The Japanese automobile industry was largely associated with economy cars back in the day, especially in the U.S. But that changed in the late 1960s thanks to a couple of stylish and impressively fast sports cars: the Toyota 2000GT and the Nissan 240Z.
While the former was discontinued in 1970 without a successor, the latter marked the beginning of the Z-series lineage, which is still around today thanks to the Nissan Z. The latest developed of the Z-car, the Nissan Z is arguably the quickest and the most advanced of its kind, but the early 240Z remains the more desirable iteration of the series.
The 240Z was sold in North America from 1970 to 1973. It crossed the pond with U.S.-specific features and a sole 2.4-liter inline-six engine rated at 151 horsepower. Priced within $200 of the MGB GT, the 240Z became a hit and generated long waiting lists.
Come 2022 and the 240Z is a prized collectible that changes hands for more than $50,000 when in Excellent condition. Yes, it's not the most expensive Japanese classic out there, but more and more 240Zs are coming out of storage these days. And Dennis Collins just unearthed a very cool example in Arlington, Texas.
A one-owner car, this 240Z was first driven in Ethiopia, Africa. Because that's where the owner was serving in the U.S. Army at the time. It's rather unusual to take delivery of a brand-new sports car in a conflict zone, but I can understand him not wanting to wait until he got back to the U.S. And luckily enough, the 240Z made it to U.S. soil safely.
The owner enjoyed the sports car for about 20 years before he decided to park it in the garage in 1993. Come 2022 and it's been sitting for almost 30 years but surprisingly enough, the Datsun appears to be in excellent condition. And it still has a matching-numbers inline-six engine under the hood, which turns it into a valuable classic.
On top of that, it's finished in Lime, a light and yellow-like green hue that looks awesome on the 240Z's sleek body. It's also a color you don't see every day, as many customers went with more common paints like red, blue, silver, orange, and white.
Not surprisingly, the sports car doesn't run after almost three decades off the road, so it had to be loaded on a trailer to make it to its new home. But knowing Dennis Collins, this Japanese beauty will be up and running again in a few months, perhaps even restored to Concours-ready specifications. Until that happens, check it out as a garage-found classic in the video below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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