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RHD 1974 Fairlady Z Value?


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About RHD...

I've owned a few British RHD cars and didn't find the "wrong hand" shifting to be a big deal, even when switching between that and a normal car. A few minutes to acclimate and Bob's your uncle.

The downsides are that drive thrus are out of the question and visibility in traffic is awful, especially given the prevalence of giant SUVs lumbering around.

 

As for the desirability of the various cars you've mentioned, I'd either go for the Fairlady or the FD. 

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Not really surprising. That was a great deal.  There's a lot of cool factor, not to mention rarer model you don't often see in the states.  One likely to appreciate with some TLC.   Oh well Keep looking, Oh and don't go for those RX7's unless you know a really good rotary engine mechanic. The Turbos have a tendency to blow  seals on the 12A engines.  The 13B's were better, but eventually you'd have to have it rebuilt every 60-80K miles. just the nature of RX-7's  that, and clutches, wow, I went through a lot of clutches...  it was the high RPM difference.  I loved the cares tho, my favorite was my 83 gsle, in chateau silver..   As for Datsuns, Keep looking, something else will come up.

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He is keeping the car so don't feel bad.  The CL ad was pulled yesterday and perhaps he'll get to giving it the proper attention it deserves.  Believe the owner has had the car for over 20 years and been literally sitting in the garage awaiting 'love'...

Well someone bought the datsun out from underneath me. Guys i feel sick now :-( My heart is broke.

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Text from the seller, after 2 sleepless nights [him, not me], a few hours of inventorying spare parts, sending me pictures & video of the car he has decided to keep it.  During that time I; arranged storage [as we're in the midst of a wonderful NY winter], arranged enclosed transportation from Oklahoma to upstate NY and transferred funds to get a bank check to send for the purchase.  I had sent a deposit but has since been refunded...  I even had my new NY vanity plate chosen: FairldyZ [EvilC already has Fairlady for his...].

 

I only hope he has the resources to properly restore then drive the car, as I had plans to.  This is the 4th Fairlady to slip through my fingers over the past 10 years, just can't seem to catch a break.

 

So bummed... :cry2:

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Text from the seller, after 2 sleepless nights [him, not me], a few hours of inventorying spare parts, sending me pictures & video of the car he has decided to keep it.  During that time I; arranged storage [as we're in the midst of a wonderful NY winter], arranged enclosed transportation from Oklahoma to upstate NY and transferred funds to get a bank check to send for the purchase.  I had sent a deposit but has since been refunded...  I even had my new NY vanity plate chosen: FairldyZ [EvilC already has Fairlady for his...].

 

I only hope he has the resources to properly restore then drive the car, as I had plans to.  This is the 4th Fairlady to slip through my fingers over the past 10 years, just can't seem to catch a break.

 

So bummed... :cry2:

 

That sucks, hopefully he will contact you of he ever changes his mind. You should check in with him every six months.

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I'm still trying to connect with him [phone] so we can discuss what happened and let him know that if he's unable to restore it [lack of $ or other] or when he's ready to sell that I'm at the top of the list!  Not angry with him but certainly disappointed on how it was handled.

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That sucks, hopefully he will contact you of he ever changes his mind. You should check in with him every six months.

 

You are right, it took 6 years for me to buy mine. 1 tuff z asked me one day if I called the PO of my Fairlady and I had not talked to him in about 1.5 yrs after he did the same thing to me - change his mind 2 days before a 9 hour road trip to pick it up. I called him and we chatted and towards the end of the 40 min conversation I asked, "How's my car doing?"

 

It was picked up 10 days later!  David we will find you one for sure...................

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  • 2 months later...

Vehicle

Identification

Number

 

A.K.A. "Chassis Serial Number"

 

LOL

 

Tony, I'm asking what the prefix and serial number combination ( 'Shatai Bango' ) that he wants 'decoded' is, not what a VIN is....

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S30-109459

 

S30-109459 would be a late January through February 1974 build date.

 

All the 'S30' prefix tells us for that period is that it's a 2-seater with an L20A engine. No way of telling if it's the basic 'Std' S30-S model or the 'Deluxe' S30 'Z-L' from the 'VIN', but the car itself should be able to tell you from ( what's left of ) its original spec. Nine times out of ten it will be a Z-L if it made its way to the USA as a private import.

 

Myriad detail differences with the North American market models made during the same period. Hundreds, in fact. 

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Stamps? PFFT! FT takes e-mail...

 

My experience is a lot of the S30S models came in before the EFI era. They seemed priced more 'military friendly' and then got free shipping sooo....

 

The "71" I have (S30-06225) was an Arizona Import in 1976 (!!!) by a DOD Schoolteacher. The GS31 I have is shockingly an "S" (out of Idaho) with the plastic mats and roll up windows. The Coupes Americans bought didn't seem to fancy the electric windows etc on the "L"... Though the second GS31 I have does have all the bells and whistles.

 

It was very strange, most GI's that shipped "S" models stateside, soon afterward the first thing they wanted was a carpet kit!

 

The got home, and the "Plush Barcalounger Disease" regained it's foothold!

Edited by Tony D
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My experience is a lot of the S30S models came in before the EFI era. They seemed priced more 'military friendly' and then got free shipping sooo....

 

That's interesting. I have to say that most of the Japanese market S30-series cars I've spotted in the USA ( admittedly only via the 'net... ) have been Deluxes. 

 

So what happened to all those rubber floor mats, non dipping interior mirrors and clock delete blanking plates from the poor unloved Z-Std models? I can offer them a good home...! 

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