Vehicle Description
Like it or not, Japanese cars are gaining lots of traction as
collectables, and early Nissan Z-cars like this 2-owner,
low-mileage 1985 Nissan 300ZX are an excellent bet. With great road
manners, bulletproof reliability, and looks that just never go out
of fashion, this is a very affordable way to own an incredibly cool
sports car that's still a lot of fun to drive.
This is an early production 'Fairlady' Z31 car, so it has all the
aspects of Kazumasu Takagi's original design, and the legendary
look of this 1985 'Zenki' model is still incredibly striking in its
completely preserved configuration. The Code 013 Regatta Red is
all-original to the car, and despite its 37-year-old survivor
status it still looks great with a nice shine and maintained luster
that's been impressively persevered over the last 90K actual miles.
As you might expect, there are minor signs of use and age here and
there, including some light dullness on the hood and slight
eggshell cracking on the headlights, but the car still attracts the
right kind of attention when it's out on the road. Sure, it's not
quite as smooth to the touch as it was in 1985, but it's amazing
how darn good this top driver-quality sports car looks, after
almost four decades, and you'd be lying if you didn't say you were
thoroughly impressed by the curb appeal. And if you really wanted
to kick things back up a notch, a full-scale buff-and-wax would go
a long way to restoring some former Japanese glory. You don't see
these Z31s very often these days, and the sleek, monochromatic look
works very well on the tidy-looking hatch. It's not all
in-your-face red though, as the glossy black bumper trim, body
molding, rocker panel strips, and hatch spoiler all provide a nice
contrast for a dynamic look. Darkly tinted windows also work
especially well with bright red cars like this and the half-hidden
headlights are a neat touch that kids today seem to emulate on
their late-model cars with folding headlights. The louvers covering
the rear hatch glass are a 1980's staple that are slowly making a
comeback (thank you modern Mustangs!), and when coupled with the
removable glass T-tops (also darkly tinted), this Nissan has the
makings of an icon. And if it's a bit of party trivia you're after,
know that 1985 was the first year that the 'Datsun' emblem had
completely disappeared off these cars, replaced by the 'Nissan'
badge on the driver's side of the trunk hatch.
The cloth bucket seats, power windows/locks/mirrors, and analog
gauges let us know that this is a GL trim level 300ZX and that
suits us just fine because it's a stylish cabin outfitted with
materials that wear like iron. The various shades of gray cloth
inside are a nice change-up to the usual tan or blue interiors
found in typical '80s Japanese imports, and Nissan engineers got
the driver's compartment exactly right. The deeply bolstered seats
are certainly racy, but they sure are comfortable and in very good
shape for a vehicle this age. A center console splits the sporty
front buckets, and it houses what is undoubtedly the most exciting
part of the cabin: the new chrome shifter that manages the 5-speed
manual gearbox below. The interesting steering wheel has a fat wrap
on it to make it feel substantial, and as the top-of-the-line
Nissan in 1985 (all we got in the US was the big 300ZX), almost
everything was standard on the Z31, including the power options
mentioned above, factory A/C, and even the original AM/FM/Cassette
stereo in the dash. You also get a tilt wheel, cruise control,
illuminated entry, those awesome T-tops, and a set of seatbelts for
the front buckets. Big analog gauges are easy to read and the
controls are all at your fingertips, as was the style in 1985, and
a duo of factory auxiliary dials are in pods in the center of the
dash. The dash itself is in great shape, with no cracks or UV
damage, same goes for the door panels and center console, while the
carpets are freshly replaced units that come protected with
matching carpeted mats. As a true 2-seater, the back hatches opens
to a sizable storage area, so road trips are definitely on the menu
with this 300ZX.
Nissan's naturally aspirated, overhead cam 3.0 liter V6 VG30E was
an all-new design for the 300ZX, a departure from the inline-6 that
powered previous Z-cars. With electronic fuel injection and rear
wheel drive, it's silky smooth and has excellent road manners, as
well as a decent hit of low-end torque that makes it feel downright
fast around town. Aside from signs of regular maintenance and an
upgraded cold air intake system and cone filter (nestled up front,
in between the headlights in a small compartments where Nissan also
installed the factory turbos), it appears to be largely stock, and
the engine bay is very clean and ready to be shown off with great
pride. That means reliability is unaffected and with proper
maintenance throughout the years (fuel injectors were replaced in
2019), it's obvious that this car has always been loved here in the
great state of Texas. With a 5-speed manual transmission and Nissan
R200 rear end, anyone can take advantage of the Z31's performance
and the 4-wheel independent suspension is the perfect blend of
comfort and performance. You also get big power-vent 4-wheel disc
brakes, rack-and-pinion steering, a super sanitary undercarriage,
and an original exhaust system with a catalytic convertor that's
exactly what you got on the showroom floor in 1985. The stance is
stock too, although now this beauty rides on a set of flashy,
blacked-out MST wheels shod with 225/50/15 Toyo performance
rubber.
Offered with its owner's manuals and some miscellaneous maintenance
receipts, this 2-owner, actual mileage beauty represents one of the
finer '80s Japanese imports on the market today. Call today!