It's crossed auction blocks at $38 million, topped dozens of click-baity website listicles for most beautiful car ever made, and was, statistically, on the childhood bedroom walls of 46% of the people reading this (I'm convinced most of you had Volvos or Citroens. Or a Chevy Corsica). Only 36 were made. Today, for less than the price of a new Civic, is the 37th. Sort of. Find this 1978 Datsun 280z Ferrari 250 GTO replica in Houston, TX for $17,000 via craigslist.
Not only is $17,000 amazingly close to the original 250 GTO's $18,000 MSRP, but it also continues the numerical sequence of expensive, LSX-swapped 280zs we've featured lately: One for $15,000, and one for $16,000. Now that we've brought it up, an LS1 swap is your best bet for meeting or exceeding the GTO's 300 horsepower figure. Drop the decals and badges (yes, even the cutesy GTO badge from the American GTO), fix the previously mentioned aesthetic grievances, and this becomes a great performer with vintage racecar looks to match. If it was $7,000. At $17,000, it's just an expensive looker... arguably without the looks. Still, it's cheaper by a few decimal places than the real thing. For a hopeless Ferrariphile, that's enough.
PhiLOL actually likes the tuna here, but abhors structural rust. Save the manuals.
If it weren't trying to be something else, this would be truly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteTake the ferarri badges off and this would be nice. With them on you just look dishonest and no on will believe the authenticity of your watch, college degree, wife's (or your) breasts, etc.
DeleteIt would take very little work to make this look awesome. I would want to scruff it up and make it look like a barn find.
ReplyDeleteI have absolutely no proof, but I believe there have been many more of these produced than about three dozen. These kits have been around for a long time (at least the 80s) and ZTrix still offers it. I've seen several of these at shows and get-togethers, most often paired with a Jags That Run kit.
ReplyDeleteTo tell you the truth, I'd rather have one of these than the real thing. I'd be scared to death that something would happen to an authentic car.
BTW, I have a JTR V8 conversion manual for the Z. If anybody out there is interested in buying it, please leave a message here.
DeleteI have model cars on my shelf and I have a model car that I can drive. Why is it that the ones on the shelf are understood to be honoring cars I love. And yet the only reason I could possibly want one I can drive must be that I am trying to "fool people"? Is it OK that I think it is beautiful and I can afford it?
ReplyDeleteNot a bad looking kit car except for hood fit and shut lines !
ReplyDeleteQuite honestly ? This vehicle looks seriously neglected, the seat covers have a horrible fit, ditto the door cards, the engine bay doesn't look like it's ever been detailed during it's entire existence and IMHO the wheels are grotesque !
ReplyDeleteI do remember reading about these body kits as far back as the 80's and I always thought that they were somewhat attractive and was curious to see what "someone's" turned out like and now I know. As @JB1025 said "Not a bad looking kit car except for hood fit and shut lines !" and I'll add and not worth $17K either.
GLWTS
cheers....JeffH