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1969 Datsun sports convertible

mfranekmfranek Member Posts: 1
in Datsun
How do I find the market value of this older model
classic?
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Comments

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well, depends on condition, of course, but they are not very strong in the market. Usually, you can buy a very very nice one for around $4,500.
  • tarookatarooka Member Posts: 1
    I am looking too for a "Fairlady" with a 2000CC engine. However, my experience so far is dogs are being offered for $4 to $5K and showroom condition cars are asking over $15K. I live in California and the selection is sparse.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Hmmm...that would be an extremely unlikely realized price for the car. A seller can ask whatever they wish, of course. The market isn't that strong for this car at this time. As a guideline for you, Hemmings shows three extra nice cars (#2 cars, or so the ads claim) for $8K-10K asking, so figure 10-15% less to buy them, or $6,800-8,500. But with bargaining, you should be able to get a decent daily driver #3 car) for around $5,000. Perhaps $4,500 was a bit too low a guessimate for a #3. It would be my own opinion that $15K is nearly 100% above normal market, so it would be an extraordinary sale at that price. (but good luck anyway!)
  • sebringjxisebringjxi Member Posts: 140
    There's a 1968 1600 which looks very good in the ad (pics too) for $2500 obo. The Datsun roadster was one of the cars on our "shopping list" but the styling put my son off, he liked the Fiat Spider better!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Certainly the Fiat parts would be easier to find.
  • speedracer310speedracer310 Member Posts: 1
    Which car would be easier to maintain, an early 70's Datsun 280Z, 240Z, 69 Firebird, 69 Camaro or a 72 Mustang? Are classic American cars easier to get parts for than Japanese?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well, the American cars are cruder and simpler, so they have that going for them regarding maintenance, but parts for most japanese cars have not been a problem, and the 240Z especially is rather popular. The 280Z is just a used car and I doubt it will ever be collectible, but the 240 is pretty straightforward to work on. But for the home mechanic, no doubt the American cars would be easier all around.
  • sebringjxisebringjxi Member Posts: 140
    After 15+ years of Mustang driving, I'm of the opinion that if you gather up the right catalogs and plastic money, you wouldn't even have to have a car to start with--you could build one right out of the catalog! Then again, there'd be coming up with a VIN number for registration!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Oh, there are many counterfeits out there in Mustangworld, right down to fake ID plates and ID numbers. It's really quite easy. I'm sure there are more K codes and Bosses and Shelbys out there for sale than were ever made originally.

    At least the Datsun you get will be real.
  • 65ernie65ernie Member Posts: 4
    A good place to find the value for Datsun Roadsters is in Hemmings or the CPI book. There are all sorts of Datsun Roadster websites and many of the parts suppliers also sell cars. Road & Track also has a buyers guide for these cars that is very informative. I own a Datsun Roadster that I fully restored. It required alot of work, but few people even knew Datsun made a sports car and it's a kick to drive. The easiest to work on is the early 1600 series- no emission junk to worry about! The 2000 models have a coveted 5 speed tranny.
  • veritasveritas Member Posts: 17
    I owned one of the very last one of these made. A fairly nice car if one ignored the fact that the 510 sedan clutch would only last about 25K miles with 50% more horsepower pumped through it and that one had to pull the engine to replace said clutch and the exhaust system was equally short lived and they had had a distressing tendency toward timing chain problems that left one with a handful of bent valves, etc. . . .
  • dpwestlakedpwestlake Member Posts: 207
    I would recommend finding a 240Z 1972 or earlier. Starting with the 73 240Z they started using tamper proof carbutetors. The performance was terrible and vapor lock was a problem. I had a 260 but I put older style carbs on it along with a header.

    The biggest problem with the "Z" series was rust. The engine and driveline was great but after a while you had a great engine in the middle of a pile of iron oxide. This may not be a problem in California or the Southwest, but Z cars are getting really rare in the northeast.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yes, I think you are right...the very earliest 240Zs are the only ones worth having.
  • debrardebrar Member Posts: 1
    I HAVE A 1970 DATSUN THAT NEEDS TO BE RESTORED. I DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR MONEY TO PUT INTO IT, SO I HAVE DECIDED TO SELL IT. THIS WAS MY FIRST CAR AND I LOVED IT. ITS' HARD TO PART WITH IT BUT ITS JUST SITTING AND RUSTING.MECHANICALLY THE LAST TIME IT WAS DRIVEN THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT EXCEPT THAT IT HAS A FUEL LEAK. IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN IT, I LIVE IN NEW YORK ON LONG ISLAND. I WILL BE TAKING OFFERS.
  • ice288ice288 Member Posts: 1
    I think that the biggest problem with '72 240Zs is rust by far. My dad has an early '72 240Z, which unfortunetly was been exposed to the elements for the last 20 years and it shows. It runs fine, the engine and all is still good with the exception of an exhaust leak and needing a new radiator its running componets are still all good. However it is rusting out all over. It has rusted through a the bottom of the doors and just under that too. However the important structural stuff is still good. So I guess the point of this was just to say that Nissan used a really poor quality of metal when they made these cars and if your planning on buying one of these fine vehicles, watch out for rust or any sign of rust, there is probably more you can't see than can see. Also it would probably be wise to look for one in the South West of the country, where it is much dyer and the car less likely to be rusty.
  • dpwestlakedpwestlake Member Posts: 207
    I had a 260, Zs were great cars, unfortunately they turned out to be biodegradable. they reverted to iron ore before your eyes.
  • a36a36 Member Posts: 10
    It has been said that all the Z's had nothing but
    overspray inside the body - not one ounce of paint
    purposely applied in there. Therefore they do rust badly. A joke in the NE used to be that if you put a pretzel in the glove box of a Z the floor would fall out 90 days later. This little oversight was corrected (so I have heard) with the ZX's and those made thereafter.

    A 260Z can be made to run fine if you block off
    the coolant passing through the intake manifolds
    and carburetors. On the one that was around my house I used solder to make 3/4" long little billets to stick in those coolant hoses and put a small spring clamp on the outside to hold them in place. This got you past the inspector who looks under the hood to see what has been disconnected.

    One other thing that will make a 260Z (or any of
    the "SU" type carb's.) perform far better is to
    make certain that the metering needles are perfectly straight. I found both of them bent on
    the one my son had. If you can find new ones I
    would go with those, along with the body that it
    passes through in the main body of that "thing."

    I hope whoever says that 280Z's will never be anything but a "used car" is a bit wrong. My '78 with 60,000+ original miles is still a fun car to
    drive, and I hope will someday be worth at least what I paid for it in 1980. Oh, it has never been to the beach/shore, and definitely not anyplace where it snows and salt is placed on the roads. No pretzels in the glove box either!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Saying it's a "used car" is not meant to be an insult. It's just an economic remark. Used cars generally are worth less and less as they age, while 'classics' are worth more and more as they age.
  • ndancendance Member Posts: 323
    I can't believe that Datsun didn't paint the interiors. On 510's at least, the body color is everywhere, under the door panels, in the trunk, on top of the sound deadener, under the back seat, etc.etc. I imagine they dipped the whole car. I've never noticed that they rust any more than any other 30 year old car. Actually, now that I think of it, the consistently worst rusters I've seen have been Porsches. While I don't spend a bundle of time under cars, both 914's and 356's seem especially horrendous in that area (couldn't those guys find somewhere to stick the battery where it wasn't so hard on structural parts?).
  • ricksrlricksrl Member Posts: 17
    Hi, I have owned a 1969 2000 since 1991 and like the car better than the 1967 MGB I had previously.
    Like all older cars, unless you can maintain them yourself, you better have deep pockets.
    A lot of parts for the Roadsters are still available from Nissan and several companies specialize in repo and used parts on the West Coast.
    As mentioned before, Hemmings is a good place to find out what any classic is worth. How you grade it is the key.
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    Were the rust problems on the late '60s Toyotas and Datsuns as bad as many people tell me? They informed me that the rust was caused by building the cars with inferior steel (just like Fiats).
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You have to be careful with Hemmings, because these are only "asking prices".

    I always say that asking prices are really just an exercise in First Amendment Rights.

    Of course, asking prices can be helpful, but you have to combine that info with price guides, and auction results. It's the money that actually changes hands that sets the market price.

    RUST--I think most cars from the 60s and 70s were prone to rust, even the German cars. It's not particularly a Japanese problem.
  • ndancendance Member Posts: 323
    It also might help if some places didn't dump solvents on the road in the winter. Can't help it on the coast(s), however.
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