My First 370z, Not my first Z

jsnmtth · 07-04-2022, 01:55 PM

I'm a divorced 43 year computer programmer and a father of six. Three out of my first four cars were Zs!

My first car was a 1976 Datsun 280z. It was the most car I could get for $1,000 and I didn't know what I had. The guy selling it had been rear ended in it and it was totaled out. He bought a Corvette with the money but you could tell ... he didn't quite want to let it go. His wife however seemed pleased to say goodbye to the car.

I didn't know what I had. I didn't know why the cops pulled me over for every little thing. Why they always asked 'is this your car'. It wasn't until I learned to downshift and found myself going through yellow lights at abnormal speeds did I realize this wasn't a put put dressed up as a sports car, it was the real deal. I rebuilt that car, drove it over 100,000 miles and eventually wrecked it in a freak accident where in another vehicle I think I would be dead.

I also briefly owned a 1981 280z, and had a 1974 240z for several years. It was a project car that I gave up on, but so wish I still had.

Thee months ago I bought a 2020 Nissan 370z Base, Manual with 8k miles on it. White with black interior, black alloy rim upgrades and a backup camera. I bought it as a daily driver. I've already driven it 12k miles myself. I've put it through it's paces too.

Driving the 370z is like coming home again. It is like driving my first car, but with all the upgrades I wished it had. I didn't intend to modify it, but as I've learned more about it. That has changed.

Right now my intentions are to upgrade the stereo, install a nice phone mount, install a hidden radar detector, upgrade the brakes, tighten the suspension, stiffen the frame and upgrade the differential.

As a computer programmer, I'm also curious about what I can do with that digital display. Even if I can't program that display, perhaps I can replace it with one that I can.