I just got a 1978 280Z last Friday, after a fairly quick search for a good one. I fell in love with the body style and overall character of the Z when my friend (who pointed me here) was looking at them. I couldn't get the same kind of car as her, especially since we both wanted a "unique" car. Something that looks good, has personality, and you don't see everyday.

Well, she somehow landed a Porsche a few months ago, and I jumped on the Z.

My Z is in pretty good shape, besides needing a new paint job. It has a oddity of having a fuel-injected engine from a '76 280, as the original car had a carburated engine.

Started doing minor repairs and cosmetic fixes the day after I got it. Going to replace a U-Joint and brakes within the next week or so. Also, the Z is the first car I'm learning stick on.

Well, that's my story. Here's some pictures!

First off, Welcome to the club! Second, she looks damn fine and what a good choice, I have a '76 and third, all 280s from '75 to '78 had the fuel injected engines and yours looks bone stock. To be sure look on the inner driver's fender in the engine bay. There will be a build plaque with the engine size, hp and serial number. Then on the passenger side of the engine look under the 5 and 6 spark plug, there will be a pad on the block with a number stamped into it. It should read L28-******, compare the two numbers and you'll know if the engine is stock or not, but by judging by your photos I'd say she's stock and in real good condition. Congrats!

That may be a 76 engine looking at the split fuel rail and the lack of a dashpot on the linkage but it's basically the same engine that would be in a 78 as Dan said, no carbs on a 78. 4 or 5 speed? It also has factory AC. It appears to be in a little better shape than my 78 was when I first purchased it.

Welcome aboard, your new Z looks great. The paint doesn't look that bad, looks like mostly the clearcoat that is shot.

I wonder how that would look after some compound and elbow grease/or buffer. My paint was worse and came back to life pretty good.

Anyway - I don't think you'll find a 70's car with much more character than a Z. Enjoy.

Hey Spectre,

Welcome to the club. Beware of the addictiveness of Z's (way worse than Porsches...). Search and scrounge the forums here. Almost anything you might need to know can be found. If you can't find it, ask and you will be amazed at the speed, accuracy and thorough nature of the responses. Truly a neat place...

Welcome! I think you got the better end of the deal, as your friend will discover when it comes time to pay for Porsche work or parts! Makes the Z look like a real bargin! :classic:

Good looking car. Welcome aboard, from another newbie. :laugh:

That may be a 76 engine looking at the split fuel rail and the lack of a dashpot on the linkage but it's basically the same engine that would be in a 78 as Dan said, no carbs on a 78. 4 or 5 speed? It also has factory AC. It appears to be in a little better shape than my 78 was when I first purchased it.

It's a 5 speed. Hmm... I've heard before that they didn't use carbs on the

'78, which is kind of confusing. The service records indicate that "Car would not start. Customer installed a Fuel-injection system from a '76 280Z"

Looking through records from the previous previous owner, one of the invoices from '99 indicate that he ordered a pair of carbs- "240Z3ScRemanCarb Pair" & "ExtraZ4Cores inbound pair of carbs complete". Also seems that according to another previous owner, that the car was completely rebuilt in 1989. one of the things mentioned is twin carburetors.

Doesn't a 240 use twin carbs?

The AC works, oddly enough. Just needs some more freon I think to perform better. It did get changed to R-134A within the last couple years, looking at some service records from the previous owner.

Here's another picture of the engine from the other side.

Thanks for the welcome!

The 240 and the 260z had twin carbs, All the 280z's had FI. My 75 will have carbs tho but not from the factory.

I doubt your car ever had carbs. It looks good too. Nice find.

Welcome to the club

Could be that the 78 fuel injection was replaced with the 76 fuel injection though I don't know why someone would do that as, at least in my opinion and I've been around these cars for a while, the 78 version of the EFI is an improved version of the 76 EFI. As far as the AC goes, if it's a stock 76 factory system, R134a is not good for it in the long run and will cause problems over time due to the fact that it has smaller molecules which makes it prone to leaking in an R12 designed system, and it requires higher pressures to cool properly which will also make it prone to leaking in and system that is not desinged specifically for R134a. That has been argued before but I am also a licensed MVAC/HVAC tech and I base my findings on my experience. The fact that you say "Just needs some more freon I think to perform better" bears out what I'm saying since freon doesn't go away or get used up. The only way it gets low is by leaking.

She's a pretty girl with an interesting history!

What more could you ask for!

Will

Looks like a really nice starting point... the car is in pretty good shape; better than most at the start of a project.

I've had a '76 for 12 years, and I have yet to drive anything else more fun (that I can afford, anyway! )

Good Luck!