JacktheRiffer wrote:
In reply to spitfirebill:
I have to disagree. My ZX drives better than any first gen i drove when looking.
I've never driven or owned either one, so I won't argue the point. But the original Z was probably the first car I would have sold my soul for. To the uninformed me, the ZX became a secretaries car.
A few years ago I tried to buy a one owner 70-71 Z I had seen in a carport for several years. The lady I talked to had received it from her father as a gift whiel she was in high school. She would not sell it eventhough her kids refused to drive it or been seen in it. Several months later, the car disappeared and I haven't seen it since.
two words .... black gold http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWF-hH1nloo
If you are comparing the S130 (ZX) to an S30 (240/260/280), yes, there is no comparison. They are totally different cars. If you want to tear up the autocross course then a ZX is not your best choice. But if you want a fun DD/cruiser with plenty of torque and a decent aftermarket and some Japanese nostalgia thrown in, then you can't beat a FREE 280ZX with a stick. I used to hate these cars too, but then I stopped comparing them to an S30 and I see how they are cool in their own way. An 80's digital dash and t-tops while cruising down the freeway in a reliable Japanese nostalgic---there are worse things in life. 
Plus you could build a replica of the Electramotive race car! 
For free. Why the hell not?!? I wouldn't pay much for one but free...
They are EPIC cruisers. And can be set up to be very competent at auto-x.
MTIRacing wrote:
two words .... black gold http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWF-hH1nloo
Two more... turbo driven! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3TnZQrtAx8
They honestly had the best commercials during my formative years. Maybe that explains my irrational love for them.
clutchsmoke wrote:
It's free so... why not?
Heck yeah! Even if it's a basket case, I got $110 for a rusted out, stripped shell of an E30 last year from a scrapper, so there's always that.
JacktheRiffer wrote:
They are EPIC cruisers. And can be set up to be very competent at auto-x.
they can be set up to be that but every other Z would be easier to set up and better in the end I would think.
JoeyM
Mod Squad
9/27/13 6:21 a.m.
kanaric wrote:
JacktheRiffer wrote:
They are EPIC cruisers. And can be set up to be very competent at auto-x.
they can be set up to be that but every other Z would be easier to set up and better in the end I would think.
....but the 280 would be better looking than the 300s
JoeyM wrote:
kanaric wrote:
JacktheRiffer wrote:
They are EPIC cruisers. And can be set up to be very competent at auto-x.
they can be set up to be that but every other Z would be easier to set up and better in the end I would think.
....but the 280 would be better looking than the 300s
And it still has the iconic inline six, which is a big factor, IMO. One of my oldest friends is a big Z-car guy, in fact he's partially responsible for my love of them. He currently has an 87 300ZX Turbo. It just doesn't do much for me. I mean, it's a good-looking car and it has a very 80s Japanese interior, which I like, but without the L-series engine, it's kind of soulless, IMO.
I had a 1978 280Z, loved it. I've driven 280ZX's, they are decent reliable and comfortable but they don't have the hard edge of the earlier cars. That said, I wouldn't kick a slicktop out of my garage (don't care for anything with T tops, never have).
Rupert
Reader
9/27/13 9:28 a.m.
Free is a good start! I can't say I've ever liked body the style of that one. But I do love the basic motor.
Back in the day I was pretty uncomplimentary about any car with all the smog junk installed & big rubber bumpers raised way too high. In fact I took the smog pump, etc. off my '71 as soon as the warranty expired.
Let's face it all those regulations came long before the technology had matured! As long as you don't live somewhere that forces you to keep all that smog junk to get a plate, you can undo most of those issues. And it is still more fun to play with multiple carbs rather than re-flash your chips.
And yes, for some reason the women seem to think that big pig body is cool.
I'd take it.
Tom_Spangler wrote:
JoeyM wrote:
kanaric wrote:
JacktheRiffer wrote:
They are EPIC cruisers. And can be set up to be very competent at auto-x.
they can be set up to be that but every other Z would be easier to set up and better in the end I would think.
....but the 280 would be better looking than the 300s
And it still has the iconic inline six, which is a big factor, IMO. One of my oldest friends is a big Z-car guy, in fact he's partially responsible for my love of them. He currently has an 87 300ZX Turbo. It just doesn't do much for me. I mean, it's a good-looking car and it has a very 80s Japanese interior, which I like, but without the L-series engine, it's kind of soulless, IMO.
Totally agree. The 300ZX's do practically nothing for me, although I would take one if it were free, and the 350 & 370 Z's are cool but not like the originals. It's hard to beat an L series motor IMHO.
Yes, you want one. Free is a good price. I picked this one up for under a thousand bucks and turned it into our Challenge/ Track Day car. Even striped out it's still 2400lbs. All the emission and injection junk is gone. It has now has Webers, headers, cold air box, cam, etc. Suspension is full coilovers, poly, camber plates, adjustable shock, etc. A fun car for a song with most parts easy to find. Only rear camber plates appear to be discontinued and hard to find. It will get a few upgrades for this year's Challenge and also the ignition fixed which sank our results last year.
dabird
Reader
9/27/13 3:34 p.m.
this thread has me interested. what are people's thoughts on this?
http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/4086046116.html
In reply to dabird:
That looks pretty good. Check for rust under the battery, in the frame rails, rocker panels, floor boards, and bottom of hatch area when you open it. If it runs and drives and is pretty solid, it seems like an ok deal...even better if you can talk him down to $1000 or less. It ain't no DRIFTER though.
Did the OP get this car yet?
