Upon starting college (1977, Wlikes University, Wilkes-Barre, Pa) my twin brother and I begged our parents for a "vehicle allowance" because he would be going to school 3 hours away in New Jersey and this would be our first "separation". We never thought it would work but it did! After a very long conversation to make sure we understood the value and importance of his gift, our amazingly generous Dad gave me a check for $15,000 to be split between my brother and I in the purchase of 2 new vehicles. This was just one more episode in which Dad showed his love and sacrificed his own perks to benefit one of us kids (and we're 5 boys!). We understood the message and never let him down.

I had dreamed of owning a Z for about 3 years and knew that they were very close to 8 grand by 1977, which was more than the $7,500 allotted to me. I kept my desire for a Z secret and started a campaign to convince my brother that the best car for us was a Pontiac Trans Am. He would buy a white one, I would buy one in black. We visited dealers and worked out a deal for $6,700 each, fully loaded, out the door. We would have about $1,000 for "extras" . He fell for it (I still laugh at him for that) and I backed out at the last minute (as planned) and rushed to Fred Schuler's Datsun on King Street in Wilkes-Barre and bought my amazing yellow 280Zap for exactly $8,000 plus $500 for a technologically advanced AM/FM/cassette/CB radio by Clarion that would switch seamlessly between functions during those numerous 3 hour rides from Pennsylvania to New Jersey and back almost every weekend listening to Billy Joel's "The Stranger" and the soundtrack to "Star Wars".  Never before or since have I enjoyed or loved a car more.

I traded it for a 1980 280ZX once I started medical school but dreamed of driving a Z again for the last 20 years. Literally, I had a recurrent dream of driving my '77 yellow Z around town only to wake up when it would break down and nobody had the knowledge to work on them anymore !  A friggin' nightmare. I decided to hunt down a 1977 280Zap 4 years ago and read every forum I could find (thank you so much). I opted for a final year of S30 production May of '78 280Z in amazing condition and have immensely  enjoyed driving and working on it with my 14 year old son who loves it and will eventually inherit it, closing the circle and paying it forward.

 

Edited May 21, 20177 yr by dmorales-bello

Bought my car from a customer of mine in Atlanta.  He was the original owner and the car sat in his warehouse under a cover undriven for about the last 10 years.  It had 77k miles and was completely original.  I have made some mods and cleaned it up a lot.  I made sure to keep all the original parts in case I want to return it to stock.  

  On 5/22/2017 at 3:17 AM, Jaymanbikes said:

Bought my car from a customer of mine in Atlanta.  He was the original owner and the car sat in his warehouse under a cover undriven for about the last 10 years.  It had 77k miles and was completely original.  I have made some mods and cleaned it up a lot.  I made sure to keep all the original parts in case I want to return it to stock.  

Nice J-man

And a nice place to go for a drive! Just remember that pit lane speed limit

  On 5/21/2017 at 7:12 PM, dmorales-bello said:

Upon starting college (1977, Wlikes University, Wilkes-Barre, Pa) my twin brother and I begged our parents for a "vehicle allowance" because he would be going to school 3 hours away in New Jersey and this would be our first "separation". We never thought it would work but it did! After a very long conversation to make sure we understood the value and importance of his gift, our amazingly generous Dad gave me a check for $15,000 to be split between my brother and I in the purchase of 2 new vehicles. This was just one more episode in which Dad showed his love and sacrificed his own perks to benefit one of us kids (and we're 5 boys!). We understood the message and never let him down.

I had dreamed of owning a Z for about 3 years and knew that they were very close to 8 grand by 1977, which was more than the $7,500 allotted to me. I kept my desire for a Z secret and started a campaign to convince my brother that the best car for us was a Pontiac Trans Am. He would buy a white one, I would buy one in black. We visited dealers and worked out a deal for $6,700 each, fully loaded, out the door. We would have about $1,000 for "extras" . He fell for it (I still laugh at him for that) and I backed out at the last minute (as planned) and rushed to Fred Schuler's Datsun on King Street in Wilkes-Barre and bought my amazing yellow 280Zap for exactly $8,000 plus $500 for a technologically advanced AM/FM/cassette/CB radio by Clarion that would switch seamlessly between functions during those numerous 3 hour rides from Pennsylvania to New Jersey and back almost every weekend listening to Billy Joel's "The Stranger" and the soundtrack to "Star Wars".  Never before or since have I enjoyed or loved a car more.

I traded it for a 1980 280ZX once I started medical school but dreamed of driving a Z again for the last 20 years. Literally, I had a recurrent dream of driving my '77 yellow Z around town only to wake up when it would break down and nobody had the knowledge to work on them anymore !  A friggin' nightmare. I decided to hunt down a 1977 280Zap 4 years ago and read every forum I could find (thank you so much). I opted for a final year of S30 production May of '78 280Z in amazing condition and have immensely  enjoyed driving and working on it with my 14 year old son who loves it and will eventually inherit it, closing the circle and paying it forward.

 

What are Dads for?.............Can you say BONDING?

  On 5/21/2017 at 5:32 PM, Casey_z said:

Me at 19 with my brand new 73

I loved that car

Today's version

 

Love the clean look with the tires completely under the car. Nice color too!

It'll be 4 years next month. Found it on Craigslist in Buffalo. After a long conversation with the owner, and a over 40 photos. I bought it sight unseen. Here is a link to my story. 

https://petrolicious.com/articles/here-s-why-i-fell-in-love-with-the-datsun-280z

 

A couple of months ago I found this 10/70 which had been stored away for 10 years.  I was able to buy this one and 2 others. A 5/70 and a 1/72.  The brown one is one that can be refreshed and put back on the road fairly quickly.  Looking forward to driving it soon.

 

 

 

 

How does one............FIND.......3 cars like this. Please give us your secret!

Very nice story, but you left out the most intriguing part of the story.......You never told us if you "Found paradise by the dashboard light" all those years ago? Weeeeeeeeee!

  On 5/22/2017 at 11:10 PM, Driver_X said:

It'll be 4 years next month. Found it on Craigslist in Buffalo. After a long conversation with the owner, and a over 40 photos. I bought it sight unseen. Here is a link to my story. 

https://petrolicious.com/articles/here-s-why-i-fell-in-love-with-the-datsun-280z

 

 

Original Ad on Kijiji in 2003

He left out a few items...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Year: 1977

Make: DATSUN

Model: 280Z

Model Detail: COUPE

Price: $7,500

Mileage: ------- km

Date: 7/7/03

Ad Type: Private

Comment: 5 spd. blue int. blk. int. AC, US car, no rust, AM/FM/CD, air dams, new neader & 2.5' exhst. rebuilt eng., incl. orig. 4 spd. trans. & exhst. Manifold cert. $7,500. or b.o. (519)423-6788, Ingersoll, after 4 PM. (CGFTWH)

 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Photos from PO

 

 

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day 1

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 20177 yr by 240260280

It is interesting to read the different stories of how and where we obtained our cars.  there are some very cool stories.  Many of you folks have had a vision for quite awhile and are just excited to have something so cool as a Z car.  My hat off to all of you.  I've always thought these cars were pretty neat, but never really tried owning one until I found these by accident.  literally, a friend of a friend kind of story.  I just couldn't pass them up when I found them.  All three cars are matching number cars.  They all have issues, each very restorable at different levels. 

The 5/70 w/dealer installed AC is original color.  Floors are gone, basically the rest of the car is fairly solid.  The gold car is 1/72 and should be orange with white interior.  The brown one I'm working on should be safari gold.  picks of the 5/70 is attached.

 

November 1971.... St. Paul, Minnesota.

I had just returned from living in the Philippines for a year and a half and needed a car.  I had taken a new Pontiac Gran Prix SJ to the Philippines and sold it there before I left.  On a stop in Tokyo on the way back to the States, I saw a Fairlady on display in a window on the Ginza.  A lasting memory.  While I had considered getting a Volvo 1800 or a Lotus when I returned, the 240Z was just too unique and exciting to pass up. 

Unfortunately, at that time, there was a nine month waiting list for 240Zs at every Datsun dealership.  However, I found a dealership that allowed me to buy my way to the top of the waiting list and drive off in a new 1971 Datsun 240Z for just 15% over sticker price.

Now, 46 years later, that Z is parked in my driveway and if it wasn't 110º outside, I'd take it for a spin. 

Dennis