Joliet, Illinois – A while back, we interviewed Max McCroskey of Resurrected Classics for an episode of The OnAllCylinders Podcast, and he told us something we didn’t know:
The earliest Datsun 240Zs are slightly different than the same cars that came later in the production run. These early Datsun Zs earned the nickname “Series 1” and are highly prized amongst Datsun collectors.
So imagine our surprise when we bumped into the owner of one of these coveted early Series 1 Z cars during breakfast before we left our hotel to officially begin the Hot Rod Power Tour!
“I’ve heard that there are maybe less than a thousand of the Series 1 cars left,” Tim tells us. “They only built these from late 1969 to about April, May of ’71, then they started switching them over.”
But the exact number of original Series 1 cars is really tough to figure he says.
“At the end of the run, when they ran out of Series 1 parts, they just started swapping the new parts in,” Tim explains. “So there are some in-between hybrids out there too.”
We asked Tim to show us some of the nuances of the Series 1 Z cars that differentiate them from the later 240s, and he gestures toward the two small rectangular vents on the rear hatch and a different emblem on the sail pillar—both dead giveaways that this is one of those early models.
“It’s also got a different center console and shift setup than all the other cars. The steering wheel is different. The dash is slightly different,” he reports. “So it’s little cues like that.”
Tim then explains that this was originally his mother’s car and it’s been in the family since 1980. He took the car with him when he relocated from California to Texas as well. Save for basic maintenance and some typical carb tweaking, Tim says the classic Datsun still runs great.
“Yeah, it scoots” he chuckles. “I’ve had it up to 120, and I don’t feel like I need to do that again, but I know it’s all good up there. It had a little more to give too—but I’m like, okay, this is plenty.”
The power comes from the 2.4L six under the hood, still impressively clean after all these decades.
Tim’s a gearhead for sure, and has a particular fondness for vintage Honda minibikes and Meyers Manx Dune Buggies, but this classic 240Z has a special place in his heart. We’re guessing it’s going to stay in the family for a long time to come—regardless of its “Series 1” status.
“Yeah, it’s just a lot of fun to get out and drive,” Tim quips.
And given that the entire length of the 2026 Hot Rod Power Tour stretched before us, we’re guessing Tim was in for a real good time.
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