1970 Datsun 240Z | Buyer’s Guide
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ค. 2024
- Hagerty’s Editor-at-Large Sam Smith explores what makes the 1970 Datsun 240Z such a beloved classic and details what you need to know about buying, owning, and loving this great sports car.
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Episode chapters:
0:00 Introduction - 1970 Datsun 240Z
0:36 Driving impressions
2:05 Shop talk
3:48 Undercarriage inspection and buying tips
5:03 Hagerty Valuation Tools
7:12 Sam Smith’s final thoughts
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#240Z #BuyersGuide #NeverStopDriving - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Lot of folks are going to regret doing the cliche LS swaps and hacking out the fenders for flares as these beauties keep rising in value.
a rising tide lifts all boats. they're still going to increase in value, just not as much as the stock ones. same with skylines
Nobody was doing LS swaps. The LS wasn't even around when people were modding these Datsuns.
@@spaceghost8995 My bad I was using LS as a generic term for V-8 swaps. Obviously mods can be undone, but original engines get junked along with carbs, etc. These cars have been so cheap for so long that they’ve really been through the ringer at this point.
@Eric Babcock exactly. I just used LS as a generic reference for V8 swaps.
I don’t know. An LS swapped 240z went for over $75k at B/J Auction last year. I’m keeping my L24. But most people are swapping the L24 for the 280z’s L28. As long you have the original block, you’re golden.
Ah, such memories! I bought a 1971 240z in San Diego in 1985 while serving in the US Navy. She was outfitted with triple (!) side-draft Weber carburetors and painted a metallic grey. Also sported twin sunroof vents (opened at backside only) and aftermarket rims. $2500 from a guy in the northside of the city. The setup was highly illegal in California at the time, but there were ways around that of course. The 3 Webers were difficult to sync but I still loved 'em. Wonderful car. The accelerator seemed bottomless to me. Drove from San Diego to Virginia after my Navy time. I had her until I got short of cash in the late 80's. Now I own a 2013 370z. Nice, but somehow just not the same.
I have an orange 71' with triples, it does sound good!
I had similiar experience when I bought my 1973 Datsun 240z in 1975, just out of h.s.. I owned it until 1980 in a car accident following my dad after he got out of work with his car pooling with 4 other of his coworkers. His car and my Z were totalled. I miss that car to this day!
As a 240Z lover i have a note, when i first saw a 240Z i felt like i saw life. The 240Z is like a absolute animal of a car! Wild and alive, made to respect it's owner as much as it could. Made to make the owner of itself as happy as it could, i think that this car is amazing.
That exhaust note still sounds good to me after all these years. What a gem of a car it was and still is. Like most desirable early model Japanese cars and trucks, they're no longer cheap if they're in good condition.
I've owned about a dozen of these cars. Epic performance when dialed in.
Me too...very fun!
Bought my first in August my second in February :)
@@FixingWithFriends it shot up because of a anime like the ae86. And old owners are dumb to compare theirs rusty datsun to a rare 1st gen datsun z that was spec out from dealer with rare options. Obviously no datsun today has those rare options but that doesn't stop old people marking them up.
That care datsun sold for over 300k. It had a rare green, rare colored interior, full original everything and was garage kept after dealer purchased back in the day.
What does "dialed in" entail?
@@Just2Evil A more rigid body, helped by either replacing the "frame" that supports the suspension pieces, or cross-bracing the strut towers. Stock 240z have a lot of flex in the body. Then, wider tires than stock. Then a modern suspension - modular control arms instead of stamped steel. Getting the engine up to about 200HP is plenty for such a light car, and should be doable with a better cam and fuel delivery upgrades. I recommend fuel injection, but it can be costly.
Buyer's guide: Good luck.
Seriously I can't find one that's not completely rusted out.
Right? 50+ yo cars that were driven hard then beat to hell
Rust was an issue from day 1. They were made with very thin metal and then transported on boats that exposed them to ocean air.
Doesn't help when the factory goes on a non-rust belt cross country buyback spree to celebrate the car's 25th anniversary.
One of my biggest regrets is in the mid 1990's, I could have bought my cousin's always garaged and meticulously maintained 1972 240z for $1500. I was going through a "minimalist" kick at the time. During the same period, a family friend had a beautiful mint 1970 Lincoln Mark III with only 34,000 miles on it (also garaged & maintained), that he offered to sell me for $1500. ...I had money to burn then, but at the time, thought I should simplify my life, which included not having extra stuff. Sour grapes, but I didn't have a garage to put them in. ...I could have easily rented one though. ...C'est la vie...
@@sparky6086 yep. I had a neighbor selling his 280z 2+2 for $500 in the early 2000s because his wife hated it. I didnt want it because it was a 2+2. Still really regret that.
I'm glad I bought mine years ago, prices going up. I won't sell it. We spent three years restoring it in stages.
Same here. Glad I gathered parts and restored it before prices skyrocketed. Freaking $500 for an ashtray these days. Crazy!
@@lardoretardo906 The driver side window regulators are unobtanium, mine is not great, I might take it out and try to fix it up somehow.
"This is a Nikon SLR. This is a Sony Television. This is a great example of the Japanese BEING the Japanese, and simply applying a logical method to a romantic idea."
This is probably the best line in any car video. Brilliant.
Completely agree, its extremely poetic and memorable. Actually, I just reached this point in the video and paused to see if anyone else felt the same and came across your comment! It's funny, I'm getting older and have a family, but I still keep wanting a sports car, one that's affordable and attainable and even today the most practical yet exciting options seem to be JDM stuff like the Toyota 86 and the like.
I had a 260 in college till some idiot hit me and wadded it up. I stayed pissed for years. It was a great, very flingable car. Years later, after college and making a few bucks, I bought its more costly younger cousin, the Infinity G35 for much the same reasons. It was a great handling car, and while it doesn’t have the seven hundred horses that so many do today, it had a good 300hp in a great V6 that ran like a Swiss watch. I lost it too when some meth head stole it and then spun it into a guard rail and then a ditch. Bent it like banana and with aluminum body panels it was totaled. They kept the thief in jail for about a week till his grandma bailed him. Sadly, he died of an OD two days later. I’ve been looking for a good deal on a good driver version of one of these cars for years but they’ve just priced them out of my range.
an early 70s 240z was a real eye opener for me !
My friend's brother had 240z, bone stock. Sat in it few times and fell in love with it
Great series so far, absolutely loving it
Loved my '73. Rusted to pieces during the mid to late '80s while I lived in NY. It was the only car I had for several years. I really wanted another one a few years ago, but I had already missed my affordability window and settled for a 987.2 Cayman with a stick. Also a fun car that hasn't lost any value since I purchased it, but I still miss the Z.
I owned 2 of these, an early 71 with the vents on the rear hatch and a 73. To this day it was one of my favorite cars to drive and either my favorite or 2nd favorite looking car.
3 days before buying my 280 I didn’t even know what it was lol I just recently picked it up and all the attention the old Zs are getting is a good motivator to start putting some work into the old thing
I'm about to take delivery of a '72 240 owned by the same person for over 48 years, fully restored and ready to rumble. I can't wait!!! My dad had a 240 when I was a little kid and I used to sit in his lap and steer it and a 280ZX Turbo in the 80's that I used to "borrow" when they were out of town so it will be a little nostalgic for me to get back into one.
I always liked the 280Z and the 240Z a lot. Really neat little cars.
I rue the day I sold my Bob Sharp/BRE modified 240Z. So much fun in that car.
Love Sam! Just the best. Great job as always
My first Z car was a Avocado green Code 113 with tan interior, it was a 73 with the ugly flat top carbs, i purchased the car from the original owner 5 years ago. i had it sit in storage for 6 months until i got around to working on it, changed the flat top carbs to round top carbs, also changed the old beat up shocks and bushings and i drove the car for 3 years straight it was a blast.. I was fortunate enough to buy 2 more early Z cars, both original paint survivors and both in fantastic condition. My safari gold is a 5/70 and my monte carlos red is 6/70. Both tucked away in storage and rust free. sadly i sold my 73 in december. great cars to own and enjoy. they sure are becoming alot harder to find.
Sold mine a bit over a year ago now. Got it for 4k and sold for 9k. Did enjoy it but the fumes get old fast and no AC does too. Ultimately, safety was my concern and I sold it, if you love 240s don't look at what happens when you crash one.
shouldve fixed your emissions issues, thats the source of the fumes.
Really love these - always have.
I like the buyers guide series. I enjoyed the Miata buyers guide as well. Looking forward to more of these. would Like to see you do a Ta22 Celica, Datsun 510, Fj cruiser.
Enjoyed the well-made video. Thanks!
It did change the world ! I owned a 1979 280ZX. Had it for 13 years. Loved it, cared for it. Couldn't find parts (Aaaarrrggghh!) . Did update the engine. Changed out the plug wiring harness. Bought full set of new tires. New muffler. Reconditioned the seats. Repainted the hood vents. Replaced the clutch. Sold it for what I paid for it. Used the money to buy a 1991 Nissan 300ZX twin turbo. But I sure miss my Datsun.
Thanks, Datsun impressive video.
Air Force 1970. Southern Japan. Guys were buying these cars for $2400. There was only one color available. Lime green. Great cars.
Great seeing Sam and hope he keeps up the reviews but Sam there's a small pull handle to the left under the dashboard so the hood opens to reveal the engine just in case we wanted to see it .
I've always been infatuated with the 240Z ever since seeing my first one not long after these cars arrived in this country. It was indeed a memorable sight. The lines of the exterior take their place among the most beautiful automotive designs ever as far as I'm concerned. The interior isn't quite up to snuff in my mind, but given that this car was built to a price point it can easily be excused. The bottom line is that I would love to own one of these, but the only way that is going to happen is if I were to sell my S2000. However, should I ever trip over a large bag full of money out on the sidewalk, I'll definitely buy one of these - right after having a larger garage constructed.
My first car.! love at first sight
My favorite is the 260Z. Once I upgraded to the Twin Webber Carbs, it was perfect.
triple
@@ixfxi Uh, I don't know about a triple carburetor setup. But my 260Z came with dual Hitachi carburetors.
@@theylied1776 The commonly swapped in to replace the 73 / 74 flat top carbs with dual weber downdrafts were terrible. The triple weber side drafts are excellent once set up correctly.
@@jims9259 The Dual Weber or Edelbrock worked just fine for me.
I had an 1974 "early 260z" (one of the first 260s built in summer 1973) through the 2000s. It was basically the 240z body shell, with the 204z thin bumpers but mounted on shocks, and the 2.6L engine with the dreaded "flat top" Hitachi carbs. Although I lusted after the triple Weber setup I never had the funds available for this, and went the "round top" SU route instead.
I have to say that my experience was not fully consistent with Sam's comments about reliability and parts availability - purely due to the age, my low-mileage car had a lot of electrical issues throughout my ownership, and original replacement pieces were frequently NLA. Some brake parts (like the aluminum finned drums, parking brake cables, etc), trim and interior bits were also NLA. I don't know if there is renewed availability now due to the run-up in values.
I loved the way the car shifted, and I loved the torque and sound of the engine. However, I replaced my 260 with a 1970 911, which was a far better drive - and in 2009, the value of the two was very similar. 911 parts were generally more available, although many things were far more expensive. In fact, I sold my 260z in late 2009 to pay for a PORTION of my 911 engine build (2.7 RS spec).
I did love my Datsun, though... to this day, my handle on all the Porsche boards is "orange260z"! :)
ONE OF MY DREAMCARS
Love my 72 neds a interior refresh but pretty good other than that.They are reliable for sure. The sound with a header and straight pipe is very sweet!!
If you can't afford a 240, don't pass up a good 260 or 280Z. They were the "same series" body as the 240 until 1978 (with the added semi-ugly federal mandated bumpers) but still maintained most of the 240's nimbleness. Still looked sleek and pure, had fuel injection with more torque with a good exhaust, still had the most wonderful sound! I've had two 78's. The first was bought new and the second was purchased 18 years ago, fully restored - out of "rust free" Lubbock TX. Man, did those cars ever get the looks! More than once people asked "What type of Ferrari IS that?"
Word of warning, They are VERY SMALL cars, If you are over 6 feet tall and over 200lbs, it's gonna be a tight fit! Don't forget that polished slotted mags are an ownership REQUIREMENT!
Finally, 280ZX's are NOT what you are looking for! Don't bother.
My dream car it’s just so clean
Great presentation!
Driving a 240Z is a social experience! Everytime I drive mine I end up keeping a running count of how many compliments I get, which is usually 2-3 each time.
Oh my lord why?! Now JDM enthusiasts are going to weep when they see these things are $500K now. Not like original ones were already expensive.
$55k not $500k
I just bought an all original 73’ for 14k. Little rust and still runs beautifully. Worth every freakin penny.
@@waggityanne awesome, I am jealous , is that 14k us dollars ?
@@anthonyg4671 Yep!
I absolutely love my Z, alongside the buyers guide here, I have a bunch of DIY Tutorials for the Z on my channel and more to come! Cheers, awesome video!
The first car I bought on my own when I was 18 was an 86 300zx. It was 14 years old with around 160,000 miles. It was well built and I loved it but the 3.0 V6 always had issues. I've always wanted to own a 240z ever since. I'd rather have that then a fully restored classic muscle car. But not a Mopar lol
drove a '70. kick it and flew of surface. scary. owned a ''73. little heavy but worth it. these videos make me miss it...
only the jdm 5 speeds have the Porsche style steel synchros
My dream car :)
In the early 1970s my friend's dad used to say, "it looks like the driver is in the back seat." Good observation. ha ha ha
Yeah that's true...your just ahead of the rear wheels!
Learned to drive a Datson B210. Driving from the back seat would make sense.
Today’s Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 is a future classic
One of my biggest regrets is in the mid 1990's, I could have bought my cousin's always garaged and meticulously maintained 1972 240z for $1500. I was going through a "minimalist" kick at the time. During the same period, a family friend had a beautiful mint 1970 Lincoln Mark III with only 34,000 miles on it (also garaged & maintained), that he offered to sell me for $1500. ...I had money to burn then, but at the time, thought I should simplify my life, which included not having extra stuff. Sour grapes, but I didn't have a garage to put them in. ...I could have easily rented one though. ...C'est la vie...
Sam's Back! Yay!
The term “you don’t miss it till it’s gone” doesn’t apply more appropriately to anything like cars. When ICE cars become obscure and most sports cars like these are rusted out, crushed, or even worse, hoarded in rich old people’s garages, anything pre 1973 with a manual and naturally aspirated motor will be worth a fortune.
I know. Owned 2 of them. 'doesn't ask a lot but gives so much'.
Them things could hug a quick turn high speed no joke - does anyone agree
Nice series 1.
Beautiful beautiful car 🔥❤️
As I recall, the MSRP was $1995. Mine came w/ low oil in the final drive(Or leaked, can't remember) and the car had lot's of gear whine after that. It was pretty fast and could give a sm. block Chevy car everything it wanted. The seats were eggshell thin, but comfortable and it was easy to heal/toe. Used to scare my girlfriend on the mountain twisties.
Nice cars for sure but they rust like crazy! I bought a 280Z new and after I bought it I got a letter from the manufacturer proudly proclaiming that they would warranty the car for rust damage for 36 months. At 37 months I had perforation rust bubbles on the body. They are rare because they literally melt away from rust.
These were epic game changing cars when they came out. My father bought one new and it was amazing and had zero problems. If only Nissan had as much mojo today instead of churning out mostly boring cars partly shared with Renault and the now ancient GT-R.
The rust problem isn't just where they were spot welded, it was a Nissan/Datsun known error due to poor quality etching primer from its initial factory dipping, which would flake off on the inside of the main spars, bringing with it the undercoat and paint, exposing bare steel. They quite literally rotted from the inside out. I began a 2nd restoration on mine a '83 280 T-top 15yrs ago, a simple set of body blemish touch up spots had appeared, an easy grind and or cut job before a respray type repair. Cue opening rear of sills while attending to rear wheel arches and find a load of crud in there. I filled a 5ltr bucket with paint flakes that had fallen down into the sill area on both sides just infront of the rear wheels. This had water logged over time & the whole area including the extra internal brace across the car was ruined. Further inspection showed the A pillars had gone soft, so had the support brace under the radiator across the front end of the car, all within 5 years of the whole floor having been replaced during it's 1st resto. Shame I loved that car, but it was unsafe and beyond an economical repair back then
I’ve always thought the 240z was the most beautiful car I’ve ever seen. It’s exactly what I want in a project/fun car, I’ve gotta get one before they all either rust away or get riced out.
Still my favorite car.
I nearly bought a used 240z in 1977 after graduating from high school. Had around 30k miles on it, lots of torque, bright orange...but my dad talked me out of it bc neither of us owned any metric tools and he thought parts would be scarce. Also there was the financing and increased insurance costs. The payment was going to be $137/month for three years. Instead, I bought a brand new Dodge, paid less interest and insurance, $98.32/month for four years. $4300 for a new Dodge. The used 240z was $3500.
My grandma use to own one of these in the 70s after college
It's funny reviewers act like there is a major difference between 240, 260 and 280.. every body panel is the same...the 280's had a louver hood that will fit a 240 and 260. The engines are the biggest difference..
Yesss Sam Smith returns! The *correct* host for this series
I had a '77 280Z 5 speed that I bought it in 1980 with 55 (ORIGINAL) miles on it from a senior citizen I met at a grocery store I worked at (this person turns out was infact a great grandson to General Robert E. Lee of the Civil War - and he looked a lot like him too!).
Though I was long intent on finding a 70-73 240Z, I could never find one then that was close to factory perfect as I wished and I avoided any thrashed out "Ricky-Racer" customized look as well could I ever find an example with decent milage.
So I settled for this '77.
That it had such low miles to being with, the first 3-4 years of ownership the car ran perfect.
Then through the passing years little by little came the problems through out like transmissions, radiators/cooling etc and that rather than buying terribly expensive original factory parts I opted for going cheap stuff at Pep Boys which in the long run was quite detrimental to this car. It was tough to keep the car up as it aged.
I put on over 430,000 miles on the (original engine) - never having to have been rebuilt.
What killed the car in the en as as was warned about in the video - rust. Living in Seal Beach, California for 22 years - and 2 houses away from the sand/surf did it in. I recall the bottom floor pans were so rusted that they crumbled like potato chips when touched. It was that bad.
I sold it for 900 bucks in 1994. Somebody bought it for parts. Sad...
Have always wanted another, but the prices these go for nowadays might just leave me dreaming.
Thanks Hagerty for the nice video.
STILL one of THE most recognizable, bad ass sounding, Japanese perfection !!!!!!!!
Please feature a Datsun 510. I would highly appreciate it! :)
saw this style body some many months ago and I thought this was the car I wanna have when I get into some real money
Holy apricot that is a sexy car. I am not a car guy at all but I think I know what I want in life if anything else.
Beautiful car
Great vid, I just have one question though, will the car ask a lot of me?
lol!
And what and how much will it give in return? 🤔
These go for 100k now in canada. Its wild. The 80's "Z's" are starting to inch over 20. Its wild
Talk about the first gen RX-7 for next video!
Nice enjoyable video. Should have put the signal seeking AM radio thru its paces.... And some engine bay shots. Interesting that the seats have been swapped. Pass side is on driver side, and pass has the driver seat. The recline adj knob should be inboard facing the console.
nothing like a S1 with the seats in backwards on hagerty!
I wanted one as my first car back in 2009 but prices were just out of reach, few years later they became unobtainable asking 10k+ i wanted one but not for more than 5k considering your average 1.6L hothatch would smoke it for breakfast but great looking. Same thing for Volvo 240 estates recent years too
Dream car... sadly I’ll probably never be able to get my hands on one, at least for a reasonable price I can afford.
Nice car, looks like an E type crossed with a 70s muscle car.
I had one. A 1970 made in 69. The serial # was 000456.
I had a new1974 260Z best car I ever owned.
This would be a sweet LS swap! Summit Racing has some really affordable LS crate engines, this thing would be awesome with an LS3 cranking out some thrifty power!
Why do Americans want to LS Swap everything?
@@anonymmc2764 Easy. Cheap. Reliable.
Lots, and I mean LOTS of motors have 2 of those. People want all 3. There is also the fact that every single American junk yard has literally dozens of LS motors sitting in it, GM put it in nearly everything.
@@anonymmc2764 it's like asking why the Japanese are JZ swapping everything. It's powerful, easy to maintain, and reliable
But yeah, I would still gamble for a Saturn(4G3 series) or Orion(4G6 series). They are just built different to be able to handle hard mods on stock internals
@@anonymmc2764 Only Chevy fanboys parroting others. Most of these You Tube commenters here have never even changed their own oil. You don't need a fucking V8 in a car like that!
It would be a great swap, people hate on not keeping this car original but I mean hey, it's your car. I'm wanting a 2jz swap in mine haha
Story goes, Datsun founder's love for the body style of the Jaguars XKE 's, inspired the 240z.
Back when Datsun was Datsun, and worth having.
I noticed the Michigan plate...
Where in Michigan was this video shot ?
Did he forget to mention the smell? I think he forgot to mention the smell.
so went on your site to check out prices of cars over the years and i have to make an account, which means you want my email. so like anything these days data collection is king and my respect for hagerty just sharply dropped.
I love mine
Time to look at 240s I can't own on eBay. I want one so badly. Hopefully someday I'll own a classic Z
Z28 are better.
@@joshuagibson2520 ....until you get to the first corner.
@@ifmbm332b I reject your reality and substitute my own.
Doesn't seem like it was that long ago that you could find these in rough but running condition for $700-$800
Sam when will you do a guide for your Type R?
I have a younger gentleman that lives in the same neighborhood I live in that has a 1972 Datsun 240Z with a supercharged LS2 swap. Oversized fenders, almost like a wide body. Makes around 750 HP from the wheels. I have yet to take a ride in it lol
Do a show on Orange Cougar in background
Datsun terbaik👍
510 bluebird juga
Are we getting a Mercury cougar xr7 episode?
Do one on z32
The narrative given about Nissan's planning the delivery of the 240Z isn't that accurate. The S30 was brought about by two Nissan renegades -- one wild designer, Matsuo, and one bold and brave salesman who knew the US market, Mr. K.
Yes and mr.k was the salesman who made it a succes and ripped of the fairLADY emblems
That would Be a good car to buy down south where it doesn't snow much. Minimal rust
I've had my '70 garaged for 30 years now. Hasn't run since 1985 and I've never driven it (frozen engine), but I have dreams. I'm the 3rd owner. Anyone else have the dealer installed 8-track player still? I'd be happy to haul the engine to MI for Redline Rebuilds!
Why not get it fixed and drive it?
@@Bergamot88 kids and cars cost money, and I still have one more kid to get through college. Then it's time for the Z.
I managed to get my hands on that 8-track stereo off the UK ebay two years ago. Gonna install it in my Z.
Yeah they rust but that's fairly relative, & at 50 yrs old. I lived in the NE and had a VW bug - rusted out, 65 Mustang - rusted out, Maverick - rusted out. Now in the PNW over 30 yrs and no rusted cars incl. 74 260z in the 90's. Seems they're all in CA, MO or FL recently as I'm hunting for 71/72 240?
While i give respect for all-original cars, id love the find a pre modifiied one of these that i wouldnt feel bad about stuffing a chevy 350 in
@Sam Smith Great Enthusiast Video that captured a lot of the allure of the Datsun 240Z. However, no Porsche aka Steel synchro’s in the standard 240Z 4spd. - Nissan selected the Warner/Brass synchro’s for the USA 4spd. - due to their smoother operation and shifting.
The car that knocked the Opel GT off its pedestal.
Not sure the Opel ever was on a pedestal although they were quite beautiful and low drag body. Wanted one until my grandpa said his Opels were pretty pedestrian cars mechanically.
@@ifmbm332b - The Opel GT was pedestrian mechanically but most cars in its price point were at the time. It was marketed as a baby Corvette. Initially people were lining up to buy them. Then the 240Z showed up and changed the game. The waiting list shifted to the Datsun and the Opel GT was quickly forgotten. Until the Z arrived you couldn’t buy a new good looking sophisticated 6cyl sports car for $3,500. They didn’t exist. So for a sliver of time the Opel was the only budget minded choice and would be remembered as such were it not for the Datsun stealing the show.