Go Topless In A Custom Z31 300ZX Convertible

"DailyTurismo" (thedailyturismo) 02/18/2014 at 14:49 • Filed to: Daily Turismo

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The Z31 generation Nissan/Datsun 300ZX was sold as a hatchback coupe from 1983 to 1989, but somebody with a hacksaw and a spare canvas top turned this one into a great looking convertible. Like it? For a mere $4,000 it can be yours.

In 1984 Nissan was having an identity crisis in the US Market. The Datsun name (taken from a 1930s DAT Motorcar Company) had been used on Nissan's exports to North America since 1958, but the Nissan brand name had taken over in Japan and Europe in the 1960s. Eventually the Nissan executives decreed that the Datsun name must go and in 1983/84 many US market cars were branding both Nissan/Datsun or Datsun by Nissan. The newly released Z31 generation Nissan Z-car was not exempt from this naming convention and you can find the twin-labeled sports coupe for next to nothing today. Find this !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for sale in San Leandro, CA for $4,000 via craigslist.

The Nissan/Datsun...hey...wait just a minute...somebody said something about coupe? The 300ZX was only available as a 2-seat (or 2+2) coupe, so this one has been modified by an outside firm to have a drop top. The resulting wedge shape is quite pleasing to the eye - it looks like an FC RX-7 convertible or a Porsche 968 cabriolet - pretty company indeed.

The inside of this Z31 is well kept and looks stock aside from an aftermarket wooden steering wheel and shift knob...which sounds worse than it looks — the wheel is actually quite cool looking. The 160 horsepower 3.0 liter V6 won't be too bad mated to a 5-speed gearbox, but the turbo version is more desirable.

See a better drop-top Z-car? !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Tip from Kaibeezy. Image credits; craigslist. Originally posted as !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

Nibbles > DailyTurismo 02/18/2014 at 14:51

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Nope. Nopesauce. Nope.avi.

gt6xxer > DailyTurismo 02/18/2014 at 14:51

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This thing doesn't have chassis flex. It has chassis wet-noodle-sag.

DailyTurismo > gt6xxer 02/18/2014 at 14:53

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Bah - chassis rigidity and safety are over-rated. You are gonna die of skin cancer before this thing snaps in two anyway...

gt6xxer > DailyTurismo 02/18/2014 at 14:55

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Ha. You don't even need to know who you are talking to for this statement remain accurate.

Bvnni > DailyTurismo 02/21/2014 at 15:02

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I'd still probably buy that and refinish it to match this:

DailyTurismo > Bvnni 02/21/2014 at 15:05

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Is that a factory jobby or another aftermarket piece?

Bvnni > DailyTurismo 02/21/2014 at 15:09

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This was the show car built by ASC for Nissan's appearance at Geneva. It came up for sale about a year ago. These photos were a couple I pinned from the dealer selling it. Here's a short write u p on the car's history.