Classic Cars cover car is a ringer

adrianfr

Well-Known Forum User
Hi All, have you seen the new Classic Cars mag with a rather nice 240Z on the cover? Does anybody know the owner of this vehicle? If so tell them they have stolen the reg no from my friends 240Z, I have just checked with him and his car is still sat in the garage and is a different colour. The car has been well known in the Bristol area for over 20 years, I have pics of work I did on the car over five years ago and pics of it at Castle Combe on track days. This car is in the James Morris book Datsun Z Super Profile by Haynes and features on pp 28/ 29 and was a reprinted roadtest from Autosport in Feb 72, so perhaps thats where the owner stole the reg from. Any news on this subject would be appreciated as the owner is rather upset that somebody has stolen his reg. If you look at the pic in Clasic Cars you will see the car has no tax disc, now you know why! Pic shows real car.
Adrian
 

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Mr.F

Inactive
I know Classic Cars were looking for a different car for this cover, as I discussed some alternatives with them prior to the article being written, but ultimately was unable to supply at short notice. They didn't want to use the yellow car, as the previous month's cover also had a yellow car. In the absence of a suitable candidate, it is possible that they have used a library shot and changed the colour using computer enhancement (we did discuss this possibility.....). I haven't seen the mag yet, so can't really comment on the actual photo, but I know they also didn't want to use a red car. This may not be as sinister as you suspect.
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
Lots of similarities between the red ( cover ) car and the yellow ( feature ) car that belongs to Nissan UK..........

Note the combined fibreglass front valance / corners / spoiler unit on the yellow car is also present on the red car, and the presence of new Minilites on both cars.

Looks like they might have Photoshopped the yellow car into red and stuck a different registration number on it?

Maybe the real owner of SPO 137K needs to ask them about it?
 

The Z Farm

Active Forum User
As the Restorer/Builder of the Nissan Motor GB 240Z, I have been reading with interest the comments from Adrian Francis and Albrecht ( what a perceptive bloke - who really is he ?), on the front cover of Classic Cars.
After spending several minutes squinting at the cover car, and talking it over with my Foreman ( who does all the detailed assembly work ), we have come to the conclusion that it is 99% certain that it is one and the same vehicle, with the computer changing the real colour as per Mike Feenay's thoughts.
Also, the 240Z we completed was actually a pale yellow ( Nissan 919 ), and again, the camera or computer has changed the colour to a sort of strange pale gold !
And, yes, you are absolutely correct , Albrecht, about the costs of re-creating this particular vehicle to be as near as possible to 1970's Showroom standards, as many members who have taken the time and effort to do so will verify. No way was it anywhere near the £10,000 value that they have pulled out of thin air - it was nearer twice that amount
It really does piss me off when these Magazine armchair warriors say that you can buy a decent 240Z nowadays for £5,000 - where the hell do they find them ? I'll have a dozen , please, just tell me who to make the cheque payeable to !
 

SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
I certainly agree on the (correct) restoration price. Does this mean another jihad (like the Top Gear/Clarkson rage) to convince mag. editors of the true value of a decent Z ?

One positive spin off is perhaps the fact that prospective buyers will buy a Z for 5,000 rather than another sportive for more - and once they've driven one, they'll be hooked!
 

adrianfr

Well-Known Forum User
ringer

The answer, Mike was right (again) it was a phhotoshop job. See reply from editor below.

Guilty! You've caught us red-handed. That cover car is a ringer, but not quite in the way you probably imagine.

In the magazine, you'll have seen the studio photography of Nissan UK's gorgeous, freshly restored yellow 240Z. We did an action shoot with that same car for the cover, but we were nervous of using it because the previous issue had a yellow Ferrari 275GTB/4 on the cover. To the untrained eye, from a distance, they look very similar indeed...

So we 'resprayed' our yellow Z using a dash of computer magic. To try to avoid confusion, we changed its registration (again by manipulating the photographic image) to that of a Datsun press car that was lent out for road tests back when it was new.

I'm glad to hear it's still very much alive and well, and that it's been rescued from its life as a drag racer. Well done for spotting it - and I'm going to send a pat on the back to our art department for altering the image so seamlessly.

Thanks for getting in touch, Adrian. I hope I've set your mind at rest about the identity of the cover car - even it it has meant me passing on a few trade secrets.

With best regards,
Glen

Glen Waddington
Features editor, classiccars magazine
 

Twin Turbo

Forum User
I'm amazed that the mag didn't check the current ownership of the reg number.

They're a crafty bunch aren't they? Personally, I don't see what's wrong with having two yellow cars on the cover on consecutive months. These arty types, eh?

Liked the article on the whole (I'm by no means an expert on the 240/260 Zeds). The bit about the 350Z was interesting too - looks nice in red too!

Surely any press coverage is good coverage?
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
Originally posted by Twin Turbo
Surely any press coverage is good coverage?

If you mean the bit about the "350Z" ( Z33 ) then I would have thought that Nissan would prefer the writing to be factually accurate, and any personal opinions about the car to be honestly expressed and heartfelt. Luckily, in most cases the press coverage of the new car is positive ( check out the latest copy of AUTOCAR to see one of the best reactions in the UK press yet ).

However - as discussed above - the article on the "240Z" is woefully inaccurate historically, and in that respect "any coverage is good coverage" does not ( in my opinion ) apply. The writer also talks down the value of the cars ( as most of the UK press have done for many years ) and ( again, in my opinion ) this is NOT a good thing. Unless the press acknowledges the true facts about these cars - both in respect to their genesis and their current rarity / value / cost to replace or restore - then the situation will be a false one.

I am not a great advocate of talking-up the value of the early cars just for its own sake; I've always been in a 'negative equity' situation with just about every car / marque I have ever owned. But when a prospective owner thinks he can get a pretty good UK car for £5,000 and will have years of happy motoring ahead of him then I think he will have nothing but nasty surprises awaiting him. When a set of new front and rear bumpers represents over a fifth of a car's 'advised' value then I think it is not far off 'banger' status. Just add up the parts to restore one of these things properly ( if you can even find many of them ) and you will soon see that the advised 'market value' that the Press are quoting is woefully inaccurate. I don't think you see the same undervaluation going on with other marques such as Triumph TR series and the MGB for example.

If the GOOD £5,000 240Z exists in this country then we would all be better off breaking them than trying to sell them. You'd make more money out of it....................
 

Legendary5

Well-Known Forum User
Van: andrew basquette [mailto:abas99@fsmail.net]
Verzonden: woensdag 10 december 2003 14:01
Aan: zpoint
Onderwerp: Re: for sale

Guus

I wasn't expecting interest in the car so soon. That's why I hadn't thought about price. I thought it would take months to sell a project like this.

I will say that I would prefer to sell as one load including all the hard to find 1970 parts ( hubcaps etc) so the price might be a bit high for someone who is just looking for an early rust free shell. I would prefer to sell to someone who will keep the car together.

As a guide I'm looking at £4,000 to £6,000. Let me know if you think that is excessive and what a fair offer is.

Andrew

------------------------------
a left hand drive Z car in parts!
 

Zbirdy

Well-Known Forum User
Going back to the Nissan uk 240 feature, Im currently having a 240 restored and converted (Left hooker to right hooker), and was pondering on a nice colour to choose. Thats when I saw the gorgeous shade of yellow/gold/cream (who knows) in the classic cars feature. Im glad I read these posts, cos I was about to call classic cars and enquire as to the paint spec. Im gutted now, I thought I had found a genuine colour used by Datsun, that I have never seen before. I suppose I fell in love with the colour. Am I sad, or does anyone think that this colour would suit my 240, let me know either way, I wont be offended. Don.
 

moggy240

Insurance Valuations Officer
Staff member
Club Member
if you like yellow, go for it,i think there are too many red cars for my liking ,if you have got any taste like me yellow it is.if you want to go for proper colour for a 240Z then it would be 919 (nissan colour code) bitter lemon upto 08/71 and pernod/yellow 112 from09/71.
 

The Z Farm

Active Forum User
Z Birdy - for information - the Classic Cars feature Car is in fact the standard colour Nissan 919 Yellow - you could describe it as a Primrose Yellow, very similar to the E-type or Alfa Spyder shade in the late 60's.
Pity the Studio lights or whatever made it look like metallic p*** !
 
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