An honest discussion about roadster values

[Datsa 66]

Jorge et al.

I'll be at Solvang and I promise I will not bring this up. In fact I am done with it. I am who I am and I love the cars.

'nuff said.


Andrew

[Guest]

We're really gonna have to organize a Happy Hour in Solvang.....Andrew and "Guest"........yours are ON ME!!!!!!!!

LOL

Thats funny Millertime and thanks Jorge for the offer.
I would take you up on that offer if I was in california.

While we are on the subject of marque. And since Andrew is trying so hard to improve it. What else should we do to improve the marque. This is a question for everyone . Is having the price on these cars go up really what we want? Do you think that would help the marque? Do we want people to like these cars because they are expensive? Or do we want people to like them, because of how they look ,the way it makes us feel when we drive it?

And have you all been doing your part like andrew to make people take notice??

I can name some people that are doing things like these to make sure these cars really get the attention that they deserve.

Calspeed use to do these things when he owned one.
Calspeed takes his car to carshows thats not just for datsuns.
Steve with the 311s.org website.
and many others.

I think that is the way to do it. Not to make the price of these cars go up. That would only make them unreachable to regular folks , like me and you. That would enjoy them for what they are not as museum cars.

Thats my opinion.

[Guest]

Andrew: I hope you didn't take my message the wrong way....I have the same love for the cars as you, and also talk of it like a proud grandmother!........and the offer stands!!!!! Happy hours are the cure to every imaginable problem........except "the wife factor"!!!!!

And Guest, you have a good point regarding the showing of Roadsters in non-Datsun shows as well. I am one of the "show it cuz you love it" kind of guys.....although a nice value doesn't hurt either

IT IS ALL FUN NO MATTER WHAT! AND WE MUST KEEP IT LIKE THAT WHILE WE HAVE SUCH A DISTINGUISHED GROUP OF GENTLEMEN WITH A COMMON "ADDICTION"........ROADSTERHOLICS NON-ANONYMOUS"!!!!!!!!!!

[spl310]

AMEN to the point that we need to get these cars to Non-Datsun/Nissan only shows. Lets face it, the Datsun and Nissan dorks all know about Roadsters - we don't need to educate them. We DO need to educate the other car dorks about these cars. I try to take mine to the local Cruise in at least once a month. That way, some of the hot rod guys can see it. I intend to get a sign made up for it one day giving some history, specs and details about the car. I think that a little knowledge that way will go a long way towards getting folks to recognize these as more than "cute little convertibles"

Regarding Calspeed, he did a LOT to get the cars noticed. His was in GRM twice that I know of. Raul had a 67.5 1600 in GRM, but a misstatement and the fact that his car was the least fresh of the bunch let the Roadster down. I am not slamming Raul or his car. Raul is a real Roadster nut, and the car is very nice from what I ahve seen (photos), but the other cars had more recent restorations - in fact, the one every one chose as their first choice came straight from the restoration shop with the shop owner driving iirc....

Get the car out there. Talk to people. Encourage them to buy a Roadster!!!

[dat68s]

Ahmen to Sid et all!

I have to concur and say that while it would be nice to think that these cars one day will have an increased value, the real reason I bought mine was afordable, enjoyable fun! The grin factor
The fact that when I drive mine around, as I do a lot (almost daily) people either stop and ask what it is, or come and tell me a story about how they or a friend used to own one!

Let's "keep it real for the pep's"! And if you have done a full resto, for sure get it to as many car shows as possible so that more people know what we have!

Cheers,
Stuart

[S Allen]

Wow, I am glad this thread finally came to a head and let's not hold any grudges. Life is too short to get upset over silly stuff. I really get more out of going to other car shows than Solvang and Shasta. I do not even enter my car because that is not why I go. I go to the Solvang and Shasta shows to see what others have done to their roadster and get ideas for things I might want to do to mine. They are both great and alot of fun but non-roadster bitten people really enjoy seeing one of these cars at a regular car show. And we have all had people come up to us and say "I had one of those way back when and what a fun car it was to drive. I never should have gotten rid of it." And you just smile and say "Yeah, I know what you mean." If we have nothing else in common we do have the joy of owning and driving(sooner or later) these fantastic little cars. Not to mention spending entirely too much money on repairing and maintaining them! Any way, enough said there.

Stuart, I would like to see some pics of the '64 you might be puchasing from Japan. I will not give you my guesstimate on its value however. That will be left soley to you. Cheers.

Steve

[dat68s]

Hey Steve,

I will either try and upload them somewhere, or alternatively you I can perhaps e-mail them to you?

What? Are you not going to tell me what it's worth???

Just kidding!

Stu

[Minh]

Well for all that has been said, I'm gonna dime in too.

All I can say is if you have not gotten a Roadser yet; your gonna miss the boat. The are less and less of em. It's sad that guys chop em up since they are worth more pieces than a whole. I see they guy on Ebay always selling pulled parts. However, eventually they go to resto cars that eventually run. Crossing my fingers to someday see the opposite.

Tell your freinds to get one,.. I do. (Mine think I'm a litle nutty though) So that you can someday say you friend, "See, I told you so... Snooze you loose. Now close the passenger door and let's go!"

It is not my concern that some guy who found and fell in love with it late. Hey man, I wish I can be the man married to that hot babe celebrity. That just the way it is. The hot babe at one point in her life was once a hot no-body and was kicked to the curb by a few fellas. Ridden, bounced, rocked, mistreated, unappreciated, and tossed to the curb when they where done with her... Things are alwasy worth more when they are harder to attain.

I'm not selling mine. They only way to get from me is if I legally Will it to you.

I got to thank Sid, Mike and Steve for make more efforts than anyone when rescuing these cars from neglect. I only have to 2 rescues on my belt. Eventually I'm getting a little more land so I can recover another one.

I just find really fun to get underneath these cars and geting em to run.

I try to make efforts locally to get more of these these cars on the road. It would probably help me further if I can get mine running. I'm being patient... soon real soon. I'm just waiting for a few washers to arrive. Woohoo!! I'm gonna make to Shasta; I'm gonna make to Shasta, is the mantra.

You will see my car locally at car shows on display. You will see my car every year cruising "Hot August Nights." Hey man, I think it is utterly totaly cool for strangers to know you as, "Hey, your the guy with the Roadster I always see on the road." Just thinkin about puts a grin on my face.

The price of that? Priceless, baby!!

[Datsa 66]

Since we are all being civil again I can finally state my opinions about the state of the cars- which is the way it should be.

I have given away parts, helped people to buy roadsters, organized meets and countless runs. I say this not to brag but to point out that as long as we keep the cars isolated to the "Datsun Dorks" as sid puts it the cars will never be more than "also rans" to more "important cars".

We are all guilty of treating the cars as throw away cars and I am trying my hardest to get them noticed by the import and tuner crowds as well as the classic car crowd.

Believe me when I tell you that I respect people that cherish their cars for the fun and enjoyment and also the pride that they can have a sports car that is cheaper to own than most.

So let me put this question out to "Guest" and all the other owners: Why can't I get any magazines or classic car TV shows or any other media interested in covering our cars? Why is it that when I tried to take my roadster to an import car show I was refused admission? It's an import isn't it?

When I said I think we need to invest in the cars I was not talking just about money I was talking about value. Not the same thing. It's only my opinion, but I think the cars deserve better than they get right now.

I don't want to be a "Datsun Dork". I want to be a proud owner of a classic sports car that is recognized as such. I don't think that is a bad thing.

But it is just my opinion.


Andrew Murphy

[S Allen]

Stuart,

Send me the pics and I will put them on my server and post the links so others can chime in on your potential purchase. I just want to see what it looks like. H20, solexes-I like it already!

Steve

[dat68s]

Hi Steve,
You should have the pics by now. I e-mailed them to you last night (Sydney time) before I left work. It does look pretty cool and I am very tempted. We have fairly strict import laws here, but because the car is over 30 years old, they are more relaxed with them.
Anyhow it will be great to see what other people think.
Thanks,
Stuart

[Z3BigDaddy]

Poppin my cherry on this board though I belong to several other boards.... First of all my real name is Blaine and I live in SoORe.... I Just bought a 1966 1600 SPL31106421... And I really know nothing about it yet, just as I knew nothing about my Z3 when I bought it, so that is why I am here.... I bought a 924 that I wish I knew something about when I bought it...LOL btaim Someone told me this was for sale so I went to look at it... Been in the same garage since 1977 but has not been driven for some time due to owners illness.... The car is solid no rust, hardtop, crappy soft top, serviceable interior.... Anyhow they say they want 1,500 bucks for it.... Since it doesn't have a good battery to fire it up, I say 1,300 bucks w/o hearing it run... They say sold... I change the oil, buy a new battery, fire it up, and it runs sweet... Did I rip them off?

Oh btw the 77 924 is for sale... Might make a decent autoX'r..

[spl310]

Welcome Blaine!

Sounds to me like you got a deal there! The low windshield cars (the 65 - 67 in particular) have a lot of charm and are really neat vintage cars. I love all of the chrome on the dash of the 65 - 67 cars. I think that you will really enjoy the car. Enjoy the ride!!

[Minh]

Yeah you robbed em. It should have started at $3000 beacause it running.