Autoblog

eBay Find of the Day: World's best Datsun 240Z resto-mod?

Jeff Glucker — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:57:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Classics, Coupe, Auctions, Nissan

eBay Find of the Day: 1972 Datsun 240Z resto-mod - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Datsun 240Z is a pantheon vehicle. By that we mean it belongs on many a car enthusiasts' all-time great vehicle lists. If you're in the market, there are plenty of options on eBay that will help you put one in your driveway. One Datsun in particular has caught our eye due to the quality of its execution. How much would it cost to own the beautiful S30 shown above? If you wanted to Buy It Now, you'd better have $85,000 burning a hole in your pocket.

That's right, we said $85,000, and that figure is reduced from an ambitious previous asking price of $125,000. What could cause someone to think their Z is worth that much? A complete frame-off restoration and a parts list that makes us think the owner is capable of Inception, since it reads like something from our modified car dreams.

Under the hood sits a SR20DET, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine taken from a 2002 Nissan Silvia. The suspension and brakes have been upgraded with Arizona Z car and Wilwood components. Basically, anything that could've been upgraded has been taken care of.

Still, you'd be hard-pressed to find a 240Z buyer looking to plunk down that many Benjamins for a car. There's no doubt that leading Japanese classics are climbing in price, and this car might be snatched up quickly at half the asking price. Head over to eBay Motors for the full listing. Thanks for the tip, Sid!

Gallery: eBay Find of the Day: 1972 Datsun 240Z resto-mod

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: World's best Datsun 240Z resto-mod? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan working on BRE 370Z to mark car's 40th anniversary

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:19:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Nissan

BRE Nismo Z getting painted for the Walter Mitty Challenge - Click above for high-res image gallery

It looks like there will be more than one car showing up the Walter Mitty Challenge at Road Atlanta next month wearing the colors of Pete Brock's BRE racing team. Just days after Mazda announced that it had prepared a BRE-liveried MX-5 for the Playboy MX-5 Cup, Nissan has announced that it is working on a Nismo 370Z with a similar color scheme.

The Nissan is, of course, a descendant of the Datsun 240Z John Morton drove to BRE's first SCCA National Championship in 1970. While the Miata got a very literal interpretation of the original BRE paint job, Brock has apparently worked with painters at Nissan to produce a modern iteration. The Z will be revealed at a special dinner at Road Atlanta on April 29 to kick off the big weekend of vintage racing.

The car has been built to SCCA T2 specs, and plans call for it to do some racing at Z Club events and SCCA regionals this summer.

Gallery: 40th Anniversary BRE Nissan 370Z

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan working on BRE 370Z to mark car's 40th anniversary

Nissan working on BRE 370Z to mark car's 40th anniversary originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2011 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition spotted

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Japan, Nissan

The crew over at Inside Line got its hands on some rather curious spy photos of the new 2011 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition. Why curious? Most of the time, spy photographers work from behind massive lenses at long distances because the secretive engineers don't want themselves or the car they're testing to be photographed. But these shots look almost... composed. Or at least like the person manning the camera is on a first name basis with the folks at Nissan.

Regardless, these are clearly photographs of the soon to be released 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition. As we've known for some time, there's not too much to the 40th Anniversary Z above and beyond a couple of badges. The slate gray body color and matching wheel color are unique to the limited edition coupe, as are the red brake calipers, but the wheels themselves are the optional 19-inchers from the standard 370Z.

Inside, IL claim's you'll find the "standard Z Touring seats" covered in red leather. But how can they tell what specific type of seats are in a car by looking at photos? Mechanically, we all have to wait until the Chicago Auto Show before we get the details, but Inside Line confirms a rumor we heard that the 40th Anniversary car might be more NISMO than standard Z. If Nissan decides to imbue the 40th Anniversary model with 350 horsepower (or more), along with the more sporting suspension in a less boy racer-ish body, they'll have quite a compelling performance package on their hands.

According to Inside Line the only exterior badging that distinguishes the 40th Anniversary car from lesser Zs is a small plaque on the car's rear bumper, just below 370Z. What's odd is that this little badge isn't visible in any of the photographs Inside Line posted. Look for yourself. And as far as we've seen, Nissan hasn't released any official photos of the 40th Anniversary car's rump. So how do they know? Could it be that Inside Line has additional "spy photos" of the 40th Anniversary Z's rear and isn't posting them? We kind of doubt that. And what's with the guys standing in front of a dark 1971 Datsun 240Z, seen next to the white Volkswagen GTI? And why would Nissan engineers be driving a VW? We're thinking Inside Line might know a bit more about the 40th Anniversary 370Z than they're telling.

Gallery: Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition

[Source: Inside Line]

Spy Shots: 2011 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition spotted originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition announced [w/VIDEO]

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Japan, Videos, Nissan

Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition - Click above for high-res image gallery

One week from today (October 22) marks the 40-year anniversary of Nissan's Z. Before the Zed, sports cars in North America were usually fragile little carts from Europe with their engines in funny places (or Corvettes). However, once the Datsun 240Z showed up, suddenly us Yanks had access to a fairly priced, good looking little sports car that could run for more than 30 minutes without dumping all its fluids. As the Guinness ad men might say, brilliant!

And, despite a few fits and starts, the Z badge lives on today. To celebrate 40 years of the Japanese sports car, Nissan is releasing the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition. Here's what that entails, starting with the outside: 40th Quartz paint, "high-luster" smoke 19-inch Rays wheels, red brake calipers and 40th anniversary badges on both the rear hatch and front strut tower brace. Inside you get red leather, 40th anniversary embroidered seats and floor mats, red leather stitching up the center stack (just like the rocking Nismo) and a commemorative plaque. Oh, you get a satin car cover, too.

To which we say: not special enough! Come on Nissan - where's the twin turbos? Or T-Tops? Or a giant wing? What about louvers? Sans serif font? Anything? We appreciate the fact that you're (hopefully) saving your wad for the 50th Anniversary Z (which had better be atomic-powered, BTW) but red stitching and badges? Really? Where's the coke-eye'd Hasslehoff looking dude with the amazing mustache? Oh yeah, he's after the jump, along with his special lady and a very big press release!

Gallery: Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition announced [w/VIDEO]

Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition announced [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Nissan's Fiesty Mr. K calls out the 370Z

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Japan

Recently one of our bloggers raised the hackles of many a commenter by announcing to the world that he preferred driving a Nissan Versa to the new 370Z. You can hear the whole exchange on Autoblog Podcast #140. To protect this poor blogger's identity, he shall remain nameless (we'll call him Jonny X for short. No, too obvious. Let's go with X Lieberman). Point is, obviously this person is out of his mind because who on earth prefers driving a economy car like the Versa to a Z? Turns out Nissan's Mr. K.

Yutaka Katayama, known to American Datsun/Nissan fans simply as Mr. K, will be remembered for two very important cars: the 240Z and the 510, both of which are now considered classics. Mr. K turned one hundred years old on September 15, but age hasn't tempered his mind. In fact it seems sharper than ever. Talking about the new 370Z, Mr. K calls it, "So-so." He continues, "Very different from the 240Z. First, it's very heavy, and it's also very expensive."

And not only does Mr. K feel the car new Z is too expensive, but that it's not actually living up to the Japanese sports car legacy laid down by the 240Z, "I'd like to have a sports car like the Miata. The Miata is taking the place of the 240Z." Harsh. But check this out, "Katayama has a 350Z in his garage but prefers to drive the family's Versa compact." And there you have it.

Mr. K would like to see the Datsun nameplate come back, and with sportier cars. "The fun of driving cars is the same as riding a horse. We need a car that is like riding on horseback. We are making robots. Robots don't like human control." Even at the ripe old age of one hundred, Mr. K just might be around to see his wish come true, "I just entered the 100s. I have a long way to go."

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. | Image: MTZC]

REPORT: Nissan's Fiesty Mr. K calls out the 370Z originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Albrecht Graf von Goertz, BMW 507 designer, dies at 92

Alex Nunez — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:33:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Etc.

Classical Drive reported last week on the passing of Albrecht Graf von Goertz earlier in the month. He was the designer behind the singularly beautiful BMW 507. Goertz emigrated to the United States in 1936, and in 1938 opened a shop in California where he specialized in modifying Model A and B Fords. It was in that shop that Goertz created his "Paragon" coupe, a custom car that would be the catalyst for what can only be described as a remarkable career.

Goertz saw his Paragon displayed at the1939 World Exhibition in San Francisco, and in 1940 he closed up shop to join the Army. Five years later,he returned, got the Paragon out and drove it to New York, where a chance encounter in the parking lot of the Waldorf-Astoria changed everything. Goertz had gotten out of the Paragon to inspect the car in front of him. Likewise, the passenger of that car noticed the Paragon and had similarly gotten out to have a look. The man in the other car was industrial designer Raymond Loewy, who then met with Goertz and ultimately got him a job at the Studebaker design studio.

By 1953, Goertz has established his own business and befriended Max Hoffman, BMW's US importer. Goertz learned through Hoffman that BMW was planning a new sports car. He got into the mix and won the bid to design the car, the spectacular BMW 507. While at BMW, Goertz also designed the 503. After working at BMW, Goertz spent time with Porsche, where he was part of the team behind the 911, Toyota, where he influenced he 2000GT, and Datsun, where his fingerprints were left on the 240Z. Every vehicle on that list is iconic in its own right.

On November 2, Albrecht Graf von Goertz died at the age of 92, leaving behind an automotive legacy that will live forever.

(BMW bio, add'l photos after the jump)

[Sources: Classical Drive, BMW]

Continue reading Albrecht Graf von Goertz, BMW 507 designer, dies at 92

Albrecht Graf von Goertz, BMW 507 designer, dies at 92 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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