While I can understand having more money than brains is a common ailment in this country, it still blows my mind that people will park good cars and let them rot. This 1982 Datsun 280ZX may not have been perfect when it went into storage, but the craigslist description will still make you cringe when you read it. Said to be a victim of a building collapse, this once “pristine” example here on craigslist will need lots of love (go here if the ad disappears).
Thanks to Barn Finds reader AMXBrian for sending this one in. The 280ZX is a basketcase and potentially a lost cause, but seeing it described as a mint condition car that was “stored away” in an “offsite garage” before it ended up like this is a bit of a head-scratcher. While not enormously valuable, its location in Beverly, Massachusetts tells you that if it survived the 80s without becoming a road salt and snow statistic, the rust brought on by poor storage is doubly painful.
Other evidence of damage is apparent, from the smashed out tail lamps to the lack of side glass. While a roof collapse may have caused the windows to blow out, broken tail lights just screams vandalism to me, which only compounds the effects of poor storage unseen by a car’s owner. The 1982 models weren’t necessarily exceptional, but they did receive some nice tweaks including the NACA hood ducting seen in the top photo and new-for-82 alloy wheels. Sad to say, but the then-new voice warning system (door ajar, lights on, etc.) likely no longer works.
It’s hard to tell if the roof damage was caused by the collapse or it’s just begun rusting as a result of exposure to the elements. The seller is asking a very optimistic $1,600, or will consider trades for a Porsche 928 of similar value. Sorry to disappoint the seller, but no one is making that trade unless the 928 is actively consumed by fire. I’m going to keep my eyes peeled on local scrapyard websites as I’m fairly confident it will pop up at Jack’s in nearby Billerica.
The seller doesn’t even attempt to support his claim that this car was in pristine condition when parked in 1998. Without that it should be considered nothing more than a marketing tool designed to separate you from more of your money than would otherwise be required to purchase this $250 parts car.
Steve R
@Steve, $250.00?? That’s junk price around here. Just the 14″ alloys are worth that! Not to mention if it has been sitting that long out of the sunlight, odds are the dash is uncracked and worth another $500.00+. You are way off base on this one my friend….you have a $500 parts car that could make you a few grand parting it out. Hell, just the radio/cassette with housing is a $200 Bill all day long( if they made a 200 bill) Lol!
The $250 was meant to be facetious. I’ve parted out several cars, add up the more expensive, quick to sell items, base your offer off of that, if you are willing to deal with the $40-50 parts that’s where the profit is made.
I still don’t think this is worth $1,600.
Steve R
rx7 where exactly are you?
@Steve
No I understand you’re point entirely trust me. Its not worth 1600 for Sure, that we def agree on 100% but those 40-50 dollar parts add up quick and to me it’s all profit with minimal effort to remove them. I know I’m in the minority with the imports around here but it’s my dads fault(lol), he bought me my first car….a 79 Datsun 280zx 2+2 and I fell in love, that was 30+ years ago now and have never lost the love of imports. You’re comments are as valid as mine, no offense meant at all.
No offense taken.
Steve R
I agree with the seller (Joe) that this would be an awesome parts car, but I can not see how this could possibly be a great restoration project. At least it is a 5-speed stick plus the seller states that he has the keys and the title which is huge. Wonder how many miles are on it? I also agree with BF author Jeff that this will probably will end up at Jack’s in North Billerica (near Lowell, MA) or possibly at Holland’s just down the street. I hope for Joe that I am wrong and someone will negotiate a deal to buy it at a reasonable price.
The one redeeming thing about this car is that it appears to have that rather sweet 5-speed box. These are quite popular for Datsun enthusiasts here in Australia for bolting behind warmed-over L16/L18/L20 engines as they are quite robust. $1600 worth of robust? Probably not.
If the seller is willing to look at swapping this for a 928 of similar value, all he is doing is swapping scrap for scrap.
If one owns a parts depot sure it could part out for more .
I don’t think my neighbors in my upscale with by laws for houses would except a tarp on a pick in pull situation!
I agree it’s a scrap yard sell and 500 is 💪 price.
FYI did the garage fall years ago? The rusted thru roof says a sweaty damp rust incubator to me and spawning mild and mildew mixed with mice nests and droppings everywhere.
So anyone thinking of cutting the top off and making the red neck 4×4 unit jacked up. 😎😄😄😎
Kidding as I hate er dislike even rusted out mice chewed 280z on big tire units!!!
1600 bargain day rightttttttt😂😂
Please relax it is crap .
Might be drift car fodder but considering it last ran 20 years ago even they won’t pay that much for it. You’d think that someone really trying to sell it would at least knock the first layer of dust off it and back it into the daylight to get some decent pictures so you could see the extent of the damage.
That roof cancer happened on my ‘83, and that was in ‘87, so it was a bit of a problem on these cars!
I had an 83′. I called it my disco car. The Z soul and mystique was lost on the ZX. I had two 280’s prior and there was no comparison. My ZX left the building after I flipped and rolled it. Walked away without a scratch.
Pass.
I bought one of these just to get the 15 inch wheels for my 280Z. The interior and body held up worse than all the earlier Zs that I had. Lots of rust, cracked and fraded plastics. The motors were strong and they were one of the quickest and fastest cars around. faster than a contemporary Corvette or Trans Am. I parted out the motor and tranny kept the wheels and scrapped the rest. That’s all this one is good for at 300.00. Tops.
I have a friend who is going to sell me his 280 Z/X for 500.00, the body and paint is good interior is perfect ( small crack on the dash ) but needs a starter. He is the original owner so after seeing this one I’m pretty happy with the one I’m getting.These cars are not extremely fast but they handle decent and ride fairly good. I think this guy is way out of line with this price. just saying
I think the duct in the hood means it’s a turbo.
Nope. 82-83 z cars all had the scoop.
Toast, wasted, junk, scrap, garbage.
Think you need to amend that to: “more credit than brains”, Jeff.