New guy w/? on buying 76 280z

[Fox 2/7]

Thanks ahead of time for all of your help. I may be posting in the wrong section and if I am please excuse me, it's my first post. I have just begun to look for a z to buy and I'm going Saturday, that's why I posted in the urgent section, to look at a 76 one owner car with 176k miles. I am a completely ignorant about the 280z but I love the looks of the car and I know it has a good reputation among its owners.

What I'd like to know is:

1. What's the price range for a fixer upper that runs, to one that is say an 8 out of 10, keeping in mind the year and the miles on this car?

2. Anything specific to the 280z that I should look for?

3. How difficult are parts to find?

4. If the 176k miles are on the original engine without it having been rebuilt should I expect to get many more miles or is a rebuild in the near future?

5. What kind of mileage does a 4 speed z get, I'm going to be driving it to work everyday, abut 90 miles round trip?

6. What engines were available?

One more bit of information about the car is the asking price of 2500 and its all original.

[hf240z]

if i am the one buying a z, i will go for no smog year z. what ever year you buy, one way or another you have to fix it anyway. at least you dont have to worry about smog test, year after year.

[Fox 2/7]

Thanks, I live in Alabama and we've yet to start inspections.

[rusty260z]

What I'd like to know is:

1. What's the price range for a fixer upper that runs, to one that is say an 8 out of 10, keeping in mind the year and the miles on this car?

2. Anything specific to the 280z that I should look for?

3. How difficult are parts to find?

4. If the 176k miles are on the original engine without it having been rebuilt should I expect to get many more miles or is a rebuild in the near future?

5. What kind of mileage does a 4 speed z get, I'm going to be driving it to work everyday, abut 90 miles round trip?

6. What engines were available?

One more bit of information about the car is the asking price of 2500 and its all original.

-personal experience only , dont know if it applies to others

2. rust and more bloody rust,

3. depends on how many z are in ure area for parting out, but you can buy almost anything of the internet for a price. bread and butter parts like slave cylinders arnt really expansive, id say cheaper than newer cars.

4. bit of smoke at start up, and a bit of oil use, have to top up or change my oil every 6 months. basically have to check your oil probably once a week.

the secondary stuff i my car has given out before the actual engine and trans, so far, alternator, cluth slave and master cylinder, fuel pump. only things left are brakes, oil and water pumps and shocks. i guss if you get a engine thats been looked after it should last a while. most rebuild are to get more power.

5.im sorry to say not the greatest. 30 Liters usually last me 120 km, but then i do drive hard often, just cant help my self in the dam thing. also the fuel guage in my car isnt really very accurate, i usually fill up just to be safe, and aftermarket guage would be really helpful in figuring out real milage. Also it dosnt pic up the fuel if it drop below a certain level (about 1/8 fill) aand starts stalling at the lights, again could be a case for only my car.

if you gona use the car a lot, make sure that the a/c or air blower works, that it defrost the windows, and that it dosnt let in exhaust fumes from rear hatch, also that it waterproof, all the lights work, its the little things that really make using my car diffcult.

laters

[Fox 2/7]

The car has been in the southern US, so hopefully not much rust. Thanks for the heads up on the defrost, I hadn't thought of that.

[zhead240]

check out this zed.seems to be a great deal if it's as good as he says it is. only problem-it's on the west coast, but it gives u an idea what price and condition to expect.

http://www.zcar.com/classifieds/index.php?method=showdetails&list=advertisement&rollid=18510&fromfromlist=classifiedscategory&fromfrommethod=showhtmllist&fromfromid=29&

[venom42]

Did you end up getting the car?