1990 Nissan 300zx Straman Coachworks Convertible

Description

Here is your chance to own a beautiful unicorn, 1990 non turbo Nissan 300ZX convertible by Richard Straman Coachworks. If you’re not familiar with the rarity of these cars, here is a brief history. Between 1990 and 1991 there were a total of 69 Z32 300ZX's converted, 44 were twin turbo's and 25 were normally aspirated. There are thought to be approximately 20 total that remain, most of which are twin turbo's. I purchased this example in 2008 from a farmer outside of Sacramento California with just over 73K miles. The car had sat in the elements for many years and was in poor aesthetic condition inside and out. I spent the next several years refreshing and performing a few tasteful modifications to enhance its beauty. In 2008 it received an entirely new interior and sound system. In 2011 it was given a new coat of the original cherry red pearl paint. I reassembled it after paint and then it sat in my climate controlled shop for the next couple of years, only venturing out for local shows. In 2015 it had a full timing belt service and has been driven approximately 100 miles since and the odometer now reads 76K. I love this car and have spent a lot of time and money to save it, but it’s time to move to something different that I will actually drive.

Modifications: JWT pop charger, Stillen cat back exhaust, Z1 1 PC driveshaft, Z1 short shifter with bronze bushings, custom leather seats and vinyl interior, 1999 Jspec clear tail lights with red back lit 300ZX center panel and new 3rd brake light panel, Stillen lower front lip, RPM 505 18" wheels with custom billet aluminum Z logo center caps, drilled and slotted rotors. I also have new Eibach lowering springs and KYB struts which I’ll include. I never got around to installing them, but they will be a great addition to the look of the car.

I am particular about my cars and as such, this not flawless. Here are a few items to improve it. The new paint job has a few imperfections (see pics) and will need some correction. The power top functions as it should, but the window is hazy. Three of the wheels have a little spot of curb rash (see pics) and it could use rear tires. The steering wheel needs a wrap, and the center emblem on it is missing. The #4 fuel injector is misfiring and should be replaced. I'd rate the exterior appearance a 9 out of 10, the interior a 9 out of 10 and mechanically a 9 out of 10.

If you need any specific pictures or have questions for me I will be happy to answer.

Terms of this sale: cash in hand is the only payment I will take. I will not accept a check or money order; I will not ship the car overseas. If you are the lucky high bidder you will need to come and physically pick the car up, or have someone do it for you in person with cash. If you’re transporting it, I can help with arrangements as I know a reputable transport broker.

STRAMAN 300ZX CONVERTIBLE

More flash and dash per unit cash. by Kevin Smith - Car & Driver, Oct 1990
Nissan's new-for-1990 300ZX rewrote the performance rules for Japanese sports cars. It isn't a cheap ride, with the twin-turbo version zinging through the $30,000 barrier like a bullet through peach fuzz. But we can't complain. That's because no previous car--at anything near the price has combined acceleration, grip, stability, lightness to the touch, and unapologetic comfort in the levels the new ZX does.

It was inevitable that retrofitters would add the pleasures of open-air motoring to that list of appealing characteristics. And equally inevitable that one of the first to do so would be Richard Straman, of the Costa Mesa, California, design-fabrication-restoration firm bearing his name. The R. Straman Company's reputation for quality metalwork has expanded its business from top-drawer restoration of collectible cars into specialty engineering and prototyping for major manufacturers. But through it all, the creation of convertible conversions has been a mainstay. The previous 300ZX was a popular candidate, so the new car went under the torch as well.

For a conversion price of $8500, Straman craftsmen turn your squat and menacing 1990 NIssan 300ZX coupe into a convertible that retains an aggressive look--top up or down. The roof is cut off, the rear hatch is unbolted, and the interior is completely gutted. Then begins the process of restoring most of the structural stiffness lost in the removal of all that steel overhead. A U-shaped bulkhead is welded in behind the cockpit, to close off the trunk. This provides a well for the folded top and ties together the car's right and left sides around the rear-suspension pickup points. A roll bar (the lawyers might prefer it be called a "stiffening hoop") is also part of the deal, since the ZX doors have to keep those funny stand-up ears to locate the upper seatbelt anchor points and the side windows' guide pins. Underneath, of course, is the usual bracing running the length of the rocker panels. Various other bits counter any local flexing that Straman has identified.

In addition to the power-operated folding top, Straman constructs and installs a steel trunk lid and some filler pieces at the beltline above the rear wheels (the one area of the conversion that looks a little unsettled). Then he reinstalls the interior, crafting new trim as required, and sends the car on its way.

And the car gets on its way smartly. Performance is essentially unaffected by the rework, which adds only about 25 pounds to the Z’s curb weight and controls chassis flex remarkably well. In fact, we were impressed with how like the standard coupe the convertible feels: the same solid stance on the road, responsive steering, pleasant ride, and blistering acceleration (Straman engineered the conversion for the twin-turbo car, which, of course, is the worst-case scenario in terms of stress). There is a touch of the cowl flutter that every ragtop this side of the 911 suffers--evident as a mild lateral waggle in the steering wheel over very uneven surfaces--but only a touch. If reduced rigidity has degraded the Straman 300ZX's handling, it isn't detectable--at least not on Southern California roads.

As a convertible, the Straman ZX works beautifully. The close-fitting soft top might make some drivers feel claustrophobic, but we've heard that complaint about the coupe's low roof as well. And this canvas top can be struck in a few seconds. Wind flows smoothly over the steeply raked windshield, allowing almost normal top-down conversation on the highway. A turbulent "curl" starts to blow in the driver's left ear at speeds above 70 mph.

Little about the 300ZX's performance is compromised by the Straman convertible conversion. Some ultimate rigidity may have been lost, but not enough to dissuade an enthusiast from indulging the car's ability to generate gratifyingly high dynamic loads. It's still a big, fast, high-performance heavyweight. And if the car's flash and dash per unit cash brought sweat to the brow of Porsche and Corvette loyalists before, watch out: it really turns up the heat as a racy roadster.

Car & Driver, Oct90, Vol. 36 Issue 4, p152,