Hi All,

I've been lurking on this board for a few months now and I am ready to take the plunge and pick up a 240 0r 280. I am looking at a 78 280Z that seems to be in good condition. The car is 5000 miles away so I will have to get a certified inspector/appraisor to check it out for me.

The seller states that the car has less than 40,000 original miles. I'm hard pressed to believe that is true but after looking at the pictures he provided it may be true.

I have two questions that I would like to see if you guys can help me with.

1. What should I expect to pay for a clean unmolested 280Z?

2. Does anyone know if the 78 model met the 50 state standard for emissions?

Thank you for any help you can provide.

As far as the second question, I own a 78 280Z and live in California. It has to be smog checked every two years. I've never had a problem. It passed on the first run each of the five times I've had to test it. The first question is tough. I bought mine in 1997 with 60K original miles. It was clean, complete, and unmolested but it had been sitting for over four years. I only paid $275 for mine and to date only have a shade over 2 grand invested in it including the original cost. The market seems to vary depending on the sellers intent. Mine just wanted the car gone.

SBlake01,

Thanks for your response. I guess I should clarify my question. I wanted to know if all models sold met the emission requirements. The car was originally purchased in CT and I wanted to know if purchased there would it meet the requirements.

It seems to me that you shouldn't have to go 5000 miles to find a decent 280Z! Since you didn't put where you live in the location field in your profile, I don't know where you live, but there have got to be some nice ones closer to you than that.

I'm in California (Torrance and Palm Springs) and most of what I am finding out here is molested expensive junk. I am looking for something original with low miles. I am not looking to restore or show the car. I just want to have a fun classic Z to drive around now and then

If you seriously can't find anything in Cali, there's Arizona (highly recommended), New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, etc...There's Z cars closer to you and Arizona is your best bet.

Is it just me or is 5,000 a little far to anything in North America, I mean from Los Angels to St. John's, Newfoundland is only 4,500 miles away.

You can find a MUCH better and nicer Z car in Cali or Arizona that anywere else. I suggest you keep looking on the classifieds as really well kept and done up cars go for much less than were put into them for various reasons on this and other websites.

The car was originally purchased in CT...

One word - RUST

One word - RUST

That's what I figured. I will continue to look locally.

If you seriously can't find anything in Cali, there's Arizona (highly recommended), New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, etc...There's Z cars closer to you and Arizona is your best bet.

There's nothing here in NM

Just kidding...Robert

My 2 cents worth: I own both a 78 280Z and a 73 240Z I have pros and cons to both cars, but I was looking for just a car to cruise around in I would buy a 73 or older Z so as to not worry about smog checks. I have owned my 280 since 1993 currently it has not passed a smog test since 2000, so it is in the driveway with the ol Non-Op cert....it also has 375K on the original motor so I am not as lucky as sblake. My 73 is from Pennsylvania and not a rust bucket, the car was garged its entire life until I got it, so it is possible for your CT car not be be rusty. The problem could be the price of shipping from CT to Palm Springs, it will be $1K plus. Also the 1978 will require smog impact fee for california and a pre 75 will not. Many things to consider when thinking of buying a Z. I watch Ebay everyday; currently there are some decent ones listed. The red 73 from Philly is an interesting car, it was sold in December on ebay, the guy that owned it lived in Allentown Pa. The hood scoop on it is a dealer installed option. I talked to the guy that owned it and it too was a garage car. For anyone who did not grew up back east: we used to have only bring our sports cars out in only nice weather.

I did look at the one on Ebay. I called the dealer that is selling it and they gave me some BS about how they purchased the car as "eye candy" for thier show room. It does seem like a nice car except that it is a automatic.

What else do you know about it? By the way, is it red or orange?