Tracking down the family 280z

[halle24x]

Hello all,

Does anyone know where I might begin in my search to track down my family's old 280z? My mother purchased a new silver Z car in 1977 in Utah and kept it until the mid-1980s where it was sold in Kingsport, Tennessee. I remember seeing the car locally well into the mid-1990s when we moved out of the area. I would imagine the car is still in eastern Tennessee if it is still in existence.

I am looking to buy the car (if I can find it), do a restoration (I can't believe I am willing to subject myself to yet another restoration!!), and surprise my mother in a few years, if all works according to plan.

Anyone know how I could begin my search?? The biggest problem is that I doubt my family has any of the original documentation, but I will do some looking around. I wonder if the Utah DMV would have any records that I could pull the VIN from? Any other ideas??

Thanks!

Joshua Juel

Duluth, Minnesota

[zpizzaman20]

I found the vin of an old car through my Dad's insurance company.

They had them all in the file.

[KDMatt]

Wow! I admire you for taking on a task like that!

My only suggestion I can give you is that if you suspect the car may still be in Tenessee, see if you can find a Z-car club for Tenessee (if there is one... and I would hope there is). You might get lucky!

Keep us updated!... and no, regrettably, the Z in my possession although silver, is not yours. Mine was originally sold in Oklahoma... then made its way up to Kansas, and finally here to MN about 14 years ago.

[hls30.com]

You can pay a title search company to hunt for it by telling them you need a bonded title for it-about $100 or so.

You can run acarfax-I think you can get one free somewhere on the web. Most DMVs will issue a report of a specific vin for about $5, some will not give you the owners name and address, but will give you the city and last time it was registered.

Will

[zbane]

CARFAX won't work for you. They only track VIN's from 1981 up. I searched Tennessee Datsun Clubs, this one looks good, maybe a good place to start...

http://www.middletennesseezclub.com

good luck-

[Darrel]

Even if you don't find it, you can always find one similar and fix it up for her. You never know if the old car is still on the road and if it is what kind of shape it's in.

[KDMatt]

Even if you don't find it, you can always find one similar and fix it up for her. You never know if the old car is still on the road and if it is what kind of shape it's in.

Hey yeah, that's true.

For all we know the old car could exist simultaneously in several places at once in the form of salvage parts.

[=Enigma=]

I'm sure she'd be overjoyed with any Z you built for her due to the fact you thought of her and spent the effort to make it happen. Don't kill youreself trying to find the original. Odds are either that you won't find it, or that it is no longer available for one reason or another. It doesn't take much to please Mom when the gift comes from the heart.