1972 Datsun 240Z

This Datsun is a bit rare due to the fact that it is a genuine UK RHD example, it has had a partial restoration in 2010 to the tune of £6000 at which time it was painted in a splendid new blue colour. The car has been stored since pre-pandemic and has been looked after well during that time, with the previous owner having the car since 2004.

The car’s chassis number is HS3001596, and the current odometer reading is 6,903 miles.

Body panels wise the Datsun looks fantastic in its new blue colour scheme although the doors have dropped a bit, so the panel gaps aren’t perfect, and the doors don’t shut or open completely smoothly. The bonnet was re-done during the partial restoration, but the boot lid sits ever so slightly higher on the bottom left corner. The front wheel arch has a small scratch, and the door has a minor rust spot on the tailing edge from having the paint flake off from it being opened into a wall, there is a similar situation on the rear wheel arch. Adding to the honest appraisal, the front splitter has a blemish on the right corner from the delivery driver catching it on the ramp and the front left rubber bumper has some cracks. There are some small bubbles on the rear left corner to the left of the taillight and there is some flaky paint/corrosion in the boot shuts.

Paintwork presents well overall and aside from some flaking in the door/boot/bonnet shuts and some dimples in places it has a good shine and consistent finish. The wheels are in good condition overall with the front passenger one having some lacquer peel and some bubbling paint in the centres around the wheel nuts. The tyres also look to be very slightly perishing in between the tread so may well be worth changing at some point.

Apart from these honest admissions around the vehicle it really does present very well and with some more time and work it could be a very high-quality example.

The interior of the Datsun is fantastic, those black leather trimmed seats with blue piping and that large diameter wooden steering wheel matching the gear knob scream nostalgia and retro cool. The interior wonderfully matches the exterior colour and presents itself as a fantastic place to spend time cruising in this iconic Japanese car.

The boot area is tidy and in good condition and the carpeted areas are straight with the carpet not having rips or tears from what we can see. There is a minor tear on the dash on top by the fuel gauge however, the door cards are in good condition. Some sections of the carpet around the centre console are coming away but this might be a quick fix with some upholstery adhesive. A part of the dash under the steering column is missing so some of the wires are hanging down, take a look at the gallery for a better view of this. There is an immobiliser and the owner reports all the dials to be in good working order. Driver’s door doesn’t lock but the passenger one does, the boot locks too but the barrel sticks down sometimes so needs to be brought back up with the key.

The interior however is a strong area of the car with a fantastic overall condition, with the few minor issues sorted then the interior is ready to go.

The underside of the Datsun is very good indeed, with obvious efforts to underseal and protect the metal work under the car there is very little visible corrosion/damage. This is most likely due to this being carried out as part of the partial restoration in 2010 by Fourways Classic Cars engineering.

On our short test drive, we did notice that the clutch was slipping a little under load & the biting point is quite high.

The engine bay is in good overall condition too with no obvious leaks or damage however since the work in 2010 it is showing its age with minor areas of flaking paint and small patches of corrosion on the inner wings and seams. There are some informative images in the gallery below for you to make your own assessment of the condition around the entire car including the bay so please do take your time to study them.

The Datsun comes with a stack of old MOT certificates and currently does not have a test as it needs the previously mentioned minor work doing.

What is present in the documentation as well are some invoices for some recent significant work done mainly by Fourways Classic cars engineering firm. The first is from 2010 where a fair bit of recommissioning work was carried out, this is summarised in bullet points below.

- Engine and gearbox removed along with trim and glass

- Front suspension overhauled and powder coated

- Engine detailed

- Wiring loom re-taped

- Engine bay shotblasted and components refurbished

- Both chassis legs removed along with rusty sections, then replaced with new panels to get a good alignment

- Front wings removed and wheel arches under sealed

- Door bottoms fitted with new lower skins

- Steel tailgate repaired with new rear slam panel

- Roof section and windscreen pillars repaired

- Paint stripped and body prepared for primer

This is an exciting opportunity; these cars are unfortunately getting more and more thin on the ground and the prices are starting to reflect that. This example is a rare UK model that needs a few very minor bits doing to it to put it in the top category of 240Z’s in terms of condition. It’s clear that it has been cherished during its life and now it is in need of another conscious and enthusiastic owner to take it back to the condition its capable of.

We estimate this car to fetch between £35,000 - £45,000 in auction.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.