TopaZ

LOL. Jon Voight. loved that episode.

Thanks all for input. The way I read things it appears to me that all factory black 1978 280z's would be considered "Black Pearl". The SAP would have been an optional addition. I cannot find any other black paint code used in 1978 (some painted with Black Pearl metallic paint (638) and some with just regular black paint). thoughts? I will look closely for any hints in areas not touched since production. At the end of the day I want to paint it with the original color. Is 638 black available to purchase? are the pinstripes available for purchase? thanks

I bought it from a woman who said she bought it new and it was black. She is sending me a photo of the car back then. She had an accident in the 80s that apparently caused them to replace the radiator so I cannot find the color code. She does remember something about it being a "special edition". I have read conflicting opinions about whether ALL black 280z's from 1978 are considered Black Pearl Editions. How can I tell?

thanks! there is some rust on the right dogleg and with the tires all blown out I wasn't able to get under it too far. I am hopeful that we don't find too much once we get it up on a rack.

1978 how I found her.

thanks Casey/87

1978

Thanks to you both. I am not going to do the work myself. I am a tinkerer but not skilled enough to do any major repairs. My normal mechanic is going to give the car a good look over today. I hope to know the extent to what is needed by weeks end. I am interested in understanding the sequence of a plan toward total restoration. Maybe once I get the initial report we can touch base again? thanks very much

I have a limited skill set when it comes to actually doing the work. I am more of the payer. My first car was a '65 Ford and I was able to do a few things myself. With the few garages that specialize being busy I didn't want to wait to get started. I have a mechanic that I trust giving it a look over tomorrow. If he says he isn't up to it I have limited other options. If he says he thinks it needs XYZ then I would say go ahead and get started. I don't think I'm a purist but have much respect for the art of restoration. I have also never had a car that I was so excited about. ?

Thanks siteunseen and Gogriz91 for your comments. I am excited about being a part of the community

New owner beginning the process of getting my 1978 280Z up and running and fun to drive on the weekends. How important is finding a real specialist in Z car restoration do to the work? The couple of specialty shops that I have contacted are too busy to take on another project. Is using a good mechanic and body shop sufficient to achieve a good result? Are there things that I need to make sure are being done? Just starting out and have many questions. Thanks for your guidance.

Hi from ATL. Child of the 70s that always loved Z cars but couldn't afford one back then. I recently bought a 1978 280Z from a family friend. She was the original owner and had always planned to restore it. It has been in a garage for about 25 years. Any folks in the ATL area with recommendations for restoration garages? I am looking forward to poking around the site. take care