The seller notes this 1978 Datsun 280Z has bounced around different owners for the last few years, not finding a home where it would receive the proper restoration it needs. The later 280Z cars aren’t yet as valuable as the earliest of Z machines, so while a later vehicle may offer the same classic looks that make a Z instantly recognizable, that doesn’t mean it translates to a car that’s worthy of a top-shelf makeover. Find this tired 280Z here on eBay where bidding is just over $1K with no reserve.

That last part makes it interesting, however: no reserve. You can still get into the Z-car club for a relative bargain on these later cars, which can have their looks impressed dramatically with the U.S. safety bumpers replaced with smaller, JDM stainless steel assemblies. This car also wears some excellent period “basketweave” wheels, which are a marked improvement over the factory rollers, in my opinion. Paint is tired with faded clearcoat throughout, and that missing driver’s side mirror should be replaced with a fender-mounted unit.

We still have several Datsun Z cars from the Barn Finds Exclusive listing for the large Georgia collection. This includes an early 280Z with a title and three 260Z cars, all of which precede this 280Z model. They could be restored or offer the parts a car like this needs to get back onto the road, including a full interior with good carpeting. The 240Z in the collection also comes with a heavily-massaged motor featuring sidedraft carbs, a must-have upgrade for a car like this 280Z.

The seller says a previous owner claimed the L28 inline-six ran in the last two years. While they cannot disprove that claim, they also note the Datsun will need a thorough mechanical refresh. Whether this car will ever be worthy of this level of investment is the unknown at the moment, as the collectability scale still heavily favors older cars. However, if a 240Z is now out of reach price-wise, the later 260 and 280 cars still offer excellent value as a classic that’s easy to love and possible to restore with tons of enthusiast support.