I bought a rust free non running 280zx for $800 and got it up and running for about $500 and it hasn't had a problem since. These cars are very very reliable even after sitting for 5 years and 210k miles. Would highly recommend this car to people wanting to get into a vintage project car
There’s definitely a variety of different sizes. So I took parts of my broken hoses to the local auto parts store and they were able to give me different lengths in different diameters. Sorry, I don’t remember all the different diameters :(
Just bought a 1983 280ZX 2+2 Turbo T-top with 86K miles for $1500. One owner. All OEM. Been parked for almost 30 years. Electrical seems to be working, dash, lighting, window motors and all. Just replaced the battery and cables. I bumped the motor so the ignition is good. Now to start the process of bringing it all back to life!
Nice!!! Glad to hear it’s going well. Unfortunately we had to recently part the 280zx out. The body was rusted, but the more we took things apart we found severe frame damage from what looked to be from a really bad wreckage. For now we plan to work on our Datsun 510, but we’re keeping our eyes opened for another Z project car.
@@Itsallaboutthebuild I can see the coating on the frame is coming off in spots but until I get it up on jacks I won't know how bad it might be. I am really hoping I got the "barn find" that I think I did. It's just Day 1. Thanks for the quick reply. Good luck with the next project!
I had a 240, a 260 and a 280 z. I wrecked the 280 z in 1989 and lived. Lots of injuries and had to learn to walk again. It’s been over 30 years and I want it back. Never had a better car. I currently have a 2006 Mercedes SL 55 AMG and it’s not as fun. And very expensive to fix.
Oh wow. Glad you’re ok. Z cars are awesome. Folks are getting rid of their project cars now more than ever. You might be able to find something priced right 👍
Can we just take a moment and appreciate the beauty of that Excel Sheet??? Would it be possible for me to get my hands on that? It’ll help me get started on what I’m hoping to be my first project car!! Thanks
OK, cool. Will do for sure. We have a quarter of the video done on pulling out the panels and stripping the old vinyl. Then it got too hot outside and we took a break :)
I think it depends on skillset, parts needed, and time. Do you want a small or large project? If you really like a specific Z car you may not be able to find something that doesn't need too much work. If time is not a critical component and you love projects that require a wide range of skillsets, then jump after a low budget build :) If it's a first time build, then I'd recommend spending a bit more to get something in better condition.
@@Itsallaboutthebuild I think you are right to a degree but there are so many other factors involved. The US is lucky in that many z cars were sold there back in the day, in most other countries you would pay 4-5 times what you paid for a 280zx in the condition you have. Probably more for turbos. Then there’s parts availability. The availability of second hand and new parts outside of the USA is non existent. So if you aren’t in the USA you have to pay an exorbitant amount in shipping costs. I am restoring a 240z and all my parts are coming from the US. These empty costs suck funds and extend the time it takes. Availability of repair panels, these cars rust just for fun, if you buy a cheap car it will most likely not have been looked after and been sitting in weather and if you cannot buy new panels you have to learn to fabricate your own which is an extraordinary amount of time and money on materials and specialty tools. Other factors include, Do you have the space/garage to conduct a long slow restoration? Do have the motivation for a long slow build? 90% of projects are sold unfinished. Not saying you’re wrong but just that there’s more to factors consider. Good job on the video
Good point on shipping over seas. A few others have commented on how difficult it is to find a Z car at a reasonable price in different places of the world. Definitely takes some level of commitment. I’m curious what are some reasonable classic budget build cars in different parts of the world…Good luck and have fun with your 240z build :)
@@Itsallaboutthebuild I’m in Australia, it’s a matter of supply and demand, US sells heaps more of each car than other countries, so more availability means cheaper prices. Australia is a small market as would be most European countries. So fewer units means when cars become desirable there’s only a small amount to go round so prices are crazy. Im doing the buy a cheap car and restore it yourself strategy with my 240z, and there’s not a day that I don’t wish I bought a car in better condition lol but each to his own. I speak generally when I say buy the best car you can afford, for most people, this will be the best strategy. My channel is 240ZBUILTBYME if you’re interested.
@@Itsallaboutthebuild I looked for years and all over the midwest. I've wanted one since I was 5 years old (I'm 24). My much older cousin drove a black modified 280zx turbo in high-school and seeing that when I was little got me hooked on Z cars. Good luck on your search!
@@jonmether8276 It’s easier to find ZX, but they aren’t always in great shape. We had to part our ZX out recently because it just had too much frame rust/damage. That’s why we’re now looking for another Z car 😁. This is our other vid in which we break down the part out ua-cam.com/video/P6SqlKj8tjc/v-deo.html
@@Itsallaboutthebuild I got lucky. I'm in Iowa were cars usually rust out into nothing (the fate of my cousins Z). The z I got was originally from California and then bought by an older couple,stored in a garage for years, and driven only every once in a while. There's rust but nothing major.
Scope out facebook marketplace. If you start looking for one, just make sure it doesn't have a ton of rust. Unfortunately we ended up having too much rust which we couldn't repair. You can see how much rust and frame damage we ran into here ua-cam.com/video/P6SqlKj8tjc/v-deo.html
Don't replace the steering wheel cut it at 10 and to put some motorcycle handles on it and it'll be like the Knight Rider I did this to my Z and my buddy did it too it looks and feels great
Oh wow, that stinks. It’s definitely a fun project build. We have quite a few body items to fix as well. We recently took a welding class, so hopefully we will get started with body work soon. That will hopefully save on labor costs :)
A cap is the way for a DASH. Spend time fitting and gluing with high quality urethane windshield sealant , good professional sealant from a local glass installation. And sand old dash and back of the new plastic cover. Flocking only looks good initially. Then it goes down hill quick. It's far worse than cleaning ,Suede. Cleaning and fading is the issue. Looks good for a week maybe two. Plastic cover fit it once. Done. Most full plastic covers are not in stalled they just put a few spot of sealant supplied in kit and consider it done. Thorough clean sanding both surfaces, and much high quality adhessive. You will be happy long term.
Thanks for the awesome feedback. We are leaning more towards a dash cap. Any recommendations on where to get a decent dash cap? I’ve seen some on eBay as well and wasn’t sure on quality….
That’s awesome!!! We just need to do a few more things to get our project 280zx daily drivable. Would love to see your progress. Find me on IG javi_isolis
@@leightonarcher4283 nice. Make sure you check everything underneath and behind body panels if possible. Unfortunately we had to part our ZX because of the extensive body damage. You can check out what we found in one of our other videos ua-cam.com/video/P6SqlKj8tjc/v-deo.html
I got a 1980 datsun 280zx it only needs a small hole in the floor the bottom of the fender.The car fired up no problems ran like a top and was only 400$
@@GarryGaz24 Nice, I have the stock turbo which isn’t very big and it goes. No plans for a roll cage though. Will be more of a cruiser and not one of our builds we take to the drift track 🙂
@@Itsallaboutthebuild im just amazed that it actually happened lol the car is pushing like 680 hp in the early 90s. And yeah his rival was a 930 911 turbo from yoshida engineering
I think it’s better option to buy a 240z or 260z or 280z they are a lot lighter and feels a little more like a sport car. I drove a few 280zx and they feel a lot more heavier more like a none sport car.. I know the S30 chasis are more expensive but i think it’s worth the extra money…
I do like the style of the 240/260/280z, but they are much harder to come by and are typically much more expensive here in the states. Were you able to drive a turbo 280zx? This thing hauls and the turbo isn’t in that great of condition :)
@@Itsallaboutthebuild that’s true they are more expensive I’ve still managed to see a few hood cars for around 6000$ in California.. I drove a few turbos they do make more power that the Na l28 it helps a lot with the weight.. what I’m talking about it’s the driving experience the s30 chassis feels a little more like a sport car that the s130 that’s how I feel it…
@@dsmmonster 6k isn’t that bad if you end up having fund doing the work yourself 👍 I need to make some friends with a 240/260/280Z for some test driving comparisons 😁
@@Itsallaboutthebuild definitely it’s going to need a lot of work for that price.. if you are in the LA are I can let you drive my cars one it’s a 1972 with a stroked l28 and dcoe carburetors and the o ether one it’s a 1972 I’m just finishing a ls6 swap hopefully in a few weeks should be running…
I bought a rust free non running 280zx for $800 and got it up and running for about $500 and it hasn't had a problem since. These cars are very very reliable even after sitting for 5 years and 210k miles. Would highly recommend this car to people wanting to get into a vintage project car
Wow that's awesome!!! Curious how you found a rust free 280ZX for $800. That's a bargain find :)
Me to! JK mine has rust but it ran with no problems
@@airspacelord1387 We have rust for days 🤣🤣🤣
My 1980 zx has 325k miles and still runs strong!!!
if you dont mind me asking what were the diameters on all the vacuum hoses?, my 280zx has holes in like all of them lol
There’s definitely a variety of different sizes. So I took parts of my broken hoses to the local auto parts store and they were able to give me different lengths in different diameters. Sorry, I don’t remember all the different diameters :(
@@Itsallaboutthebuild all good my man, i was thinking about just buying a variety of sizes. After that hopefully the car will run fine
Just bought a 1983 280ZX 2+2 Turbo T-top with 86K miles for $1500. One owner. All OEM. Been parked for almost 30 years. Electrical seems to be working, dash, lighting, window motors and all. Just replaced the battery and cables. I bumped the motor so the ignition is good. Now to start the process of bringing it all back to life!
Nice!!! Glad to hear it’s going well. Unfortunately we had to recently part the 280zx out. The body was rusted, but the more we took things apart we found severe frame damage from what looked to be from a really bad wreckage. For now we plan to work on our Datsun 510, but we’re keeping our eyes opened for another Z project car.
@@Itsallaboutthebuild I can see the coating on the frame is coming off in spots but until I get it up on jacks I won't know how bad it might be. I am really hoping I got the "barn find" that I think I did. It's just Day 1. Thanks for the quick reply. Good luck with the next project!
@@stevesumner5372 you should be able to see any really bad damage right away. Sounds like you found a great deal 🙌🙌🙌
I had a 240, a 260 and a 280 z. I wrecked the 280 z in 1989 and lived. Lots of injuries and had to learn to walk again. It’s been over 30 years and I want it back. Never had a better car. I currently have a 2006 Mercedes SL 55 AMG and it’s not as fun. And very expensive to fix.
Oh wow. Glad you’re ok. Z cars are awesome. Folks are getting rid of their project cars now more than ever. You might be able to find something priced right 👍
Can we just take a moment and appreciate the beauty of that Excel Sheet??? Would it be possible for me to get my hands on that? It’ll help me get started on what I’m hoping to be my first project car!!
Thanks
Thanks!!! I recreated the table on our website allaboutthebuild.com/2021/07/building-a-datsun-under-5000/
can you send me a link to your spreadsheet about parts list?
Sure, we captured a list of parts on our blog 👉 www.allaboutthebuild.com/blog/building-a-datsun-under-5000
I would love to watch a video about redoing the interior :)
OK, cool. Will do for sure. We have a quarter of the video done on pulling out the panels and stripping the old vinyl. Then it got too hot outside and we took a break :)
@@Itsallaboutthebuild Nice man cant wait :D
So dude gonna do this. Awesome. Right behind you dude.
Awesome. It’s lots of work, but also super fun :)
I think the title of the next video should be how to not lose your patience after replacing 27 seals.
Or only 27 more seals left to go.... hahaha :)
Buy the best condition car you can, restoring ends up costing much much more...
I think it depends on skillset, parts needed, and time. Do you want a small or large project? If you really like a specific Z car you may not be able to find something that doesn't need too much work. If time is not a critical component and you love projects that require a wide range of skillsets, then jump after a low budget build :) If it's a first time build, then I'd recommend spending a bit more to get something in better condition.
@@Itsallaboutthebuild I think you are right to a degree but there are so many other factors involved. The US is lucky in that many z cars were sold there back in the day, in most other countries you would pay 4-5 times what you paid for a 280zx in the condition you have. Probably more for turbos. Then there’s parts availability. The availability of second hand and new parts outside of the USA is non existent. So if you aren’t in the USA you have to pay an exorbitant amount in shipping costs. I am restoring a 240z and all my parts are coming from the US. These empty costs suck funds and extend the time it takes. Availability of repair panels, these cars rust just for fun, if you buy a cheap car it will most likely not have been looked after and been sitting in weather and if you cannot buy new panels you have to learn to fabricate your own which is an extraordinary amount of time and money on materials and specialty tools. Other factors include, Do you have the space/garage to conduct a long slow restoration? Do have the motivation for a long slow build? 90% of projects are sold unfinished. Not saying you’re wrong but just that there’s more to factors consider. Good job on the video
Good point on shipping over seas. A few others have commented on how difficult it is to find a Z car at a reasonable price in different places of the world. Definitely takes some level of commitment. I’m curious what are some reasonable classic budget build cars in different parts of the world…Good luck and have fun with your 240z build :)
@@Itsallaboutthebuild I’m in Australia, it’s a matter of supply and demand, US sells heaps more of each car than other countries, so more availability means cheaper prices. Australia is a small market as would be most European countries. So fewer units means when cars become desirable there’s only a small amount to go round so prices are crazy. Im doing the buy a cheap car and restore it yourself strategy with my 240z, and there’s not a day that I don’t wish I bought a car in better condition lol but each to his own. I speak generally when I say buy the best car you can afford, for most people, this will be the best strategy. My channel is 240ZBUILTBYME if you’re interested.
Bought my '78 for $1750 at a farm auction 3 years ago. I don't think I'll ever get that lucky again lol.
Oh man. That’s a great deal. We’re looking for a Z car instead of a ZX and it’s hard to find something older under $5k in the US.
@@Itsallaboutthebuild I looked for years and all over the midwest. I've wanted one since I was 5 years old (I'm 24). My much older cousin drove a black modified 280zx turbo in high-school and seeing that when I was little got me hooked on Z cars. Good luck on your search!
@@jonmether8276 It’s easier to find ZX, but they aren’t always in great shape. We had to part our ZX out recently because it just had too much frame rust/damage. That’s why we’re now looking for another Z car 😁. This is our other vid in which we break down the part out ua-cam.com/video/P6SqlKj8tjc/v-deo.html
@@Itsallaboutthebuild I got lucky. I'm in Iowa were cars usually rust out into nothing (the fate of my cousins Z). The z I got was originally from California and then bought by an older couple,stored in a garage for years, and driven only every once in a while. There's rust but nothing major.
@@jonmether8276 that’s awesome. Would love to see it when it’s done 👍
dang, i want one literally like so bad, im only 14 and this is what i want 😂 they are cheap and reliable when fixed and they look so cool
Scope out facebook marketplace. If you start looking for one, just make sure it doesn't have a ton of rust. Unfortunately we ended up having too much rust which we couldn't repair. You can see how much rust and frame damage we ran into here ua-cam.com/video/P6SqlKj8tjc/v-deo.html
haha same as mine
The 280zx is a fun ride, unfortunately we had to get rid of ours due to pretty bad front unibody damage 😥
Great video, did you know Intellitronix (gauge manufacturer) makes direct fit replacement gauges for the 240,260 & 280 Z
What about the 280zx????
Don't replace the steering wheel cut it at 10 and to put some motorcycle handles on it and it'll be like the Knight Rider I did this to my Z and my buddy did it too it looks and feels great
Now there's an interesting idea. I'll have to think about that a little more. 🤔🤔🤔
Unfortunetly its impossible to get a z car under $5k in Europe :( even one in pretty bad shape starts at 8-10k
Oh wow, that stinks. It’s definitely a fun project build. We have quite a few body items to fix as well. We recently took a welding class, so hopefully we will get started with body work soon. That will hopefully save on labor costs :)
In my country you can't get one under 20-30k
Wow, 20k+ is crazy. Guessing it’s even more expensive to ship. Perhaps I have a hidden gem here 😁
@@Itsallaboutthebuild It's a gem indeed 👍
Thanks for watching 🙂
A cap is the way for a DASH. Spend time fitting and gluing with high quality urethane windshield sealant , good professional sealant from a local glass installation. And sand old dash and back of the new plastic cover.
Flocking only looks good initially. Then it goes down hill quick. It's far worse than cleaning ,Suede. Cleaning and fading is the issue. Looks good for a week maybe two.
Plastic cover fit it once. Done.
Most full plastic covers are not in stalled they just put a few spot of sealant supplied in kit and consider it done.
Thorough clean sanding both surfaces, and much high quality adhessive. You will be happy long term.
Thanks for the awesome feedback. We are leaning more towards a dash cap. Any recommendations on where to get a decent dash cap? I’ve seen some on eBay as well and wasn’t sure on quality….
Buying my 280zx on Tuesday for €4000!
That’s awesome!!! We just need to do a few more things to get our project 280zx daily drivable. Would love to see your progress. Find me on IG javi_isolis
in the uk a 280zx is12k😭
Wow, that’s crazy. You can find cheap 280zx in the US, but they can be in really bad shape…
@@Itsallaboutthebuild i can only imagine imports would be immensely expensive, ive found a zx for 7.5k thinking about buying it
@@leightonarcher4283 nice. Make sure you check everything underneath and behind body panels if possible. Unfortunately we had to part our ZX because of the extensive body damage. You can check out what we found in one of our other videos ua-cam.com/video/P6SqlKj8tjc/v-deo.html
I got a 1980 datsun 280zx it only needs a small hole in the floor the bottom of the fender.The car fired up no problems ran like a top and was only 400$
Wow. That’s awesome. What a great deal. Have any other modifications planned for it???
@@Itsallaboutthebuild Yeah i plan on getting a roll bar for it putting a better exhaust, putting a turbo on it and building the engine
@@GarryGaz24 Nice, I have the stock turbo which isn’t very big and it goes. No plans for a roll cage though. Will be more of a cruiser and not one of our builds we take to the drift track 🙂
@@Itsallaboutthebuild Trust me i will never drift mine too worried about wrecking it lol
Ive daydreamed about building a replica wangan midnight 280zx , the red one. The body kit is still made
Nice. I just finished the first season of Initial D, so now I’ll have to check Wangan Midnight out 👍
@@Itsallaboutthebuild in the anime its a 280z , the real one was a red 280zx with a wide bodykit. Just Google wangan mid night 280zx
@@davidmopar8446 Wow, nice. Love those red watanabe wheels 😁
@@Itsallaboutthebuild im just amazed that it actually happened lol the car is pushing like 680 hp in the early 90s. And yeah his rival was a 930 911 turbo from yoshida engineering
I think it’s better option to buy a 240z or 260z or 280z they are a lot lighter and feels a little more like a sport car. I drove a few 280zx and they feel a lot more heavier more like a none sport car.. I know the S30 chasis are more expensive but i think it’s worth the extra money…
I do like the style of the 240/260/280z, but they are much harder to come by and are typically much more expensive here in the states. Were you able to drive a turbo 280zx? This thing hauls and the turbo isn’t in that great of condition :)
@@Itsallaboutthebuild that’s true they are more expensive I’ve still managed to see a few hood cars for around 6000$ in California.. I drove a few turbos they do make more power that the Na l28 it helps a lot with the weight.. what I’m talking about it’s the driving experience the s30 chassis feels a little more like a sport car that the s130 that’s how I feel it…
@@dsmmonster 6k isn’t that bad if you end up having fund doing the work yourself 👍 I need to make some friends with a 240/260/280Z for some test driving comparisons 😁
@@Itsallaboutthebuild definitely it’s going to need a lot of work for that price.. if you are in the LA are I can let you drive my cars one it’s a 1972 with a stroked l28 and dcoe carburetors and the o ether one it’s a 1972 I’m just finishing a ls6 swap hopefully in a few weeks should be running…
@@dsmmonster Oh man, I’m in North Carolina. But if I’m ever in Cali, I’d love to check out your ride 👍
I got mine for $800 fully running 83 T-top completely stock
Nice. Great deal 👍👍👍