Can’t afford a full fat 90’s JDM icon? Look no further than this original Z31 3 liter V6
During the 1960s, Nissan ventured into new territory with the 240Z. Sports cars were not a segment that Nissan had ever delved into, and as such, they utilized the Datsun brand should their endeavours have become a catastrophic failure. Clearly, some pragmatic flexing of the term ‘positive mental attitude’, then.
Fortunately for Nissan, the 240Z was a riot and achieved what it set out to do, to bring JDM to the rest of the world and prove that you don’t need a big V8 to cause some carnage. The replacement wasn’t quite as good, however. Nissan seemed to confuse its own creation by attempting to make it classier and more luxurious, without any improvements to the drive train which were carried over by the predecessor.
By 1983, things had to change, and change they did. In 1984 the new model was unveiled. The 300ZX hit the streets and Nissan pushed both agendas simultaneously; raw power and exquisite luxury. The Z31 platform was born into the era of competition by Mitsubishi and Toyota so it was all or nothing.
The car featured here, offered by GR Auto Gallery, is a particularly honest example, with a fantastic list of option that pushed the sticker price to a whopping $24,589 in 1988. That’s some serious dollars. The interior is festooned in period burgundy leather, along with a matching dashboard that the vendor confirms is crack free.
Further down the options list includes the rare digital dashboard with voice synthesiser warning system, along with electric everything.
This example is fitted with the naturally aspirated 3-liter V6 that develops 165 horsepower via a four-speed automatic transmission. All round disc brakes provide stopping power through those hilarious 1980s' style white turbine wheels.
Despite showing some wear inside and out as a result of 119,000 miles on the odometer, this 300ZX is far from concours. Yet with its originality intact along with the original sticker price and period sales material, it’s surely a fantastic entry point into classic JDM ownership. Did we mention it has T-Tops?
For more information on this Z31, visit the Motorious classifieds.
Source: GR Auto Gallery
