Hi,
My name is Dat, before we get started, im just going to give you a little bit of info about myself and my journey so far with the Dattooo.
It is a very quiet day at work today... so enjoy the life story.
Ive always been into cars, I still have magazines from highschool stacked all over my room which my parents give me crap about nearly everyday. as soon as i turned 19 back in 2009, i was able to save up for my first car, a chiraz series 2 s14, i loved that car quite a fair bit, unfortunately my wallet didn't feel the same.. since then, ive modified, broken, replaced, fixed this car.. and every other car that i've had since then. from that s14, i swapped/sold& purchased a s15, 180sx, 93 R32 GTR, another s14, 89 R32 GTR, 1981 Toyota KE55, 1978 Toyota RA28 Celica. until one day, posting up the petrolicious video on my facebook. This girl i just started seeing watched it and sent me a text knowing that this has always been my dream car. (i just couldnt get my hands on a nice & relatively clean example). SMS at 1:30 am on a Saturday night. "you do know there is one for sale at the moment right?" i thought she was being a troll... Then came the link... I couldnt hold my self. After looking through the photos and the description.. I had to make this happen somehow. comtemplating a call or email or text.. I dont want the guy to hate me... but i wanted to let him know i wanted this car.. i mean it was online for 5 days and had over 450 hits. I didnt know this many people would be looking for a 240z! So i sent him a SMS at 1:30am. i asked him him to SMS me AS SOON AS HE WAKES UP!pretty much saying " MINE MINE MINE " i couldnt sleep at all that night.. i was up until 3am, youtubing and looking up all sorts of google images for the 240, even though i've seen them all about a thousand times. For somereason my body clock woke me up at 6am... this is very weird.. i usually don't get up until 7:30.. and given my lack of sleep i should have been fast asleep for a few more hours.. first thing i reached for was my phone...back onto the add... then youtube..then google. What sleep?
6:30am... i get a message.... " Hi Dat, its Me Steven, selling the 240z. Call me when you wake up". I called him straight away.. like speed dial. asked him a few questions, he sounded very honest and knew exactly what he was talking about. He knew the car pretty well. He advised me a gentleman was coming to see him at 12pm to look at the car. My heart sunk... I asked him.. "is it first in first served?" he replied "yes"... Brilliant. so i negotiated a price.. i couldnt knock off much, it was already a steal.. i told him I'm leaving in 30 minutes.. i woke my friend up.. told him i'm driving 2 hours north to look at a 240.. just like me he loves the fairlady...he woke up straight away.. and off we went.
We get to the address which he provided, which ended up being a warehouse, his very own warehouse.. where he restores and builds cars. The 240z sitting out in the sun, he just plugged in the battery (reminds me of the petrolicious datsun). The datsun caught my eye...but the things in his warehouse actually caught my eye that bit more... in the warehouse I spy with my little a eye.. a 1969 comaro, 1967 mustang, oh my god.. I've always dreamed of having these cars.. and this guy has all three of them in his private workshop.. along with a charity Bus which he uses for events.
After standing there and admiring these pieces of art.. i walked back to the 240z parked in the sun.. me and my mate just looked at each other .. i think this is the one. Like as if i wasn't already impressed enough with the condition.. while i am looking at the vehicle.. he tells me all the things he has done to it, to prepare it for targa tasmania.. starting from recondition of the engine, all bushes replaced, all belts replaced, coilovers, all ruber seals replaced. "go on, look underneath the car... shes pretty much rust free", he was right. Considering the car is from California, such a dry climate really does help preserve such a classic. Thank you California.
We started her up... started first time, no issues at all, not the slightest choke. it started better than all the cars ive had. it sounded better than all the cars that ive had and it definitely looked better than all the cars that i've had.
I walked back to my car got my money and gave it to him. he says "so i guess we have a deal" We signed the papers, i am the first owner in Australia. At this point, it still hasnt sunk in..My friend comes up to me and congratulates me.. "dude...finally found one! congrats!". I could not stop smiling.. my face was numb by the time i got home... Luckily the guy who i got the car off, was well connected with a freight company. Which helped organise towing of the car back to mine for $150. TAKE MY MONEYYYYY! (by now im realising that work has been a complete bludge today)
In conclusion to my life story... ive been through a number of the new school JAP cars. mostly nissan.. with my last build being a big single 412kwatw R32 GTR..and still at the end of the day. ive come running back to a car made in the 70's.. i dont know why.. itheyre just so boss