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May 2025 New Car IncentivesWhy the Datsun 280ZX is the Perfect Project Car
The Datsun 280ZX, second-generation Z-car, is an underappreciated gem that makes for the perfect project car as it’s equal parts affordable and stylish.
Playing Second Fiddle
The Datsun 240Z, progenitor of the revered Nissan Z-Car, gets a heap of much-deserved praise and affection from fans. The 1990s might have been the true heyday for Japanese performance cars, but it was the 240Z that proved to the world decades earlier that the country could build sports cars as good or better than the Americans or Europeans. The combination of heritage and classic styling make the 240Z a favorite among collectors and aficionados of Japanese sports cars.
That also means it’s getting rather expensive. As with many of its American muscle car counterparts, hunting for a “good” example means weeding through the cheap neglected ones, the perfectly restored ones with sky-high price tags, and boondoggle project cars. Rather than compete for those increasingly rare 240Z worthy of the call, you might consider its larger, slower, but no less charming big brother, the second-gen 280ZX.
In fact, the Datsun 280ZX just might be one of the best project car candidates among classics on the used market today. Its GT car leanings offer a refinement unknown in the 240Z while its middling powertrain begs for a modern upgrade. As with houses, so with cars; good bones make all the difference, and the 280ZX offers a compelling foundation to build from.
Past and Future Z-Cars
The Datsun 280ZX isn’t the only 280Z. The Z-car’s first generation (S30), which spans from 1969 through 1977, saw three iterations: the initial 240Z with its 2.4L straight-six, the 260Z, which upped displacement to 2.6L, and the 280Z, released for the 1975 model year with a 2.8L motor. The second-generation Z-car (S130), the 280ZX, debuted for 1978 retaining the L28 2.8L straight-six and not much else. The 280ZX was a ground-up redesign that traded the first generation’s muscle car aspirations for GT car cool, to the chagrin of many fans.
The Z-car, again like the American muscle cars it originally emulated, didn’t regain true performance car status until the 1990s when Nissan turbocharged its 3.0L V6, making it good for 300 horsepower. The subsequent 350Z and 370Z, while never quite on par with the best Japanese performance cars of their day, became popular in the tuning community. With its vintage styling and 400-horsepower twin-turbo inline-six, today’s 400Z blends new and old for one of the market’s last standing dedicated sport coupes.
Datsun 280ZX Details
Now that we have a bit of Z-car context, back to 1978’s Datsun 280ZX. As noted above, the 280ZX was a thoroughgoing redesign as it transitioned from a sports coupe to a proper GT car. Styling was evolutionary, keeping what made the first car so attractive even as it bulked up and added a few inches in overall length for the 2+2. The 280ZX came in both two-seat or 2+2 configurations. Trims were limited to the base or high-end GL 2+2.
The suspension was overhauled to include MacPherson struts front and a semi-trailing arm set up in back. Steering was either an unassisted rack-and-pinion or power reticulating ball, both of which were replaced by a power rack starting with the 1981 turbo model year (’82 for all versions). Weight was carried lower in the car and weight distribution was balanced nearly 50/50 front to back.
The L28 2.8L straight-six was carried over from the prior generation but power was down for 1978 from 170 to just 135 horsepower. For 1981, Datsun introduced a turbocharged version of the L282, now producing a much improved 180 horsepower and 203 lb.-ft. of torque. That’s not a ton of grunt, but for a Malaise Era GT car it wasn’t half bad, either.
A 1982 makeover saw numerous upgrades for the 280ZX. Cosmetic changes were subtle as the headlights received plexiglass covers, the B-pillar when from metallic to black plastic, NACA ducts were added to the hood, alloy wheels came in, and color-matching bumpers were added. A Borg-Warner five-speed was also added to the list of transmission options, and a higher compression ratio bumped the non-turbocharged engine to 145 horsepower.
The 280ZX sold well for Datsun. In its six model years, the 280ZX sold over 331,000 units.
What Makes the Datsun 280ZX a Perfect Project Car?
The Datsun 280ZX makes for a great project car for several reasons. First, it’s affordable; the market for first- and second-generation Z-cars varies widely. The 240Z, depending on condition and mileage, runs between the low $20,000 range and the mid-$40,000 range with some premium examples going well above. The 280Z of the mid-1970s is typically listed for between $20,000 and $30,000. The 280ZX, however, can be had in decent to good condition for anywhere from $10,000 to the mid-$20,000 range.
As we noted above, good bones are important for a project car and the 280ZX has them. The updated GT chassis lends a more modern ride while the looks largely preserve a design pioneered in the late 1960s admirably retained into the early 1980s. Speaking plainly, the 280ZX is already a cool-looking car and the best project car versions will honor its original design even as they build upon it.
And then we come to the 280ZX’s one “weakness” its anemic and archaic powertrain. The L28 straight-six, even in turbo form, just doesn’t make a ton of power, and even the Borg-Warner five-speed, the best of the 280ZX’s transmissions, feels dated compared to more modern options. If you’re looking for a car to restore to factory, there are plenty of other worthy options, but few classics from the Malaise Era are more deserving of an upgrade than the Datsun 280ZX.
