Donated vehicles remain a source of fascination for me, mainly because I cannot get over how many seemingly decent cars end up being given away. I suspect in most cases this phenomenon is due to disinterested heirs, but it still seems like a waste of a good project to me. Check out this 1980 Datsun 280ZX here on eBay that sports a manual transmission, T-tops and clean body in a no reserve auction.
We’ve seen worst interiors in cars that are still in daily use, so it’s amazing to see a cabin this nice in a car that was given away. An added bonus is that this is a manual transmission model, but this is also a point of confusion: I had read that Nissan didn’t trust its own manual transmission to handle the added thrust of the turbocharged models when first introduced, so all 1981 model year Turbos were saddled with the 3-speed automatic transmission.
This car is clearly a Turbo model, wearing the correct badges and NACA duct on the hood. That hood design makes me think the seller has the year wrong, as the ’82 and later cars could be outfitted with the turbo motor and manual transmission. This example shows consistent body shut lines, very nice paint, ugly but functional U.S. safety bumpers and an attractive set of matching alloy wheels. Despite this, it does come with a salvage title from CA.
The confusion around the model year notwithstanding, this looks like a very nice Z car with the desirable turbo motor and manual transmission. Add in the clean interior and body, along with T-top roof and seemingly rust-free condition, and it looks like a potential bargain with its no-reserve pricing. It seems strange someone would donate a running, driving 280ZX, but perhaps the salvage title and obscurity made the potential tax write-off worth it.
I own a 1981 280ZX Turbo. They did indeed only come with automatic transmissions. The also featured a one-year only special aluminum alloy wheel for turbo cars. The NACA duct from what I recall, became standard on all Z’s NA and turbo from 81 on.
This appears to me to be a NA 81. It’s not an ’82 because from that year till the end of production, they did not feature chrome inserts for bumpers or the B pillar garnish in metal. ’82 models feature polyurethane bumpers.
This car is missing the Nissan and model designation badges on the rear, for some reason.
Another indicator it’s not a turbo model is it doesn’t have the boost gauge.
I had a 1980 Turbo car and this car looks like a 280ZX that someone has added the turbo hood and badges or a turbo car where someone replaced the turbo motor with a stock 280 motor. You are correct that I don’t think any of the 1980 Turbo cars had manual transmissions and I don’t remember the turbo car seats or some of the interior trim looking like this one. Mine was the 2 tone black over gold with the gold snowflake wheels. Drove like a freight train in a straight line once the turbo was spooled up but not so much fun in everyday driving. Fell in love with it on a Nissan dealer’s lot because of the way it looked and it had me hooked the first time I planted my right foot — traded it off a year later. Never missed it.
You did not have an 80 Turbo. No such thing. If your car was two tone black over gold, it was an 80 10th edition car. They were non Turbo. If your car was black with gold trim and an 81, it could have been a Turbo. Those seats were offered in the 81 Turbo with the leather package in tan or red only. Since you traded it off only a year later and don’t miss it, I guess you also don’t remember the year of your car. If your car was black and gold with tan interior, you would have had the same seats. If they were tan but highback, a non Turbo. 5 speed Turbo was introduced in mid 82 so the first batch of 82 Turbos were still automatic.
I like it, mostly since so many of these have rusted away over the years and this is a personally-nostalgic model and color combo. Perhaps another reason this was donated is because of the 232,000 miles on the clock—it might run and drive, but who knows how well!
I don’t know what the value for these are, since I would assume most collectors would be looking for earlier 240z and 260z models. Given the mileage and salvage title of this one, I’m honestly surprised to see the auction already at $1,825 and close to 40 bids!
Aren’t donations tax deductible and you are also helping a charity raise money by selling to highest bidder ??
Yes, but current regulations limit you to writing off whatever the car actually sells for at auction. I’m surprised that a 300K mile 280Z with a salvage title has bidding that active although there’s a good market for retrofitting the turbo motors (if it really is a turbo motor) into the 240sx or Fairlady chassis.
No idea how he listed under Nissan Datsun 280 cars, on eBay any car rebuilt or salvage title has to be sold in parts or salvage vehicles only, I have done many, even when I tried to list under make of car, ebay took off my auction and said to resist under salvage vehicles
When I see a salvage title, I run as fast as I can
I rebuild salvage cars and I get it. The trick is knowing what got fixed and by who. Unfortunately, the history on this is unknown so it is a “buyer beware” scenario. Like I said above, those drivetrains are very sought after here by the kids looking to upgrade Nissan 240sx cars, early Nissan/Datsun pickups, and just about anything else they will fit into. I can’t see the car itself being worth that much but I’m always willing to be taught different.
Salvage can mean MANY things, I have a chev suburban ‘salvage’ and it’s served me well for 4 years, everything works as it should,etc! These days some shops charge so much that their estimate of a simple repair with paint could cost more than the depreciated cars value. The used car market is GLUTTED with decent take backs!
In California salvage can mean it came from out of state and the only way california would issue a title, if the out of state title is lost, is to brand it salvage.
I have seen this before on perfectly good cars.
With a car this old, the brand doesn’t mean anything.
Salvage in California could also have meant stolen and we all know how many of these were stolen when they were a newer car (I hate the phrase “back in the day”).
It could have a future as a drift car. Those guys look for inexpensive RWD stick shift cars. They wouldn’t care about a salvage title or resale value. It’s cheaper than most BMW’s, fourth gen Z28’s and Mustang GT’s, their first choice, 240sx’s are getting thin on the ground.
Steve R
1981 was the first year of the Turbo model and only with an automatic. I own one and they are very rare survivors due to rusting, others to wrecks or to being modified out the wazoo. Having shopped them for over 20 years, I know the rarity of all ZX models in good condition. A salvage title is troubling, telling me there is history there that we do not know the reason. My 81 Turbo has this interior. You could get short back leather buckets or high back cloth, at least that year. Another commenter pointed out disparities and I’d like to add that the badging on the sides and in the back are all missing quite possibly due to a wreck. I have seen repainted ones that still have the rust problems that are covered up but will resurface most certainly in the near future. Someone showed me some examples of that a year or two ago. I feel that this is not likely above an 81 due to the bumpers and the metal piece between the side windows. I would fear that this is a combination of many models parts, which would lead me to donate it if that were the case so that I would not have to explain everything.
Not all the badging is missing, the 280ZX emblem is on the passenger side fender just behind the front tire. Most likely the other emblems were not put back on after a repaint. Also notice the lack of a pinstripe, another sign of a repaint.
And the wheels are not correct for any factory Turbo model. In 81 they were snowflakes and afterwards they were mostly the “swastika” alloys.
That is not a L28ET it is a L28E. It is clearly NOT a turbo I looked at the pictures there is no hint of this being or ever being a turbo. The second engine picture clearly shows the O2 sensor in the exhaust manifold, it wouldn’t be there if it was a turbo. There is no heat shield for the master cylinders. There is no injector cooling fan and on and on the clues go. Not sure what made you think it was a turbo?
This is just a used up old ZX, worth about $800, although I do love the wheels, wish they made them in 15″ instead of 14″.
Thanks for confirming that. I didn’t think the engine looked like the one I had and it didn’t look like the Turbo car engine pics on-line. There’s one Turbo badge on the center console — maybe that’s where the “Turbo” designation got picked up. Talked to my son and he had the same take as Steve R — that this car’s future is as a drift or track car where the title history and fair condition won’t matter.
Good call, I totally missed that console badge. I guess I was too hung up on all of the other details. So this car is just a hodgepodge of parts.
20 hours left, auction at $2225. at nine eastern time. I drove this model from Atlanta to San Francisco, via Mexico in the mid seventies. Fabulous ride !!
That doesn’t look anything like a turbo car. The boost gauge reads volts, the wheels and intake manifold are from a non turbo car, the valve cover doesn’t say turbo, and the exhaust tip is on the wrong side. Where did anyone get the idea that this is turboed?
They’re easy to wrench on! 30 min to swop out a tranny!
You know, some of the guys who write here should do more homework before posting a car. Mistakes happen more than they should. Oh well, anyways, there was no Turbo for 1980. It was introduced in 1981. Automatic only and by the way, it was the fastest automatic car you could buy in 81 and the third fastest car in the world in 81. Do you see anything under that hood that shows a Turbo setup? Oh, don’t forget the car says Turbo on the valve cover too. This car is a 1980 2 seats GL package with the leather/auto climate control option. Someone put the Turbo badge in front of the shifter. A stick by the way. Remember, first Turbos were automatic only. They also outran the 5 speed 82/83 Turbos by a long shot. I do not see the Turbo twin pipes out the back. Do any of you? Those wheels are non turbo 82/82 wheels. No headlight washers? Turbo has them. Where is the boost gauge? I see a non Turbo volt gauge. It’s not a 79 as Leather was first offered in 80 with the short back seats. Cloth seats were highback until 82. T Tops were first offered in 80. Someone put that hood on from an 81 Turbo or any 82/83 model as it became standard for 82. I hate to be an ass picking on the guy who wrote this up and half the guys who responded that it’s a Turbo but come one now. By the way, those side louvers are very rare and worth a lot, if you can even locate them anymore. Here is a real 81 Turbo. Yes, I am a true 81 Datsun 280ZX Turbo nutcase.
The important thing is that the seller does not make a claim that it is the Turbo model.
I agree with “nessy”. There were no ’80 Turbos. I bought a brand new, off the showroom floor, silver ZX and the hood was smooth. No NACA ducts on any of them. Easiest way to recognize a Turbo when they DID come out. My car, BTW, was a true “stripper”. No power anything, certainly not a sunroof or anything that added weight. The dealer really worked hard to get me to take it, and my woman friend worked on him to get the price ever lower. That car was quick AND fast. Really smooth too. Probably died the death of rust-worm here in the “salty” Mid-West….
So for <$2300 someone got a rare (now)nice looking fun to drive classic car with a salvage title. What's wrong with that?