280z Original Paint

[s14kouki10]

So I bought this 78' z that has been repainted. I'm not sure if red is the original color, the engine bay is silver, interior is this tan-ish color. I'm not sure if datsun did paint the cars like this or was my car converted to red?

[Ozzie831]

My 77 280z was painted over red as well. The engine bay is dark green  and it also had tan interior. Ive stripped the paint down mine and the car used to be green. but i could also tell by taking out some interior trim pieces that it used to be green.

[Pac_Man]

Check the hood to see if the color code is still there and legible, then google s30 color codes or look at a thread here on HybridZ that has them (I'm sure I've seen one I just don't remember where).

[s14kouki10]

I've looked everywhere for the paint code number with no luck. 

[siteunseen]

http://zhome.com/History/ZColorGallary/index.html

 

http://zhome.com/History/colors.html

Edited February 1, 2013 by siteunseen

[cgsheen]

I've looked everywhere for the paint code number with no luck. 

 

There weren't all that many stock colors available.  Look around the spare tire well for the orignal color and match it to the tables listed above.  (Even if the car were re-painted at some point (and most Z's have been) hardly anyone takes the time and effort required to completely remove or overspray EVERY inch of factory paint.  There's usually a trace on something - under carpet, under trim panels, usually around the edges of the spare tire well...)

[s14kouki10]

Engine bay and trunk a a silver color. But i guess what i was asking is this something that datsun did or did s30 came all one color inside and out. The car has been obviously repainted, although i can peel the newer paint but underneath it its another coat of red. Thats whats throwing me off. Repainted twice maybe?

[morbias]

My 260z only had factory primer on the inside, no colour

[Erins.ZCar]

I have two '76 and one '77 280Z and all engine compartments match the original paint on the cars. My '76s have silver engine compartments and silver body paint, my '77 has a red engine compartment and red body paint that PO re-painted dark blue and a crappy paint job at that! Costs me over a grand to soda blast the '77 because the bad paint job. My experience tells me engine compartment color equals original body paint unless someone has done a full restoration and quality paint job. Hope this helps!

[cgsheen]

Engine bay and trunk a a silver color. But i guess what i was asking is this something that datsun did or did s30 came all one color inside and out. The car has been obviously repainted, although i can peel the newer paint but underneath it its another coat of red. Thats whats throwing me off. Repainted twice maybe?

 

From the factory the car would have been sprayed one color.  The metallics were 2-stage (base color with clearcoat over the top) and non-metallics were generally single stage (acrylic paint back then probably, no clearcoat)  The body of the car was shot and then everything else was installed.  The exterior and engine bay are all the same color. 

 

The interior of the car would not have been painted, but there is always significant overspray in the interior.  That's why you were told to look inside, under carpet, behind trim, in the spare tire well...  The original overspray will be there somewhere - very few people will take the time to strip everything and cover even the factory overspray when they re-paint a car! 

 

If you're seeing color, then a layer of redish paint (looks sorta like rust-colored paint), then metal - the redish stuff is primer.  Common primer color back in the day - not all primer is light gray...  But we've seen Z's with 3 or 4 layers of color with primer in between.  Over 30+ years, lots can happen.

[OldAndyAndTheSea]

I'd say a sure fire way to see what the original color was is to peel the paint off of the front of your door jams (near the hinges)

 

Or you could just pull the hinges/door off real quick, as most people don't remove these things while repainting. I bet there is a beautiful factory color hidden beneath.

[Pharaohabq]

I'd bet the original color was Silver you're seeing in the Engine Compartment.  From the factory the S30's were painted inside and out, then all the trim was installed. under the underbody spray or under the tar soundproofing in the interior you'll see it's still the same silver. You'll find that same silver all over the car.  Usually you can look up behind the dash and see the original color too.  But really it doesn't matter since you don't have the original paint color sticker. Any full respray of a factory color could be deemed correct since Datsun/nissan didn't track anything like that with Vin or anything until the mid 80's with the 300zx. One reason to go back with the datsun silver is that you won't need to repaint the enginebay or underside of the car. You'll save a lot of work pulling it all down to the body too.  but if you were going to go that far, then have it media blasted just to be certain you're starting with a good clean canvas. 

[mditt8671]

I thought mine was repainted from red as well, but apparently that's the color of the primer/interior paint.

 

That color is being sold in this ebay auction.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datsun-Nissan-OEM-Z-240Z-True-Napa-Red-Interior-Factory-Color-Paint-Can-/150985517927?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2327702b67&vxp=mtr