having made the switch from the 240's to the 300's, I can tell you that they are under appreciated in the sense of being a sports car. But that's to an extent. In the 240 world, its like anything was possible. There was so much knowledge out there that you could google an idea, and get good solid information to support it. In the 300 world, everything revolves around the bolt on. I mean, with 240's, people have rebuilt their engines in their kitchens. When it comes to 300's, the default answer is to either do a bolt on and be happy with it, or take it to a shop.
They aren't the most simple thing to work on, I'll give you that. But it is still all relative. With a 240, you can change out the intake and do a cone filter in under 30 minutes. and that's including the time it takes to crack open the beers. I just removed my stock air box and installed the Stillen cone filter (or Pop charger as "they" call them) and it took a solid 2 hours. It was the same screwdrivers, pliers and 10mm that it is on the 240, but there was just so much more to do.
Personally, for me, the only difference is, the 300 has more steps to accomplish the same thing, and that turns a lot of people off. It isn't any "harder" than working on a 240. Its just that it takes more time and that's why people don't build them up. If it isn't an off the shelf, bolt on part, it just doesn't get done.
BUT
the big difference is the way the general public appreciates a Z. Everyone has a story about them. Everyone loves them. Everyone has a "I remember when... " kind of story. My Z isn't the cleanest thing, It needs paint, the power steering pump is going bad on it. Its stock all the way around. The driver's seat has tears in the leather, but people still want to come up and talk about it. The average person veiws the Z as a sports car, where as, they view the 240 as a car kids drive around town in. Its like they view the Z with a certain level of class that the 240 just doesn't have.
So I guess it is give and take in that regard.
In the Z community, people "shun" you for coming up with off the wall ideas. They tell you how it can't be done, isn't worth it, or is just a dumb idea. The same kind of things that are common place in the 240 world. Like a right hand drive swap. You'll have "Z people" argue with you about all of the reasons it is a stupid idea. It isn't any more or less work to do a swap on a Z than it is to do the same swap on a 240. By all rights, doing it on a Z is probably cheaper since you can pick up a whole front clip for about 2.5K including the engine.
They have a bad rap about being "heavy" Yeah, they weight more than a 240 does, but they still weigh less than the same generation camaro. The NA ones are slow. But so is driving a 240 with bolt ones. My NA Z would beat my buddies 240 and he has a KA with a list of bolt ones. Even though his 240 had a faster "sense of speed"
I could go on and on and on ranting about this. But it really just comes down to there are Z enthusiasts and then there are people who own Z's. Same could be said about 240's. The difference is, there aren't enough true Z enthusiasts with the means to really get in there and build their cars. And those people get over shadowed by the kids who bought a Z because it was twice as fast as their civic and they can get a sweet Vadar extreme body kit for it and pick up bitches with the tops off.
ok, I'm slapping my hands off the keyboard before I get worked about about it again
lol