Buying 280Z, Battery Tray Rust Question - With Pics!

[mec011]

This may be my first post, but I've been lurking for a while, soaking up all the info I can! I'm considering purchasing a 1978 280z.

I'm really looking for a car I can drive and enjoy, I have a 2004 350Z that's my daily driver, and I've gotten the bug for an older one to have fun on the weekends with. The price will be a bit under $3000, and it needs tires, and a muffler, (and brake work, which I can do). which sounds reasonable to me, but maybe not to any of you??

Here are some of the flaws, etc I noticed when I went down to look at it.

-It runs good, no smoke, hesitations, etc, and the 5 speed shifts firmly with no grinds or anything. It drives very well, but needs one rear brake worked on, the seller claims it's leaking down over time, and to that end, the red "BRAKE" light flickers on and off as you drive, the master cylinder is full, which is usually what causes the flickering light on every other car I've had. It also seems to not have power steering, which I believe is correct for a 280z?

-The interior is okay, both seats have small cracks, etc, no carpet in the drivers section, but there is in the rear hatch. The dash is cracked. All the gauges seem to work with no trouble. It present well inside, other than the few flaws I mentioned. It supposedly has A/C, doesn't work, but the blower does.

-The exterior is alright, the paint is black pearl, has the 638 paint code sticker but I don't believe it is the SAP, no stripes, one (wrong) mirror. Seller claims its the original paint, which I kinda believe, it's cracked and spiderwebed, a real 20 foot paint job

The good thing about the car is it's overall rust free. The seller claims it's been garaged most of it's life. The underside looks really solid as well as the doglegs and rockers. There is a bit of bubbling on the lower quarter panel next to the muffler. The floor boards, driver and passenger, both have one icepick sized whole, but look solid otherwise. The only big issue is the battery tray area. Seller claims it was recent, from, go figure, a leaking battery. I've taken some photos, and advice on how bad it looks would be appreciated. It seems to be just surface rust right now, the rails seem to be solid from tapping on them. But this is the only one I've seen, so...?

Any comments would be appreciated! Also, I suppose I should ask, I'm looking, total initial budget, at maybe $3500, max, to have a drivable, if cosmetically poor, car on the road. I'd consider any 240Z, 260Z, 280Z, but I am partial to the 240Z, simple for the "original Z" factor, however I'm not buying one to collect, just to drive and experience and enjoy, so I wont be disappointed in a 280Z, but it seems as if getting into a rust free driver 240Z is going to exceed that budget, at least on the East Coast? But maybe I'm wrong? Hope fully this is a realistic starting price to get into any classic Z at all? Thanks!

Edited July 19, 2009 by mec011

[bigoak]

Hmm..

The battery tray rust is there, but there don't seem to be any perforations so you could clean up the area and probably be alright...

I would really look into the floor issues. Pinhole rust throughs are usually evidence of a lot of bad stuff to come...

No power steering is correct...you should see the biceps at club meets...

Your budget is tight but not impossible. Truly and completely rust free (but needing paint) will be more and a 240Z slightly more again. This car would seem to be about right for the price assuming the floors are not really too rough.

You might want to look at this: http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/1277775292.html

Good luck with the hunt.

Edited July 19, 2009 by bigoak

[mec011]

Thanks all the info Bigoak! The big issue with the 72 in charlotte is no title right now, it looks good, I emailed him about the possibility of getting a duplicate, but you pretty much have to have the title, the laws just changed this year and are very strict about classic cars now, but i'll run it down.

Also, on the 280Z I went and looked at, the (tiny) holes in the floor pan are a bit odd, they seem solid, there really is no rust, just two pinholes, one in each floor, so go figure?? I should have taken more pics!

[undercat]

Don't waste your time on that 240 on craigslist in China Grove. I went to see it 2 weeks ago. It has so much rust it would be a huge project. The big spots include a huge hole behind the driver's seat and the whole floor pan would need replacing. It has fiberglass front fenders and hood and also a body kit I don't even recognize (the front air dam looks home made) so it's not even close to stock. There was through wall rust in multiple locations, including the A-piller and rear deck (and in the metal under that!). The only thing good was that the motor ran.

I live in the University Area. PM me if you want help looking at 1st gens. I went through the same thing when I got my 75 3 years ago.

-Paul