average selling price of rb powered 240 zeds

[s30rb25]

i have a series 2 powered 72 240 zed, and its costing a lot of money to restore and finish this project as a lot of you are probably aware, i was wondering what people are seeing finished ones go for, for i havent seen really any up for sale. Thanks for taking the time to look at a newbies post

[Vindicare]

Are you thinking of selling?

Guy sold his completed rb powered car for 25k about last year, but in the end it depends on what someone is willing to pay. Chuong want's 50k for his last time I spoke to him, but I'd be tempted to pay that much if it was road registered, as it's had a lot of money spent on it, and is in excelent condition, big power, nice interior etc etc.

[s30rb25]

the car wont be done untill around may or june, the motor was just sent to a machine shop, now its like a new block, id be tempted to sell after i finish it, and try and pick up a rhd 240z and start a new project lol. and for power range im going to shoot for 400 horse power to the wheels, using a gt35r turbo aem management, and custom exhust, ill post a thread later on when the resto gets closer to be done. I mainly wanted to get an idea if I'd be able to come close to selling it for what ive put into it so far. and if anyone down under would be interested in picking one up from the states

 

 

[stevo_gj]

if I'd be able to come close to selling it for what ive put into it so far.

 

Not for a z car. Never heard of anyone here in aus getting all their money back upon sale :/

[Mr Camouflage]

Is the Car in the USA or over here? What cars are worth in one country can have little relevance to what they are worth in another country.

[benny]

Not for a z car. Never heard of anyone here in aus getting all their money back upon sale :/

 

i have... multiple times!! if you can do ALL the work yourself it s possible!!

[garvice]

Benny, that is a bit of false economy though once you take into account your time.

[handsandwhich]

Benny, that is a bit of false economy though once you take into account your time.

 

I understand what you are getting at "time is money".

 

Sure they could have earned money doing other things instead of working on the car but the person hasn't actually spent the money getting the work done.

[garvice]

As a contractor I know what my time is worth. So to me spare time is very valuable. Whether you love doing the work or not it is still time that could have been spent on a project you want to keep rather then sell. saying your time is free is never correct no matter how you put it.

[mossy]

I personally can't see anyone wanting a LHD z.

[benny]

yes but compare your rates to say one of a motor builder or panel beater... to build cars can cost you huge amounts of money that you worked for from 9-5.

 

Doing it yourself is materials only and you get to keep what ever dollars you made earlier that day and at the end of at all you come out on top, yes you did the work but cash is cash!! Especially for some the joy is building the car not so much the driving, maintaining etc..

[reverendzed]

I think he is talking about his Dad   it's in the doing, seeing something that someone could easily discard and breathing new life then counting the $!

Rev.

[stevo_gj]

yes but compare your rates to say one of a motor builder or panel beater...

 

Pretty sure Brad's rates make it worth his time to employ them as he is an engineer

 

To relate all of this to the original question: You could make money on the car and it would be worth it if you take into account enjoying the restoration of a classic. I'm pretty sure that if you worked out how many hours it takes to restore a car vs the actual increase in value of the car it isn't looking too good in a $/hr form. However as Benny and Rev pointed out, if it's your hobby then you won't mind that it doesn't make as much money per hour as your other job

 

Also no one has pointed out that the hassle involved shipping a car to AUS will make the car less appealing to an aussie buyer. Also it will be LHD?

[gav240z]

Is the Car in the USA or over here? What cars are worth in one country can have little relevance to what they are worth in another country.

 

Damn straight, couldn't agree more with Mr C. To give an example I bought an FD RX-7 in Ireland for about 1/4 of the price it would have cost me in Australia. In Australia they are selling for around 18K all the way up to 40K  and then some for modded cars. Even in the US an FD RX-7 is relatively expensive compared with say the UK or Ireland and maybe even Japan.

 

What will work against you with the S30 from the USA is that it's LHD and all cars in Australia are RHD. You might have more luck selling it in Europe as many countries in Europe drive on the same side as the US and the 240z is quite rare in Europe and highly sought after.

[Toecutter]

Spending alot of time restoring a z isn't false economy for some.  For instance a young single bloke that has a limited  Income and is time rich ie watching tv when he gets home from work. Better off getting into the car to get it as far Along as possible. This is very different from someone running a business or those with family commitments. Although  we often joke a out it, I bet there have been some intense restorations that have cost blokes more than just dollars, what value do you place on precious family time and things that can be missed out on through obsession of our cars. Anyway really digressing here. I know a guy who imported a lhd. 240 fromthe us. Cost him a few bux to sort out and convert.  No market for lhd 240's here I reckon, pain in the butt for overtaking too. Ah back to my fajitas.

 

Sulio

 

Sent from my iPhone

[garvice]

yes but compare your rates to say one of a motor builder or panel beater... to build cars can cost you huge amounts of money that you worked for from 9-5.

 

Not trying to bust your chops Benny, but you're not going to convince me. Having said that, I definitely prefer to spend my own time working on the car then getting someone else to do the work, however I know that I am loosing money doing so.

 

Pretty sure Brad's rates make it worth his time to employ them as he is an engineer

Steve, that is just being mean now I like it.

 

[NZeder]

Well all the zed I have owned/sold + a few other 70's Datsun I have not lost money on - not one. But then I have not made lots of $$ either. Purchased used, improved and sold for purchase price + improvement costs and maybe $500 or $1000 extra on the odd occasion. Many were just used and on sold - would have been good to keep them and I guess if you think about it if I had the shed space I could have too

 

But as stated on this thread if LHD and in the USA who gives a flying monkey what is worth most of us RHD countries would not want it anyway.

[gilltech]

I don't want to be a killjoy but the only reason I can think of for importing an early Z from north america would be if one was very fortunate to source a really original rust-free one from one of the dry inland western states, original meaning not mucked about with (good luck!). However, even if it had spent all its life in a hot dry state & really was rust-free then the exterior & interior would be cooked by now unless it had most fortunately been kept inside most of its life. Also the telescopic or later deformable bumpers fitted to the later 240s, the 260s & 280s for the US market are pretty horrible.

One would have to buy a car for very little to be worth the expense, risk & hassle of shipping it from where it was found across to a port, then freighting it to 'down under' thus paying shipping, insurance, GST on landed value, customs clearance, quarantine, & any other costs such as an import approval, local trucking, & perhaps a valuation fee. And then it's still LHD when it arrives which really limits its appeal for resale or could be converted to RHD, but all needing compliance for ADRs & engineer sign-off, & finally registration. Plus factor in any repairs or restoration work or RHD conversion identified along the way. Phew. It would have to be a very special car indeed.

[s30rb25]

wow i really opened up a big debate here, here is the deal me and my dad are doing the restore, he's been a body repair man since highschool, so he's been helping out a lot, honestly i didnt really think about all the hastle to import it over to you guys when i said that, or the fact that all your cars are rhd. i originally got the car from a friends dad for 300 dollars, the only thing that was rusted on it was the area around the battery tray which ive heard is pretty common. So this restore/ rb swap isnt going to cost me as much as it might someone else.

[gilltech]

Sounds like a good project & a father/son one at that - all good! But if you're a bit concerned about sinking too much money into it, hence already worrying about resale, then shelve the RB idea & just restore it with the straight 6 & other mechanicals as it is. You'll have a lot of fun, less work for yourself, & if you do decide to sell it & you've done it well it'll probably appeal to a broarder range of enthusiasts who, I think, would be more likely to want an original-spec car. Enjoy!

[zeds4ever]

  If you were that hopeful of selling it in good old Australia why not convert it to RH drive yourself & then test the market place.Just a thought.

 

                                                  Regards :Alan.