SAME OWNER SINCE '79, WELL-MAINTAINED, ONE RESPRAY, REBUILT 2.8L I6, 5-SPEED, AC

Description

There's no question that the Datsun 280Z changed the way we look at sports cars in America. Affordable sports cars had all but vanished by the time this 1977 example was built, and despite those dark years of emissions controls, they still managed to deliver sparkling performance.
This is one of those Z-cars that was treated like something special from the very beginning. Whether it was a visionary who recognized that someday this car would be a collector's item or merely a fellow who loved his new Z, someone made sure this car stayed fresh over the years. The bronze paint job is back in fashion after all these years, and you'll probably find that out on the road, folk will stop at lights just to ask you what color it is. There's a golden glow underneath that shows up in the right light, and it highlights things like the hood bulge and the gentle curve of the rear fender as it comes together with the roof. Along the way, someone added a deep chin spoiler, a ducktail spoiler out back, and a set of smooth headlight covers, but there's no mistaking this car's DNA. It's got some signs of use and age, but it still generates a ton of attention, particularly for the money. It's been retrofitted with a smaller chrome front bumper from an earlier model, which is a great choice, and the blacked-out tail panel looks racy.
The black interior is definitely 1970s fashion, but it's remarkably well preserved and after you embrace the coolness that is the disco era, you'll find a very stylish and functional cockpit inside. The buckets are supportive, and thanks to that durable upholstery, show only a few splits and scuffs that are a natural product of age. Door panels and carpets are well preserved for being 40 years old, with the cargo bay showing no ill effects from UV rays or dirty cargo. The dash was the same in all the first-generation Z-cars, and the round auxiliary gauge pods in the center are a design statement that can still be found in today's 370Z. A leather-wrapped wheel and stubby shifter with a matching knob reinforce the performance feel that was so carefully engineered by Nissan designers. This Z also features things like working factory A/C and an AM/FM/CD stereo with an amp and a pair of bazooka subwoofers in the trunk.
The silky smooth inline-six featured a single overhead camshaft, and was enlarged to 2.8 liters to bolster low-end torque for American tastes. Combined with the svelte curb weight, the 280Z is generally regarded as the best-performing of the first-generation cars. The engine is smooth and feels like it can pull forever, and makes a brawny six-cylinder bellow through the single exhaust pipe. It looks like there's a lot going on under the forward-canted hood, but in reality these are reliable, durable cars that are surprisingly easy to work on, so have no fears about that. The cam cover was painted to match the bodywork, but otherwise it remains quite stock and runs superbly. The chassis offers lively handling thanks to a fully independent setup fore and aft, as well as powerful braking that's better than most cars of the era. The chassis is very clean and solid, although not detailed for show, but with no problem areas, either. And as a child of the '70s, nothing looks more appropriate than a set of "kidney bean" aluminum wheels, which sit on 215/60/14 blackwall radials.
The Z-car changed the automotive landscape, and collectors are now starting to realize its special place in history. Relive one of the '70s greatest hits and call today!