Dear members of the CTZCC. I'm glad and proud to join your club. As I heard I'm the first member coming from Europe. My name is Thorsten, I'm living in southern germany, in Ottersweier which is only a few steps
from France and some more from switzerland. I'm anchorman in german TV, where I'm presenting two TV-programms about cars and mobility. Since years I'm a big Z-enthusiast. Circa six or seven years ago I had the chance to meet Mr Graf Goertz. I made a film about his life as a designer, who worked in the US and went to Japan, to revolutionize the japanese industrial design. One result - even if Goertz was not the inventor - was the 240 Z. This meeting was important for my relasionship to z-car history. The classic Z is as modest as honest and beautiful, a wonderful GT sportscar that faszinates me since years. So I decided to buy a serie-1. But where ? Europe? No chance! Germany? Play lottery, it's better! In the US? Why not but how? So I asked a german agency which is specialized in US car imports to help me. More important was to contact US z-car-experts. Carl Beck from Florida, Frank Thomas from the CTZCC. It is really unbelievable how much expertise, diligence and care both put into the communication and the supoort with and for us. The result is: In a few days from now a wonderful 240 Z, original, orange from 1970 will leave Miami to start its trip to Rotterdam. I can't say how excited I am. So Frank invited me to join the CTZCC. I'm grateful for that.
From now on I will study your forum, I will be thankful to hear from you and may be I can complete it with my Z-experience and adventure that will start soon. Pictures of the Z's eventful journey will follow.

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T. Link
Germany
1971 240z (HLS30-16506)

welcome to the club!!

Hello again, Thor!

I am SO HAPPY you found a 240Z! I am even happier that it is a 1970, like mine. I think they are the best year to drive (and the hardest to own and repair! ). I am very happy you joined us ~ THANK YOU.

Yes, you are our first European member. We have two great 'Blokes' from Australia who are also our members, and they both own 'Zeds', as they are called Down Under.

We have 327 members in the Club now. Most of them live here in Connecticut but we actually have members in 12 states and (now!) three countries!

We will be waiting for pictures of your Z, and I just KNOW you are having trouble sleeping until your car arrives!

Please let us help you in any way, after you receive it. Our members have very much knowledge and experience with these cars, and they all love to help other Z owners.

I would like to mail you a Connecticut Z Car Club window decal for your Z! You might decide not to use it, but I would love to have our Club known in Germany!

And congratulations on your excellent English! Sehr Gut!

Hey everyone ~ say hello to Thorsten in Germany! Luck boy ~ he gets to drive his Z car on the Autobahn!!

I should also mention that Thorsten is very involved in autosports. He narrates the German car show "Startklar, das Automagazin" on TV, and is much like Allain de Cadenet on our Speedvision channel's "Legends of Motorsports". Thorsten loves motorcycles, sportscars, bicycle racing, and James Bond! He once did a film coverage of the famous (and now missing) James Bond Aston Martin DB-5 from GOLDFINGER.

Frank T
Membership Director/CTZCC
Apr/1970 240Z

Thorsten,

Welcome to the club! Please post pictures when your car arrives. I'm sure all of us would like to see it.

Mike

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280zx NA to T... http://z.modeltrainguide.com

Hi Thorsten:
Good to see you here. This is a great group of Z Car Enthusiasts, but they are trapped in the COLD Northern U.S.!! So my friends and I in SUNNY Florida try to send them lots of pictures though-out the Winter months, of us driving our Z's to and from the beach. It just warms their hearts

Frank and I had fun working with you to find a good 240Z. It is always fun to help others spend their money on the cars we love. I think you will be very happy with the Series I headed your way.

You will also find very helpful people here, as you get your Z and start to "tinker" with it. There is just something about the Z that draws you in and encourages you to get your hands dirty and your pockets empty working on it - even if it needs nothing!!

We will to have a long exchange about Mr. Goertz - but this is not the time and place. It's a fascinating subject to me. I will only say at this point that I believe that Mr. Goertz had nothing to do with the design of the original Z Car.

Kind regards,
Carl B.

What role did Pininfarina play in the S30 design phase?

Thorsten, one of my life goals is to keep my turbo Z in good enough shape so that when I retire, and my son is independent, my wife and I will ship the Z over to Italy. We will do some serious grand touring of Europe. Including Germany of course. I have been there many times and feel drawn to the Alpine roads. I think that's why my Z pulls to the left when I drive South.



BTW,
We have fun all year round here Carl.

Below is a picture of my snowblower, snowmobile, chick magnet, and Z parts go-getter. There is nothing like blazing a trail in fresh powder, drifting four BLizzak tires, with the heat blasted, and Led Zeppelin in quadraphonics. Well, maybe a bikini laden beach...

Can you see in the garage window? A shiny Z on jack stands, heated, and being pampered for an entire season!

P.S. Sand buckets work just as well in the snow for making snow castles.

_________________
-Dave
76Z Turbo'd
72 In Progress---DONE!

Here Thor ~ this is for you. It will help wake you up in the morning!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkNzkutTiGs

und auch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ7R_buZPSo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ48NQjouoE

Frank

Frank - that last one is Priceless...

Carl B.

Other than providing inspiration to Mr. K. - NONE.

Well wait a minute - - actually - - depending on how you look at lifes events - -maybe Pininfarina is indirectly "responsible".

Nissan hired Pininfarina to design the Datsun 410 Sedan aka the Bluebird in Japan, and the next generation Cedric.

When the 410 Finished Prototype arrived in Japan from Italy - A young Designer at Nissan had the nerve {inexperience perhaps} to criticize the design - stating that he felt it really would not sell well in Japan.

When in fact that criticism turned out to be correct - his management told him to fix the design so that it would sell well in Japan. He did some minor restyling, and added an SSS badging along with some suggested performance improvements - - - and sales took off!!

Because of that and other minor successes - when the time came to reorganize Nissan's Design Department - - - the relatively young Mr. Matsuo was placed in charge of the Sports Car Styling Studio... in 1965.

Even though his management chain encouraged him to take a more conservative path - he wanted to design a more modern sports car for Nissan. His original concept was one of a roadster, with a 2.0L 4cylinder OHC engine. He called this his "Plan A" Between 65 and 67 that concept evolved, with inputs from Mr. K into a Fastback Sports/GT with a 6 cylinder engine... and became the car we know today as the DATSUN 240Z.

So - if Pininfarina hadn't delivered a finished design that drew Mr. Matsuo's criticism.... perhaps history would have taken a completely different path - yes/no ?? So since Pininfarina actually started the ball rolling - I guess we could say that he had a direct impact on the final Z design.

FWIW,
Carl B.

Dear members,

thanks a lot for your heartly welcome.
Carl, I'm sure you are right. Goertz was in Japan but this doesn't mean that he created the 240 Z design. He did it for the Silvia Coupe (CSP 311).
I love this car too but I think there are no Silvias from the beginning Sixties left. May be in Australia? Or do CTZCC members have one?

Frank, thanks for the you tube-tips. Great. And what a fantastic garage!

Nice to hear a member plans to ship his Z to Italy for yourney. When you are in Europe please contact me. We will do a Z-Trip on the german Autobahn. No speed limits! Makes fun!

Thorsten

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T. Link
Germany
1971 240z (HLS30-16506)

Carl,

One benefit of having to put our Z's away for the Winter is the feeling you get when you take your first ride in the Spring. It's like the first time all over again!!

Phil

Dave,

I'm expecting my Z will pull to the left when I will drive North: homesickness, and may be he's afraid to catch a cold

Thorsten

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T. Link
Germany
1971 240z (HLS30-16506)

Thorsten,
It's really great to have you as part of the club and on this forum. I think you will come to agree that our club is full of very friendly, knowledgable and helpful people. We love these cars but I also like to think that we care a lot about our members as well. For example, I'm sure Frank will be more than pleased to pick you up at the airport when you come to CT for our show next summer! Right Frank?

Welcome to our club Thorsten! Ross

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Ross Williams
1978 280Z Black Pearl Edition 38k Original Miles

Thank you Ross.
I have been often in the US in the past years but never
in Conneticut. But I know what a lovely piece of earth it is.
I'm very sure to join a CTZCC meeting. A good member shown up!!
I will try my best. Promides - but likely without my Z (...)
Thorsten

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T. Link
Germany
1971 240z (HLS30-16506)

WHAT????? What can an Amphicar do that a ZCar can't?

Guten tag, Herr Link. Wie gehts? Und wilkommen to the club. I haven't
heard Deutsch spoken since I was a little boy, while my mother's
parents were still alive. My mother's family (Linke!) were from Dresden
und Saarbrucken. It will be wonderful to meet you when one of us is able
to cross the ocean by car, boat, or airplane. You know we will talk
about Z/s for hours, ja?

All Z Best,.......................Rick (and Kathy)

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All Z Best,.......Kathy & Rick

1969 Z.CAR (#00013 10/69) 8/30/76
1969 ITSA.Z (#00171 11/69) 8/24/73
1970 OLD.Z (#06289 6/70) original owner
1971 510 2dr since 12/31/75
1969 1600 rdstr (our 160-Z)
1971 (#19851 1/71) sold
1975 75.Z (#01343 1/75)