Cheesecakepiebar

Absolutely

Ah, I saw Fort Bragg and automatically assumed Fort Bragg, CA (former resident of NorCal...) Lee

Your choice really all comes down to personal preference. For the V8 swap, some people like the 240z (low weight) and some (me included) prefer the 280z (once the awful "park bench" bumpers are gone ). One thing that you really should consider is the fact that CA has horrible smog laws. I am not sure about the particulars, but I believe that you can only swap an engine that was offered in that model line (i.e. the 280zx engine into a 280z). Hopefully somebody who has already dealt with the smog ordeal can provide you with some information. For ease of a swap, I would recommend getting a pre-1976 car.

Great car, lots of potential. I recently picked up a 75 280z as well, which is great since I also live in norcal during the summers. Reading your post made me laugh because I had pretty much the same story when I bought mine. Good luck with your car. I look forward to seeing your progress.