Nissan ZX300 1985 Z31 - today's budget tempter

By: Guy Allen, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 13.03.2017

Last of the early Z shape

300ZX seems like a fair amount of coupe for the money.

We're fans of both versions of the 300ZX - the L31 and L32 - for differing reasons.

The Z31 is the ultimate extension of the original 240Z shape, where the whole thing looks longer and wider, thoough the general profile remains. It was in fact based on the 280Z with upgraded suspension.

Purists will much prefer the original, which is lighter and more raw. But they are now thin on the ground and expensive.

By the mid eighties, when these cars were about to be replaced with an entirely different shape (the L32), the Zed was a really a GT car and it's debatable whether it any longer had any convincing sporting credentials.

They were a luxury cruiser in normally-aspirated form, with a V6 3.0lt V30E powerplant claiming a surprisingly modest 166 horses - far less than an enthusiastic tuner could get out of them. The turbo version claimed closer to 208 horses. Numerous variations on these engines were built, with varying camshaft profiles, for different markets. For example, the Euro market turbocharged car claimed 240 horses.

Transmission options included a five-speed manual of four-speed auto. Local cars also came with a targa roof.

The car you see here is an auto which the owner says has just been brought out of storage after a lay-off of some eight years. Located in Vic it's priced at $9950.

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