Newbie Future Owner... maybe...

[gordy.r]

Well hello, it's good to be here!

New to the world of 240Z (etc) though not to Nissan (ex R33 GTR v-spec owner), and currently own a 1994 Toyota Supra twin turbo which is fully BPU'd (dyno'd at 385rwhp).

Seen a few of these (the 240Z) popping up from time to time in the last year or so on social media and forums and instantly fell in love with the looks and sound of them.
I thought I was happy with my Supra (and I still am) until I laid eyes on these.

Always was a fan of the Kenmeri GTR and the Toyota Celica fastback, but I think the 240Z and 280Z tick all the boxes from what I want in a classic JDM sports car.

I'll take my time to navigate around the forum and try and glean as much info as possible from current threads. I am in no rush to buy just now as I don't have the garage space or funds for another project at present, but I will definitely be keeping a close eye on the market and all current projects and cars for sale

Thanks for now.

Gordy

 

[AliK]

Welcome Gordy!! You're in the right bar!


Many very experienced members and fantastic projects.

I always loved the Supra - yours sounds like a fire breather with useable power - any pics you care to share?

Ali

 

[RIDDLER]

Welcome to the forum and I hope you realise your dream of owning one of these fantastic cars. You mention the 240 and the 280 - don't forget the 260!

 

[gordy.r]

Welcome Gordy!! You're in the right bar!


Many very experienced members and fantastic projects.

I always loved the Supra - yours sounds like a fire breather with useable power - any pics you care to share?

Ali

Thanks for the welcomes.

Here is a quick one from the Bournemouth Wheels Festival a few weeks ago.

 

[AliK]

Seriously nice! Looks like a lot of love poured in!! These will be future classics. A couple of the guys here run that engine in a z and one in particular (JohnyMD) destroys all with his z on the track. No joke, modern metal was massively humbled by his Z at the last track event I watched!

You'll love driving a Z - proper old school motoring without PAS or ABS and a lusty growl from a carbed straight 6 will make you constantly want to change gears for the fun of hearing the engine's repertoire. The handling is a delight of progressiveness. I drive mine every day that I can (read dry and home early enough from work and not in the way of house cleaning duties- happy wife, happy life)!

Z ownership has also some challenges. Parts (especially body panels) can be hard to source, your new foe is iron oxide and there are not that many people / garages left who specialise in these cars. So you'll learn about patience, tenacity and camping on eBay/google/yahoo auctions.jp

Having said that this club is a gold mine of expertise and know how (myself excluded) - some less diplomatically delivered than others but at least people are passionate about their subject matter and the advice is spot on based on decades of experience.

240s being first of breed are more desirable (read more expensive), but the 260s are equally good looking and a little cheaper. The 280 wasn't a UK market car though still a good car often found in the far flung corners of the empire e.g. South Africa, Auz.

The advice you will hear echoed is be patient and find a car with a "solid" body. The mechanicals are much easier to sort out and more plentiful.

There is much debate here about sunroofs and the consensus seems to be that it's best to have a car without one as they leak and reduce rigidity. But then again some prefer them.

There is also a lot of debate about LHD v RHD - prices have recently started to converge as availability had declined. Conversion to RHD is a lot of work and will end up costing the same as a decent RHD + the kits are super hard to find.

On prices it's difficult to tell you what you can expect to get for your money as there has been a lot of volatility (read going crazy) and dealers trying their luck. We've seen the range from project cars ranging 8k-15k up to concourse at c.30k-40k. Then there are the outliers, I think we recently saw one advertised at over 100k!!

Keep an eye on Classic and Car, eBay, Piston Heads websites as they often come up there and you can get a gauge for the prices / conditions.

But just remember, THE number one important thing is to find a "rust free" car - in quotes as there is no such thing in the Z world unless you have a show pony that has never been driven since a molecular level resto and kept in a perfect vacuum. Everything between the number plates rusts!

One thing is for sure though, you will love driving one. You'll admire the lines everytime you polish or look back at her, you'll need to get used to not being able to get away in a hurry as people will want to know what it is/hear all about it and of course that shocked look on their faces when you say no it's a Datsun!!!

 

[datsfun]

Blimey, Ali was the 7.18 to London Bridge delayed allowing you to draft the ^^ detailed post?

Gordy, keep it in the family and get a RA28 instead of a S30.

 

[SeanDezart]

No, get a TA22/3....but an S30 will top them all - welcome.

 

[SKiddell]

Welcome to the forum Gordy

Blimey Smiley, I think you just summed up Z ownership

 

[zNathan]

Love those Supra's - hold onto it, as Ali said they're going to be future classics no doubt!!

Good luck with the search but be aware prices only seem to be rising! Same with the Celica TA / RA variants...

 

[AliK]

Blimey, Ali was the 7.18 to London Bridge delayed allowing you to draft the ^^ detailed post?



Gordy, keep it in the family and get a RA28 instead of a S30.

Had me in hysterics that you knew my train!! to be frank, I missed the 06:30 by a whisker so had time to tap away until the 06:57.

Welcome to the forum Gordy



Blimey Smiley, I think you just summed up Z ownership

Glad you approve skids - your opinion I greatly respect!

Gordy, Paul is right prices only going up so two years may see your budget blown.

last thought: make sure you meet up local members and see their cars to get a feel for what they should look like + if you are able to get someone to go see a car with you, it would be a bonus. Trust me on this, when you see one to buy in the flesh, you'll regress to being 5 years old again in a candy shop - I know did