I see postings from members that have modified their 240 z with engine swaps, fender flares, air dams, etc. In your opinion which version is most desirable to an enthusiast? Thinking of purchasing this stocker:
the Serial No. HLS30-12332. It was manufactured in October 1970. The color is No. 320.

What kind of condition is it in?

This is a Series I car. These cars have been identified by several sources including CLASSIC MOTORSPORTS Magazine as an affordable classic with strong potential for appreciation over the next five years. Their recommendation was not to restore, but rather to recondition/preserve it for future restoration.

If the car is a solid, rust free numbers matching car, that would be the way to go. If it is never going to be a restoration candidate, go ahead and restomod it. This will only make the remaining restoration candidates rarer.

The car is solid and all original. Owner (second) recently had the engine tuned and a full detail in and out.

As stated it is a series 1 car making it more desirable than any series 2, the lower the vin the more sought after. Stock cars are worth more than modified or restored ones. with a 12xxx vin it might be considered a 71, the breaking point was somewhere in the 12xxx range IIRC, although my 11xxx car is titled as a 71, the dealers did some holdbacks for the increased msrp and the shipping embargo made for some late arrivals.

October 1970 build date and registered in CA as a 1970 on the current registration. I really like the car and owner has all maintenance records. Where do I find a price range for an offer?

It's a fuzzy line thanks to the lax laws of the time. Value, well that is the million dollar question. For a clean low miles survivor 15k, for a miled up driver thats had a respray and or body parts replaced closer to 5k. It's a broad range. I looked at one same color, early series 2, looked good, had a respray (good paint but poor details, overspray on windshield gasket etc), the inner fender on one side had been replaced (mediocre job, obvious replacement). I figured if someone spent 5k redoing the inner fender and giving the car a proper respray and rubbers it would have been a 10k car. So to me it was a 5k car at best. If the car had been a true survivor with original paint even with some minor blems it would have been worth more. A car with a hole in the roof (sunroof) is nearly worthless. The add on door bumpers don't bother most but on a survivor I hate them because they can't be removed without welding and painting.

Thanks for the conversation. I would like to give the car a good home.

In the day Nissan ran model years corresponding to more or less a calendar year basis. For the 70 Z there were parts left over (probably due to start up delays) and Series I production continued into January 71. My car is SN 17574 and was made during the last weeks in December 70. Series I production continued to around SN 21000. Even then a few Series I parts were used on early Series II production and has lead to some confusion in later years.

As for titling the car, since the Japanese weren't following US custom of model year changeover in August, the dealers had some latitude in which year the car was titled. My first Datsun 510 2 door was purchased in late '68 and was titled a '69. On the contrary, my 240Z was manufactured in 12/70 but wasn't titled until 06/71.

I can't see the car in person until The last week in May. I hope it is still available. I have a price in mind for an offer to buy but I don't want to divulge that in this format.
Hope it is still available. If not me, then I hope the new owner will keep it pure.
I do know that it raced at Laguna Seca in SCCA club races but has been returned to street legal.

Huh? There is a big difference between street legal and original. Since you won't see the car 'til May, you might want to verify it has the original SU carbs, air pump, etc.

There would be a big difference between an owner that simply returned a racecar to "street drivable" and one that took the time to return it to "original" condition. The latter means that he actually kept the original parts with intent of returning it to original condition.

People intent on racing usually perceive little or no value on the parts they remove and these parts are easily discarded. If the car really is "original" condition, the owner would have earned my respect and raised my opinion of the car.

I have a good picture of the engine components, but its on photo bucket and opens my personal albums to the snoops of the world.

understood.

How very cryptic.

I am trying to protect the car owners privacy and at the same time increase the odds of me being the first offer to buy this perfect specimen. Still think it's cryptic?

Yup, also a bit paranoid.

Its worth keeping it hidden.

Unless you plan on racing it, restomod or restored is perferred to real Z car enthusiasts. Only racers do extreme motor swaps, like V8 or V6. Sure, race cars are cool but you don't drive em on a regular basis. Sorry, I prefer to drive my car a lot to owning a trailer queen.

A little investigation with the owner about the year/make . The car was made in October of 1970 but it is registered in California as a 1971.
Thanks for all the information on the numbers. I won't be able to afford the asking price so who ever gets it, enjoy!

MT280ZXTurbo wrote:Unless you plan on racing it, restomod or restored is perferred to real Z car enthusiasts. Only racers do extreme motor swaps, like V8 or V6. Sure, race cars are cool but you don't drive em on a regular basis. Sorry, I prefer to drive my car a lot to owning a trailer queen.

Beg to differ here as far as driveability. My group has 2 LS swapped cars with 3 more on the way. Better fuel consumption, more reliability, WAY more hp, WAY more torque. On a good day, with a tail wind, my 240z with a stock l28 and S.U. got 25 hwy. With the LS, on pump fuel, my bud gets 33 hwy. Now add in the extra 275 hp and 280 tq and it becomes a no brainer. These reasons are precisely why we all started LS swaps. Any yes, we track our cars but got sick of having to run 110 octane and trailer our cars everywhere. The LS gave us back the ability to daily our cars and shred on the track.

As far as value, yes, the restomod/stock resto has more value. Honestly though, if you're looking for market value and return on your money, cars in general are really not the way to go.

Thanks for the input. Unfortunately the car will not belong to me. Someone with $10k will own the Z and make the decision to restore or retromod. To me, having known the original owner and the current owner, the car is too good as it currently rolls.