What’s your favorite Z-car? Do you like early 240s? The cushy 280ZX? Or is the very most modern Z Performance more up your alley? Every car has its fans, and it looks like this 1978 Datsun 280Z coupe here on eBay has several. Nineteen bids have pushed its price up to $950 in a no-reserve auction. Found wearing a heavy coat of grime after a thirty-year slumber, this project car could either be a donor or a restoration candidate. After we look at its merits and issues, you can let me know what direction you’d take this car in the comments below.
The 280 is to the 240 what a house cat is to a cougar: still spry, but without the zingy handiness that we all so enjoyed in the earlier car. The 2.8-liter Bosch fuel-injected engine had grown in displacement over the earlier 260, compensating for layers of emission controls and the heavy 5 mph bumpers that regulations required. With an output of 168 hp and sipping fuel at the rate of only 22 mpg (great for the day), the 280 helped erase the reputational dent that Datsun suffered with the 260. By 1977, Datsun was offering a five-speed manual – an advantage over the older four-speed and certainly more desirable than the automatic. Of course, this car hasn’t run in some time. The seller notes that the odometer reads 53,000. I like this shot of the underside – it’s hard to tell where the floors stop and the sand starts, like if you turned the photo upside down it would still make sense!
Love the seat covers – they remind me of this Leopard Appaloosa, a rare color breed. Very ’70s. The original color was tan, and yes, there’s a lot of work in here. The dash wears a toupée – likely indicating trouble underneath – and the steering wheel has lost its outer covering. Might as well strip it all out and start over.
I call this the White Picture – all the vehicles are white. That’s the better to show off the rust, which isn’t explicitly mentioned but does show up here and there in the listing. I know folks love those louvers, and my Mustang wears them, but talk about hard to see out the back. So can we look past the non-running condition, the rust, the interior issues – really the total restoration required here? The 280Z is still a decent performer for the day; its looks are appealing; this is a coupe, not the 2+2; and it’s not an auto. Nice examples sell around $20k to $25k. Are there enough checkmarks in the “pro” column to make this car a restoration project, or is it best used as a donor?
What’s up with the VIN plate?
Saw that and wondered about the use of screws and the holes in the firewall. eBay has a 79 in Florida and the VIN plate is larger, but held in place by screws too.
As you can see from the engine picture the emissions vacuum system is a nightmare thanks to California this car will run and drive better with that junk removed looks like it will be a fun toy to get back on the road for someone outside of California
What’s up with that steering wheel cover? It looks like it has leprosy, or maybe it caught on fire? Most of the black stuff on the outside looks like mold not rust, but there are a few significant areas of penetration. You’ll need courage to restore this one but it might not be all bad. The underside looks OK?
The outside looks like our white 1968 Country Squire after the culvert dipping plant started operation down the road. Could be a lot of soot, etc. but maybe mold or mildew or who knows what.
This one is borderline – probably doable if you can get it cheap enough and have access to an interior trim kit.
Definitely a restoration candidate (if that VIN plate can be verified and it’s not a stolen car). The rust in the left rear rocker doesn’t look too bad, but there’s likely more than meets the eye. Looks like someone took a rattle can to that area as well. In fact, the whole things looks a bit rattle-canned. Not sure what we’re looking at in the undercarriage area…just surface rust or real cancer. Looking at the windows and inner fenders, this looks pretty solid overall. Too bad it’s 3000 miles away. In my neighborhood and I’d be bidding. The 79 on eBay looks even better at a $2600 asking price, wherever Mims, FL is.
Holy cow, I’m sure the torn upholstery looks better than those cow-moo-flage seat covers…
Good candidate for a complete teardown and an injection of vitamin LS6. The 280 with those bigger bumpers and heavier chassis metal in the front was heavier and not nearly as sprightly as the early 240’s. Getting rid of the avoirdupois and putting in an engine that is lighter than the original 6 banger and had about 3x the power would be a really good start. The interior needs a total redo too so you’re going to have to tear almost all of the car apart and once you’ve done that you might just as well put in the LS and a T56 and then enjoy the ride.
Another option would be to keep it “all Nissan” and drop in a NISMO 3.7 out of a 370Z. Those can be had on Ebay for anywhere between $2k and $4k, depending on condition and if it has the 6 speed attached. That gets you around 370 hp and it would be a hoot with that setup and again it’s lighter than the lump that came out of it. That motor isn’t as torquey as a LS, but it zings up to 7500 rpm. Slap some mild flares on it and the “long nose” kit and it would be a really nice exotic for a very reasonable cost.
Wash the crud off of it and cruise over to Mel’s Drive In. Say Hi to Toad for me.