1979 Datsun 280ZX, 5-spd Manual, AC, Power, Fresh Repaint...LOOK

1979 Datsun 280ZX

Another Z-car has arrived at MotoeXotica Classic Cars, this time in the form of a 1979 280ZX. This is a nice driving classic that has been appreciating in value that can be driven regulary with little maintenance.

Finished in bronze and recently repainted, the car's overall paint and trim are in overall good order, the door jams were not repainted. The car's windows are clear and intact and the lights are in good overall condition.

This Z-car rolls on Kelly Charger white-letter radials, size 195/70R14 at all four corners and the tires surround factory Iron Cross wheels. The tires and wheels are in very good condition. The car's bodywork is straight and solid, the engine bay is tidy (even the underhood maintenance lamp still works!), the battery looks new, the cargo area is in very good order and the bumpers are in good shape.

Under the hood is Nissan's 2.8L straight six-cylinder engine. The 280ZX was a complete redesign, retaining only the L28 inline-six engine and other driveline components from the previous 280Z. Backing the engine is a five-speed manual transmission. Driver convenience features include air-conditioning, cruise control, power steering, power four-wheel disc brakes, power windows, power mirrors, rear window defroster, rear wiper, remote hatch release and remote fuel filler door release.

Inside, the beige bucket seats, matching carpet and the instrument panel were all recently restored. The beige headliner is in comparable order to the seats and carpet, as is the factory two-spoke steering wheel. The car's mirror glass, center console and shifter are all in good order though the top of the center console storage area shows wear from previous driver elbows. Rounding out the interior is a factory AM/FM stereo with cassette player.

In 1979, both two-seat and four-seat (2+2) designs were offered. Compared to the more overtly sporting earlier models, the 280ZX was a much softer, heavier car, with less focus on driving and more on driver comfort and refinement. Softer suspension, better sound insulation, more comfortable seats and ample equipment including high-end audio systems defined the new ZX.

In the spirit of the times, emissions controls and aerodynamics were markedly improved over the first generation Z-cars, while weight was down somewhat as long as the buyer did not pick much from the very long options list. By closing in the open grille of the first generation Z-car and through other improvements taken from wind tunnel testing, the drag coefficient was reduced from 0.467 to 0.385 and the lift coefficient from 0.41 to 0.14.

The exterior design was evolutionary, less rounded and with better-integrated safety bumpers. Many parts, including the rear-axle and the power steering came from the Datsun 810 luxury sedan. Most of the design effort went into the entirely different and much more modern interior. The car became a grand tourer rather than a sports car, particularly in the plush Grand Luxury versions.

The 280ZX adopted MacPherson struts in front and semi-trailing arm independent suspension in the rear. The wheelbase was up from its predecessor, from 90.7 to 91.3 inches for the two-seater. The new design had a lower center-of-gravity and nearly 50/50 weight distribution in the two-seater and 2+2 designs. The rear of the car was stretched to accommodate a larger 21-gallon fuel tank. Overall, the new body design gave better fuel economy and high-speed stability (one of the known issues from the first generation Z-car).

Some lamented the transformation the Z-car had made to a grand tourer, while others appreciated the improvements in refinement, comfort, and overall market appeal. The sales figures soon proved the Nissan designers right, with the 280ZX becoming a sales success.

Competition to this Datsun in 1979 included the Avanti II, Chevrolet's Corvette, Ford's Capri and Mazda's RX-7. The 280ZX won Motor Trend Magazine's Import Car of the Year Award for 1979.

This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 96,400 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!

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VIN: HS130155025

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