What's "YOUR" Z story?

[The Chiropractor]

I can remember seeing my first z-car in 1970 when I was about 5 years old, and thinking "man, that car is BOSS!!!" I have always loved the look and styling of the cars and in the back of my mind, a Z was placed on the "list of things to own." When I was in chiropractic school in the mid '90's, I found myself making my way through school doing car repair work. Mostly tune-ups and brake jobs. I was driving a very sweet '85 Mazda Rx7 GSLSE (nicest model of early body style). Loved it. I often bought fixers and flipped them for money, and found this 1976 280 for $300. It had a super cheap repaint that had turned baby-poop brownish green, poor repair work done to the head (manifold leak), the usual torn seats and cracked dash, rotten window seals and stock suspension, engine and steel wheels. Did I mention it had some rear quarter body damage? Anyway, the crazy thing is that I found myself driving this car ALL the time. It was just way more fun than the Rx7 (to me). I soon realized that the 280 was beyond restoration for me at that time. So I sold the Rx7, found another 1976 280 in much better shape and scavenged the few good parts that were on the first 280 and swapped them onto the "new" car. Sold the first one. I then started looking at mods and joined the Zcar club and began reading. Did a lot of mods to the suspension of that car, spent countless hours on it, and really enjoyed it. It was my DD through the rest of school. After graduation, I drove it from Stockton California to McMinnville Oregon to visit a friend, on my way to Seattle to take the state board there. I stayed the night at my buddy's place and awoke in the morning to find the car stolen! The police got there and stood around the empty parking space scratching their heads with blank looks. I asked them "why are you standing there like that?" and they said it was the first car stolen in McMinnville that year.... it was July. Following this, I rented a car and drove home and bought a Civic sedan. Didn't grab me. Sold it and bought another '76 280 with similar suspension mods to the last one and went further with it to get it to my liking. I eventually bought a '75 911, and sold the Z to my nephew. The 911 eventually developed an engine problem that no one (numerous Porsche specialists) could seem to identify. ['74-'77 911s look cool but should be avoided unless equipped with 3.0 or better motor.] Sold the Porsche...

I then found my current car, '77 280 SBC conversion with 43k original miles and haven't looked back. The nicest one I've owned... I bought a '78 afterwards for a project and never really got started with it, so I traded it for a cool massage chair. Regardless of whatever else I drive, I will always hang on to this Z. I love it!!!

[Daeron]

Hmmm, never noticed this thread....

 

My FIRST Z story has already been told in brief a handful of times.. My dad's 72 240Z is among my earliest memories. (I was born in december of 1980 and can recall Halloween of 83.. my dad moved to NC three months ahead of the rest of the family, sometime that November, so I have to call this my earliest memory that I can affirm the date of..)

 

Sunday mornings, I went to church with Mom and the older brothers sometimes, but SOMEtimes I got to stay home with Dad. Those Sundays, we would ride around in the Z, drinking Borden's chocolate milk, with me going "vroom vrrom" (apparently, *I* don't recall that part, heh..) Born to be a gearhead, I guess.

 

My INTERESTING Z story comes up in December of 2002. I got a flat tire, coasted into a local bar parking lot, and called my Dad for help. I had no spare, and incidentally, I bought my first legal beer at a bar that day. The old man showed up with an american racing rim off of a mongrel 280/240 that my brother had bought some months before. As far as we knew, these rims didn't fit properly on a Z-car without spacers.... heheheh. The rims are identical to the ones pictured here:

 

Anyhow, he showed up with the spacer and the rim, and I got home and put a matching rim and spacer on the other side rear.

 

Fast forward to Christmas Eve. I still have these AR rims on the back (no $$ for tires) and I go to my uncle's shop to do a rear brake job. It was the only opportunity I had to do it. The brake job was a BITCH because one rear wheel cylinder was shot and the other was near; I hobbled things together, bled the brakes, and by the time I was finished it was ten PM. Bade my uncle a good night, and started the drive home.

 

I got about half a mile down the road when I started hearing a VERY minor clunking.. which slowly grew worse. After about 1.5 miles, I pulled a U turn, and headed back to my uncle's shop with a frown on my face. Less than 1/4 mile from the yard, there is a railway crossing... I went over it gingerly, but to no avail. The cause for the clunking became immediately apparent, as the driver's side rear wheel suddenly flew off and I was screeching along dragging on my left rear LCA!!!!!!!!

 

I KNOW I had torqued the lugnuts down... but something must've gone awry.

 

Fortunately I had removed the rear bumper, but not the mount. (75 280) I got my uncle's attention, he grabbed a steely spare, a jack and some lugnuts, and we jacked the car up first from the bumper shock, then jackstanded and hit the diff to lift it enough to put the other rim on. My uncle was muttering something about lugnuts that I didn't understand at the time.. but All I knew cared about was if my car could make it home safely. It did.

 

Christmas morning, open presents, breakfast waits. My oldest brother and I (they were his rims) went a-hunting for the missing wheel, in the depths of the ghetto. (My uncle's shop is in an industrial zone RIGHT up the street from a neighborhood with the quaint name of "Federal Gardens") The wheel made it about 100 yards further than the car did, which brings to mind the amusing image of the thing bouncing and rolling down the road..... and then off into a vacant lot.

 

In the end, my dad and my brothers (and myself) discovered that these rims take an "acorn-style" lugnut instead of the flat mag lugnuts we were used to from the standard slot mags and the ~12 spoke A/R mags I had on my car... and when the proper lugnuts were used, VOILA!! No spacer necessary!! And they even STAY TORQUED! How novel, eh??

 

This event, probably more than any other one thing, made me a man in a certain sense: I learned FULL FORCE exactly how fallible my Elders are!!!

[m1ghtymaxXx]

Well the car that first sparked my interest in Z cars was a local rb26 powered 240z (never saw it person, just in pictures). Also saw seth260z on here's car at a local show and it reinforced my love for these cars.

 

Then one day i noticed this gold Porsche in my highschool parking lot one day (grade 10 i think). Upon closer inspection, this porsche turned out to be datsun 280zx, and belonged to my gym teacher. From then on i would go out of my way to walk through the staff lot to oggle this car. Then one day i saw a "for sale" sign on it. It was only a matter of weeks before i never saw it again.

 

Fast forward a year. I had spent the past year of my life looking for the perfect supra or mr2, with no success. Frustrated i decided to broaden my search. After looking through listings of 240sx's, rx7's, volvo 240's, and talons, i decided to select 280zx. To my surprise, there were 2 listed for sale in Winnipeg. The one that caught my eye was a silver 2 seater, freshly restored for 8 grand. I instantly fell in love. I had planned to check it out as soon as possible, but then noticed the gold one underneath was located at a dealership close to home, and was 2 grand less, but unrestored. That afternoon i went to check it out, and it dawned on me that this could well be my gym teachers car. The next time I i saw my gym teacher was at grad later that week, and it turned to be his. Luckily it didn't have much in the way of dirty little secrets.

 

That was enough for me, 4 days later this gem was in my driveway.

[Guest snag point]

Back in 1974 I bid on a wrecked 73z with only 5250 miles, this Z was brown and like new,but the driver had been rearended, and slammed into the car in front. I paid 2000 dollors. Had the body pull, cut it in half right at the back seam on the rocker panel and the seam above the window. I used a torch and bailing wire. Worked great. then I did the body work. Sanded my fingers to the bone, had a shop gun it and "look out, here comes one cool college kid," Or so I thought. Sold it and got a Kingcab datsun pickup. Now I,m into a 73 240z, and helping my son do a 72z. We share a 72 parts Z.

[Trevor]

In the mid 1970's several of my neighbors had Z cars in Scottsdale, AZ. The first one I saw from across the street, I asked my dad if it was a Jaguar E-type, and he said, "Nope it's a Datsun". A friend in high school had access to a 260Z that his dad drove almost daily. My friend Scott, rarely got to drive it, but came by my house one day with the Z, carrying the newspapers for his his newspaper route in the back! That was the first time I saw the interior - it seemed so "sporty" in contrast to my family's Ford Maverick! I mis-spoke and called it a 280Z since that was the model that was always on TV commercials at the time. He corrected me and said his carburetted 2.6L was a better engine than the mysterious, new, EFI 280Z.

 

The first Z I rode in was with a friend at Summer camp in 1980, Moses Hernandez had a green 240Z that he was making weekly ($30!! remember those days?) payments on . We got a weekly "pass" to ride into town and experience civilization in Payson, AZ. He would take 3 passengers (2 under the hatch, me in the passenger seat - long legs) along for the 15-mile gravel roads through the Coconino National Forest. Then on the twisty highway through mountains and canyons. You couldn't slap the smile off his face as he said "This is what this car was made for!!" No doubt the primitive roads were the cause of a few loose bolts and rattles. Since I worked in the vehicle mainenance shop, Mo asked me to fix the muffler clamp. While crawling under the 240Z, that was the first time I'd seen a non-Corvette with IRS.

8 years later I'm browsing through Leo Gepharts exotic car dealership and there in the warehouse is a gloss black 250 GTO replica. I heard the angels sing. The badges said "Ferrari", but the windshield glass said "Nissan". It has a 350 chevy and 4 speed. (Nah, I wasn't looking it over too closely )

[280Z-75]

It all started with my older brother and his love for the Z car. About 8 years ago, my older bro was trying to get me to check out this Red Z down the street that was for sale. i was 18 and was still into the import scene, and at the time had only owned Honda's (88 civic, 87 integra, 86 legend, 91 civic hatchback). And at the time, I thought the Z was hideous.

 

My brother and I were really close, but he grew distant after breaking up with a girlfriend of 8 years. After college, he came back and asked me to start a datsun project with him. His name is Dat btw. I bought the project, a 72 burnt orange running Z from another guy living down the street for $600. It was the first car i owned that wasn't a hand me down. We started the project, which became my project. The look of the Z grew on me. 3 years and 3 Z's later (72 240z, 74 260z, 75 280z), i find myself dumping my money into my 75 280zt that i think is so SEXY. My wife is much sexier though...just in case she ever reads my stuff...lol

[Spraguepsycho1]

My Uncle had a dark green 240Z back when I was about 6 or 7. I never got to ride in it, but thought it looked kinda cool. After I got my license (around '83), I remember when I used to hang out at the local cruise/street race hang out there was a guy that had a white 240Z with a 327sbc and a turbo 350 trans in it. A lot of people with Camaro's and Chevelle's used to brag about how they thought they could beat that little thing, but I don't remember any of them ever even comming close to giving him a good run. I bought my '79 280ZX for my son with plans to fix it up to be a nice first car, the seller offered me a good deal on the '80 2+2 parts car so I took it. I still didn't really have any intentions of buying one for myself, but when somebody offered to trade me about $150 worth of parts off the 2+2 for the running '82 5 speed/T-top coupe, I couldn't turn it down lol.

[sstallings]

This is a great thread... My first test drive was in a brand new 1970 240Z when I was 17 in high school (okay, I'm an old fart). I loved it, but couldn't afford the payments or insurance so I settled for a Datsun 510 (poor man's Z) and drove the snot out of it. When I broke the trans, it got a Z five speed, the struts were lowered, BRE screw on fender flares, wide tires, and eventually side draft webers (even had spray gun BRE red/blue racing stripes. I used to go to Riverside Raceway every chance I got to see the sportscar classes when the Zs owned the track. I sold it to buy my first Camaro, and I've had mostly Chevy V8s ever since, always with some hotrod project in the works.

 

I'd driven other people's 280ZX and 300Zs years later, but none of them compared to the original 240Z. They were more comfortable, more powerful, but they weren't the same.

 

My sons are afflicted with my hotrod disease (it's incurable an hereditary) and my second one couldn't decide whether to go the tuner route, or a muscle car like his older brother, so I introduced him to the 280Z. He's now addicted as well. We've had his '77 280 (and it's replacement after totalling it) for 6 years. So two years ago I had the opportunity to pick up a cherry '72 240Z for myself, and we are now dropping a TPI 350/T5 in my son's 280Z with plans to put an LS1/T56 in mine later.

Steve

[MJLamberson]

I was shopping for my first car on craigslist, I had know idea what I wanted... untill I saw the Z, first gen. I knew right then I had to have that car, but at the time I didnt have the money, I knew nothing about them eather, so I started learning, what knowledge I gained confirmed my choice of car, so when I finaly had the money I knew what to look for. the 1977 280z was a dream come true for me. It ran fine and only had/ has mild rust. Its an obssesion, it really is, its what is constantly, and I mean constantly on my mind. also, I had first learned to drive in my mothers 94 escort so this car felt like a rocket, now that Im used to it I will have to turbocharge it.

[inqui-Z-tor]

How far back does your Z history and experience go? How many have you had? Where did you get them, what was done to them, and what happened to them? Stories, details, experiences...

 

 

I've been a fan of Z's .. since they were introduced. My cousin had a yellow '72 240Z .. I was 16-17 at the time. Driving the family car as my DD (lol). He got rid of it 'bout 2 years later .. when I went to college. I got re-acquainted with Z's during the IMSA GTU/GTO and TransAM days. Watching the various "race prep'd" Z's and the club corrals - made me want to purchase a Z car.

 

My opportunity came in 1984 .. with the introduction of the 300ZX Turbo.

So that's what I got (Jan 1984) and still have today.

 

Some pics from over the years ...

[MJLamberson]

your 300 is really nice

[Daeron]

 

 

original owner of a 50th anniversary 300ZX? major

[Guest 240zxt]

It all started when I was about 12 years old. My dad bought a used 1972 240z from my uncle. I was the youngest child in the family. My parents used to go off every other weekend and leave the kids at home. My sister was 17 and my older brother was 20 so they had better things to do than watch me. So they would go off to their parties and leave me home alone with keys to 3 different cars. Well at 12 I was very tall for my age so I grabbed the keys and took off. I did this so often and can't believe I never got caught by the police. Anyways I got that car when I was 16 and ragged the piss out of it till it blew a head gaskest and sold it to a friend for like $500. Wish I never sold that car. Anyway when I was 22 I bought a another 72 240z and still own it today at age 38. I have also had 78 280z and 83 turbo z.

[inqui-Z-tor]

your 300 is really nice

 

Thank you!

 

 

original owner of a 50th anniversary 300ZX? major

 

Well it's NOT the 50th Anniversary 300ZX edition. That special edition was colored silver on black ..

[Gollum]

Yo nqztr, sup? Long time no see eh?

 

I need to get my swap finished... grrr. I need to go to some more Z shows. Last show I went to was berryessa back.... umm geez was it really about 15 months ago?

 

Here's my thread on my swap

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=114589

 

 

Ok, so when did you install lambo doors???

[inqui-Z-tor]

Yo nqztr, sup? Long time no see eh?

 

I need to get my swap finished... grrr. I need to go to some more Z shows. Last show I went to was berryessa back.... umm geez was it really about 15 months ago?

 

Here's my thread on my swap

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=114589

 

 

Ok, so when did you install lambo doors???

 

Wow .. I remember that forum-name .. LOL!

The vertical doors were done .. in April (of this year) .. one-off (at the time) via VDI.

 

Hey if you're still headed to the SF show .. go there Nov 28th (Wed) 'round 5PM. Nissan GT-R (not announced anywhere) will be un-veiled directly from the LA show ..