Photo: Silverstone Auctions
Few nameplates can strike the sensitive chord of hardcore car enthusiasts. One of them is the Nissan Z-car series of sports cars, which started with the Datsun 240Z. These things are as collectible as dinosaur teeth, especially if we’re talking about a Datsun 260Z Super Samuri like the example featured in the adjacent photographs.
Slated to be auction off by Silverstone Auctions at the Race Retro Classic Car Sale on February 27, this 1974 Datsun 260Z Super Samuri is one of only two built by Samuri Conversions of Croughton. According to the Samuri Register, this is the tenth Samuri built. The estimate for this exceptional two-seater coupe?£35,000 to £45,000. That’s $49,555 to $63,770 at current rates.
Other than the historical significance and its collectibility, the 260Z Super Samuri is a much more intriguing driver’s car than the model it is based on. The L26 inline-six engine generates 165 PS (165 horsepower) in standard tune, but the Super Samuri benefits from various upgrades. A gas-flowed cylinder head, three Dellorto 48 carburetors, ventilated discs with four-pot brake calipers, and a competition-spec suspension are the most important modifications.
After a little bit of racing action in the late 1970s and early 1980s, this highly sought-after sports car was preserved for 25 years until 2010. Spike Anderson, the man who founded Samuri Conversions, confirmed the identity and provenance of the car. Shortly after its unearthing in 2010, the owner restored the thing down to the smallest nut and bolt at a cost in excess of £27,000 ($38,255, which is almost as much as a Nissan 370Z Sport Tech).
The Nissan Z-car has always been regarded as the Japanese take on the Jaguar E-Type. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but the Z-car isn’t just a copycat of the famous feline. It is an improvement on the recipe pioneered by Jaguar, which has been improved once more by the Super Samuri treatment. This model is the epitome of what 1970s sports cars are all about. Though dated in some respects, collectors will certainly bid top dollar on this automobile.
Other than the historical significance and its collectibility, the 260Z Super Samuri is a much more intriguing driver’s car than the model it is based on. The L26 inline-six engine generates 165 PS (165 horsepower) in standard tune, but the Super Samuri benefits from various upgrades. A gas-flowed cylinder head, three Dellorto 48 carburetors, ventilated discs with four-pot brake calipers, and a competition-spec suspension are the most important modifications.
After a little bit of racing action in the late 1970s and early 1980s, this highly sought-after sports car was preserved for 25 years until 2010. Spike Anderson, the man who founded Samuri Conversions, confirmed the identity and provenance of the car. Shortly after its unearthing in 2010, the owner restored the thing down to the smallest nut and bolt at a cost in excess of £27,000 ($38,255, which is almost as much as a Nissan 370Z Sport Tech).
The Nissan Z-car has always been regarded as the Japanese take on the Jaguar E-Type. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but the Z-car isn’t just a copycat of the famous feline. It is an improvement on the recipe pioneered by Jaguar, which has been improved once more by the Super Samuri treatment. This model is the epitome of what 1970s sports cars are all about. Though dated in some respects, collectors will certainly bid top dollar on this automobile.
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