Nice 3 digit vin 240z

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Wow, what a find!

So what do we think it will go for?

I'd have thought $35k .
 
Difficult to say.

They love the early cars in the states, if it was a 69 build I’d say £50k. I’ll stick my neck out and say you’re about on the money Rob. Sort out the engine bay paint and little bits, £5k ish to spend?
 

johnymd

Club Member
I've looked at a few zed vin plates but never really studied an early plate. The door plate looks very heavily stamped when compared to what I've seen before and the main engine bay vin has very wonky numbers. Is this normal? I am in no way suggesting that this may not be what it says it is just pointing out that the vin stamping on this car is nowhere near as good as the latter zeds.
 

SacCyclone

Club Member
Yes Rob, I think you are in the ball park as well but would not be surprised if it heads up to $40K.
I have it saved on my watch list already.
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
I've looked at a few zed vin plates but never really studied an early plate. The door plate looks very heavily stamped when compared to what I've seen before and the main engine bay vin has very wonky numbers. Is this normal? I am in no way suggesting that this may not be what it says it is just pointing out that the vin stamping on this car is nowhere near as good as the latter zeds.

This is something you see on what might be called 'early' production cars, with 'early' being something of a nebulous term but let's say roughly the first three or four months of full production. That's pretty much October 1969 through January 1970 at the Nissan Shatai Hiratsuka facility.

The firewall chassis numbers were actually engraved, with a large fixture hung on the semi-complete 'shell and the numbers dialled into the machine. Sometimes the letters, but particularly the individual numbers, were engraved at slightly jaunty angles but the depth of the engraving was fairly consistent. People talk about these numbers being 'stamped', but this is incorrect. They were machine engraved.

In contrast, the aluminium engine bay chassis tags and - on North American market cars - the aluminium door-jamb Federal compliance tags, were hand-stamped. There was apparently a small fixture for this, but the process was subject to variation due to techniques of different workers. Some were notably haphazard, some notably heavy handed.

A lot of this was ironed out when series production really ramped up. Practice makes perfect, or at least better...
 

uk66fastback

Club Member
Great info, Albrecht! Presumably this turned into an automated process ensuring consistency as the model continued production?
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
Great info, Albrecht! Presumably this turned into an automated process ensuring consistency as the model continued production?

I think they just put a bit more thought into it and got better at it.

My first job in engineering involved stamping identification codes into the parts I had just made. Surprisingly difficult, and you only got one shot at it. Mercilessly critiqued by the foreman. Got better at it with more practice...!
 

uk66fastback

Club Member
Seller didn't come up with a few answers to queries or supply pics of relevant areas as requested as the auction progressed, so in my mind and in US-speak "left a few $$ on the table" ...

Ostensibly a decent car for the price though (and an early one to boot)
 
Top