2017 auction season is upon us and that means we have the chance to watch the prices of blue chip JNCs soar ever further from the value of your parent’s house. Crossing the RM Sotheby’s auction at Amelia Island the same weekend as the Mazda 767B is a 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z432.
The Z432 is perhaps the most sought after Z, and with approximately 420 built, it is a rare machine. What makes this model special is its Prince-engineered S20 powerplant shared with the Skyline GT-R of the same era, named after its 4 valves per cylinder, 3 carbs, and 2 camshafts. Good for an estimated 160 horsepower, the engine is mated to a GT-R 5-speed, which feeds into a limited slip differential.
This particular car made its way from Japan in 2013 after a complete restoration. The current owner, a JNC aficionado, used the car to complete his J-tin collection, fitting it between his Toyota 2000GT and Mazda Cosmo Sport.
We should stress that the car is not entirely original, as it has a satin black hood and very high quality Works Gotti replica wheels to emulating the even rarer Z432-R. Historically, JNCers haven’t been terribly discriminating about originality, but hopefully on cars like these that will change soon.
A few years ago, we saw another Z432 sell for $253,000. This one is expected to take in less due to its less original presentation. Do you have $150,000 to $200,000 burning a hole in your pocket? Did you recently sell real estate in the Los Angeles area and are ready to move to Compton with a really cool car? Then it might be worth a trip to go to Amelia Island on March 11th and take a crack at a piece of history. More details can be found in the auction listing.
They are not replica works ‘Gotti’ wheels (the vernacular ‘Gotti Mag’ nickname for the Kobe Seiko-made works 4-spokes is in itself inaccurate) they are Central 20 ‘Z Sport’ cast aluminium wheels, painted black.
Mhh, this is a dreamcar…
It’s great to see J-tin being recognized, but rising values pose challenges for those of us who must wait a few years more before buying said J-tin.
I love that engine. I love the factory air cleaner. Yikes!
I posted this before – this is an old R&T ad – maybe 1972? I’m an idiot for not buying this Z. Maybe being in 4th grade might be a weak excuse?
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i170/pete240z/240Z.jpg
Ryan – you state 160hp but my advertisement stated 200hp?
Pete, the ad stated “courtesy Tokyo Nissan Sport Center” (probably Nissan Prince Tokyo Sports Corner in Shinagawa, Tokyo) and also that it was sporting Weber carbs, so it’s likely it had had some tuning work done on it. Stock rating for the S20 engine was 160ps, and it does not take much to give them a little extra pep.
I believe the particular car in your ad never actually left Japan, despite Purser Mooney’s efforts to sell it.
I wouldn’t let incorrect hood paint and wheels stop me… Purist is one thing, but those would be well-below-minor considerations on a rare vehicle.