Sad Samuri

rahail240

Well-Known Forum User
Rob, I think a few people have tried to buy it over the last couple of years, but, and this is just what I've been told, the man either wants too much money, or is not very receptive to offers. I suppose it depends how much someone is prepared to pay, the pictures from 2004 are pretty bad, it must be a whole lot worse 9 years on

Yeah, I enquired through a third party and the owner sounds really hard work. ( that's politely not calling him a kn*b!!)
Says he's going to restore himself and use a 260 he has in the same yard as a donor car for a re shell???!!!
 

260Z TT

Club Member
Rob !

I can get a contact number for you if you need it ?
Send me a pm and I will see my mate at work for it.

Mark.
 

Nigel Brook

Well-Known Forum User
I'm almost sure I read somewhere that the car in question was a pace car at Brands Hatch and at the time (of the pic) the guy who owned it would'nt sell it. Wigan rings a bell.
 

SKiddell

Well-Known Forum User
Originally Posted by samuri-240
Samuri's Samuri's I gave up on them many years ago because they are a mine field, I believe there are virtually no genuine examples out there, I know of several that are not what they are meant to be

It begs two questions

1. What exactly is a "Samuri"
2. Why the hype

IMHO (no offence intended)
Stop putting them on pedestals by looking for some mythical origins (helps raise values of course :rolleyes:), plenty of better 240's around today both in build quality, paint scheme, performance, taste and provenance. Sorry but Samuri was a recond rate tuning house (man + shed) at best.
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Wow Steve, I know you have a thing about Samuris but that last post is a bit strong. We have been through all this before.

My take on them:

They were built by Samuri conversions so anything outside that is not a Samuri.

They were fast in their day and that is how we should base opinions on Classic cars, not what can be done today. An Escort RS1600 was fast in it's day (slow now) so a classic and worth respecting, not verbally abusing.

Man + Shed! So Steve what was Ken Tyrell's team based on? Many great things come out of men's sheds.

http://www.f1shed.com/

You have a fast car but give me Big Sam or FFA anytime, shed or no shed. There is more to a Classic car than what it can do against a stopwatch. I bet Kevin Bristow's ex works 71 RAC car is pretty slow compared to a modern 240Z rally car, but what a car!

I spent Sunday at Shelsley Walsh watching some incredible vintage specials, not fast now by any means but in their day they were fast - just like Samuri's 240Zs. That is what enthusiasts appreciate.
 
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andrew muir

Club Member
I can agree that Steve is fustrated by the hype when he can probably build a better car himself. and that it is not reflected in the value of his car.
But to totally dismiss Samuris as not relevent is wrong, as Rob says they were special at the time and still are. I do believe some are a lot better than others and they should be jusdged individually on their own merit. Especially as there is not a standard spec to them!
There are probably a lot of fakes out there and a lot which have little of the original Samuri work left intact.
Lets face it get a paint job and a set of triples and it could be difficult to tell the difference.
I genuine example in good nick and with history should be worth a premium!! How much of a premium is up for debate.
 

samuri-240

Well-Known Forum User
It begs two questions

1. What exactly is a "Samuri"
2. Why the hype .

Q1 (A) A Samuri is a modified 240Z/260Z built by Spike Anderson in the early 70's to mid 80's the full package consisted of a striking paint job, reworked cylinder head, triple side drafts, six branch manifold & system, lowered suspension, big wheels & big brakes on the front.

Q2 (A) No idea about the hype, in my eyes these cars apart from two are nothing special at all, most are fake or have hardly anything original remaining including body shells & engines, mine only had its reg no :eek:, should have bought FFA 196L for 11k when I had the chance :( Nico knew what to look for when I passed the offer on to him & he snapped it up.

Best thing to do is buy a great shell & build the car the way you want it, of course today we have far more choice of parts so is far easier to obtain the power handling etc.

I would NEVER take anything away from Spike he is one of my heroes & after reading his book I found we have far more in common than I would have ever thought.
 

datsfun

Club Member
Q1 (A) A Samuri is a modified 240Z/260Z built by Spike Anderson in the early 70's to mid 80's the full package consisted of a striking paint job, reworked cylinder head, triple side drafts, six branch manifold & system, lowered suspension, big wheels & big brakes on the front.

ht.

You sure about the samuri definition above?:confused:...what about the Datsun 1200's , cherry 100a, Toyota celica that were all badged samuris:eek::smash:...modified 240/260z they weren't !;)
 

nickknox

Well-Known Forum User
There's 225 registered 240z in the uk and 42 cars on the Samuri register less an odd Celica and a scrapper in Russia that's quite a high percentage
 

samuri-240

Well-Known Forum User
There's 225 registered 240z in the uk and 42 cars on the Samuri register less an odd Celica and a scrapper in Russia that's quite a high percentage

The scrapper in Russia is not a samuri how can it be its on a H plate the earliest 240's registered in the uk where on a J & there where only 2 of them ! I did read somewhere that that car on the H plate is an early example of a Samuri B******t. Look at my user name I have been a Samuri fanatic for 26 years & now know that hardly any Samuri around is anywhere near original (if the original car at all).

As for the latest 3 Samuri's to join the line up Spike did not build them obviously (so are they really Samuri's) he put everything into very capable hands though eg the best Z engine + car builder Mr J :bow: And the body man across the pond who's work is amazing especially the wheel arch mods & paint job.
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
The scrapper in Russia is not a samuri how can it be its on a H plate the earliest 240's registered in the uk where on a J & there where only 2 of them ! I did read somewhere that that car on the H plate is an early example of a Samuri B******t.

Can I ask, what exactly an age-related issue plate has to do with that car's provenance as a 'Samuri' ( or "Samuri B******t", whatever that is.... )?

The car - being LHD and presumably one of the north American market HLS30-U models - was obviously a private import in the period concerned. Since not much was happening Samuri-wise whilst the 240Z was actually in production, I'd have to say that anything is possible.

It's a bit rude to call the car in Russia a "scrapper" ( it looks like a great rescue project to me ), but putting that aside, what has the 'H' suffix plate got to do with anything? How does that stop it from being a 'Samuri'?
 

samuri-240

Well-Known Forum User
Albrecht I do believe it was converted to rhd also had central locking & it used to belong to Brian baker. In what year was it converted to a Samuri & by whom please?
 
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