i need an opinion!!!

[Migu3l]

ok well i am looking at a 1975-78 280Z. outside is in great condition. motor looks good. but the thing is he wants 600 for it. i know something gots to be wrong with it. im just not sure what. he said it has a clicking noise inside the engine and my stupid self mentioned the rocker arms and now he doesnt tell me what he said was wrong. the guy works at a shop. i need to know if it is worth it. mind that he doesnt have the original or spare key and the driver door lach is broken. only way to get in is through the back or the passanger door.

[240260280z]

need photos and more details

[Migu3l]

i will post photos later. i dont have too many details. its a non turbo. 5 spd. i6. looks to have had an oil change and trans has new clutch.(from what the guy has told me) i hasnt been use for a good 6 months. what else can i add? oh yeah inerior is in need of an overhaul. i dont think it has a sterio ether.

[Migu3l]

here is how it looks on the outside

[5thhorsemann]

$600. is about as low as a running Z will go for, maby bottoming at 500 or 400. If the outside looks that good I don't see how you can get hurt on the car. Worst case is you end up with a parts car for the next Z you find. Try to beat him down on the price of course, but if it's as described I'd pick it up.

Just saw the pics, buy it!

Edited January 6, 2012 by 5thhorsemann
just saw the pics

[Migu3l]

yeah i really want it. thing is i dont really trust the guy. for example i went one morning to see the car. 2 days later i went again but with my dad to show him and the guy wasnt there. but this other mechanic came over and asked what i wanted and i told him and he said the guy had left to africa... i was sceptical and sure enough my gut was right. later that day i had to work and well i just decided to see it one more time and sure enough the guy that was suposed to be in africa was there working. thats why im not so sure if i should get it. i think its a scam. i havent seen the title for the car ether so it could not even be his. plus i have school right now and i need a daily driver that wont break down. still i would love to have it as my project car!

[Migu3l]

and i dont know if it even runs as he said he has lost the keys to the car...

[SteveJ]

To elaborate on what Phil wrote...

ok well i am looking at a 1975-78 280Z. outside is in great condition.

Does this mean you looked underneath the car thoroughly.

motor looks good.

Does this mean that the engine bay is clean, or did you take off the valve cover to examine the top end, at least pulled the dipstick to check the oil condition and check timing, compression, sparkplugs, etc?

but the thing is he wants 600 for it. i know something gots to be wrong with it. im just not sure what. he said it has a clicking noise inside the engine and my stupid self mentioned the rocker arms and now he doesnt tell me what he said was wrong. the guy works at a shop. i need to know if it is worth it. mind that he doesnt have the original or spare key and the driver door lach is broken. only way to get in is through the back or the passanger door.

How much money are you willing to put into the car? Do you have a place to work on it? How badly do you want it? Is it worth $600 + repair costs to you?

[5thhorsemann]

Can't speak to a shifty owner, thats your call. I wouldn't go for this as a daily driver if you aren't skilled mechanically, and have a cash stash you can dip into. Lots of work to do to make it a reliable car, but thats another thread, do some searches and read up on whats necessary to "wake the car up".

[Migu3l]

@steve: no i did not look under the car. in the engine bay i just looked at it. i didnt take anything apart. and the oil is new as he has not turned it on since he lost the keys. and im willing to invest whatever is needed its just im not able to do so as fast. thats why i say its going to be a project car. i do want to make it a daily or weekend driver in the future. like i said before it could be just that rocker arm that needs repair but i have no clue if that is the only issue. i want to try to find or see if a key can be made for it so that i can at least test drive it. in the condition that its in its a bargin. i was going to work on the whole engine after i got it anyways.

@5th: what do you mean by a "shifty" owner? i am going to a tech school for auto tech right now. its a good 30 min drive to and from school.

[Jeff G 78]

Looks like a solid deal to me. Rust is your only real enemy with Z cars. Crawl under the car and look at it closely. Do a search here for common rust areas and you should find lots of help in knowing where to look for rust. If you can't find the answer, post again and I'll walk you through the rust-prone spots. The broken door handle is a free repair. Just swap the RH and LH handles and both sides will work fine. If the body is as good as it looks, the car is worth $600 even if the motor is shot. Be prepared to go through the FI system and probably the fuel tank if it hasn't run in a while. Also search for Z clubs in your area. Chances are good, you can get a local Z expert to go with you and inspect the car. Most of us Z nuts are happy to help out if we can.

EDIT: Be sure to find the VIN stamp on the firewall and compare it to the dash VIN and title. Also be sure to get a signed bill of sale and be sure the signature matches the one on the title. When you buy it, take a picture of the seller standing next to the car so you can ID him to the authorities just in case something is fishy.

Edited January 6, 2012 by Jeff G 78

[Zed Head]

Try any old Nissan or Datsun key in the ignition. It will probably work. The ignition locks are usually worn out and any key that goes in will turn it.

The door locks are a different story, but my 1995 Pathfinder key will start my 1976 Z.

p.s. I wouldn't waste much more effort on it until I saw the title. If he's lost the key and you're getting the run-around, I would bet that the title is unavailable also. Don't take just a bill of sale, unless Texas has really easy title transfer laws.

Edited January 6, 2012 by Zed Head