The Neglected 280ZX?

[sjcurtis]

Hi Bruce,

I got to ask any chance of some pics of the 280Z, showing the conversion or even some shots showing what you have changed.

When you do get back to the Big Island look us up if you come threw the Newcastle area. I guess the ditch is getting much smaller now we are all getting to this site.

Do you have many Z people in your area, or are you in the desert full of HON@# & TOYO*&% cars.

Cheers

Steve :classic:

[Bruce Woolmore]

well if you want to see my 280, have a look on my zed page : http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/woolmore/Zeds.htm

- the engine bay photo isn't great, other wise you could see a plate on the left side of the car where the pedal box has been shifted - still a coupla "funnies" to fix, like the passenger has a clutch footrest, but I dont! and the indicators are on the left, not the right - but I'm getting used to that, since my gearshift hand is free most of the time anyway! (just like driving an old Cortina!)

I didnt do the conversion, but I know it involved a new dash and wiring loom for starters! basically not a recommended project, but its fun to own something a bit different. there is at least one other 280Z in NZ (as I found thru this site!)

the NZ Z club has been going since the early eighties, much smaller than the OZ one and heavily biased towards racing (no bad thing except they keep writing off bodyshells!)

I'm going to stick to quiet stuff like standing quarters with this car!

[sjcurtis]

Bruce,

that 280Z of yours looks great. I have to say the exterior colour looks magnificent, I have only ever seen two Zeds that colour in the flesh and they were 76/77 manufacture but both looked magnificent in the sun. Has your got Black beige Coffee or Brown interior with that colour, is it the factory Gold Metalic 304 or is that just a great grab at a good colour for a Z. I also noticed you have early style bumper bars and not the Federal Impact absorbing style. Thanks for putting up the pics

cheers

Steve :classic:

[Gav240z]

Steve as far as I know the 280zx became S130. I'm not sure about the prefix for the 280z's as you know us Aussies never got them but I'd say it would be similar to the RS30 convention here in Australia.

I'd say that the 280z had another number in front of S30 as S30 resembles the early body shape.

S130 designates the new body style Bruce care to share what the chassis prefix on your 280z is?

A couple of years back I saw a 280z advertised here in Australia I bet there's a couple floating around but not many.

Cheers.

As for 2+2's I used to own a 2+2 as Zpeed knows and they were still the fun of an early Z but the extra weight and the looks were not as good.

Would I get another?

Maybe but it would have to be turbo to be any fun and to get it moving with 4 people in it.

But the 2 seaters are just so much better.

I don't think I'll ever own a 280zx but never say never.

[Gav240z]

Searched on Ebay in the hopes of finding something that might help but the only chassis prefix's I could get on 280z's was HLS30???

This boggles me because I know that the 240z here in Aus is HS30 the 260z RS30 and the 2+2 260z GRS30.

Is it the same prefix for 260z's in the US? RS30?

It's just something I've never thought about any input is appreciated.

:classic:

[Bruce Woolmore]

thanks for the compliments - the colour is more towards the copper rather than the metallic gold of the factory shades, its actually a Nissan sedan colour of approx. 2000 vintage called "champagne glow"

I'm eventually going to re-powdercoat the Enkeis in a dark silver metallic rather than the off-white; but my bro reckons its fine like it is, so thats a low-priority job.

maybe replace the Mikunis with throttle bodies first!

[Bruce Woolmore]

yes my car is an HLS30 (L for Left Hand drive of course) same as the early series.

[Ben]

Ok, here's the deal...

240Z - HS30 series (HLS30 for LHD), ther are many suffixes to indicate variants. The Australian 240Z's are basically Euro-spec, which is very similar to the Japanese domestic 240Z-L.

260Z - RS30 (and the L for LHD). The R indicates an L26 powerplant.

260Z 2+2 - GRS30. The G indicates a 2+2 body.

280Z - US only, HS30 (why? - who knows). Yes the 'H' indicates a 2.8L powerplant in this case, just to make things awkward.

Note that due to the fact that the fitment of the L28 was a US-only thing, a 75-78 RS30 is the equivalent Australian model. Personally I see no benefits to importing a 280Z and doing a stack of conversion work (and having those lovely 5-mph bumpers), when a local 260Z is essentially the same thing, but already RHD :classic:

280ZX - S130

280ZX 2+2 - GS130 (I think, but not 100% sure)

In Australia, I believe that the 260Z coupe is the rarest model. But the 260Z 2+2 is fading fast, along with the 280ZX's, as no-one is restoring them

It wouldn't surprise me if the 240Z becomes the most common model in the next few years....

[Gav240z]

Thanks for clearing that up. Still makes no sense about the 280z chassis prefix but I guess it doesn't really matter since we don't have to deal with the 280z here in Aus.

I still see alot of 260z 2+2's infact there the most common ones on the road to see.

I see more 260z 2 seaters than 240z's but in all cases it's quite rare in fact I'm positive I see more mustangs around than Z's and we didn't even get Mustangs here did we ben?

Seems that your right nobody is restoring 280zx's or 2+2 260z's there are of course a few but you may very well be right the 240z's may be the most common in years to come.

Cheers.

[Zedrally]

Gav/Ben,

Have to differ on the 2+2's.

There are a few that have been restored [i have one].

They are in the minority and will no doubt become the rarest of all zeds in the country in due course.

[Gav240z]

Well having owned a 2+2 I don't mind them so much. Do you think that if they do become the rarest of all Z's they will also become valuable?

Like the Volvo P1800 the wagons are worth quite a bit because they are very rare here in Aus anyway.:classic:

See Attached.

[Zedrally]

Well i don't have any actual import figures for 2+2's, but they were the much mis-aligned model of the series.

Mainly because of the emission controls.

Get rid of them and the car became another beast!

I have owned a few over the years, mainly due to an expanding family. [it's true what Datsun thought about single, then couples then young families buying the expanding car]! I did, never regretted it as I could take my wife of the time and our 2 boys wherever we wanted in a head turning car!

Now I own a 2 seater as well and find that they all have there uses.

The 240 is undoubtably fun to drive and is purely used for gravel use, whilst the 2+2 is magnificient on the open road, even my partner loves driving it!