While biking down the road that passes my church building, I looked off to the right and saw a car sitting in the woods, half-hidden by the foliage. I instantly recognized it as a silver Datsun Z. I kept on riding, then decided to turn around to get a better look.
Upon closer inspection, I found that it was a Datsun 260Z. While the earlier 240Z is more popular among restorers and buyers, the 260Z was a mid-model "upgrade" it retained the gorgeous body shape and simplistic styling, unlike the later 280ZX that retained the gorgeous body shape and simplistic styling, but added slight engine modifications; an increase in displacement from 2.4 to 2.6 liters but a decrease in horsepower due to emissions regulations.
I consider the 240/260Z to be one of the most beautiful cars to ever come from Japan. You can clearly see how it draws styling cues from the classic Jaguar E-Type, with it's long engine compartment and gently sloping roofline.
In a time when American cars were slow, ugly, and handled like the shipping barges, the Datsun was low-slung, fast, and incredibly attractive. Surprisingly, after over thirty years, it still looks stunning. My father owned a green 240Z during his college years and still considers it one of the best cars he's ever owned.
As I stood there admiring this neglected Datsun, my mind started racing with all the possibilites: a full restoration and repaint, engine modifications, body work, etc. I was ready to walk up to the guy's house and buy it right on the spot.
But of course, after a few minutes of fantasizing, reality took hold. First off, according to the license plates, the car hadn't been driven since 2000 (in Colorado). Meaning that it had been sitting for almost 10 years. I also know that it snows in Colorado, which means that road salt is probably used. These cars are highly susceptible to rust (it's how my Dad's 240Z died). Second, I'm heading off to Utah in a little over a month. I wouldn't get to work on it until next summer, so it would be sitting in the woods annoying my parents for a whole year. After a large amount of mental warfare, I mounted my bike and continued my ride, dismissing the whole idea as an irrational decision.
But you know that when it comes to cars, I'm highly irrational.
Datsun 260Z
Jaguar E-Type
Datsun 240Z with Nissan 350Z
That is one stylin' car. There's one of those down the road at my neighbors and it's a roaring lion whenever they pass by our house. When you first started your story it sounded like a detective story - tucked in the edge of the woods was an abandoned car, etc. But, alas you didn't satisfy my desire for a suspense story. I'll forgive you!
ReplyDelete