Hello!! Soon to be new owner (hopefully) - here is the car I am buying

[AgingGeek]

Hi all! I am James, based down in Brighton. I currently drive a fairly modified SL55 AMG but I have been wanting a Datsun S30 for about 20 years now

My dream was a very particular look, and the car that has the look I have always wanted is available

I am heading over to The Netherlands on Saturday to inspect and drive the car, so I am hoping it's everything they say it is! I'd rather find a mint example that I don't have to spend a ton of money restoring and then modifying to suit if it's already done.

Here is a link to the car
https://www.gallery-aaldering.com/datsun-280z-1976/

And a video

I know it's not going to be to everyone's taste, especially a purist, but a Z that looks like this has been my dream, so fingers crossed!

The only thing is that it's hard to value the car... I know it's basically £40k, which is a lot, but the only ones I can find on the usual places are around 30-40k anyway. And getting a standard one and getting it to this spec I guess is going to cost me more in the long run?

Anywho, if all goes well this weekend, I hope to see some of you all soon at a meet!

 

[Rob Gaskin]

That is a stunning looking car. £40k is a lot for a 280Z and of course it's LHD. Are the cars you look at for £30-£40k 280Z or 240Z?

Most of the money has been spent on appearance - it seems to have a standard engine and exhaust.

As always check the shell for signs of rot, take a magnet with you. On one picture the bottom of the screen pillar looked a bit scruffy (inside door jam) but that wasn't clear. Strange that I had to click on the picture before the one I wanted to view?

Centre console - it has a slot for a choke lever I think - strange for a 280 so it may be a 260 console?

Good look/luck.

 

[Alphabettispaghetti]

Don't forget to add import costs, onto a car thats already very expensive. there's lots you'd want to question on that.

As a 280z, thats well over what even 'better' versions go for already in the UK.

However if you like it and its what you've always wanted, whats stopping you.

 

[IbanezDan51]

TBH, it does seem expensive. However, given the costs of restorations and assuming it needs nothing its still technically a bargain. I think we really undervalue S30's in the UK looking at other markets and its due a big change.

 

[AgingGeek]

That is a stunning looking car. £40k is a lot for a 280Z and of course it's LHD. Are the cars you look at for £30-£40k 280Z or 240Z?

Most of the money has been spent on appearance - it seems to have a standard engine and exhaust.

As always check the shell for signs of rot, take a magnet with you. On one picture the bottom of the screen pillar looked a bit scruffy (inside door jam) but that wasn't clear. Strange that I had to click on the picture before the one I wanted to view?

Centre console - it has a slot for a choke lever I think - strange for a 280 so it may be a 260 console?

Good look/luck.

Thanks! I have a paint depth gauge, magnet and an endoscope going with me so I can do as much as I can to check the paint work. I have been watching inspection videos on youtube and reading up on all the common places, so I can do my best to check for rot. I don't mind the engine being standard, as it gives me a nice platform to build on, I haven't yet decided to go full bore NA or turbo, I need to read up a lot on that. Thanks for spotting the choke lever, would never have picked that up. I guess during restoration, they couldn't get a 280z dash? I'll be sure to ask about that. Thanks again for the help, and yes, their website is weird and the pics dont line up correctly

Don't forget to add import costs, onto a car thats already very expensive. there's lots you'd want to question on that.

As a 280z, thats well over what even 'better' versions go for already in the UK.

However if you like it and its what you've always wanted, whats stopping you.

Yeah, that is a worry as I dont want to overspend! But I only really have just got together the money for one now and I just cant find any in the UK that look like this (Autotrader, Ebay, Pistonheads, Car and Classic etc)
I did ring HMRC yesterday and they confirmed as the car is over 30 years old, it will be 5% VAT and no duty, so at the worst, I am looking at a couple of grand, which stings for sure, but I wouldn't buy it if it was 20% + 10% duty

TBH, it does seem expensive. However, given the costs of restorations and assuming it needs nothing its still technically a bargain. I think we really undervalue S30's in the UK looking at other markets and its due a big change.

That's kinda what I am banking on... I have tried to estimate what a resto mod would cost on a 240 / 280 and I cant see it coming out cheaper than this after sourcing a good donor car and all the parts

 

[arcdef]

You can access the rear doglegs (common rust spot) from within the car by removing the inner panels (just a few clips).

I recently used an endoscope to inspect mine.

Lovely looking car by the way.

 

[AgingGeek]

That is a stunning looking car. £40k is a lot for a 280Z and of course it's LHD. Are the cars you look at for £30-£40k 280Z or 240Z?

Its a mix of 240 and 280's that I have found in the UK, ranging from complete rust buckets to fully restored cars. I saw a 280 restored the other day for £30k in standard trim so it would work out the same once I add bodykit, wheels, suspension, retrim and respray... if not more
I get that the 280 is less desirable, but looking at the prices over the last 2 years, they have shot up. 2 years ago, 280's were selling for 16-20k fully restored but I cant find one even remotely close to that price now. Which is both a good thing from a collectors perspective, but as a buyer coming in now, it sucks for sure

 

[AgingGeek]

To be fair, this is still going to be cheaper than modifying my Mercedes, I'm used to every part costing at least a grand so this might be better on my wallet in the long run!

 

[AgingGeek]

You can access the rear doglegs (common rust spot) from within the car by removing the inner panels (just a few clips).

I recently used an endoscope to inspect mine.

Lovely looking car by the way.

Thank you for that! I will see if I can find a video on this so I know what to look for and how to remove them properly

 

[arcdef]

I can pop down to the garage and take a few photos at Lunch if that helps

 

[richiep]

TBH, it does seem expensive. However, given the costs of restorations and assuming it needs nothing its still technically a bargain. I think we really undervalue S30's in the UK looking at other markets and its due a big change.

I think the valuation issue has much to do with two things - LHD will never be as desirable to a UK audience, and while the UK-sold RHD cars command a premium, so many of them have been repaired/restored in the "bad old days" when they were worth little (80s/90s) meaning they have lots wrong with them from the modern definition of a proper restoration. Thus, why we end up having conversations on here picking holes in cars above 35k. More often than not the fine points are missing, and bigger ones are fudged for superficial cosmetic appeal. I stand by what I said in a recent thread, cars above 40k need to have every detail buttoned up tight, whether standard or restomod.

A modern resto to a high standard easily blazes past 40k all in, but the difference is that is a situation where you should be getting exactly what you want to a contemporary expectation of detail and quality. Most cars up for sale at 30-40K are lacking that.

As for the 280Z above, I'd agree with the comments already - it look cosmetically nice, but 40+k is expensive for a LHD 280Z that is mechanically standard. There's no evidence of any mechanical/functional upgrades other than some poly bushing and the BC coilovers. It's very much focussed on external appearances. Underside is "functional" for example. If it were to be a keeper long-term, that's one thing, but if you decided to move it on after a couple of years of ownership, you would lose money if trying to sell in the UK, as it would not be able to command a value comparable to that paid.

Do love the colour though!

 

[AgingGeek]

I can pop down to the garage and take a few photos at Lunch if that helps

Thank you, that would be super helpful, really appreciate it

I think the valuation issue has much to do with two things - LHD will never be as desirable to a UK audience, and while the UK-sold RHD cars command a premium, so many of them have been repaired/restored in the "bad old days" when they were worth little (80s/90s) meaning they have lots wrong with them from the modern definition of a proper restoration. Thus, why we end up having conversations on here picking holes in cars above 35k. More often than not the fine points are missing, and bigger ones are fudged for superficial cosmetic appeal. I stand by what I said in a recent thread, cars above 40k need to have every detail buttoned up tight, whether standard or restomod.

A modern resto to a high standard easily blazes past 40k all in, but the difference is that is a situation where you should be getting exactly what you want to a contemporary expectation of detail and quality. Most cars up for sale at 30-40K are lacking that.

As for the 280Z above, I'd agree with the comments already - it look cosmetically nice, but 40+k is expensive for a LHD 280Z that is mechanically standard. There's no evidence of any mechanical/functional upgrades other than some poly bushing and the BC coilovers. It's very much focussed on external appearances. Underside is "functional" for example. If it were to be a keeper long-term, that's one thing, but if you decided to move it on after a couple of years of ownership, you would lose money if trying to sell in the UK, as it would not be able to command a value comparable to that paid.

Do love the colour though!

I totally agree with you on all the points you make here. If this is as good and clean as they say it is / it appears to be, then this will be a keeper for me for many years. I am not looking to make money, I just want to own one of my dream cars and enjoy driving it and sharing it with others. I just don't want to throw away good money, but I guess there are some things you can put a price on. I think it will be worth it to me, and if I kept it for say 5-6 years and then sold it, and I lose 10 grand on the sale, then its been 2k ish per year for what I hope will be a lot of fun... I'd lose more than that on depreciation of a modern car...

Or at least, that's my inner "man math" to justify wasting 40k on is basically a toy

 

[AgingGeek]

I do want to squeeze the most I can out of the NA though, through head, port / polish, cam, itb etc. I need to understand the cost of doing that as I will likely want to do this in the first year of ownership

Anyone know any good reputable garages down south that work on these cars and know the L28 well enough to tune? I would like to to the work myself, if its easy enough to do though

 

[Rob Gaskin]

I do want to squeeze the most I can out of the NA though, through head, port / polish, cam, itb etc. I need to understand the cost of doing that as I will likely want to do this in the first year of ownership

Anyone know any good reputable garages down south that work on these cars and know the L28 well enough to tune? I would like to to the work myself, if its easy enough to do though

Fourways Engineering.

 

[AgingGeek]

Fourways Engineering.

thank you, will check them out

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Is the big rear spoiler bolted on or grafted on with filler?

 

[AgingGeek]

Is the big rear spoiler bolted on or grafted on with filler?

Not sure, I'll have to take a closer look and see from the inside

Thanks for the heads up on Fourways, just spoke to them and they were great!

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Not sure, I'll have to take a closer look and see from the inside

Thanks for the heads up on Fourways, just spoke to them and they were great!

Yeh have a good look at the rear. It's a bit sharp on the bottom corners and I don't think that marker light is in the correct place. It seems a bit too far back. I would definitely check for accident damage and there will be lots of filler because it's been smoothed with the bumper delete.

 

[M-j-b]

Lovely looking car, I'm just completing a 280z with ITB and engine mods.

If you buy it feel free to give me a shout happy to share my recent experiences.

 

[datsfun]

I am heading over to The Netherlands on Saturday to inspect and drive the car, so I am hoping it's everything they say it is!

The only thing is that it's hard to value the car... I know it's basically £40k, which is a lot,

If you do like it and want to negotiate downwards, get them to knock off a few €k' for the fairlady scene tax

Good Luck