Hagerty Insurance recently issued a report wherein it predicted that the Datsun 280Z – the model that came after the celebrated 240Z – would start to see a bit of a softening in the collector car marketplace. That would make sense considering how rapidly the car rose in value after the earlier 240Zs began to chase the classic Porsche 911 in terms of valuation. However, I also wonder if the 240Z will start to drop a bit, particularly if it’s not a Series 1 car. This 1973 240Z listed here on eBay is a genuine California blue-plate car that has been stored indoors since 1995 and was recently refreshed. Bidding is at $14,000 with no reserve.

To me, one of the most interesting things about the collector car hobby is when a car rockets upwards in value and then proceeds to either stay there in perpetuity or start to recede once the buzz wears off. For instance, seemingly every era of the Porsche 911 has rocketed skywards after a few years, never to return again; the same can be said for the E30-chassis BMW M3 and the modern-day Ford GT40. I don’t think these are falsehoods; rather, those cars will remain very expensive to buy until the internal combustion engine ceases to exist. Cars like the Datsun 240Z, on the other hand, are interesting to me because I don’t feel as if the marketplace has given this model a full-throated endorsement, the kind that would keep it a $30,000 car from now until eternity.

The exception, of course, is a survivor-grade Series 1 car. That will likely be an expensive model to buy no matter what, but I don’t think it’s going to remain a case of a rising tide lifting all boats. They simply made too many of them down the line, so the 280Z and the later 240Z’s will likely remain attainable for mere mortals for some time to come – and that’s a good thing for most of us, save for the few individuals who spent crazy money on one over the last two years. The black interior of this 240Z is in excellent condition for an unrestored car and white over black is always a tempting combination.

Unlike many dealers these days, the seller has actually done some work in advance of the sale to get the 240Z ready for its next owner. This includes new tires, brakes, battery, clutch, and a “major service” to get it running. The carburetors have also clearly been changed and the seller is including the original SUs in the sale. Overall, this 240Z looks quite clean inside and out, and aside from some corrosion in the battery tray area, the seller confirms there is no rust to contend with, so it seems like bodywork won’t be much of a factor in bringing this 240Z all the way back to life. Do you think the Z car has peaked or will the best cars continue to rise in value?