Back again looking for advice on another 280z

[beefpatty]

Hi again! I posted about a week ago asking for advice on a 280z as this would be my first S30 as well as project car. I got some great advice that led me to not pursuing the car. I've applied that advice and now, I've potentially found another and was hoping I could get some more advice. My gut tells me this is a good one for a first project car, but I'd love to hear expert opinions.

Link to owner pictures.

 

Description by owner:

Quote

My true desire is a 240Z.

Asking $5000 negotiable 

1976 Datsun 280Z "S30"
Just under 71,000 miles 70,9xx about 
Runs and drives excellent 
L28E with original 4-Speed manual 
Complete, black interior 
OEM, working radio 
100% roadworthy vehicle 

Brand new Champion 3-Row aluminum performance radiator installed working flawlessly in the vehicle.

Newer fuel pump installed, its been in the vehicle for several months. Working perfectly. Also fuel filter was replaced at the same time along with all fuel lines with associated hose clamps are new as well.

Fuel tank was sent to be cleaned out and internally re-coated by Gila Muffler & Radiator in Mesa, Arizona. They did amazing work.

ARE 4x114.3 old-school mesh wheels. I have a full-size spare.

Rear bumper is off the vehicle. Looks so much better. Included with vehicle of course.

Typical, unrestored classic Datsun rust. Had inspected at Rapid Auto Collision in Mesa, Arizona. It's surface rust that can be sanded down for good metal, can be primed/painted for rust-free. Definitely in much better shape and the most structurally in-tact S30 I've found in about 5 years that isn't a fully-restored Z.


Vehicle is currently primer grey from PO. The vehicle was originally Silver. PO didn't finish due to age/health issues. I planned on going Papaya Orange. Minor minor body work and sanding off rust can be performed for the perfect rust-free dent-free vehicle. Just typical ware/tare on a 41-year old Datsun.

Dash cap is cracked and seat material is showing rips. Also typical for a classic Datsun that's unrestored. 

Other than that the car is perfect and can be daily driven. I will be taking her on about a 125-mile trip to Phoenix, Arizona and back this Friday.
 

The one major issue is that this car is a couple thousand miles from me, so I'd have to pay someone to inspect it and, if I bought it, deliver it.

Aside from that, this seems like everything I'm looking for in my first project: a running, driving, intact, mostly stock car that I can fix/improve over time.

[Patcon]

Looks like we have three members in the area: pogden, borini63 & pepper. One of them might help inspect the car. You might want to offer a courtesy fee for their time

I would definitely get it inspected even if I had to hire an independent inspector. A Z guy would be better though because they know what to look for. The car doesn't look bad but nothing does from 30' away...

[Zed Head]

Seems like you're in that conflict zone between wanting something now and getting what you want.  I'm pretty sure that there are other 75-78 280Z's out there somewhere for less money, that could be driven while you work and modify, or restore.  1976 isn't really a popular restoration year, and that one is pretty worn.  The dash looks shot, and it looks like a frame rail might be peeling off or a floor pan has been tacked in.  Can't tell what the big seam is in one of the pictures.  It looks like a decent candidate for a modification project, but $5000 seems steep.

If you're really planning a full restoration, the early cars seem to give more return for effort, and have more resto parts available.  280Z resto parts are hard to find.

n 2/27/2017 at 4:55 AM, beefpatty said:

 If I can find one like that, then eventually I think I'd like to do a full restoration on it.

[wheee!]

Pre August 1976 280's are the worst to find parts for...

[siteunseen]

12 minutes ago, wheee! said:

Pre August 1976 280's are the worst to find parts for...

But the quickest. 

[jlenownnab]

Not sure where you're located? I think for a little more money you can have something you can enjoy right away and I am sure there are plenty of projects this car needs.

Best of both worlds, good looking project "Z" car.

Just saying!

 

https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/6004088587.html

 

[jlenownnab]

The biggest thing I don't like about that car is the sellers ad. Definitely want to lay eyes on that one before buying! 

[Rob1972]

My view is that this car must be in Tucson Arizona- a very arid, dry area. It would be surprising to have frame rail rust on a car from the Southwest though not impossible. More likely it came from somewhere else and wound up in Arizona.
Make no mistake, there is no such thing as perfect condition even allowing for the few items that were called out, especially in an unrestored 41-year-old car. If it's been in Arizona for at least 10 years all of the rubber and plastic has started to disintegrate , And it doesn't matter if it's been in a garage or not (ask me how I know!).
Perhaps this would be a good choice for you to drive the car, do some easy straightforward work get it painted and flip it just to get your feet wet. Offer a low number (remember you have to transport it) and see what happens. I'm in the Phoenix area but wouldn't be able to help you much (i've never done a restoration myself), but I know what rust looks like and I know how hoses can crumble when you touch them!


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[charliekwin]

Well, it sure looks like a better candidate than the last one.

Blue California plates are a good sign: it means the car has been in California for quite a long time (possibly since new; we switched to white plates in 1982). I consider things like the original (I believe) radio and shift knob as positives, not so much because of originality for its own sake, but more because the POs have kept the thing together. On the other hand, it's kind of dirty, and you'd kind of hope that the owner cares enough to take 10 seconds to wipe it down before taking a picture to sell it.

All told, based on the pictures, the price seems reasonable enough as a starting point. Getting it transported would probably offset whatever reduction you might be able to negotiate. Personally, I wouldn't have the nerve to buy a car sight unseen, but that's just me.

[Rob1972]

Hmmm - Calif plates on a car 125 miles from Phoenix. Red flag?


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[beefpatty]

3 hours ago, Zed Head said:

Seems like you're in that conflict zone between wanting something now and getting what you want.  I'm pretty sure that there are other 75-78 280Z's out there somewhere for less money, that could be driven while you work and modify, or restore.  1976 isn't really a popular restoration year, and that one is pretty worn.  The dash looks shot, and it looks like a frame rail might be peeling off or a floor pan has been tacked in.  Can't tell what the big seam is in one of the pictures.  It looks like a decent candidate for a modification project, but $5000 seems steep.

If you're really planning a full restoration, the early cars seem to give more return for effort, and have more resto parts available.  280Z resto parts are hard to find.

I'm definitely in that conflict zone, although I will always lean toward "what I want" versus "something now".

41 minutes ago, jlenownnab said:

The biggest thing I don't like about that car is the sellers ad. Definitely want to lay eyes on that one before buying! 

I'm in the Mid Atlantic area, so that one is definitely closer. The ad is off-putting, though.

36 minutes ago, Rob1972 said:

My view is that this car must be in Tucson Arizona- a very arid, dry area. It would be surprising to have frame rail rust on a car from the Southwest though not impossible. More likely it came from somewhere else and wound up in Arizona.
Make no mistake, there is no such thing as perfect condition even allowing for the few items that were called out, especially in an unrestored 41-year-old car. If it's been in Arizona for at least 10 years all of the rubber and plastic has started to disintegrate , And it doesn't matter if it's been in a garage or not (ask me how I know!).
Perhaps this would be a good choice for you to drive the car, do some easy straightforward work get it painted and flip it just to get your feet wet. Offer a low number (remember you have to transport it) and see what happens. I'm in the Phoenix area but wouldn't be able to help you much (i've never done a restoration myself), but I know what rust looks like and I know how hoses can crumble when you touch them!


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It's located in Apache Junction. Honestly, I am right on the bubble with this one, leaning towards no. If it were in my area, I think I'd be more inclined to a "yes", but the hassle of transporting and buying sight unseen are negatives. The general vibe I got from the guy is that he won't budge much from $5k as he is content with keeping it and fixing it himself, although that could just be a negotiating tactic. $4k would be tempting.

 

[7tooZ]

Beefpatty.
I hope you taken time to physically inspected some of these cars. My experience, driving and working on them for 20 years, is that you cannot believe these ads. When I bought my second one in 2012 I inspected about twenty 240s in Washington and Oregon and none were as I was expecting. Some don't even know they have lots of rust and some have been "updated to junk". If you haven't physically looks at some do yourself a favor and look and drive some. One day you will find yours and know it when you do. Good luck.


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