--- title: "Watch This Nissan 300ZX Crumble as It’s Recovered From Decades Underwater" date: "2024-07-02" modified: "2024-07-02" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/this-nissan-300zx-literally-crumbles-as-its-dragged-out-of-a-river" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Nissan News" tags: - "300zx" - "Coupe" - "Nissan" - "sports car" --- # Watch This Nissan 300ZX Crumble as It’s Recovered From Decades Underwater ![]() *Wrecked and Recovered* Seeing cars or sunken boats being pulled from bodies of water, after sitting for years, always makes me uneasy. Turns out I might have mild submechanophobia, which I just learned was a thing 14 seconds ago. Anyway, when this underwater recovery duo found a [Nissan]() 300ZX at the bottom of a river, having sat for decades, it made me both uncomfortable and sad. When the duo from the [Wrecked and Recovered YouTube channel]() found the [300ZX](), it looked like the last time it'd seen air, Guns N' Roses was topping charts. It doesn't seem to have been destroyed before going into the deep, so it's unclear how it got there. Maybe it was an insurance scam, or maybe it was something more *nefarious*. Either way, it looks like the water did more damage to the old 300ZX than anything else. Calling it rusty and rotten would be an understatement. ![]() **Wrecked and Recovered** Unfortunately, the 300ZX's damage didn't stop after being pulled out. Once the recovery duo got it out of the water, they needed to pull it over some rocks without damaging an adjacent boat dock. While trying to drag it, the entire driver's side front fender, crash support, and potentially subframe ripped off. It was so rusty that parts of it just crumbled. You can see the entire front wheel assembly separate and dangle as the ruined Z is yanked. When one of the recoverers tries to open the door, the handle just falls off. It's painful to see such a cool car in such a tragic state. The 300ZX they found was a first-gen Z31 model, which I always thought looked better than the more popular second-gen Z32. It's sharper, more angular, and much more '80s-looking. I'm not sure which engine this one came with, but it was likely one of its V6 options. This specific one had a weird life, as it appears it was originally red but then repainted blue. Then it ended up at the bottom of a lake. I'd love to know its story, who owned it, what it saw, and how it ended up as a home for retired fish. Such cool cars deserve better fates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwU2UYLljps *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()