The Nissan S130 platform has been recognized as a classic 1980s sports car for the last few decades. From pop culture references to all levels of professional racing, Nissan’s flagship coupe always had the looks and performance to preserve its status as one of the top five most recognizable Japanese-made two seaters. However, their values have seemingly always been fairly stagnant due to large-scale production numbers that hardly made them rare. But the passage of time has changed that, as has the model’s sensitive sheet metal which has rendered many of them to the scrap heap. This 1983 Nissan 280ZX is a largely rust-free project car located in New Hampshire, and listed here on Facebook Marketplace for $4,300.

I have a few of these I’m trying to sell as parts cars down on my friend’s property in North Georgia, and while one or two of them could be put back on the road, it makes more sense to spend around $4-$5K on something like this if you can’t do your own bodywork. Of course, the devil is in the details with the S130, as some models came with turbocharged engines; some were two seaters, while others were 2+2’s; and still others had T-tops while some were slicktops. So, it really does come down to which option suits you best (it’s worth mentioning we have one of each in Georgia!) This example features the naturally aspirated six-cylinder powerplant with a T-top roof and manual transmission.

Many of these cars were fitted with an automatic transmission due to their reputation for being competent grand tourers; today, most enthusiasts want to find one such as this, with three pedals. The interior is in decent shape, but the dash is sporting the typical cracks and the cloth bucket seats have clearly faded to orange. A red dash, console, and door panels (and the seats, too, at one time) is hardly uncommon; in fact, one might say it’s a staple of 1980s cars and trucks. The seller reports that the Datsun was garaged or stored in a barn for most of its life, so it’s a little surprising to see the seats exhibiting this much fading. The dash, on the other hand, would crack if you looked at it wrong.

Drivetrains aren’t exactly exotic, but the six cylinder engines made good power for the era. With the manual, it will certainly feel lively enough, but the turbocharged model is the way to go if you’re looking for the high-performing option. That’s what the seller is doing, as he plans to focus his attention on a turbocharged S130 he’s acquired in the meantime and let someone else finish up the naturally-aspirated car. The Datsun does run and drive but is not registered, and the seller doesn’t report any details about how well it runs and drives: yard drives only? Any overheating? Etc., etc. Still, if rust truly is minimal and the only alteration is a later radio, then this seems like a good buy for a youngtimer classic that won’t lose any value in the short term.