Vehicle Description
Building off of the success of the first generation of Z cars, the
280ZX made numerous improvements that lowered the center of
gravity, reduced drag, and improved high-speed stability. For the
street, the car became more of a GT car that was comfortable and
easy to drive. On the race track, Paul Newman and Bob Sharp racing
were winning races and Paul promoted the cars in a series of
commercials. Check this one out.
A nice respray in its original Burgundy Mist Metallic paint looks
great. It is a beautiful color with a nice shine that really
highlights the smooth lines of the car. Up front, eliminating the
old grill and splitting the air with the new bumper gave the car a
clean new look and made a big difference in efficiency. Air for the
radiator is fed in from below while a NACA duct and vents in the
hood admit additional cooling air to the engine compartment.
Removable T-roof panels give you the option of open-air motoring
when the weather is nice and the roofline flows down over the hatch
which gives great access to the large rear luggage area and really
makes these cars practical to use as daily drivers. A tan pinstripe
runs from front to rear along the upper fender lines and the back
of the car brings all the lines together nicely with horizontal
lines on the taillights and Datsun 280ZX badge on the back edge of
the hatch.
Open the door and you will find a Red and Burgundy interior that is
comfortable and invites you to climb in and take it for a drive. A
long one if you have a mind to. Because these second gen cars moved
a bit away from the raw sportscars of the early Zs and toward a
sports luxury, or Grand Touring orientation. The seats are
comfortable and pretty dramatic looking in Red cloth, but also hold
you firmly in place for spirited driving. A beefy Grant GT steering
wheel feels good in your hands and the shifter for the 5-speed
manual transmission rising from the center console is just begging
to be stirred around. The dash is stock with the speedo on the left
and tach on the right flanked by the fuel and temp gauges. Oil
pressure, voltage and a clock are set high on the dash in the
center angled toward the driver. Ventilation controls are under
them which include those for air conditioning and the factory
FM/Cassette stereo is below them.
Pop the hood and you will find that torquey 2.8-liter in-line
6-cylinder motor nestled down in a neat and clean engine bay. The
air filter scoops up cold air at the front and directs it through
the fuel injection systems air flow meter and then on to the
intake. The aluminum valve cover is embossed with Nissan as these
were the transition cars while they switched from Datsun to Nissan
branding. Signs of good regular maintenance include fresh plugs and
wires along with a new battery. Power flows back through that
5-speed transmission to the rear differential and out the wheels
through new heavier duty half shafts. Revised suspension settings
for these cars included different spring rates and sway bars. Up
front, a new power rack and pinion system provide tons of fun on
the backroads while power 4-wheel disc brakes insure that you can
haul this car back down to a stop in hurry. The rubber meets the
road through 205/75R14 tires all around mounted on factory 6-spoke
aluminum wheels.
A true GT car. Comfortable, fast, fun to drive. Come on down and
check this one out.