Rusty Z Car: 1978 Datsun 280Z

The Datsun 280Z was the successor to the seminal 240Z car and lives in a middle ground of 260Z/280ZX before the revival Z performance with the 300ZX.  As such, the 280Z tends to be treated as somewhat of a middle child - it doesn't get the praise and admiration of its eldest successful sibling (240Z) or the pampering of the baby (300ZX).  Logically the 280Z is therefore a big disgruntled, often unloved, wears funky shoes and is rarely found in good shape...and this one is a good example of a cheap/used/abused version. Find this 1978 Datsun 280Z here on eBay offered for $2,895 in Lucerne Valley, CA.

Ford V8 Powered: 1970 Datsun 240Z

The original Datsun 240Z was a nicely styled 2-seater from the land of the rising sun.  It combined the basic sportiness of a unibody chassis with MacPherson struts up front and an independent coil spring (upper Chapman struts, lower wishbones) rear with a 2.4 liter inline-6 that split the difference between 4-cylinder zippiness and V8 grumbliness.  However...there are times when you might want that V8 torque and this next example has been transformed into a real pony car.  Find this 1970 Datsun 240Z offered for $11995 in Bellevue, WA via craigslist. Tip from JB1025.

Seller Submission: 1976 Datsun 280Z

Production of Datsun's S30 generation Z-car started with the svelte 240Z in 1969, and continued through 1978 with the slightly porkier Datsun 280Z -- however, to Nissan's credit, the Z car did not drop in performance, because with each iteration (240Z, 260Z, 280Z) a slightly larger engine made up for the increase in safety and regulation related weight.  Find this 1976 Datsun 280Z here on eBay bidding for $1,525 with 5 days to go, located in Houston, TX.  Seller submission from AT.

Budget S30: 1972 Datsun 240Z

Nissan's iconic S30 generation 240Z deserves a spot on any gearhead's rust bucket list -- they handle well, have decent power, look good, and are affordable.  They do have issues with thin steel that suffers from the tin worm, and many have been converted to V8 donut machines, but pound for pound they are one of the better 2-seat classic sports options on the marketplace.  Find this 1972 Datsun 240Z offered for $6,500 in Tallahassee, FL via craigslist.  Tip from FuelTruck. 

Clutch Player: 1973 Datsun 240Z V8

The first generation Nissan Z car was a pretty inline-6 powered 2-seater sold in the USA under the Datsun marque and 240Z nameplate.  It was unlike anything seen from a Japanese manufacturer and sold like hot cakes with 148,000 units released onto the black tops of America.  The resulting glut of S30 Z-cars on the used market meant they were cheap for years and many got converted into V8 hot rods by folks unfamiliar with overhead camshafts...which is good or bad depending on how you like your classic Zs.  Find this 1973 Datsun 240Z V8 5-speed offered for $6,000 in Eureka, CA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Seller Submission S30: 1971 Datsun 240Z

The first generation S30 Datsun 240Z is one of those cars that up until recently didn't get much attention from collectors, and could be found cheaply and used as fun transportation by enthusiasts. That is changing, and the S30 has become a Japanese classic. Sporty looks, nice suspension, and high build quality make it a great choice for a vintage motor. This one's being sold by a friend of DT and looks really clean for the price. Find this 1971 Datsun 240Z for sale in La Mesa, CA for $7,200 via craigslist. Tip from Waltz / Seller submission from Mark.

17k: Ferrari 250z: 1978 Datsun 280z, Ferrari 250 GTO replica

It's crossed auction blocks at $38 million, topped dozens of click-baity website listicles for most beautiful car ever made, and was, statistically, on the childhood bedroom walls of 46% of the people reading this (I'm convinced most of you had Volvos or Citroens. Or a Chevy Corsica). Only 36 were made. Today, for less than the price of a new Civic, is the 37th. Sort of. Find this 1978 Datsun 280z Ferrari 250 GTO replica in Houston, TX for $17,000 via craigslist.

8k: McDreamy: 1975 Datsun 280z

You know the saying: "A good man S30 is hard to find." You want one that's strong and dependable without issues or a past, and one that can play nicely with the kids - but isn't too much of a snooze. Am I right, ladies?! They're either too uncouth, trashy, or diesel-y, or way out of your league. Except for McDreamy here and his steely blue, uh, paint job. Find this 1975 Datsun 280z in Auburn, CA for $8,000 via craigslist.

5k: Seller Submission: 1970 Datsun 240Z Barn Find

Mention the term Barn Find around car guys and you get two responses.  The first is from the group who starts fantasizing about restoring the car back to its original glory and the second are guys who start thinking about how much they hate money pits, rust pits and spider pits.   Here at DT headquarters near the intersection of Lazy Avenue and Poor Street we firmly maintain that a barn find needs to be a significant deal to be considered and you should never pay the previous owner for the privilege of restoring a car.  A barn find should be drastically cheaper than survivor or restored version of a car and the buyer should be rich in free time to fix/restore.  Don't buy a barn find if you just had triplets or work a full time job and go to night school, but it isn't a bad idea for the recently retired.  Find this 1970 Datsun 240Z barn find for sale in Portland, OR for $5,000 $3,400 via craigslist.  Seller submission from Ian.  Update Jan 28, 2014, 11:15AM PST, price dropped to $3,400

5k: Cheap S30: 1977 Nissan 280Z

It seems like only yesterday when cheap well preserved 1st generation (S30) Nissan Z-cars littered the Autotrader print magazine.  Good deals on early Zs are as gone as the print Autotrader magazine, but that doesn't mean you can't get lucky every once in a while.  Find this 1977 Nissan 280Z offered for $4,000 via craigslist.  Tip from Chuckles.

5k: Middle Child: 1977 Datsun 280Z S30

The Datsun 280Z was the successor to the seminal 240Z car and lives in a middle ground of 260Z/280ZX before the revival Z performance with the 300ZX.  As such, the 280Z tends to be treated as somewhat of a middle child - it doesn't get the praise and admiration of its eldest successful sibling (240Z) or the pampering of the baby (300ZX).  Logically the 280Z is therefore a big disgruntled, often unloved, wears funky shoes and is rarely found in good shape.  Find this one-owner 1977 Datsun 280Z for sale in Idaho for $7500 via NASIOC forums.  Big thanks to tip from Rojelio V.