HELP ME OUT GUYS.....

OK, i just bought another 77 280z, i think?!?!?!? ive been doing some checking and i found out it only has a vin#. One on the fire wall and the other on the dash. ... When i was looking for other id plates or other markings, i couldnt find them. i think it was repainted but i dont know.... i have a few numbers off the block and cylinder head, and trans but how can i tell if they are original??? same with the color, haw can i tell what the original color is supose to be??? It does has some stickers from the factory under the hood but they are in japaneze and i think its just warrnings..

HELP ME PLEASE. I dont want to look stupid here!

I'm not sure if 280's were the same, but I'll tell you how you know with a 240.

There should be 2 ID plates, one on the driver's door sill, and one on the passenger wheel well in the engine bay. Those two would have all most of the info you are asking about (Build date, original engine number...). Along with those, the "VIN" would be stamped on the dash, and there was a sticker on the front cross member (right in front of the radiator cap) that would say your original paint code.

Sounds like your ID plates are gone, so finding out the original engine won't be possible. If the paint sticker is gone as well, theres no way to know other than digging into your paint possibly.

So you might just be SOL. Try http://www.zhome.com to check and see if it's been registered there though.

Seems to me that I recall that the later 280Zs did not list the engine number on a data plate anywhere. If so, you may not be able to determine if the engine is original for certain.

On my 76 - 280 there is a plate on the driver side in the engine bay by the master cylinder. It is held in place by 4 metal screws. The plate has the VIN number and the Engine number. There is also a plate riveted to the drivers side door post by the back wheel. This plate only has the VIN number. There are pictures on my web site in closeups.

Thanks, Michael. After looking about a bit, I think they stopped putting the engine number on the engine compartment plate in '77. I could still be wrong though, so owners of '77 and '78 280Zs should correct me if necessary.

I have a 78, they don't mark the engine number on the plate inside the engine compartment.