#TBT: Comparing the then-new 350Z against the original 240Z

Flip on the TV these days and the odds are pretty good that you’re going to take a trip down memory lane with a show that encourages you to hearken back to the good old days.

The Speed Channel is rerunning NASCAR and F1 races from decades past, and automotive manufacturers have been getting lots of mileage out the word …

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Loved my 73 and wish that still had that red car!

I had an Orange 73, it was a gem, injected 175 horse, 5 speed, 3.91 gears, urethane suspension(ahh the old P-S-T days), and KYBs. Loved it!

I'll be damned if this isn't perfect timing for this story to come up again... I just put a shirt like this on sale :) http://gearheadshirts.com/products/129225-z-car-generations-shirt

I've driven the new Z, both on track and on the road. I haven't had the opportunity to drive the original. I'd be curious to see how those line up.

My perfect Z would be a 240/260 with LFX swap, street accommodating roll cage, a wheel & tire package that looks like it belongs on an IndyCar with wheelhouses from an AAGT IMSA Monza and a whale tail. I built a 1/24 scale model of it years ago and it was killer! Different motor though...

This on a 240Z body:

In reply to jerel77494 :

Jim Cook Racing sold it - catalog upstairs - I'll see if they show the price.  

I think a lot of rusty rockers and wheel wells got bondo'd up and covered up to hide issues with the kit.  
 

In reply to J.A. Ackley :

As a Datsun guy I will say you will most likely be disappointed.

An NA Miata will crush it in every way.

If you really like the crudeness of old cars like I do than you will probably like it. They are fun.......just not impressive in stock trim.

Had 18 Nissan Datsun zcars, 17 s130s and z31 cars... #18 was a z33 roadster...  Nissan did a great job releasing a Z again back then.  Handled like a slot car, 287 hp kicked ass, even in the automatic trans car I had... Last s130 was a lovely 2+2 5sp.  Moved them all along... 

Had 6 over the years.  None new.   All rescues, just like dogs.  Some lowered, some with Mikuni's, one with a 5-speed, all painted ladies.  Ran and handled top of the charts....for then.  Easy repair, easy tweak.  Never knew what 'if you live life to it's fullest you'll have your past to look forward to' meant.  At 79...I do now.

Regarding the article, err, I should say Nissan's choice of styling for the "new" Z, it left so much to be desired. Not exciting, not alluring, not impressive.  It sucked (in my humble opinion), but that isn't to say the newer car did have redeeming qualities no, not at all.  The then new 350Z was a better built car with more technology, but I would hardly call it a worthy successor to the S30 chassis cars.  Going online you can find renderings of what a modern 240Z should have looked like:

Funny, but I am sure this kind of thing was available to Nissan back in the day, but whomever makes the decisions keeps loading, cocking, and firing into Nissan's foot. Their design selections have been so lack luster that it is painful.

The newest iteration of the Z are promising, but very few people are watching.  Eh, Nissan?

jerel77494 said:

My perfect Z would be a 240/260 with LFX swap, street accommodating roll cage, a wheel & tire package that looks like it belongs on an IndyCar with wheelhouses from an AAGT IMSA Monza and a whale tail. I built a 1/24 scale model of it years ago and it was killer! Different motor though...

This on a 240Z body:

So, you want Bob Sharp Racing's old IMSA GTX Datsun...

Tom1200 said:

In reply to J.A. Ackley :

As a Datsun guy I will say you will most likely be disappointed.

An NA Miata will crush it in every way.

If you really like the crudeness of old cars like I do than you will probably like it. They are fun.......just not impressive in stock trim.

Funny, years ago when I still had my 73, lowering springs on KYBs, urethane bushings only in the tension rods in the front, exhaust and good carbs (as George would say:  "First thing to remember about Hitachi carbs...". "What's that?".   "They suck."), and my sister's boyfriend had one when they came out.   

The Z was way better imo, and not like what I had on it changed it radically.

Very accurate and well written article on the original 240Z. Back in the 70's and 80's I owned a total of four 240Z's, and so did many of my friends. I built a small business working on them in my parent's garage, they were so easy to work on. One of the popular mods (besides triple Webers and headers) was putting a 240 cylinder head on a 280 block which yielded an insane compression ratio and a substantial power bump. Wish I'd held onto one of mine, tons of memories in those cars, and pretty hard to find an unmolested example these days that isn't chewed up with rust.

In reply to Datsun240ZGuy :

I remember this. Not as radical as I would like, but thanks!

Having owned both, it's definitely the 350.  Except for build quality, everything was legitimately better in the 350.  If only I had time to drive it when I owned it . . .