Hello - Here we GtO again!!

smash

Well-Known Forum User
Just joined the forum (what's with the santa icons btw?!) used to have a 240Z back in '93/'94 - little moth eaten but quite a kick! I even forgave it for nearly killing me when the brake master sylinder went after I cam hairing out of my drive and down the hill to a T junction - I reckon I could've inflated a flat air bed in 10 seconds the rate I was pumping that pedal!!

Anyways I'm now thinking about getting a GTO replica (replica's a strong word as none of the panels are right but anyway!) just trawled the forum and have to say though the Z farm customers one is absolutely bloody gorgeous!

Not looking to build but buy already built so I'm looking to the states and preferably a small block V8 conversion (just because there are actually a few available)

Just wondered whether anyone here has brought one back from the states or knows of any that have - be interested to know how it went and what they ended up with(!). I'm figuring an old Z thats spent it's life in Arizona or the like will be in better shape than one from dear ol' blighty, LOL! Will hopefully be looking to buy end of July assuming 1. my cobra rep makes to le mans classic and back and 2. I manage to sell it!

Cheers :santab:
 
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Markp.com

Well-Known Forum User
Well the wheel will be on the wrong side... whats the point of a states import?

They are cheaper to buy from Australia, but the shipping will kill you :)
 

Russ

Club Member
The cars are cheaper in the states surely? Supply and demand and all.

However wheel is on the wrong side, but nothing that hasn't already been fixed a fair few times before :)
 

smash

Well-Known Forum User
It'd be the right side if it was real! ;)

Why import? Same reason all the best dubs are now coming in from the states - dry climate and lack of rot. I've priced a 302 engined car already and it works out cheaper to bring in than buying a straight 6 ZGTO over here (assuming you can find one for sale when you want to buy that is). That said, I have a very spontaneous streak which has got me in a lot of trouble with several previous cars so I'll probably end up with a train wreck! :).

*edit* Russ beat me to it!
 

Russ

Club Member
Well anyone who's had a left hooker (and there are a few for sale in France don't forget!) has never a bad word to say about them. If you want a LHD car to stay true to the GTO it's the best option by far. If you want RHD then I guess weigh up the conversion, but if you wish to keep the car long term then it's probably best to get a rust free(er) one. As you know, they don't like our weather much :)

However you can be a bit weird like most of us and get a UK one and fight the rust :) I will win.
 

moggy240

Insurance Valuations Officer
Staff member
Club Member
i have imported cars from the USA and it is not that expensive,£900 for east coast and about £1300 for west coast but then there is import duty which depends on the year and the value of the car , and buying a car from the USA does not mean you will get a rust free car it just means there is a better chance it will have less rust than most UK cars,checkout this thread http://www.zclub.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5898
 
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tricky

Well-Known Forum User
i found a really nice z/gto in the usa totally updated everything but he wants $53k for it! this is a route i might have to take also as finiding a good gto replica in the uk is nearly imposible, they do come up every now and again.
i might get scorpionzcars to build my gto replica, they do the best replica gto by far
 

smash

Well-Known Forum User
Russ - Ah, France - hadn't thought of that - nothing in France has ever come up in my searches though. I will join the fight with you son no doubt!

Moggy - I was bargaining on about £1K so I wasn't far out - I'm also bargaining on 20% total VAT and Duty on the car cost including shipping. I saw your GTO kit for sale - that 'trunk' conversion is brilliant although I suspect I'll end up with the 'Maranello Hatch back' "really? You've not seen one before? Oh yes that was an option on the '62...." :D. Wish I had the patience to do the conversion myselk but having started a rebuild on a turbo X-19 (I'm not proud!) I lost interest (and a whole heap of cash!) half way through.

*edit* Just watched those horror flicks...er...vidz on that import from the states thread. You'd have to say anyone who buys sight unseen for the sake of a cheap bucket flight to the states must know they're chancing their arm considerably though

I agree 100% - I don't expect rust free but just a better build base. Thinking about worst case scenarios e.g. if I bought a car where the bodykit was slapped on without any chasis resto. I'd rather it was from USA ;). Let's face it, any head start the chasis had would be gone after a year here and a winter of salty roads!

Tricky - $53K is overpriced - that's the yellow one right? Agree with you on scorpian although the Velo Rosa is a pretty alternative.

*post edit edit!* It's Roy Kelly's car (I'm guessing the same person who used to produce a 355 kit for the MR2?) I'm in love with - think he's the chairman of the Italian Replica Club.

*post post edit* Oh no it's not!! Roy looks like he's doing a GTO on a 944 porsche(!) - that lovely Z GTO belongs to some chap called Howard.
 
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tricky

Well-Known Forum User
smash said:
*post edit edit!* It's Roy Kelly's car (I'm guessing the same person who used to produce a 355 kit for the MR2?) I'm in love with - think he's the chairman of the Italian Replica Club
has roy started doing gto kits?
i know he bought one off ebay but the z was too rotten so he sold it on..
the other alternative i have heard is to put a gto kit on a porsche 944
 

SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
I would have thought that any built up GTO kit in the States will cost a fortune to buy !

I know of a kit for sale over here, I perhaps know of a GTO for sale too !

I have a clean 240Z for sale :) but there might be another, well built GTO for sale in the UK (next year perhaps) !

What do you want, what is your timetable and what is your budget ? Simple questions but useful to think answers up to !
 

smash

Well-Known Forum User
Woah tricky! No idea whether Roy Kelly is selling kits - I don't know the man, I just made a guess that, as there was a Roy Kelly selling F355 bodykits for the MR2 a couple of years ago and as this guy appears to be spokesperson for the Italian Replica Club, they were one and the same. Probably completely wrong though!

Sean - You thought wrong! As I said, hopefully will be looking from end of July onwards after I've sold my cobra (assuming it gets me to Le Mans Classic and back!). Not looking for a kit - Budget around £20K (the American gto offer weighed in well under that including shipping and taxes ;)).

Anyone want to buy a cob? :)
cob0012.jpg
 

SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
I'm surprised - I admit ! Good luck to you :) !

I'll be at Le Mans Classic - with the Datsuns if you want to call in - note the tel. number on my signature !

If the GTO 'replica' doesn't have an L - series engine, there's hardly much left of the Datsun - no ?
 

tricky

Well-Known Forum User
SeanDezart said:
there might be another, well built GTO for sale in the UK (next year perhaps) !
next year could be great for me, i am having a ferrari 360 replica built now, should be finished in 2 months then i will be on the look out for a 'z 'to do a gto kit on, or if theres one already done then thats better .
 

smash

Well-Known Forum User
Hang on - I bid £1.59 more than whatever Tricky offers for it! (usually works on ebay :p )

Incidentally, is it me or is this a major bit of arm chancing?! http://www.250gto.org.uk/ - £25K and it's still a hatchback with stock interior??!!! :eek:
 
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Markp.com

Well-Known Forum User
Yup... he's been trying to flog it for years... Even if he comes down to ten grand I doubt it'd sell... its a nice motor, just not worth the dough.
 

smash

Well-Known Forum User
Unfortunately you're correct! - I say unfortunately cos it means I live in Southend Pic taken along the east beach. Are you local? *edit* of course you are - it's in your profile. doh! :conf2:
 

smash

Well-Known Forum User
Couple of ZGTO's for sale (scattered round the world as always!)

A very nice 5.0 V8 Vela Rosa (well apart from the seats) at $45,000

http://www.for-sale.ca/adDetail.asp?iPic=gto4.jpg&iAd=1342&iCat=3658

And a 2.8 LHD USA import in Ireland at about £15K - looks like it's got the door lock conversion but still a hatchback.

http://classic.cbg.ie/Classic_detail.asp?CBGID=148778&ID=506043&NumPics=1&Make=Ferrari&Model=250%20GTO%20Replica&frmFilter=

Another stateside but no pic - cheap at £11K http://www.specialtyauto.net/car_23520.htm


Soon......soon!
 

tricky

Well-Known Forum User
smash said:
Couple of ZGTO's for sale (scattered round the world as always!)
http://www.for-sale.ca/adDetail.asp?iPic=gto4.jpg&iAd=1342&iCat=3658

And a 2.8 LHD USA import in Ireland at about £15K - looks like it's got the door lock conversion but still a hatchback.

http://classic.cbg.ie/Classic_detail.asp?CBGID=148778&ID=506043&NumPics=1&Make=Ferrari&Model=250%20GTO%20Replica&frmFilter=


Soon......soon!
the one in ireland has no rear glass in the car, has no log book or mot or no history at all, they didin't know anything about the car only its been in a barn for 4 years!!
i would like to get a 280z from scorpionzcars complete over here, so i might have to get them to source me one and do it for me and ship it over
 
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