1984 (or 1985) Nissan 200SX - She Might As Well Have Been My Mother

 

Funny how we associate old cars with certain people. This 1984 or 1985 Nissan 200SX popped up on Facebook Marketplace and took me back...back...back. Way back. The Facebook ad doesn't specify the year, although seeing that it doesn't have a CHMSL, it's probably safe to say it's not a 1986 or newer car.

If I recall correctly, her name was Suzanne, and she drove a brand-spanking-new, dark-blue, V-6-powered 1987 Nissan 200SX that she drove with the ferocity of the hellion she wanted to be seen as.

This one has the pokey 2.0-liter inline-four.

She was two, three, maybe four years older than me and was a manager working for the food-service company that ran the kitchen in the hospital where I worked part-time through college. She was a big flirt and flirted with me often. I never took any of it seriously; if she was flirting with God-forsaken me, who wouldn't she flirt with?

Besides, again, she was older than me and was, technically, my boss. The way I'm wired, she might as well have been my mother.

In a day and age when sports coupes actually sold well, Nissan's new-for-1984 200SX was a standout. Although lacking the brawn, per se, of a V-8- or even V-6-powered Camaro, Firebird or Mustang, there was a slick sophistication about these cars that the American "ponies" simply didn't have. They were also built to near-Swiss-watch standards and had a reputation for excellent build quality and reliability.

They didn't jiggle, creak, moan, groan or go clank, and they certainly didn't shimmy-shimmy. If the Japanese sports coupes lacked anything, though, it was styling that was somewhat staid, if not bland. These cars were better looking than most of them. They were also a click or two or three more expensive than the domestic triumvirate, but you got what you paid for.

The S12 was Nissan's version of the third-generation Silvia, and it was sold in North America as the 200SX from 1984 through 1988.

1984 was when Nissan was finally completing its transition away from the Datsun nameplate in North America. The 200SX was one of the transition cars, with early 1984 examples still carrying Datsun badging and later ones carrying Nissan badging. By 1985, the U.S.-market cars were Nissan-badged.

The 200SX name goes back quite a way here. The S10 Silvia was sold here as the Datsun 200SX from 1976 to 1979. Not surprisingly, given that it looks like a set piece from a Godzilla movie, it didn't sell particularly well here.

From 1980 to 1983, the S110 Silvia was sold here as the Datsun 200SX, a far comelier design that sold considerably better.

The S12's successor was badged as the Nissan 240SX and was sold here from 1989 through 1998. Note to self: Blog in the very near future about one of those beauties, especially a 1989 or 1990 notchback coupe.

Contemporary reviews of our Facebook Marketplace find here were mostly positive. They were noted for their fine ride, excellent handling and exceptional build quality. They were dinged, though, for their annoying voice-warning system: "Lights are on... lights are on. Fuel level is low... fuel level is low..." and so on.

The 102-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder, while fuel-efficient, didn't provide the kind of go its terrific styling would imply. There was also a 1.8-liter, 120-horsepower turbocharged four that upped the ante considerably, especially when paired with the slick-shifting five-speed. The turbo was offered in the fastback version of the 200SX.

Nissan's 160-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 became available for 1987 and 1988, and it was a game changer. Curiously, the V-6 was never available in the 240SX.

Our plain-Jane '84 or '85 here hasn't been on the road since the mid-1990s. The ad claims the interior is nice, which it is, and, ahem, "the rot's not too bad." It does have a five-speed, and the asking price is just $500.

I left that job slinging hash and cleaning grease chutes at the hospital shortly after I graduated from college in 1986. I never saw Suzanne again.

I've never forgotten her car, though.

1976 Datsun 280Z - Not an RX-7

My wife told me about this 1976 Datsun 280Z one divine, sun-drenched, humidity-free day recently. She'd spotted it while out running errands and texted me about it, although she didn't know what it was. She didn't send a picture, either. So, when she got home, we dropped the top on our '91 Corvette and bolted over just for kicks and giggles.

Best to take advantage of these perfect days—we get so few of them.

I knew what it was the instant I saw it, but I guess it's been so long now that a non-car person like my wife wouldn't necessarily recognize one.

The 280Z was an evolution of the legendary 240Z, which debuted in Japan in 1969 as the Fairlady Z and went on sale here as a 1970 model. Datsun sold the 280Z in the United States from 1975 through 1978, making it the final iteration of the original S30-generation Z before the considerably more civilized 280ZX arrived for 1979.

Ostensibly, the biggest difference between a 280Z and the original 240Z was what was under the hood: a larger, fuel-injected overhead-cam inline six.

But there were plenty of other changes along the way, including the big, federally mandated safety bumpers that appeared up front in 1973 and out back in 1974. They added weight while mucking up an otherwise wonderfully crisp, clean design.

For 1974, the 240Z's 2.4-liter overhead-cam inline six was punched out to approximately 2.6 liters, and the car became the 260Z. For 1975, Datsun went to roughly 2.8 liters and christened it the 280Z. The engine actually displaced 2,753 cc, and, more importantly, it ditched the troublesome carburetors of the 260Z in favor of Bosch-derived L-Jetronic electronic fuel injection.

That wasn't just techno-wizardry for the sake of techno-wizardry. The additional displacement helped compensate for the weight the Z had accumulated thanks to safety equipment and emissions hardware, while fuel injection helped Datsun meet increasingly stringent emissions requirements and improved drivability. The result was 149 horsepower by the SAE net rating used in the U.S.—a healthy improvement over the 260Z. 

While the fuel-injected 280Z wasn't quite the barn-burner the 1970 240Z had been, it was an improvement over the 260Z and remained one of the most appealing combinations of performance, style and affordability available to an American buyer.

Fuel injection as we know it today was still very much in its infancy in the 1970s. The Datsun's Bosch-derived L-Jetronic system was a glimpse of where the automotive world was headed.

For your $17,500, and that's a reasonably asking price, you get a car that is not only not a Mazda RX-7, but a fifty-year-old Z-car that may or may not still be wearing the British Racing Green it was originally painted—or perhaps not. Hard to tell.

The body isn't perfect. I didn't see any obvious signs of overspray, but the paint appears overly thick in places.

There are also a number of missing badges, a telltale sign that they were removed for painting or repainting. Perhaps they broke when being removed. While this isn't a "catalog car" like a Corvette—meaning there isn't quite the same massive cottage industry supplying every conceivable part—the good news is that 280Z parts and reproduction pieces are still readily available.

The aftermarket rims are nice, but for my money I'd want the O.G.s as part of the deal.

And here's where the 280Z gets interesting.

Despite what you might expect from a sports car of this era, you could get one with either a four-speed manual or an optional three-speed automatic. Steering was manual, and the car retained the wonderfully simple mechanical character that made the original Z so appealing.

No doubt, she's a handful to drive—but a different kind of handful than, say, a 1976 Corvette. The Corvette rides and handles like a limousine by comparison. For a car that was purportedly a sports car, I'm not sure that's necessarily a good thing, either.

But that's also part of the charm.

The original Z was never really a stripped-down, race-car-for-the-street kind of sports car. It was a relatively affordable, lightweight Japanese interpretation of the European GT—something that gave ordinary Americans a taste of the sort of style and driving experience that had previously required a much fatter wallet.

And then, in 1979, Datsun rebooted the Z with the 280ZX.

The transformation was significant. The new Z grew larger, heavier, quieter and considerably more luxurious. Datsun was deliberately moving the car toward the grand-touring/personal-luxury end of the spectrum, and contemporary road testers noticed it immediately. Car and Driver essentially described the 280ZX as a more comfortable, refined and luxury-oriented evolution of the old Z, noting that the new car was strongly biased toward the luxury side of life.

As far as sales went, it was a smart move. It broadened the Z's appeal and made it considerably more livable. It also helped further mainstream the Datsun brand in the United States.

But, as is so often the case, making something appeal to more people also meant sanding off some of the rough edges that made it special in the first place.

Datsun's transition to Nissan branding was well underway by the early 1980s, and by 1983 Nissan was essentially replacing the Datsun nameplate in the United States. But the company has built a Z-car of some ilk, off and on, ever since.

1972 Datsun Fairlady Z - The Other Half

I guess it's inevitable that to keep great cars from the past on the road, they're all probably going to meet the fate of this 1972 Datsun 240Z. Meaning, they're going to be resto-modded up the wazoo. I'm not the biggest fan of resto-mods since if I wanted something modern, I'd buy it. Modernizing an old classic, especially if it changes the overall appearance of it, I find it be of waste of time and money.  Unless, as Jay Leno points out, what's being restored was a basket case to begin with. Let's hope this handsome devil started out that way. Seems someone spent a pretty penny fixing it up too seeing it's for sale with an asking price of $88,000. NADA guidelines peg original 240Z's "high retail" at $53,000. Quite the spread. Even in these Covid-price-inflated times where Chevy Cruze's with 100K on them are going for ten-large. 

Can't blame someone for attempting to recoup what they spent on this although I'd question the wisdom of someone dropping ninety-plus grand on it. Rest assured, someone will. Speaking of Leno, this car is like something you'd find in his garage. The other half, as they say, really are different from you and me. 

These cars were game changers since they took everything the best sports cars or GT's did at the time and they did it even better. Overhead cam engines, disc brakes, independent suspension. And they didn't overcharge for that stuff either. All that's a moot point on this car seeing everything that made this great fifty-year ago has been tossed. 

Resto-modifications include a General Motors built, LS-1 V-8 that makes, allegedly, more than 400 horsepower (dyno-sheets included!), a Tremec, 6 speed manual transmission and a total rebuild and modernization of the brakes and front and rear suspensions.  Seats have been upgraded to your obligatory Recaro's. They sure look comfy. 

Below is the over-written online copy for it that reads like a cheesy real estate ad. Again, $88,000 is a lot of money for this car - good luck getting it insured for anything over book value too. Then again, if you that asking price donesn't make you light headed, you probably don't care as you contemplate adding it your personal "Jay Leno Garage". Comment below if you're interested and I'll do my best to hook you up. Only thing I'd ask is you let me take a spin in it. 

LS1 Swap - A/C - T56 6Speed - Recaro Seats - Carbon Accents

This is Fairlady Z Resto-Mod is the ultimate street machine. Countless hours and dollars were invested in designing, fabricating and restoring this car. The vision of the build was to turn a classic Datsun 240Z sports car into a classic Datsun 240Z supercar. It was a rust-free California car prior to the bare-metal restoration. This car is show-quality throughout. The exterior body is very straight with great gaps. It was painted GM Crystal White Tri-Coat, which is absolutely stunning. The hood rise and all the trim were painted Satin Black. The car is dressed with Cobra mirrors, halogen smoked headlights, custom emblems, carbon-fiber dipped front and rear bumpers, carbon-fiber front and rear spoilers with matching door handles. The car has a great stance on 16" Pana Sport Racing wheels that were dipped in carbon-fiber on front and back. The wheel center caps were dipped in white carbon-fiber to match the exterior color. The wheels are wrapped with new Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires that stick to the pavement. The all-new black interior is tastefully done. Some interior upgrades include aluminum Fairlady Z door sills, MOMO Competition steering wheel, AutoMeter Phantom gauges, Recaro bucket seats, black billet window cranks and shifter with Hurst knob, Performance billet pedals, custom Z accessories, Vintage Air and Heat, custom sound system, roll bar and rear strut tower bar, which were painted to match the exterior. The engine compartment is nicely detailed throughout. This car is powered by a GM LS1 V8 engine with 400+ horsepower. Dyno sheets are included. The intake manifold was dipped in carbon-fiber and the valve covers were painted to match the exterior. It's equipped with many upgrades, such as a custom cold-air intake with K&N filter, Taylor 409 Racing red wires, Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator, AN fittings, Optima red-top battery and custom strut tower bar. The engine is cooled by a custom aluminum radiator with dual electric fans, carbon-fiber dipped cover and aluminum reservoir. The engine breathes through a custom exhaust system with Sanderson headers and Flowmaster mufflers. The engine is coupled to a Tremec 6-speed manual transmission with hydraulic clutch. The power is transferred to the pavement through the Infiniti Q45 R200 VLSD rear end. It has custom billet rear differential mounts and billet axles with C/V halfshafts. The undercarriage is nicely detailed throughout. It's equipped with custom-made subframe connectors from front to back. It has rack & pinion steering. The suspension system consists of MSA camber plates, MSA coilovers, Eibach springs, Tokiko illumine 5-way adjustable inserts, and Suspension Techniques front and rear sway bars. The braking system consists of Modern Motorsports Extreme 13" PBR four-wheel disc brakes with a Wilwood master cylinder. WOW, the list goes on but its going to take a serious enthusiast to pilot this Z.

1982 Datsun 200SX - A Different Universe

When I first met my wife in 1988, her younger sister Helen was driving a 1982 Datsun 200SX just like this. And I liked it. A lot. 

Introduced in 1980, Helen's model of the 200SX was a reboot of the car Datsun (now Nissan) rolled out for sale in the U.S. starting in 1977. Based on the new for 1975 Datsun S10-chassis that was sold in the United States as the B210, even it's impeccable build quality wasn't enough to counter its "what-the-hell-is-that" styling that, in my opinion, may have aged better than anyone thought it would back in late 1970's. Then again, to some, it's still butt homely. 

After just three short model years of dismal sales Datsun unveiled a new 200SX on a modified version of the previous model's chassis. Just like that, the ugly goose was now a swan. Especially the notchy hard top models like Helen had although I wouldn't have kicked a hatchback out of my garage. Well, I say that now. When I was in my early twenties, for some reason that to this day escapes me, I was content to drive what my wife still calls, "Farty Old Man Cars". 

My only time behind the wheel of Helen's 200SX was on a bright Sunday morning after I had stayed over at their house. A friend of Helen's had driven her home in her car after a night of barhopping but left it parked across the street from the house. Bleary eyed, nursing a hangover, and with the first smoky treat of the day dangling from her mouth, Helen asked me if I wouldn't mind moving her car into the driveway because her dad would have a fit if he saw it parked where it shouldn't be. Didn't have to ask me twice. I even offered to run down to the bakery and pick up fresh rolls and bagels. What a nice future brother-in-law I was. 

It's hard to fathom now just how different that little car was from the comparatively brutish 1982 Buick Riviera I was driving at the time. And that Riviera, despite being horribly assembled, was a German sports sedan compared to the Riviera's its styling was inspired by. The two cars seemed to be from not only two different worlds, two different universes. Newsflash - this just in - they most certainly were. 

The interior of Helen's 200SX, despite reeking of cigarettes, was all but jewel like whereas my Riviera's insides where a cheap, plasticky knock-off a wood-lined bank lobby. Comfortable buckets that held you in place and everything you needed right at your fingertips. Including the cigarette lighter and ash tray. Forget the trip to the bakery, let's hit the Hamptons (fifty, sixty miles away). 

Much like the little Toyota Corolla FX I rented after I wrecked my Cordoba before I bought the godforsaken Riviera, at the time I was like, "I gotta get me one of these!" But of course, I didn't. I did soon after ditch the Riviera but instead of a hot, little Japanese coupe, I got a 1990 Chevrolet Lumina Euro. A step in the right direction but I still had a long way to go. I've amended my ways. I swear. And I'm a much better (car) person for doing so. 

I don't recall why Helen eventually got rid of her 200SX but she was on her own when she needed another car; her father had bought her the 200SX. She called me frantically one night asking if I would go with her to look at a 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix SE she was thinking of buying. Priced right and in my wheelhouse, I gave the car a resounding two-thumbs up. First day after she bought it the damn thing broke down. No wonder we never got along. 

She did, bless her heart and her health, eventually quit smoking.