Are Zs valued classics or .............. ?

Rob Gaskin said:
So we need to encourage ownership but at the same time warn the inexperienced of the pitfalls.
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I agree Rob, What Sean is saying is that cars not in perfect condition should just be scrapped or left in the field, If this were to happen how can the younger people we/he is trying to attract supposed to afford to own a 240/260/280 etc etc.

My first 260Z was by now means perfect the paint was rubbish and some panels where primed, But I loved that car over every other car I've owned since, And I've had Jags/Saab's/BMW's And even my last Skyline and Pulsar. I bought the Z after I got fed up with my 3.0lt Capri GTXLR spending most of it's time facing the wrong way every time it got a little damp lol.

I quite like to see a well used old car on the road, I don't mean the doggy untaxed unroadworthy examples, But the much loved old classic that people obviously still get a lot of pleasure from using daily.

My only goal with mine is that it is solid structurally and OK to look at from a distance lol.




Rob
 
Welcome to the site Spottdog, I would from an avid viewer of peoples projects urge you too do a write up and pics of your car as it's this that keep the club and interest from members alive. Also when not picking cars to pieces the input of knowledge on here is worth its weight in gold.

In light of this I wish you every success with your project and hope you have many happy times with your Z.

This is sadly the response that I didn't want, through all the bitching and threads that and just rants new members are not interested in joining in the forum. I have seen a lot of people that are new members (on the new member tab) that never seem to join in the threads probably for the ease of not getting into a slanging match. Christ if I had my car for sale else where as a non member then stumbled on here to find a thread about it ripping it to shreds I'd be devastated and would not hold the people in very high regard.

I think a major rethink to club rules needs to be in order for alienating this club would be suicide for the marque in the long run. Which I think is not the aim here.
 
ollyc said:
I think a major rethink to club rules needs to be in order for alienating this club would be suicide for the marque in the long run. Which I think is not the aim here.
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You know from my comments that generally I don't put down other people's cars because it takes all sorts in my view, But I wouldn't like to see some stamp down on free speech, The whole point of a forum like this is to let people air their views good or bad, As long as its not something that is clearly untrue or slanderous.

I moderated the GTI-R forum for a few years and believe me it's not an easy job trying to decide what's acceptable and what isn't :confused:, It's very hard not to make decisions based just on your own view of the world.

Regarding this thread I believe Sean should be admired for his love of all things Z, But I don't agree with his opinion at all, And that's not getting in to a slagging match with him its just his opinion vs mine/yours or anybody Else's, It's called debate ;).


Just a little foot note, I believe that these forums are a good starting point for people to get involved with the club, But you can't beat actually meeting the people you're talking to or arguing with because a lot of things can get misunderstood on these forums, And it's much better to meet each other and get a feel for one and other in person. So with that in mind I look forward to meeting some of you next year when I move back down south whether it be a club meet or track/drag day. Even Sean lol.


Rob
 
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No my intention is neither to clamp down on free speech or stop people from airing views. I personally feel that the bigger view has to be a slight decrease in the amount of threads ripping cars to bits.

Christ I read your thread the other day which I gather has been removed for reasons of relevance and colourful language. I also read that at work and was shocked by the content but still been me enjoyed it. That was then moderated by Albrecht and subsequently removed.

Yes I Love the fact that you can say whatever you want on here again why I joined but in the realms of what Sean is attempting to do he is also succeeding in the opposite and making the club look bitchy, snobby and down right unapproachable to outsiders and new members. This is neither what I want nor others want I think Sean is not aiming for this but without the Z tinted glasses read the bloody things from time to time and see if you'd sign up as a newbie?

I fully agree that meeting in the flesh is a great thing but again case and point with spottdog, if all you had to go on was what you had read on here would you really turn up to a meet to have your car ripped to shreds in the flesh??? That is of course not what would happen (I’d hope) but from the carrying on with threads like this I’d think twice about turning up to a meet. This is not meant as personal to any one but the powers that be and the club in general should take note!
 
in agreement but!

you worry about 240's ! :unsure:there's probably only 4 or 5 people who are actually bothered in the slightest about 280's, which in my opinion are fantastic cars, i've owned 240's, 260 2+2, 300's and i've kept my 280 for 22 years and i'm serious about it too. i've spent thousands on it over the years and keep it totally up to date with everything concerned, its currently got its engine out which is under going a complete nut and bolt rebuild with evrything new.

so there are people out there want to make this mark great and keep it so

my only other point is that I'm in the fortunate position of being able to afford to do everything I want to my car(also having a wife that doesn't mind helps), but a lot of people would love to be able to do everything to their cars and just can't afford it but this doesn't mean that they dont love their cars as much i do .So don't critisize people to much just be happy that you can keep your cars right.

ps I do agree that the rest of the classic car world should take all z's more seriously:thumbs:
 
my 2 cents are probably worth 1p but here goes,

whether you own a 240z, 260z, 280z ,z31, 510, etc etc does it actually really matter what other people think of it? alot of people have told me my z31 is a piece of crap and always will be! i just tell them to f*ck off and mind there business to be honest.

whats actually considered as a classic anyway? rarity? limited number built? following they have?pre 80's, 70's 60's?? im not able to answer this :(

i think im quite lucky, i like all the z's! whether its a 240,260, 280, z31 etc i love them all. i cant see that if you like the 260z why on earth you dont like the 280z, mystifies me!!

i have been to understand that not only some members here but else where that you have to spend 1000's on your z for it to actually be liked some what, actually respected would be a better word.i wrk but i have a very limited budget and i take great pride in fabricating a new lower wing or rebuilding the back end of my z31 myself..

money cant buy what i feel when i work on my z.

whether people agree that my car is a classic is irrelevant, the history i have with my z is enough for me to say it is a classic in its own right.....and those who disagree have a right too, its called freedom of speech :)

i think deep down im glad i dont have 20k to throw at my car, if i did i would probably just chuck her in the garage and get some mechanic to sort her out other the winter, then probably disrespect the z by driving it like a 17 year old in a saxo. im not saying those of you who have 20k etc are like this. my point here is that ive put the hours and sweat into her, bonded with my z and will respect her when im driving her. yes my car has a personality! im a true petrol head and love my z to bits. ive almost sold her twice due to financial problems but im over that hill now.( got it in there before sean.lol )

so the question about prices of parts.....

indeed th z cars are getting rare and i think this DOES reflect on the prices. i mean think about it, if there are not many on the road, not many parts being made, of course the prices are going to go up. not mentioning names but a complete bush kit for my 1984 z31 is going to cost around £250 with delivery, now compare that with an fiat bravo, ford escort, pugeot 106 etc.....guess what, yup there all ALOT cheaper! if parts are not mass manufactured they will almost defiantly cost more and should be expected!
 
I think this thread has now become very valuable to the future of the club. As Membership Sec and a big fan of Zs that's important to me.

One big problem is that those with experience of restoring old Zs (and there are many members who have) wouldn't start with a rusty one again.

12 years ago I bought a 240Z with 12months MoT for £3k. I ran it for 2 years (including a trackday at Goodwood) and then took it off the road to rebuild the engine. I then discovered major (but common) structural issues. I sorted it myself in the budget available at the time (young family, one wage earner) and have also modified it over the years for track work as circumstances have changed. My lads (older now) and I are having a great deal of fun with this car, but it's far from concourse.

I am now knowledgable enough to know where to look when buying these cars and if I had known this 12 years ago I'd have walked away. BUT I WOULD HAVE MISSED OUT.

So what would I advise a new member - I honestly don't know taking the above into consideration.

I suppose we need to share our experiences and knowledge and take a balanced view on any car that is featured in a thread without ripping into it. And the skills and facilities of the buyer are very important when considering if it's a good buy or not.
 
Rob Gaskin said:
I am now knowledgable enough to know where to look when buying these cars and if I had known this 12 years ago I'd have walked away. BUT I WOULD HAVE MISSED OUT.
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If you'd bought a perfect one 12 years ago Rob, do you think you would have been as knowledgeable as you are now?

And can anyone 'truly' enjoy or appreciate something without knowing everything about it?
 
I guess I can give the perspective of a new owner and lurker of the board, but others who lurk may have a different perspective.

I would love to take an active part in the board, although by natural inclination I am more a lurker than poster, and I will post up an intro thread about myself and the Z in the next couple of days to help.

To me the vibe on the board has been summed up by the thread about the BRE rep on US ebay, if I owned that I would be proud, but it seemed to be ripped apart. I thought it was pretty and worth the price it was at when I saw it. Ok, it had overspray and a different colour engine bay.... now mine will be resprayed after I get the welding done, but I doubt very much I'm even going to touch the engine bay for many years I hope... so should I be reluctant to show my build if every time it's discussed someone mentions I was too "lazy" to spray the bay as well. For me it is a case of enjoying the car and when I have the engine out I may spray the bay then or I may not. To me it is no less a car, no less fun I just haven't sprayed the engine bay.

I bought my car on US ebay, so by definition I paid more than anyone else was prepared to, does that mean I should feel I was ripped off or paid over the odds... of course not. I paid what I wanted for a thing of beauty.

My ego is not so small that it would be hurt by someone who doesn't like my car, but why bother sharing if people don't appreciate the car for what it is and what I want it to be, but rather judge it on the way they think it should be?

I think it might be a little heavy to try and regulate peoples views and how they express them, but I hope the culture would be one of support because that is how people want it. As I said before, the Z is a hard car to own, and there are so few it is surely in everyones best interest to push upwards rather than pull backwards.

Dissenting voices are good and should be applauded, but some threads it appears the dissenting voices are the ones saying the positive.

This really is a poor way to introduce myself and I apologise, coming on and being a whiny little snot. I will rectify that with a proper intro thread... where I will be a whiny little snot with a gorgeous Z :)
 
spottdog said:
This really is a poor way to introduce myself and I apologise, coming on and being a whiny little snot. I will rectify that with a proper intro thread... where I will be a whiny little snot :)
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Hey bud
Plenty of them on here at times:p
Stick arround throw a couple of fingers at any one who runs you or your car down
Try and get to one of next years meets and you will find that everybodys friendly but over the winter a few turn into keyboard ninjas:rolleyes:
 
In all honesty with my current build I think I would of been happier if I hadn't had to do it, but pride of my Zed and also the fact I have the time to do it was a contibuting factor. She is in a far better condition than a lot of the earlier models that suffered so badly from rot, but also its a major undertaking of mine to rectify what I have at the moment. I keep seeing things that I should really do but money and skill are a big part of that. I would probably get criticised for not taking everything out of the engine bay and getting it sprayed up properly. In short I am unemployed. Have been for a while and while activly seeking employement I can give the time to my Zed. I simply cannot afford to pay someone to spray it for me however. I cannot afford to just go out and buy a £250 compressor, £30 on a spray gun, £20 on paint, £10 on thinners. That would be more than I would get on my Jobseekers in a month. Instead I pulled out what I felt comfortable taking out and used stubby spray cans. Yes there are patches which aren't perfect, and a couple of areas where I have accidently got some overspray, but its all I can do and afford. I expect have spent about £200-£250 so far on bits and pieces including parts and tools, and have budgeted on about £750 more after everything is done. My target figure on the entire build was £1000 and then only done as and when I had the money to do so. I give myself a £40 a fortnight allowance on buying what I need for gods sake, and then I sacrifice a lot of going out to do that but thats my choice. The feel good factor and the pleasure my Zed will give me at the end will be worth it. Fortunatly I saved some money for this and have told everyone I know who wants to get me stuff a shopping list of parts for Christmas and my birthday and where to get them from for my project .... far more rewarding than a jumper and a pair of socks. I now know far more about my Z31 than I ever knew. I can recognise and locate parts under the hood which I never knew existed. Even give you the official Nissan part numbers for some. I also hope that the thread I have produced with as many photos as possible will be of value to any new prospective member who has managed to buy a Z31 with the intention of rebuilding it. I try to detail any and all issues I have had, ways to overcome them, and also due to the rareity and difficulty of locating parts for it will be listing some of the places and prices of the suppliers I have found. Another thing I hope to do is also try and promote some local interest. I know there are members on board who live in East Anglia but seem few and far between. It would be nice to meet up with these people and have a chin wag over a pint or three and talk about our Zed experiences, invite the younger blood along so see we are not all internet warriors, but people who are genuinely interested in the marque and above all enthusiastic.


2p placed in the slot.
 
Well, there IS some life in the forum then ?;)

Too many replies to reply to each indivually (I've only got the adverts in a film to reply) - for me the club is about..............people, not cars.

I may rip into some cars (but I always say why so it is MY opinon and all of you have yours) but I'd prefer you lot to criticise mine than all say it's lovely or say nothing and all think what a pile of yellow turd (opens floodgates he senses......) - belongs in a field !

I am no hypocrit - I say what I feel, I'm honest - it's called respect and I've seen too many horrors (in taste and condition) for sale - prospective owners need to be protected too. I don't care what a Z seller feels if he/she reads what is up here - they're the seller, they no longer care for the car, just for hom much it sells !
Sorry, if I upset the senstive wall-flowers - if you're that sensitive, you shouldn't have bought a Z 'cos they're for people with character - you want to be petted and group-hugged - go and buy that super Crapi or tatty Triumph or mingy MG !

All that out of the way - some of you are missing the point so here it comes again.

You can spend a fortune of publicity truing to improve the image of any Z before the Z33 but the only one that'll pay dividends is the 240Z - it's not boasting - it's fact !

This fact needs and deserves to be EXPLOITED in order not only to raise the publics' preception of said Z but of the others that followed AND the club.

If some quick remarks (and I'll be generous and say remarks without too much reflection 'cos the owners commendibly spontaneously defend their cars) infer that I don't care for anything than 240Zs, want to the raise the 'elite' and alienate the others, you've got IT wrong and ME wrong.

I've worked out that I only have the means to afford one Z (and afford to enjoy using it) otherwise I'd have several models (and have had) and I'm currently restoring a 260Z 2+2 which is costing the wrong side of £20k. Oh my God, I've brought money into it again - that is NOT the point - what is, is our perception of our cars and the quality of cars and therefore work on them.

Please don't go on and say that what counts is that they are used on the road. Bravo, hats off and all that but what counts for the generla image and perception of our cars (all modeles included) is the quality of said cars on the road.

If every Z that people saw was a rusty, tatty 'paintworked' car with Carlo Fandago wheels, white-walled tyres, an overly - loud, smoky exhaust.........I bet there's someone out there sticking pins in my hologram now.......

The perception and evaluation (not necessarily valuation) has to increase and the 240Z is merely the right tool !:eek:
 
Originally Posted by STEVE BURNS
over the winter a few turn into keyboard ninjas:rolleyes:



900ss said:
Frustrated owners out in the cold :(


Or frogs without legs :unsure:

Some kick off more then others, but having legs always helps more :D
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Yeah...........this is what I'm doing whilst not zedding (which stopped just two weeks before the snow) :
 
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Sean !!

You missed a bit :p

Now go paint it all again unless you get ripped another hole :rofl:
 
900ss said:
Sean !!

You missed a bit :p

Now go paint it all again unless you get ripped another hole :rofl:
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No point painting where you can't see (so long as the bodyshell is protected) - I'm not looking to win any concours prizes so go kiss my cats' butt !:p
 
SeanDezart said:
No point painting where you can't see (so long as the bodyshell is protected)
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Tut tut
Agreed but will rust from the inside out as you well know ! :eek:

Esp with them shut gaps on that ol shonky shell :rolleyes:

ps, don't forget to add a few windows to keep the snow out :p
 
The 'Zclub' loves all zeds, fairlady ,240z, 260z, 280z, 280zx ,300zx ,350z ,370z etc good,bad,lhd or rhd,rusty or rust free,bad paint work or mint paint work etc !!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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