Around the turn of the century, Nissan switched its focus as a manufacturer to almost strictly commuter-oriented vehicles. The once-rugged Pathfinder nameplate is now attached to a unibody crossover SUV, and while the current Z car is handsome, it is undeniably outdated among its competition. However, the original S30 Z car will always be a timeless ride, and this 1972 Datsun 240Z that’s available here on eBay is a driver-quality example of the iconic sports car.
This Z is available in Bend, Oregon with a clean title. The vehicle’s history isn’t clear, but the seller mentions that it runs and drives great, and also that it received an exterior paint respray at some point in the 1980s.
As mentioned, this particular Z left the factory as an orange vehicle, but it received a fairly extensive red paint job that includes the door jams. The floors and most of the undercarriage is solid, but there is some rust, which the seller provides pictures of.
The white interior shows some wear, but like the rest of the car; it is all original and numbers matching. I enjoy the contrast between the white interior and the red exterior and personally feel that this cabin isn’t derelict by any means.
Under the hood, there’s Datsun’s storied 2.4-liter “L24” 6-cylinder engine, which pairs to a 4-speed manual transmission. The ad claims that there are 26,000 miles on this Z, and as mentioned earlier, it runs and drives well, with the seller claiming that the next owner could use it as a daily driver if they desire to.
At the time of publication, bidding is at $5,100 with the reserve not met. What would you do with this original Z car?
If you want one of these this looks like one of the best remaining. Defeat the possible rust and have a ball!
’72 was THE year to buy “back in the day”.
I remember helping a buddy of mine track one down in the early 80’s.
Fun car! (y) (y)
Yes indeed one of the best looking in and out of any I’ve seen here!!
The rust cometh and devouring slowly.
The underneath is showing tail tail signs of a tin worm(s) 🐛 attack
I like the 240 Z but…. would settle for a cali not by the sea edition 👀🤠
Numbers matching interior. That’s a tell tale sign of a nice car.
there isnt 2 Hours work, if These 2 photos is the only rust, there is.
nice car
Nice car. Fix the rust and put the orange paint back on it. Is there any documentation of the mileage?
Never trust a rusty Z-car. Ask me how I know :-)