1993 Nissan 300ZX Convertible

The fourth generation Z-car was wider, longer and overall rounder than the previous generation.  During its run, it reached a pinnacle moment when in 1990, the one millionth Z-car was produced for the American market.  A bit later in the generation, sales began to plummet as Americans turned their attention to SUV's and Z-car prices entered the realm of higher-end sports cars.  That said, 1993 was a pivotal year as the first convertible Z-car was introduced. 

For consignment, one of the first-year convertibles!  This one sports just 18,910 non-verifiable miles as the title reads "Mileage Exempt" and as with all convertibles, this one is normally aspirated.  Nissan created the convertible according to one source, because there were aftermarket conversions being produced and Nissan saw a need for factory produced soft tops.  We have a stunning, well-kept example here.  Only 2,480 convertibles were produced in 1993 and only 496 in this particular shade of red for this all original example.

Exterior
Ultra Red coats the body of this sleek machine and who doesn't love a red sports car?  Nissan did away with the pop up headlights and instead opted for flush-mounted headlights that are simply part of the body lines.  Fog lights fit the wide grinning grille and side markers conform to the curves of this aerodynamic ride.  Body colored sport mirrors and door handles help with the monochromatic cleanliness.  The tail of this generation is stuff of legends.  How do we know?  Because the seventh generation Z-car gained inspiration from it and re-introduced a similar style.  Completely flush and smooth-surfaced, the taillight lenses including the reverse lights, are behind plexiglass with 300ZX embedded in the black plastic.  The sharply angled windshield gives way to a black canvas soft top with plastic windows including two “corner” windows for blind spot visibility.  The entire exterior is in fantastic condition including the standard wheels.  With the top down, the roll bar becomes the star of the show in dramatic fashion.  We note some scrapes on the bottom surface of the fascia, (this is a low car…watch out for driveways!), and a small tear in the canvas top. 

Interior
The door cards, in charcoal, are ergonomic works of art.  The pull handle is canted forward making things easy on the wrist.  The door actuator is also cleverly canted making it easier to engage.  An air vent is beveled towards the passenger and the seatbelt is mounted on the door which carries a b-pillar along with it, a wild design that just works!  Inside, the charcoal leather bucket seats are as attractive as they are supportive and have seven way power adjustments.  It is said that Nissan considered 1,000 different seats before settling on these.  The leather wrapped steering wheel is carrying an air bag, and the top gap provides views of the gauges.  Four simple ones for temperature, speed, tachometer, and fuel level.  Oil pressure is inset into the tach.  Flanking the gauge cluster are two pods controlling things like cruise control, lights, and the A/C.  The center tower has an AM/FM cassette radio, clock, vents, and some storage.  So far everything is in like-new condition!  The cabin is lined in grey Alcantara, a bit of a trademark feature for this gen Z-car.  The shifter is simple, short, and leather-booted.  A leather armrest accompanies the side mirror control in the center console and serves as the lid for a storage compartment.

Drivetrain
A 3.0 liter DOHC V6 with 222 horsepower is under the hood and is fed petrol by electronic fuel injection.  A five-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear wheels and 4.083 gears.  Power disc brakes are found at each wheel.  The engine bay is clean albeit crowded, and the intake plenum is a wonderful piece of eye candy.

Undercarriage
A few spots of surface rust on the frame and exhaust don't discourage us from giving rave reviews of the condition.  It's very clean and more importantly very dry.  The CV boots look practically brand new and there's very little to complain about underneath, where we find dual exhaust into cats and original equipment mufflers, exiting through four chrome tips.  Independent suspension with MacPherson struts occupy each corner as do 225/50/15 tires.  

Drive-Ability
The smooth V6 started right up and into gear we went.  We notice a very fluid shifter and light clutch right away providing good acceleration with great grip.  The steering is very responsive, and the seats are about as close to race seats as you can get standard in a sports car.  Positioning, ergonomics and visibility are all fantastic, although we're sure top down visibility is even better!  222 horses are more than enough to move this car quickly and the low center of gravity makes it feel even faster!  I hated to do it, but the ride had to come to an end and provide an opportunity to put the brakes to work, and work they did!

There's a reason this generation Z-car is growing in demand, it's an analog sports car with incredible road feel and a timeless design.  Everyone has their favorite Z-car generation and for many, this one known as the Z32 is it.  Here's a very orignal near pristine example, in the right color, with the right transmission, and the ability to ride with the top down!  These are specs that are hard to beat!

JN1RZ27H6PX002120

J-Japan
N-Nissan
1-Passenger Car
R-3.0 Liter DOHC V6
Z2-Z32
7-Convertible
H-Manual Belts, Driver's Airbag
6-Check Digit
P-1993
X-Shatai, Japan Assy Plant
002120-Sequential Unit Number

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