This 1972 Datsun 240Z has the kind of story we all dream of when thinking about our ideal barn find discovery. Said to have been owned by the seller’s father-in-law since 1979, the Z car has recently been pulled from many years of garage storage in dusty but almost rust-free condition. The Datsun has the sort of upgrades and repairs that suggest the previous caretaker was a true Z car fan, and of course, the earlier cars are always sought after for their smaller bumpers and gorgeous looks. The son-in-law has listed the 240Z here on eBay with bids to over $8,000 and no reserve.

The shot of the car emerging from the garage for the first time after decades of storage is always a memorable photo. The seller says in the listing that the 240Z spent almost all of its life while with his father-in-law in the garage; we’re not sure if that means he rarely drove it or simply kept it indoors when not in use. But, he does say that when he had it moved to his garage, it was the first time the 240Z had been out in the daylight in over two decades. The story gets even more intriguing when he mentions helping his wife’s dad install a later 280Z engine in 1988, which was a common OEM upgrade for Z car enthusiasts when the original engine wore out.

The work completed in 1988 didn’t stop with the engine swap, however. The matching 4-speed manual was “…freshened up” and the differential was rebuilt by a local shop. A new clutch was installed and the seller himself made several repairs, including installing new U-joints, brakes, tires, some suspension bushings, and the wheels and tires you see currently mounted, which are the perfect period-correct choice for an aftermarket design. A brand new set of Konig “Watanabe” wheels mounted on new Kumhos are also included with the sale. The dash appears to have a few cracks but it is far from the worst we’ve seen, and given the scarcity of crack-free dash pads, I’d live with it.

The paint was also changed at the time this work was completed, going from white to battleship gray. I don’t mind the color change, but you can see in the photos the original combo was white over red – which, in my opinion, is as good as it gets for a sports or performance car. This 240Z looks like it was well-loved by its long-term caretaker, and buying it from the son-in-law who helped make the various improvements over the years to keep it on the road is an added bonus. This 240Z deserves to be driven, and if you’ve got the room in the budget, I’d plan on returning the paint back to the factory colors.