1972 Datsun 240Z

First registered in 1972 and in the care of its original owner and his wife until only a couple of years ago, this is a rare opportunity to get your hands on an unmolested and completely original Series 1 Datsun 240Z – and if that’s not exciting enough, ‘HFL 23L’ has only covered 22,000 miles in the past half-century, so it’s barely run in.

An original right-hand-drive UK car, the first owner bought it brand-new and registered it in his wife’s name. Sadly, he was only able to use it for just over a decade before he passed away. 

And, it meant so much to him that his wife couldn’t bring herself to sell it, even taking it with her when she moved from Peterborough to west Wales, where it sat in the corner of the car showroom she lived above.

The seller admired it from afar for many years, eventually persuading her to sell the car two and a half years ago. 

He’s invested a little time and money to get it going – it hadn’t been started in 36 years – but quickly realised it was far too original to ruin by using it as the daily driver he’d hoped.

An unrepeatable opportunity, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get your hands on a rapidly appreciating Japanese classic sportscar.

What can we say? There’s never been any doubt about the quality of Datsun’s engineering and the fit ‘n’ finish on this one shows that they’re durable too, as long as you look after them.

Take a look at the shutlines, for example, which are as tight and consistent as anything of the era. The panel alignment is great too, and when you squat down and peer along the car’s flanks, you’ll see they’re still straight and undamaged.

Of course, with a car like this you’re interested in the fixtures and fittings too – and the good news is that the lamp lenses, window glass, and badges are all good. 

As for the Watanabe-inspired Rota alloy wheels, they’re not only new and in great shape, they’re fitted with a matching set of Yokohama Advan Fleva tyres, all of which have good tread on them even if a couple of them have been fitted the wrong way around.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

(The original steel wheels come with the car, as do the original hubcaps.)

There’s a distinct absence of rust on the body, too perhaps, at least in part, because of an earlier Ziebart treatment, if the window sticker is anything to go by. 

Sure, there is the odd small area – like the top of the driver’s door and inside the boot lid – but the car itself is a real survivor; cars are only original once and it’s fantastic to see one in this condition.

Is it perfect? Of course not: There is a small dent on the offside front wing from where the original owner’s wife dropped a can of paint on it, the bonnet has some small blisters on the leading edge, there are a couple of dings in the front bumper, some rust on the rear bumper, and a few other marks here and there. 

The front and rear spoilers are in a good condition too, but would perhaps benefit from being refurbished.

But, it’s original and that’s worth a helluva lot.

The interior is even more of a time warp than the coachwork. Beautifully preserved, it even still features the original Motorola push-button radio – and if you peer closely, you can see the remnants of the protective plastic film still in place around the driver’s door pull.

It’s got the factory ventilated seats, too and they’re still in great shape – and that isn’t a sentence we get to write very often. Throw in a deeply dished wooden steering wheel and the classic straight-leg driving position and you’ve got a car that is the epitome of 1970s sportscar chic.

And it is very chic. Note the five-speed gearbox, the choke in the centre console, the diamond-pattern vinyl trim, the door release on the bottom of the door, and the cowled instruments; this is a very, very cool car.

The headlining, door cards, and dashboard are all good – heck, even the top of the dashboard, the bit that always shows sun damage and cracks, is in great shape with nary a mark on it.  

Even the boot doesn’t look like it’s ever carried anything other than the odd shopping bag. 

As for originality, the wheel brace is even still in its original bag.

This all means that flaws are few. There is a little wear to the outer edge of the driver’s seat and some of the trim around the passenger door is peeling away. That’s it. 

The 240Z’s service history is recorded as follows:

• 20.01.1977 and 6,891 miles – service by Donald’s Garage Ltd
• 11.05.1978 and 10,882 miles – service by Donald’s Garage Ltd
• 05.10.1978 and 12,913 miles – service by Donald’s Garage Ltd
• 29.11.1979 and 14,373 miles – service by Donald’s Garage Ltd
• 28.11.1980 and 17,584 miles – service by Donald’s Garage Ltd
• 24.10.1981 and 18,908 miles – service by Donald’s Garage Ltd
• 08.09.1982 and 19,554 miles – overhaul of the braking system by Donald’s Garage Ltd
• 15.12.1982 and 20,056 miles – service by Donald’s Garage Ltd

The Datsun’s owner was taken ill in 1983 and sadly passed away in 1986, putting just over 2,000 more miles on his beloved car before his wife put it into storage.

Before trying to start it, the seller gave the engine a good service, replacing all the fluids. He also freed off a stuck valve but, that aside, it fired into life easily and is, in his words, “as sweet as a nut.”.

As you can see, the straight-six engine fires into life from cold with a throaty roar and idles nicely. The oil pressure gauge and ammeter both show good readings, which is reassuring.

It’s got a lovely exhaust note too, hasn’t it? The seller tried to restore the original exhaust but it was too far gone to be saved, so he had this stainless-steel one made up to replace it. However, the original exhaust has been retained and is available should the winning bidder want it.

The distributor has been changed for an electronic ignition system, which is why the rev counter isn’t working, but apart from that and the gorgeous alloy radiator you see, the engine bay is nicely preserved and still looks very original.

Of course, you could detail it if that’s your thing but better, in our opinion, to leave it as it is and revel in fifty-one years of gentle patina.

The underside does need some work to remedy the dent left by a carelessly placed jack as well as to remove some corrosion.

The 240Z doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and has never had one.

The Datsun comes with the original book pack, the stamped service booklet, some old invoices, and a 1986 tax disc in the windscreen.

One of the (many) great joys of doing what we do is discovering cars like this, a thrill that never diminishes; with one owner from new until very recently, a miniscule mileage, a great service history, and still in a wonderful condition, this Datsun 240Z must be almost unique.

As for its value, you need to first ask yourself the question: When will I see another one like this?

Yea, that’s what we thought.

Which makes our guide price of between £40,000 and £50,000 sound very reasonable, doesn’t it?  

Especially when you learn the seller’s so confident in the quality of his car he’s offering it with no reserve, so the market will decide its value.

Blimey. On your marks, get set…

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, 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, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.