why few survive today.
In the late 90s I had access to Zs from 69-85 for dirt cheap. I even was offered a RHD 240 for under 2000. I've always been into Z cars as my first car was a 260. I've owned dozens including a 90 TT. Currently have a 76 and 2 82s. They will forever be with me.
I had the privilege to briefly drive a 4 speed 1970 240 Z in very nice condition back in 1999. It was a wonderful car to drive and truly a standout from the others of it's era. If it were still in the same condition today, I'd buy that car in a heartbeat if I could today.
It must have taken a very long time to make a video like this. Thanks' That 240Z caught my eye as soon as it came out. Absolutely gorgeous. I would love to have a good diecast model of it!
I owned one of the very first 240z's to come into America. I bought it used in the 1980's , Built in 1969 HLS30-000064. Valve cover had 2000 cast in the top. It had some very unique pieces on it compared to any of the other 240's I have ever seen. Loved that car. Wish I still had it.
The 1971 240Z I bought new was the best car I've ever owned. Beautifully balanced, it could drift through corners under easy control, helped by four-wheel independent suspension. While many more expensive and powerful cars left the 240Z in their dust on a straight stretch, the Z would catch them on the corners, to their dismay. Top speed was 125 mph. The L24 2.4-liter engine was a gem. developed from the Mercedes M180 engine, and happily revved out to max. A 5 sp gearbox was super smooth, allowing for fast changes. A great driver's car, club racer, and practical daily drive! Sadly, it was T-boned by a girl driving a VW Beetle through a Stop sign. Sure do miss the Z.
They did not come with 5 speed gearboxes till the 77 280. that, and they were aerodynamic bricks and you could only get the 120hp engine to maybe 120mph downhill...
My parents had a '77 810 wagon with the 2393cc I-6 and 5-speed transmission. My dad loved that car. A family hauler with the driving fun of a Z.
The 240Z was a beautiful looking car (very popular), the sad thing about them was, they were rust buckets and why you don't see many of them around now.
The steel used was full of acid and other contaminants. The same junk steel was used to build Chevy Vegas and Italian sports cars, like the Fiat Dino. Guaranteed to rust through within three years. Russian steel was just as bad back then and was used by some Italian manufacturers.
@@robertscheinost179 Toyota was similar back then, their small pick up trucks were rust buckets as well, Toyota was the first to make big changes in rust prevention between the two companies (Nippon and Nissan). Thanks for the interesting info., I wasn't aware of that. :)
@@nightcrawleroriginal $7K 1986 new knew it but OK the Bed rusted out 10 years . But kept 15 years 250K= 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
So was every car from the 70;s.
You never fail to create content more informative than most automotive edutainment channels here on KZhead. Good stuff, man
I appreciate that!
@@Barchetta totally agree on first comment , just found you and sub'd. great presentations!!!
I began my motor mechanic apprenticeship in 1972. The 240Z was a new model. The original car was awesome. Gradually from 260Z 260Z 2+2 then 280Z they became more bloated and less agile with each model iteration. The 240Z was definitely the best car Nissan Datsun produced at the time.
In 1969, I was in Iwakuni Japan. Coming from Hiroshima late one night in my Honda S600, I was passed by a yellow streak of a car moving so fast I did not recognize it. A few miles later at a scenic overlook I saw the car pulled up to a trailer lighted up and people swarming around it. Being a car guy, I stopped and spoke with the driver. He stated that the car was named FAIRLADY Z. They were testing the car under real road conditions for export to the U.S. When I rotated back to N.C. I went to the local Datsun dealer and was told they had no idea what I was refering to. 6 months later I saw one at the dealer so I stopped and was told the car was ordered 6 months earlier by a local doctor. I was a little pissed, so I went to a Ford dealer and bought a 1971 Torino GT. Best car I ever owned.
I had an '88 Z31 300zx, black 5speed, my cousin had given it to me as a birthday gift in 2013, turned me into a Z car enthusiast! Hoping to get my hands on a 280Z next
Owned and dragraced my 71 240Z for nearly 26 years until an unfortunate accident in a FL Thunderstorm ended my glorydays. In its final iteration I had a Maxima Diesel Crankshaft inside a 1975 280Z 2.8L N42 Block with stock 280Z pistons that I shaved .030" by hand on my garage floor and a .070" shaved, ported and polished N42 head while running two Nissan Headgaskets. I had a 78 Datsun 810 Electronic Distributor with Stock 71 240Z round top DUAL SU carbs bored out 2.5mm with SM needles and flied down throtttle shafts I ran a mild Crane Cam 272/282 .460" lift with .030" shimmed Cam Towers and a 1 7/8" Chromed Motorsport 3 into 2 header. Drivetrain was a slightly modified 82 280ZX gearbox with an 3.9 ratio R200 Open Diff Rear Gear. Back in 2001 the Car ran a 12.801 @ 107.26 on shittty street tires with a horrible 1.95 60 ft. On slicks at the 1/8 mile track it pulled a 1.703 60ft, but I never risked running slicks at the 1/4 mile track since it was 150 miles from my home. Before wrecking it I installed a 4.11 R180 front diff out of a Datsun 4X4 Truck for added low end UUMMPPHH The 240Z was the greatest LEGO CAR ever invented and I've missed her everyday for the last 10 years.
Back in 1976 I was looking at various sport cars. I went around to dealers and did test drives. The ones I looked at were the 240Z, 914, Jensen-Healy and the X19. I had learned my lesson on ever owning another British made vehicle but I test drove the Jensen anyway. The 240Z had the best power, next to the Jensen. The 914 and the X19 were near the same for handling. They both were under powered compared to the Z and the Jensen. The handling on the Jensen was actually very good, near the same as the 914. The Z though offered the best overall for my taste. My test drive included freeway, and actually driving on Mt. Helix, very twisty roads. Did not have the money though to buy one then. I eventually got a 240Z in 1984. Great little car. Smoothed out around 120 mph. (Lived in Texas at the time and did trips from San Antonio to Pasadena multiple times.) Got 3 tickets with it, had to sell it. Too tempting on those very long straights to go fast. (Much younger then too.) The 240Z is one of the cars I have owned in my lifetime that I wish I had been able to keep. Another was a Chevy El Camino SS 396, blue printed engine by the racing team. (Freakin fast!)
These cars were a whole lot of fun to drive. They were like go carts they handled incredibly well they had great acceleration you had to have the manual transmission. My friend had every Z they had from the 40 all the way to the 80 he liked the 60 the best He had a 280 in 1979. I think it was at 78. It just was no good anymore. It got weird got casualty anyway the car was incredible. The only problem was it rotted away in the shop there was no way to keep this car from rotting off its frame, they used crappy steel so they lasted in California but on the East Coast, they disappeared. I think I’d rather have a barracuda or a Chevelle but if you wanted handling like a jaguar or something like that, you needed a Z car. I would say the Z car was a poor man’s 12 cylinders jaguar. How many had 150 hp the car was like that’s gonna be another problem was it didn’t do very well and crash test. My friends were firemen and those cars You got killed in those cars if you got in a bad accident I don’t know if they were any worse than any other cars they were so small and so light they just didn’t farewell I mean cars were massive back then you have to remember cars for weighing five and 6000 pounds And then you put people in there I mean look at a Cadillac or a Lincoln we’re talking massive, massive amounts of steel anyway God bless everybody I’m going on and on and on I pray for peace in the world I pray for statesman leader ship. Our leaders suck. The Democrats are destroying our laws destroying our borders, destroying our culture, destroying everything they can it’s disgusting, the wars, what the Palestinians did to the Israelis is absolutely genocidal evil. And Russia what they are doing to the Ukraine is horrible. We need Christians in our culture you need to become a Christian study your Bible at shepherds chapel read your Bible, and our leaders need to be Christians also with character morality and a set of values that they will never stray from.. . If you can get it
I have a 2+2 I bought as a project, years ago I had a two seater, hands down the funnest car I have ever driven.
I had a 1976 280Z; bought it used in 1984, a terrific, fun sports car, for a fraction of the price of a Ferrari. I sold it 10 years later for what I paid for it. The guy who bought it, still has it.
I learned how to drive on my dad's '72 240Z. I remember that it was a fun little ride and I wanted to buy it off of him, but he wouldn't let me... he wanted to get the chevy small block mod for it but never got around to doing it as he had a garage full of Austin Healys that he was trying to get put back together. I'm 6'4" and it was one of the few 2-seaters I could comfortably fit in and drive.
In 1978, I bought a '73 240Z. It was metallic silver with a black interior and it was very fast! My friend at the time had a 79 Vette, which I raced against three times and beat him twice. The only time I lost was from a standing stop in a 1/4 mile. He beat me by a car and a half, but both times I raced him on the interstate, I won easily! His car just couldn't keep up with my Z after 70-80 mph. I should've never sold that car!
Great and comprehensive video! BTW, you said "This was essentially an L16 with an extra set of cylinders attached" twice.
Thanks for watching. I'll see if I can fix that issue.
I was stationed in Japan 69-72 when the 240Zs came out. Several GIs on base bought them for dirt cheap. Under three grand. Only one color was available. Green. Great little cars.
This essay was very well done. THANKS!
A friend of mine had one and I took a girl on a high speed run with it in 1977 or 1978. It started to shimmy at 90 mph as I recall. Still a fun drive and a beauty of a car. Drove on Vancouver's Upper Levels from the U of B.C. to Horseshoe Bay. When I got there and parked it I bumped it against a concrete stopper. My friend noticed that later on and I had to pay for the touch up. The high speed loss of control issue stayed in my memory for years after. Six or seven years later I was a traveling salesman in the interior of British Columbia and was given a new Plymouth Caravelle. Part of my route was on the newly completed Coquihalla Highway that had very high speed limits (especially for BC). The speed limit was 75 mph and at one point you are high up on one side of a valley, then you drive down and up the other side. I regularly drove that stretch at 90 to 100 mph (peak speed) with no high speed issues. Showed me that "sports car" didn't mean "rides really well at high speed."
Bingo! Around 90mph the S30 would start to become unstable. It was better at handling than a 1969 Mustang but that's not saying much. Now the 79ZX was marvelous at 100-130mph because they did aerodynamic testing rather than just copying the body styles from the 60's.
@@williamwilson2696 With better tires euro springs and 5 way Tokico Struts and a HUGE Front Air Dam I hit 145 MPH gps verified in my modified 240Z and it was rock stable but a little noisy lol
I've owned 2 Z's. Both 72's. A buddy of mine and I bought our first ones in 1973. His was copper with automatic. Mine was red with 4 speed. After I hit 3rd, I would dust him. Could go up to 105 in third with more to go. Redline of 7000 rpm became a movie. My second was a Bonzi yellow with automatic and a/c. Oddly i bought each car for just over 3k. One in 73 and one in1989. I drove them both like crazy and sold them both for just over 4k. Best cars I've ever owned. Best part was the manual choke. You could choke it to 1100 rpms and push it our of snow drifts by yourself.
I still remember this work of art around 1972
I remember when I was a kid, my friend sent off for a brochure to a company called Scarab. They took a stock 240Z and did a host of mods to it, including a small block Chevy V-8. As I recall it would cost more than the factory car but it did look awesome. One thing I remember was that they offered real hand-tooled leather and 12 coats of hand rubbed lacquer. We spent hours pouring over the pictures and dreaming about buying one. Always wanted a 240Z after that, although today I would probably go for one with a 2JZ engine...
In 1973 I was working with a young physician who had been following the development of the Z for several years. He bought one when he felt he had enough money. On the day he picked it up he and his wife gave his staff a party to celebrate. The car was amazing! As the party got underway a storm blew through. The hail "totalled" the beautiful car! It took him about 6 months to get a new one. In 1991 I bought a new pearlescent yellow 300ZX 2+2. I sold it in 2007 and it is still around town today!
Had a metallic brown one in 1973. Loved it.
I had 3 different 240s during the 90s, when I could still get in and out of them with no effort (!!) The last one I had was a 72, which I had painted a 91 GM color called "Polo Green." (I believe Vettes and Camaros) it looked great, despite not being an original "Z" color. I also switched a set of True Spoke wire wheels for the dealership optional Aluminum "Slotted" Mags, which boosted the "Masculinity" of the car by about 30%. Finally, I (Again!) Deviated from the original by having a 280-ZX Engine put in, with a small cam, and ran turbo exhausrlt from it. What fun! The only thing that drove my 'purist' friends crazy was: I had an automatic in it. They would say "Why??" All I can say is that my idea of a great ride was to go "90 miles per hour for 90 miles," I was never great at milking every ounce of power out of the car with a stick, nor did I care! I had a girlfriend living in Jupiter, Florida, I lived in Tampa, so I liked to put the rascal in "D," hit the gas and just go. What a car! At 2300 pounds, it just made sense.
Most underrated channel on yt, thank you for your work sir
I owned an orange 72' 240Z that I bought in '73. It was fantastic, but totaled in a rear ender by a pickup. I looked at 911's and Corvette in 1974, but instead, bought a 74' 260Z that I disconnected the the air pump and reset the timing to 1971 specs and it went great. The interior was upgraded as well. Amazing cars.
always love these longer episodes after a long day of work.
I hope you enjoyed it
@@Barchetta as always! looking forward to more; maybe some Alfa Romeo content in the future?
Fun tangent: late '70's, Japanese brands just getting traction in US market, colleague of dad bought a Mazda, ran it out of water overheated then dumped cold water into hot engine cracking the block. He didn't pretend it wasn't HIS FAULT but Mazda installed new engine free anyway. They had a reputation to build.
Thanks! Awesome. Keep them coming!!!
Another great video.
In 1983 I bought a (72) 240Z so fun to drive I crashed it in a ditch..hit an unexpected patch of gravel in a turn ..still have the scar
Wow it was great to relive the history of the Z. My neighbor owned a 1970 240z in white. I loved that car and promised that once I got my license I would own one. In the end I purchased a 260z, 280z and today I am driving a 350z. There will always be a Z in my garage.
A design that still looks good in 2024. Clean, crisp, and sleek.
I remember back in the day trying to talk with my bands on. It wasn’t easy
Oh, how I miss my 73 240Z I bought in 1975.
Imagin buying a sports car, brand new, for $4k. I bought my Datsun 2000 in 1969 for $3,225 out the door. That is an incredible price considering what we pay today for something similar, like the Mazda Miata. Sports cars were all the rage. Triumph had the TR3 and TR4, MG had the MGA and MGB, Lotus had the Elan, and even smaller sports cars were available like the Spitfire, Midget and Sprint. Nissan really hit it with the 240Z.
Bravo pour ce reportage très intéressant !
Love the Z bio, especially the researchers encounter with California Highway Patrol officer. My first Datsun was a 1972, B-210 in blue.
Another wonderful video!!👍👍🏿👍🏾👍🏼
Thank you
@@Barchetta How are we going to get you MORE SUBSCRIBERS!!???!!!!??? I guess it'll definitely happen naturally but you deserve it. 100 other sub-par KZheadrs have a million subs but fantastic channels like yours don't SMH. Just don't forget us when you blow up lol 😂😂
Thank you. I just have to be more consistent and make videos on topics that resonate with people. I WILL break through, though.
Had a mint 74 260 and had lots of fun with it, but like all things in life, changes and ideas come along, but yes, I wish I still had it. It was one of the very few no rust models while I had it.
Thx dude nice content
When the 240Z was launched locally it was promoted through a newspaper contest...My Grandmother won. I thought eventually it would be mine but alas that never happened.
35:00 'carnivorous' luggage compartment made me laugh.
I am a massive movie fan but there are certain movies that I never got to see (The Godfather , Harry Potter etc). Similarly in cars , I have owned and driven a large proportion of cars from all different brands and countries. The Z cars just never came my way, and that i regret. Love the 240 . Great informative video. Thanks
Excellent - the most complete history of a legionary auto I've watched
...stolen from hundreds of other sources. No new original video.
Back in '73 I really wanted a 240Z. But they were in high demand and the dealer said I'd get one when my name got to the top of the waitlist. However, I would get the next car, no choice of color and, worse yet, it might be an automatic. Take it, or leave it and go to the bottom of the list. So, having already owned an MG I went to check out the MGBs at the local dealer. They said they were overstocked on E-Types and had several coming, and offered me a deal I couldn't refuse. Within the first two months of my enjoying my Series 3 V-12 E-Type Jaguar announced they were ending production and the warehouse in Baltimore where the new cars landed burned down, taking all the new E-Types with it. The dealer never got another one. Oh, and I still have it.
Owned one, my first new car. Comfortable ride as compared to a British Triumph ,MG or even the Corvettes of that time. Parts were impossible to get, seats wore thru fast and the sheet metal stood up poorly to New England winters. They were cheap to buy.
I had a 1969 Datsun 510. I liked it.
mine is sitting in an old tobacco barn, green 1973, cant wait to start the renovation.
Fairlady sure you said it had a Carnivorous boot, I like it Happy New Year
Absolutely fantastic documentary 👏🏼 thank you!
That was a great history segment on the Z cars. Thanks
No new material at all...
I remember my brother bought a 1973 240z a straight 6 engined orange datsun for a few hundred quid. I loved it anvd he was british junior banger racer who won his heat at wimbledon stadium by over a lap. He was winning the final when the throttle linkage broke. he was doing 80mph in the wet on the elevated section of the M4 It was raining heavy and he was drifting it at 80mph. I wasnt worried as he was a gifted driver and rock climber. It makes me laugh thinking about it and i wish he had kept it.
You stopped too soon. I had a 300 ZX Turbo. It was Complex but fun. Smooth and fast.😊😊
Fun fact: the few Zs you would see with that little 'tail fin' at the back? The early Z-Cars had some little design flaw that would drag some exhaust back around and into the car. Those (somewhat silly looking) little fins were supposed to stop that. I was never a fan, sovwhen I got to my girlfriends and she say i smelled like fuel, Id tell her it was my cologne, and was called "I Drive A Racecar, Damnit!"
More remarkable work from you, thank you so much.
My brother in law had a couple of 240z's. I still think they were the best of any of the Z cars - each which got successively worse. The 240Z was simple, easy to work on and tough.
I remember as a kid in the early-mid 70s, Mountain Dew had a contest where if you had the right bottle cap liners you could win the Grand prize of a 240Z . Most were free pop. We were all excited, but we were kids. They'd never let pre teen kids win a car....
I've have had a love/hate relationship with the Z's when Wife got a 240. I actually prefered the 280 2+2 cause the weight distribution and handling was so well balanced at the time (and when I upgraded all (owed 5 back in the 90's). my favorite at the time was 1978 2+2 with the only completely ground up rebuild of the engine and an added 5 speed. At the time it was the only one of it's kind in Sothern California. Miss them all!
The dimensions of the 240Z's hatchback window, I believe, are the same as those of a Ferrari 250 GT; I never sat in either, but I did have dinner with Luigi Chineti & wife, and his business partner who was especially noted for directing the transformation of piles of Aluminum sheets into finished Ferrari Barchettas. We all shared dinner at the same table under a tent in the rain -- about 30 years ago.
I remember well when these hit the market, one in a parking lot would draw an instant crowd.
I had a black 280 z 1983 digital dash speedometer. T top . 5 speed 2 seater . It was awesome with the big nose n hood vents
Didn´t know they planned to put the Y40 in it. 😯 @10:14 This also would´ve been a nice model! What an interesting story with the police officer.
Another precursor was when Nissan completed the purchase of Prince motors in 1966 this included the MB engine design license and the larger platforms to base the Z car on.
Never driven a Z ,but i love my 76 B210..
If I could only find a set of aluminum 13" rims...or any..at least a spare.lol
After my parents divorced my dad brought a 280z. Silver with maroon/burgundy interior. It was like a Japanese E Type. Thirsty as fuck on gas, think he spent $NZ100 a week on gas on it (this was early 90s, petrol $1 a litre). Spend a fortune on rust repair and a full repaint over the years he had it and even had to buy a donor car because it was constantly needing parts. Eventually after about 10 or 15 years he eventually sold it and the remainder of the parts to a Datsun club guy for next to nothing. Probably (excluding usual car maintenance expenses) cost him about $25k all up and sold it for about $5k. Still think it was a beautiful car though and have great memories of it.
I miss my 77 280Z...what a fast fun car too drive😢
I had a buddy who bought one of the first 1972 240Zs. He had to wait 3 months for delivery. It was Blue with the rare white vinyl top. I remember when he drove it home. I said to him, WTF is that? Some people praise the car, but my friend had nothing but trouble keeping the carbs synced. I had a 1968 GTO at the time. He claimed he could beat me in a 1/4 mile run, but we never got around to trying it. Mine was cammed, 4 sp floor shift, and had headers plus a Holly 800CFM carb.
I loved those cars.
I always loved the look of the Datsun Z's ,I finally bought a Silver 1982 4 speed Datsun Z but it was disappointing.I had major troubles with the fuel injection system which I believe was new that year,it had major rust issues an the car was too small for me,I am 6'2 and 250 lbs,the interior may of been great for someone 5'8,I felt like I was in a sardine can !!! It was so cramped I had trouble shifting the 4 speed.I guess am built to be driving a Toyota 4 Runner or a Tundra.
Great work man, I love these documentary style videos. Please do one on the Honda S2000 in the future.
Thanks for watching. I will definitely look at doing an S2K vid in 2023. Glad you’re enjoying the content.
Had a ‘77 280 Z in the early 90 s while in college. It was college kids corvette until on it hard one day and the engine blew…. Fun car
it was my 4th car but only with a 2.0L engine ,it was red inside and metalized grey outside, it was a 200Z, early 72.it was a plaeasure to drive it ,the interior was very ergonomic one felt like if it was glued to the car ,it made turms very fast, in the 90´s i saw a mitsubishi like a miniature of the ECLIPSE also with a 2.0L engine,it cost me only 1.000€ and very similar to the Z inside , having earlier bought the 300ZX wich is one of my favorite cars to drive, the later Z´s could be miore faster on start but whenm the 300ZX fired up it let all behind due to it´s size
I remember the Prince Skyline GT in 1963 triple Weber carbs on that MB styled engine, this car had a longer engine compartment than its 4 cyl brother to accomodate the 6 cyl engine.
I remember seeing a Toyota 2000GT for sale in a Stater Bros. (grocery store) parking lot for 3900 dollars when I was shopping for my first car. Sadly, it was way out of my 2000 dollar budget so I ended up with a '66 XKE. It was the one that got away. It was white with a black interior. Recently, a 2000 GT sold for over 2 million dollars.
I owned a 280Z in Bahrain for a while solid car maybe not as fast but easy to drive and well built!