An outstanding example in very original condition.

SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Nissan Motor Company Ltd.

Origin: Tokyo, Japan

Production: 46,282 (U.S. sales)

Motor: twin-cam inline 6-cyl.

Displacement: 2,393 cc

Power: 151 hp

Length: 13 ft. 9.4 in.

Identification No. HLS30-129076

Few realize that the roots of Nissan reach back to 1912, when a young man named Masujiro Hashimoto created a car named DAT (after three family member’s initials). By 1934, the cars were Datsuns (Son of DAT) and the company was Nissan.

By the late-1950s, a young engineer named Yutaka Katayama, who had been educated in America, advocated both the use of racing to develop the breed and the idea of a car designed specifically for the very different roads and drivers in America. Katayama hired noted German designer Dr. Albrecht Graf von Goertz, who had been involved in the creation of both the BMW 507 and the Porsche 911. He and the Nissan styling staff would develop the design, while Yamaha would engineer the drivetrain and build the prototype. However, Nissan and Yamaha could not agree on the engine design, so the project was shelved.

Nissan then decided to develop the new car in-house. Chief Designer Yoshihiko Matsuo and his team developed the car we know today as the 240Z, using both the Jaguar E-Type and the Porsche 911 as influences. Introduced in 1969, it was an immediate success, offering striking styling, strong performance, advanced specifications, exceptional build quality, and an affordable price. The car’s sleek lines easily placed it in the top ranks of production sports cars of the time. Inside, a luxurious interior with reclining seats, an impressive instrument binnacle, and a host of standard equipment creature comforts added to the appeal. Its sophisticated SOHC engine, four-wheel independent suspension, and disc brakes put the car in a class by itself, and for the first time ever, owning a Japanese car was the dream of many American high school boys.

One of those high school boys was Bruce Weiner, who had a 240Z as his first car. Like most car guys, he remembered his first car fondly, and years later, he sought out one for its replacement. In typical fashion, he found the best example possible, the wonderful original car offered here. It continues to wear the paint, interior upholstery, and trim with which it was delivered with from the factory. Over $8,000 was spent making the car perfect, including installing new tires, and having a Datsun specialist go over the car from top to bottom to make sure that it was fully mechanically sorted. Detailed to the nines, this is the 240Z you pined for back in 1973.