Have a 280z and the year inside drivers door says 77/8 but on title says 1978. Also vin lookup says 1978.

So is my car a late 77 or 78?  Just making sure I order correct parts for my car.

Thanks for any help

All vin numbers match in there various locations

I've always thought September was the switch month but I'm no car dealer or Z spert.

My 9/76 is titled a an early '77.

Try checking any stickers under the hood? That's where they put recall corrections stickers. I know the PVC hose routing is different from 77 to 78. The rear deck will be flat on a '78 where the '77s have a ramp upwards behind the taillights for the smaller spare tire.

Edited August 22, 20204 yr by siteunseen

If you browse the parts catalog - http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978 you'll see quite a few references to parts with effective dates of YY08, generally consistent with model year changes. Of course you'll also find any number of other effective dates as Nissan's continuous improvement process did not restrict parts updates to model years. A good example is the introduction of the 260Z with most of its changes from a 240Z effective with month 08. So... your car is likely correctly titled as a 78 due to its month 08 birthday. When buying parts its always a good idea to check the catalog to get the correct version for your build date.

I think you have the first production month of the 1978 model year. 8/77 began the 1978 model. That being said I think Datsun still changed stuff in the middle of a production year. Example is the 77 production year (mine is 11/76 and it has a sloped rear deck. Some 77’s came with flat rear decks depending on the production month. See link below.


https://jdm-car-parts.com/blogs/news/vin-verification-of-us-datsun-240z-260z-280z-280zx


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If your oil pressure sensor/switch has two prongs it's probably a 78, as far as parts are concerned.  Nissan changed the fuel cutoff system for 1978.  77 and earlier has a simple round terminal on the pressure sender.

The relays will be different also, 78 has more of them under the hood, I believe.  I think that the bumper rubber might be different also, not sure.

And 78 does not use the ballast resistor in the ignition system, by the coil.  That's another clue.

2 hours ago, siteunseen said:

77s have a ramp upwards behind the taillights for the smaller spare tire.

My deck lid is flat and my production year is 5/77. I think the 8/77 started the sloped deck as Av8ferg stated.

I remembered something Cliff can you believe it?!

 

 

I believe the sloped floor was confined to the earliest '77s like my Feb. build example.

11 hours ago, rcb280z said:

I remembered something Cliff can you believe it?!

I believe in you! You're going to be fine. It will take some time though. Hang in there buddy. ❤

Edited August 23, 20204 yr by siteunseen

Not to highjack this thread but I hate my sloped rear deck. Mine is 11/76 BTW. Is there an easy way to convert the rear to to the flat one?


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2 hours ago, Av8ferg said:

Not to highjack this thread but I hate my sloped rear deck. Mine is 11/76 BTW. Is there an easy way to convert the rear to to the flat one?


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Here's a plan but know finished info.

Lots of reading here also but a lot of the pics were lost when we went to a newer forum platform. Personally I would leave it as is and buy a pickup. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=sloped+deck+to+flat+deck+classiczcars.com&rlz=1C1BOFA_enUS494US494&oq=sloped+deck+to+flat+deck+classiczcars.com&aqs=chrome..69i57.14241j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Cliff, you are truly the official librarian on this forum. Thanks for finding that. I want to convert to deck because my deck is in rough shape and it’s easier to build a flat one over getting that decking to curve properly. Low priority as I need get her on the road. I now move in the new pace on the 31st. And the Z arrives shorty after.


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Following @sblake01 kind contributions to the forum. He's my hero.

Edit: ONE of my heroes! Everyone on here is a Z nut like me and all that contribute are heroes in my book. 

Edited August 23, 20204 yr by siteunseen