BF Classified: 1972 Datsun 240Z

SOLD

Asking Price: $4,100
Location: Indianapolis
Mileage: 81425
Title Status: Clean

Seller’s Description: 1972 Datsun 240Z for sale.
Additional photos are available through the link: here on Google.
The Good, the Not-Too-Bad, and the Ugly. That is an appropriate way to describe this borderline restorable 1972 Datsun 240Z in paint code 115 blue metallic with white interior with a 4-spd Manual Transmission. My brother and I purchased this to be a potential restoration project back in 2003 and it has been stored inside ever since. Prior to that, it probably spent most of its life outside. Now that I’m ready to restore it, I have looked it over closely and believe it is borderline parts-only vs restoration and I’m hitting the age where I don’t think I’m up for a full-on restoration.
The Good: From 20 feet away, this car looks pretty good. It is numbers-matching (engine stamping matches the inner apron tag). It shows 81,425 original miles (the previous owner bought it in 1993 with 66,000 miles on it, but that is the only mileage verification I can provide). It ran at that time we bought it, but not well. I recall we drove it at the seller’s home in his driveway, and then onto the trailer. That was the last time we tried to start it. Based on what I can recall it needed the carbs cleaned at a minimum. After this many years, the engine should probably be fully gone through. The engine will turn over by hand and also with the starter. The car is also mostly complete, down to the radio-but I won’t swear it is the original radio. It is missing a fuel door and probably some parts around the fuel tank (sending unit, straps, hoses). I have been accumulating parts to start a restoration on it for a few years. New parts include (and are included with the sale price but not installed): a pair of white seat covers in the original style Z vinyl from Motorsport Z. A pair of floorboards with underside rail. A pair of outer rocker panels and a pair of inner rocker panels (these are the good ones-see photos). Partial quarter panels (L and R) and the hatchback “slam” panel that goes above the tail lamps. A new OEM fuel-fill neck. The new stuff alone was over $2,000-see invoices in photos. Just to be clear, some of the new sheet metal has some surface rust starting, but it should sand off. It also has an ANSA exhaust system on the car that is in pretty good shape, but the tips have rust on them. Maybe with some TLC, they’ll clean up.
The Not-Too-Bad: The dash looks pretty good, but there is one crack above the tach area (shown in the photo). There is some light damage to the rear bumper where it mounts to the body on the L side (minimal, if any, body damage). The tires hold air but are shot, but you’ll probably want to do some cool wheels and tires anyway, not the steel wheels and hubcaps this one has.
The Ugly: Rust. Damn Z-car rust. If someone wanted to restore this, they would need to be very skilled. It needs lower aprons, lower front rails, battery tray plus all the new sheet metal stuff I’m including. The car is really crusty on the underside. Look at the photos (link below). The reproduction lower aprons and front lower rails are available (and look super nice!) from kfvintagejdm.com or KF Vintage on Facebook.
So, what is the price? $110,000 would be great, but it would also be ridiculous. A nicely restored one would go for about $40k. A nice driver may fetch $20k-$30k. This one is none of the above. So, with the parts listed above, the price is $4,100. If it doesn’t sell, I’ll just keep it and start on it myself this summer.
Please let me know if you have questions.
I welcome an in-person inspection by you or your appointed representative.
Thanks for reading my long ad.