240z - HLS30-00022 on ebay

[bikermike]

I came across this listing with an interesting story. - I have no affilation w/ the seller

Project car, anyone?

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http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-Z ... n%20false;

Quote from the listing:

RARE FIND!!! One of the original 25!!!! This is one of the first 25 1970 240Z's serial number HLS30-00022. I have owned this car and have had it stored for nearly 20 years and have come to the conclusion that it really needs to be restored and in a collection rather than in my garage for another 20 years. with that in mind, I offer up for auction this rare find.

THE STORY: I originally found this car on the side of a house that my brother-in-law had it stored. I use the word 'stored' in the loosest of terminology as it was just allowed to languish there in the elements, disassembled. I had wanted a Z car for some time and knew this was a very low body number so I made a deal with him and saved the car from its demise and put it back together. I drove it for a year and finally got too paranoid about the possibility of it being hit by an errant driver so I took it off the road and there it has stayed since. My intention has alwways been to restore it to its original condition but have been unable to due to the fact that I refuse to do anything less than the correct restoration so rather than cut corners, I opted not to start until I could do it the right way. I now believe that the right way is to put it in the hands of an enthusiast that will appreciate it.

THE HISTORY (as much as I know): A few years back I spoke on the phone with the original owner and this is the story He relayed to me, as best as I can recall. The vehicle was originally delivered to a dealer in Portland Or. as a 'mule'. The owner was living and working for an airline in Anchorage, Alaska and was looking for a new sports car. He was told of the new 240Z by the datsun dealer when he was looking at one of the datsun roadsters. They didnt have one yet and only had pictures but told him of the one in Portland so he flew down for the day to view the car. while at the dealer in Portland he was talking to the general manager and explained to him that he was from Alaska and just flew in for the day so that he could see the car and asked him to let him know when one would be available for purchase as this one was only a production mule and would not be for sale to the public. The dealer took his information and agreed to call him when they got their first 240Z in stock. With a quick handshake he was back on a plane to Alaska. A couple of weeks passed when the dealer in Anchorage called him and said "we have your car here at the dealership" he looked out the window and said "you must have the wrong number, my car is in my driveway" to which they replied that the dealer in portland had sent the car to the dealer in anchorage for him. Apparently the owner of the dealer in Portland was impressed that he would fly from alaska just to view the car so he got permission from Datsun to sell the car and promptly shipped it to Anchorage. He told me that he left the house so fast that the phone didnt hit the floor before he was in his car and headed to the dealer. he spent the day getting the car financed and was the proud owner of the first 240Z registered in Alaska.

After enjoying the car for a few years he sold it and it transfered hands a few times. he says he tried to find it for about ten years but gave up looking for it until the day I registered it on IZCC registry. he was very excited to know that the car not only still existed but that we only lived less than an hour apart in Washington. I dont know who brought the car to Washington but I am aware of the two previous owners before me. I bought it from my brother in law's cousin and he bought it in non running condition from a co worker at an auto body shop he was working at. the vehicle was his transportation until he rolled a bearing in the engine and parked it. So it was driven almost until I bought it as Jeff (the cousin) only owned it for about two years before selling it to me. I put the car back together and enjoyed it for the year that I drove it until taking it off the road back in '95. since then it has sat in various storage from two of my houses to my friends house. When I was informed that my friend would be moving I went over there to collect my car only to find out that they had moved it outside to "make room for the boys to work on their motorcycles" ... not impressed !!! so it sat outside, unbeknownst to me for nearly a year. A phone call would have been nice but oh well. so back to my house and into my garage it came and has been there exclusively for the last 10 years.

[notoptoy]

Interesting, while it looks ok the car seems like a bit of a basket case. "Rust in all the usual places", fenders and front core support etc.
Still someone will want this.