280Z factory options

[oldskuz]

Hi all! I have been looking for a while to add a classic Z to my modern Z collection and have came across a clean 75 280Z but saw something odd that I have not seen on other S30's which seems to look or be a soft top with sunroof. Here is a photo of the car.

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[SteveJ]

Neither are factory options. A sunroof invites leaks. A vinyl top invites rust as water is trapped against the body.

[dltalfa]

The vinyl top and sun roof are both "period correct" after market, (or dealer installed) accessories.

Same as the rear spoiler, the rear window louvers, the body side molding, the allow wheels and white side wall tires. All of these items on the car pictured are after market accesories that were "fairly" common sight back in the 70's. But not factory.

[26th-Z]

Oh contrairio! The "leather top" was a factory option - part number D4160-00003 and superseded by D4160-00016.

[SteveJ]

I stand corrected.

[dltalfa]

Wasn't D4160-00003 a dealer installed option? Just like the dealer installed A/C, side stripes and spoilers. I thought it was installed here in the US, not a Datsun / Nissan option? But I may be wrong.

Edited April 16, 2013 by dltalfa

[sblake01]

D4160-00003 is in the microfiche. Dealer installed options wouldn't be listed there.

[Jarvo2]

I saw this car on Chicago Craiglist and I'd be fearful of the rust!!

[26th-Z]

The 'leather top" treatment appears in photographs of S30 prototype development all the way back to plan A in 1966. The last of the prototype development included wind tunnel testing of full scale models and I have photographs of the leather top on those prototypes. In terms of "factory options", the leather top along with a number of other options were not available in North America until the 1972 model year when a publication listed the options in North American dealer literature. I do not believe cars imported into the US came equipped with the options and were either installed at port of entry or the dealer. However, there IS a 1972 model year option brochure for North American imports and the "leather top" is included.

[Jarvo2]

Check out 1975 Datsun 280Z for more pictures.

[SteveJ]

Check out 1975 Datsun 280Z for more pictures.

Yeah, I've seen a 240Z from Chicago. The frame rails weren't pretty. I suspect that the frame rails on this one will have more rust than the rockers, too.

[Carl Beck]

Wasn't D4160-00003 a dealer installed option? Just like the dealer installed A/C, side stripes and spoilers. I thought it was installed here in the US, not a Datsun / Nissan option? But I may be wrong.

I think you are pretty much correct. If "factory option" means a Nissan Part that was not standard equipment on every 280Z produced, yet available on select cars from the factory.

In that sense, factory options on the 280Z like 5sd., A/T, A/C or Black Pearl Paint & SAP which were listed as extra cost options on the window stickers.

Even if a Nissan supplied part was used in the case of the subject 280Z - it would have been installed either at the Port or Dealership. Unlike the normal factory installed options mentioned above.

Several optional parts are shown in the Datsun/Nissan Parts Catalogs, but here in the US, if they weren't installed at the Port, you or the Dealer had to order them from Nissan Parts Dept. and have them installed here. The usual things we see are Nissan Headlight Covers, Optional Springs {aka Euro Spec}, Racing Stripes and Vinyl mats for the rear deck area.

Then there were a lot of Nissan supplied parts offered in the various Datsun/Nissan Competition Parts Catalogs as well.

FWIW,

Carl B.

Edited April 16, 2013 by Carl Beck