Listed as a legit “Barn Find” and then further refined to a “Garage Find” is this 1973 Datsun 240Z. Yes, I’m splitting hairs with the definition but this find is likely worth the title “Barn Find”. But here you have it, this Z car has been squirreled away in a garage since 1994 and it looks like a pretty good find. It is located in Fort Worth, Texas, and is available, here on craigslist for $15,000, OBO. Once again, thanks to barn finder, par excellence, Ikey H. for this tip!

By 1973, Datsun had reached the end of the line with its Fairlady based, 240Z, introduced in 1969 as a 1970 model. The end of the end? Not really it’s just that for ’74 the engine grew to 2.6 liters (260Z) and a new 2+2 body style was introduced that detracted a bit from the Z’s pure sportscar vibe and slick lines.

From what can be seen, the body of this Datsun looks pretty sound. It is wearing a typical 1973 hue and the seller claims it to be straight with minor rust and a “small amount” in the floor. The image close-ups show some blistering in the bottom edge of the passenger door but it does look to be minor. The garage shows as sound with a concrete floor so the damage probably started long before its extended nap did. The slotted mag wheels are a nice throw-back and very representative of the ’70s.

The interior is challenged. Besides the obvious upholstery problems and the view-blocking detritus strewn about, there is some serious unwiring going on via the center stack.  A red flag is raised with the seller’s comment, “Has some rodent chew marks inside passenger and engine compartments, damage appears minimal.” The gnawed up upholstery wouldn’t be my concern so much as potentially chewed wiring which can be extensive and a real bugger to repair. The seller mentions that the dash pad is split and I don’t know what’s up with the color mismatch of the driver’s door panel, is it a real two-tone combination or a trick of the light?

There is a non-running 151 HP, 2.4 liter, in-line, six-cylinder engine connected to a four-speed manual transmission positioned under the very dusty hood. The motor appears to be pretty original though there are aftermarket air cleaners installed; the seller does state that he has the original airbox, and other parts as well included in the sale. The mileage is reported as 148K, so assuming that the motor can be revived, it’s going to need some involved attention before long.

The seller suggests that this Datsun is “a solid start for a project“. An excellent start would be finding the keys. Apparently, they are missing, but the search is ongoing. I would agree with the project premise though I would like to get a more thorough view of this car before I considered dropping $15K on it. Pulling it out of the garage, clearing out the interior, and taking more comprehensive pictures of the topside and underside would help with the sales effort, don’t you think?