1970 Datsun 240Z all-original, numbers-matching

Since I had just attended the 2021 ZCon in Colorado Springs this past week surrounded for days by many wonderful Datsun/Nissan Z sports cars, I decided to search the ClassicCars.com marketplace for an example of the seminal 240Z for Pick of the Day.

There were 23 Datsun 240Z cars offered for a variety of prices. Yes, you could buy one with many needs for less than $20,000, but I went for an excellent example of the groundbreaking Japanese sports car.

The Pick turned out to be a first-year 1970 Datsun 240Z [RG1] finished in Sunshine Yellow over a black vinyl interior, equipped with a 4-speed manual transmission and rolling on stock steel wheels with correct wheel covers.

The Farmingdale, New York, seller offering this premium specimen describes it as a totally original numbers-matching car that had the same owner for 49 years. That owner bought the car in February 1971 when it had covered 10,000 miles.  In the years since, more than 90,000 miles have been added.

The Datsun lived almost all of its life in California and Texas, the seller says. which is why it remains in such nice condition. The paint and all body panels are untouched and original, the seller says. The stock wheels even wear period-correct Michelin XZX tires.

The engine was rebuilt in 1999 and in 2019, the clutch master and slave cylinders as well as the fuel-level sender were replaced, coolant was flushed, radiator was cleaned, and the fuel tank was removed and cleaned, the seller adds. Another service in 2020 included cleaning and replacing some fuel lines, rebuilding the fuel pump, repairing the fuel tank, and rebuilding and tuning the carburetors.

This Datsun would be a star in a preservation class at ZCon 2022 in Alabama, as well as at many concours that feature a class for all-original survivors. The concours in Hilton Head, South Carolina, this November comes to mind.

There are likely few true preservation Datsun 240Zs out there anymore, and if this car passes inspection and is as described, the asking price of $64,900 is completely market correct and possibly even a bargain.

Now on to the best thing about a preserved versus a restored car: It is much easier to justify using and enjoying a car like this than it is with a completely restored car. Also, the fact that it is completely original only adds to the allure of an important piece of sports car history.

To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.