Help me value 280z with L28ET swap

[AlbatrossCafe]

Hey all,

Recently looking at getting into older Z's. Was gonna do an L28ET swap as my first foray into engine swapping (given its apparent simplicity) but if I can avoid it I would rather do that and focus on the more "fun" parts for me (suspension, bodywork).

I found a 1978 280z 5 speed with '82 zx turbo motor and oil cooler for sale locally. Guy has owned it since 2004, did the swap himself, and driven for ~3k miles a year.

It is right at 100k miles and garaged when not in use. Looks like pretty much stock everything else (suspension, driveline, body, interior, etc.)

Body is mostly straight but has a few quarter-sized holes as well as 2-3 rust spots spots.

 

He is asking $9,995, what do you guys think is fair?

Edited September 22, 2017 by AlbatrossCafe

[AlbatrossCafe]

Update: I test drove this today. The engine runs strong. However, there is some squeaking when the wheels turn (wheel bearings?) And when you let the clutch out there is a clunk, almost like the universal joint on the drive shaft is loose or going bad. The exhaust at the tip is not connected to the mount and when you really get on it it will rattle against the mount. 

These are things which are not too bad of a fix, but I think it diminishes his price a bit. Any input?

[rturbo 930]

1 hour ago, AlbatrossCafe said:

Update: I test drove this today. The engine runs strong. However, there is some squeaking when the wheels turn (wheel bearings?) And when you let the clutch out there is a clunk, almost like the universal joint on the drive shaft is loose or going bad. The exhaust at the tip is not connected to the mount and when you really get on it it will rattle against the mount. 

These are things which are not too bad of a fix, but I think it diminishes his price a bit. Any input?

The clunk is probably the rear diff mount. Do a search here. Really common problem, and pretty easy to solve.

As for the value of the car, I don't really keep up on these things and I'm totally out of the loop at this point. First, find out what a bone stock '78 280Z is worth. I'm not sure if they're up to 10k. these days, but it wouldn't be overly surprising if they were. Then factor in the swap. It looks pretty clean and well done. Assuming it is, how much is that worth to you? It takes away from originality, but adds in performance. Depending who you ask, the swap could be a benefit or a drawback. Exactly what condition is the car in? It's stock, but is it stock, and extremely well maintained? Or will you need to go through and do all the bushings, hoses, and who knows what else? Also, how well does this car fit with what you want to do with it? If you plan on doing a bunch of body and interior work, it might be better to find a rougher one that's cheaper.

Regarding the rust, you need to be much more specific. Rust that looks minor can be some easily fixed, or just the tip of the iceberg. I'd be more concerned about the rust than the three issues you mentioned.

I'm thinking the asking price might be a bit high. Not really sure, but if I had to come up with a number, I'm thinking something that starts with a seven. Take that with a grain of salt. However, given that a car like this (fairly clean, turbo swap, otherwise stock) isn't going to come up very often, ultimately I think it comes down to how badly you want it, and how much you value having a car NOW vs having to wait to find another, possibly traveling to see it, etc. I'm a bit impatient, and I personally don't mind paying a little more just to have something to work with right now, rather than waste time searching and waiting just to save a few bucks. Bonus points if it's local and easy to go check it out.

[AlbatrossCafe]

Thanks for the insight. The interior is actually very clean for its age, which is nice because I plan to keep that mostly stock. The turbo motor is definitely money saved for me in the long run as I would have done it anyway.

As far as the exterior goes, I prefer not to do a lot of rust repair / body work because that is not something I'm comfortable doing myself. I didn't even think about checking bushings and hoses because I have not ever bought a car of this age before. I will have to investigate those during my next viewing, as well as how thorough the rust is.

The couple rust spots were mainly on the lower panels in the car (like I could look through the tiny holes and see the road). The worst of it was on this little "extra" looking trim piece between the rear of the car and the big fat 280Z rear bumper. This doesn't seem to be a piece that is on the 240 Z with the smaller bumper, so I think I can at least disregard that rust if I plan a bumper swap.  There was no rust in the engine bay except on the battery tray a bit.

I am like you and very impatient haha. I always need something to work on. Plus in my five or six weeks or so of searching, I have not found something local with the turbo swap done until now, esp with the rest of car unmolested. I was also thinking $7xxx because of the rust and questionable Driveline noises combined with the fact that the tires on there will definitely need replacement. But after reading your comment it made me realize that this car sounds like an almost perfect starting point for me, so I may pony up for it anyway lol

[rturbo 930]

The little filler panel on the rear is only on 77-78 280Zs. It's spot welded on, and to remove it you (or body shop) will have to drill out the spot welds, smooth them out (be careful with the spot welder to make sure you don't end up with holes) and then you'll need to do a little painting. Not too big a deal, but not something you just unbolt and remove.

If you are after something that is stockish, but with some suspension work and some more power, then I think this car would fit the bill pretty well. Hope it works out.