20 years of Z ownership

[richiep]

It occurred to me (after being asked how long I've owned the red Fairlady Z by people at Japfest last weekend) that in a couple of weeks' time I will have owned that car - and been a Z enthusiast - for 20 years. The car and my knowledge have evolved a lot since then - with that enthusiasm becoming increasingly hands-on as shown with Project Dixie and having morphed into a wider love of the 70s Japanese market scene in particular, with the RA25 Celica having joined the embryonic collection. Anyway, digging into my old forum gallery, here's a pic of my car a few months into ownership on the club stand at Oulton Park Gold Cup 2003, when it was still "disguised" as a Datsun 240Z, before the rebuild that took place 2005-8:

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Nice memory. Steve Kemp's car at the side?

 

[richiep]

Nice memory. Steve Kemp's car at the side?

Yep. That still looks just as good now as then.

 

[status]

Thought Steve’s car was blue

 

[status]

Or was that Steve kemp

 

[Albrecht]

...in a couple of weeks' time I will have owned that car - and been a Z enthusiast - for 20 years.

noob

 

[chrisvega]

noob

But I believe Richie is (a lot) younger than you Alan ..........
He's certainly got more hair than any of us

 

[Albrecht]

...when it was still "disguised" as a Datsun 240Z...

Well done you for the gender re-assignment. The car is all the better for it.

Funnily enough, I played around with a little similar - although opposite - cross-dressing on my second Z car. A typical 110 Red UK market HS30-QU 'Datsun 240Z' which I gave a Japanese market HS30-Dx 'Fairlady 240Z-L' look to. It was my daily driver in central London for several years. It even got reversed into by Margaret Thatcher's limo outside the Spectator magazine's office party. Long gone, but fondly remembered (the car, not Mrs T.):

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Rich may be a Nooob but I guess he will be an enthusiast for many years to come.

 

[Mr Tenno]

Time flies doesn't it! Just checked and in 3 weeks it'll have been 10 years since I joined the forum

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Well I bought my first 240 in 1996 so 27 years ago. I don't even have a Z now but for some reason I still talk about them.

I had my first girlfriend before that but I still think about her. Mmmmm

 

[toopy]

I bought my car the year my first son was born, hence the 2+2 format, also 1996. I remember driving a relative to the hospital in it after he was born, and they got a wet foot because of a hole in the floorpan, the bit that forms part of the underwing area where it curves up!

 

[Robotsan]

I got my first Z back in oooh, what was it now? August 2022? I still remember the day like it was only 8 months ago. Where does the time go?!

 

[status]

1984 for me had it a year sold it then got another,still got it

 

[candy red]

1986 for me brought my first 280zx was only 23 didn’t join any clubs as I was to busy driving round feeling pretty cool couldn’t afford a 240 back then at that age,still can’t at this age

 

[SacCyclone]

My dad bought a 1976 Z brand new to commute back and forth to work, then a 1978 Z, and finally a 1980ZX.....until he retired. He would put about 100,000 miles on the car in 2 years then bought another new one because he loved them so much....I drove them all around town.

I bought my first 71 Z in 1985 for $800...it had been around the block with lots of miles but still drove great.

 

[IbanezDan51]

Just 12 years for me, and how fast that’s gone.

My views on Z’s has changed so much over the years too, reading through my older posts often makes me cringe

 

[Robotsan]

Just 12 years for me, and how fast that’s gone.

My views on Z’s has changed so much over the years too, reading through my older posts often makes me cringe

Out of interest, what were your views on them back then? The mind boggles! Apologies if it's painful for you to think about

 

[IbanezDan51]

Out of interest, what were your views on them back then? The mind boggles! Apologies if it's painful for you to think about

I was just less interested in the history and originality of the cars. Now I prefer OEM+ over overly fat fender flares and V8's/turbos.
I've slowed down since the lamppost

 

[richiep]

I was just less interested in the history and originality of the cars. Now I prefer OEM+ over overly fat fender flares and V8's/turbos.
I've slowed down since the lamppost

Being squeezed in the middle of a 240Z-lamppost interface is certainly one way to reappraise one’s focus!