Should I buy this 240z

[Guest wiredred]

Im thinking about buying a Datsun 1973 240z. It has a 327 v-8 with a 350 turbo automatic w/a shift kit. The engine has 8,000 miles on it, the car has 67,000 miles. Owner Says theres no rust and the paint is in good condition. It has a custom rear and front bumpers. I think the fuel pump is messed up, because the person that owns it said it only starts when you put fuel in the carburetor and theirs a leak in one of the tires. Other then that it runs fine.

 

Any way he is asking for $6400 for it, and I was wondering if thats a good deal. What would you guys pay? Also what should I look for when I check out the car in person.

 

 

 

 

[280zwitha383]

The car looks nice. The carb probably just needs a rebuild if once you prime it it runs ok. Price seems ok, maybe a little high. It sounds like he wants to get what he put into it rather than get rid of it which is fine. Really, I would think the guy would fix whatever the fuel problem is before he sells it because it's probably a minor thing.

There are lots of things you can check as far as the engine goes. Make sure it has good oil pressure, do a compression test, smell the oil (and transmission fluid). Make sure it cools and on and on. And of course you'll want to look for rust. It seems like a nice car so check the little things and maybe point them out to the owner to see if he'll come down some.

[280zwitha383]

Wait a minute! Corvette rear end! I wish he wouldn't have put that bumper on there but it's still really nice and the body looks straight. Maybe the price is right.

[Pop N Wood]

That is a nice looking car. But the normal rules of buying a Z still apply

 

Rust is your #1 concern. Goto http://www.zhome.com and about half way down there is a buying guide telling you what to look for in rust areas. Bring a magnet to check for bondo'd over rust. If it is truely rust free and with no obvious cracks in those flares, then $6400 is a good price.

 

However, if it doesn't run then you will have an impossible time figuring out whether the engine and trans are any good or not. The other item is a non-overdrive transmission is typically not the best choice for a Z. Z's have low rear end ratios. That car will probably be turning a lot of RPM's at highway speeds. Not the end of the world but most guys with that type of set up don't like it. But if you can't drive it, you won't know.

 

Offer him $2000 less if you can't actually drive it. Tell him that in so many words and maybe it will prompt him to fix the fuel problem.

 

The strut bars look well done. Makes me think the rest of the conversion was done in a no-nonsense way. The engine looks like a scarab mount. Lots of opinions on here about that. About the only real drawback is you will need to mount it differently IF you decide to switch to a manual 5 or 6 speed trans.

 

The car is well worth the $6400 if you add up how much it would cost to build one. But V8 Z's typically sell for about that or less, so offering him less is not unrealistic either.

[DavyZ]

What Pop said plus...

 

The price of the car is relative. If the car has very god detail and is built that way, then the price may be realistic. Perhps the rarity of the car in your area may dictate that. In CA, the car is overpriced in my opinion. If the tranny were a T56 and it had an LSD, then I would say it was slightly overpriced. Car looks good from the pictures, but make sure you check for rust. If it's rusty, be careful---it's like you are looking for a long-term relationship, but you'll end up with an expensive one night stand instead.

 

Davy

[Guest wiredred]

Thanks guys for your input it has been very helpful. Im going to check out the car Friday so I hope it all goes well.

 

If any one else would like to add their advice im all ears.

[big-phil]

I've seen that car for sale for a long time here, make sure you check it out good. Seems over pricedto me?