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Low Vin Number Value


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Maybe it does, but 'HLS30-00013' is not the first street production Z...".

 

 

 

 

 

The lightest of all Z cars were the 'PS30-SB' Fairlady Z432-Rs. Much of the monocoque structure ( including the rear quarters and the roof ) and many of the body panels hung on it were made from a thinner gauge of sheet steel than the other model S30-series bodies. No contest.

 

 

 

 

One thing the OP might like to bear in mind is that even if the body on this early production car is rotten, many of the early production parts attached to it can fetch good money. It may well be worth more as a parts car than a bodily sound and complete later car....

 

 

Well I meant us version, I don't know the weights for the jdm fairlady. :)

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# 01955 here, 1970, just bought it about month ago. I bought it with a mind to modify then I started thinking maybe I shouldn't be so fast to "wreck" a low production number car. After all, there seems to be these guys out there that will pay silly sums of money for original stuff (I'm not one of them) I soon found out that it wasn't all that early and since the floors were rotted out, well...I might as well go ahead and do what I like. I love having the vertical

defroster lines and the back vents but only as a talking point. OP, it's a Datsun, designed as a sports car for the

average guy, it will never be a worth a lot. Grab one and have some fun.

Edited by grannyknot
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As far as I can tell about 99% of the Low VIN Datsun 240Z's - HLS30's were sold in the North American Market. Generally among Collectors - the term "Low VIN" is used to describe the 240Z's produced in Calendar Year 1969. As I recall that was about 543 units - the first 12 of which were not released for public sale. Out side of the serious collector market - Low VIN is relative.. might mean 1300 or 2000 to some.

 

Why are the really low VIN's more valuable than later production cars in like condition?

 

For one reason - some Vintage/Historic Race sanctioning bodies make a cut off date for cars produced before 1970. {many people think that was done in an effort to prevent the Z's from competing against the earlier Prosche 911 and Triumph TR-6's etc - because the 240Z's beat them too often}. So if you want to go Vintage/Historic Racing in those circles - you have to find a Z with a product date in 1969. There is a pretty limited number of them still in existence... so higher prices for them. Simple supply and demand.

 

Another reason - is that serious collectors that know a lot about the Datsun 240Z's, recognize that the 69 and very early 70 {Jan/Feb} cars have a lot of detail parts that are unique to them. That adds interesting details that are rare and more fun to own. Some of these items are pieces or symbols of the cars history - which can add to interesting discussions about the car when shown.

 

For example - the 240Z Emblems and DATSUN Script on very early production cars.. #13 through..??? we don't know exactly when... were solid cast pot-metal/chromed parts.. which were actually pre-production prototypes. Cast in very limited numbers to gain approval for full production runs... then hollow core pot metal/chromed parts were produced. In both cases the "Z" on these emblems is flat chrome. On later production cars the "Z" was cast with a raised outline - the painted white inside the raised outline.

 

So having a very early VIN with the original prototype emblems adds historic interest to the car for serious enthusiasts. There are several other items on the very early cars that are exclusive to them and which all add to the historic interest of the car.

 

Another reason - the 69 production cars are a known limited quantity. There were something less than 530 of them produced. So far to this date only 175 have been found to still be in existence - many of which are beyond reasonable financial restoration, some are merely rusted shells... Nonetheless the one's that remain are rare and desirable - the two factors that push values up on all Classic/Collectible and Special Interest cars.

 

FWIW,

Carl B.

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  • 6 months later...

HLS30-06330 & S30-06225... Wanna guess which one is "earlier" production by date?

 

How about trying that with HLS30-00001 and S30-00001...?

 

Alternatively, HLS30-00030 and PS30-00030...?

 

HLS30-00800 and S30-00800..?

 

Might surprise a few people.

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Anyone know how many RS30's were built in total? Mine is number 244. It's a UK car, there can't have been many produced for the UK market and I imagine most are no longer in existance due to the weather we get over here. To be honest, a lot of my car isn't there any more!

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  • 11 years later...

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