1977 Datsun 280Z

From its debut as the 2.4L 240Z in the 1970 model year, the displacement of Datsun's sports car increased through the 260Z of 1974 and finally to the 280Z for '76... (well, nerds will insist it was a '75½.)

The reason behind the displacement bumps was that tightening emissions standards meant lower compression ratios and that meant that in order to keep output in the same ballpark you needed more cubic under the hood.

New for 1977 was an optional 5-speed manual transmission. Four-speeds were still standard, and that still-exotic fifth gear would set the buyer back $165, which is the equivalent of over nine hundred bucks in today's coin.

The first four gears had the same ratios, and the final drive remained unchanged, so while there wasn't a benefit in acceleration times, the overdrive 0.86:1 top gear permitted more relaxed freeway cruising and offered a boost to gas mileage. Road & Track recorded 21.5 MPG over their mileage test loop which, while it didn't feature much freeway cruising, was still a two mile per gallon improvement over the four-speed car.

The 2.8L SOHC inline six had L-Jetronic fuel injection and was rated at 170 SAE Net horsepower and could propel the Z-car to sixty in 9.4 seconds and through the quarter in 17.3 seconds at 81 mph. 

The Light Blue Metallic car in the photo was snapped with a Fujifilm X-E1 and a Zeiss Touit 32mm f/1.8 lens in September of 2019.

1980 Datsun 280ZX 2+2

Nissan's Z-car had featured a 2+2 version since the 260Z version of 1974, but when it was completely redesigned for the S130 series as the 280ZX, it was clear that the four-seater version was taken into consideration from the start, with the car morphing from a harder-edged sports coupe into a plusher grand tourer. Magazines at the time noted the more boulevardier nature of the car, even though the S130 2+2 was no heavier than its S30 forebear. 

By the '80 model year the Z-car was already badged in the North American market as a "Datsun by Nissan", and under the hood was Nissan's iron block L28E SOHC 12V inline six. With electronic fuel injection and an 8.3:1 compression ratio, the 2.8L six made 135 SAE net horsepower and could be backed by a five speed manual or, if the buyer had no soul, a three-speed auto.

Motor Trend tested a 1980 2+2 with the five speed and recorded an 11.3 second zero-to-sixty run and managed a quarter in eighteen seconds flat at 77mph. The four wheel power discs hauled the 2,910 pound car down from sixty in 160 feet.

Price of the test car, with the Grand Luxury Package, was $13,203, which comes to $52,360 in 2026 dollars.

The Golden Mist car in the photos was snapped with a Nikon Coolpix P7000 in White Rock, New Mexico back in October of 2015.

1988 Nissan 300ZX 2+2

The Z31 generation of Nissan's 300ZX got a light styling refresh for the 1987 model year, slightly softening the creased lines of the original.

The 300ZX continued the evolution from sports car to grand tourer that the 280ZX had first really leaned into. For 1988 the US version of the 3.0L SOHC VG30E V-6 was rated at 165 SAE net horsepower, but since it was the Turbo version that was expected to carry the performance banner, this was more than enough to compete with the lower-spec V-8s in cars like the Camaro RS.

This immaculate Platinum Mist example was photographed in October of 2025 using an Olympus PEN E-P5 and an M. Zuiko Digital 12-45mm f/4 PRO zoom lens. 

1990 Nissan 300ZX

For the 1990 model year, the 300ZX sports car from Nissan received a ground-up redo, with the Z31 generation that had debuted for 1984 being replaced with the all-new Z32 series.

Like its predecessor, the new 300ZX was available as a two-seater or a 2+2, in both normally aspirated and turbocharged form. For the North American market you could get the t-top roof in either base or Twin Turbo form, but the slick roof was only available in non-turbo cars.

Under the hood of the base car was a VG30DE 3.0L V-6, developed from the motor in the earlier car, but now sporting DOHC heads with four valves per cylinder and Nissan's N-VCT variable valve timing. This bumped the output from 165 to 222 SAE net horsepower.

This gave the normally-aspirated base Z-car a zero-to-sixty time of 6.7 seconds and let it dispose of the quarter mile in 15 seconds flat at 93mph, according to a period test from Car and Driver, and it ran all the way up to 143 on the top end. For the first time in half a decade you didn't need to spring for the turbocharged version to hold your head up at the traffic light against V-8 pony cars.

This Cherry Red Pearl car is a 1990 model, going by its lack of a badge and the spot on the fascia where the "NISSAN" sticker used to be. If it were optioned like C/D's test car, it would have cost $30,160, which comes to about $74k in current dollars.

This one was photographed in September of 2021 using a Nikon D2X and a 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens.

1981 Datsun 280ZX

While it sports the six-spoke 14" rims of a later Series II car, the B-pillar trim identifies this Light Brown Metallic Datsun 280ZX as Series I model from 1981.

This was the third model year of the S130 Z-car. Set apart from the earlier cars by its "X" suffix, the 280ZX was a plusher, more GT-oriented vehicle than the original Z.

Under the hood for 1981 was the Nissan L28E inline six, a 2.8L SOHC 12V motor with Bosch multiport fuel injection making 132 SAE net horsepower in North American trim and could be had with either a five-speed manual or a three-speed auto.

Road & Track tested an '81 280ZX with the GL (for "Grand Luxury") package and the three-speed auto. Hampered with the slushbox, the zero-to-sixty time was a Malaise Era typical 10.2 seconds and it took 18.1 seconds to clear a quarter mile, strolling through the traps at 80mph. It circled the skidpad at 0.76g and topped out at 111 miles per hour.

Price as tested, including the $1,704 GL package, $295 automatic transmission, $635 a/c unit, and $600 t-tops, came to $13,133, which comes to about $46,500 in 2025 dollars. 

North of the Ohio River, up here in road salt country, a Z-car in this condition is an uncommon sight. The drivetrain is the next thing to bulletproof, but they'll rust in front of your eyes.

This one was photographed in September of 2017 using a Ricoh GR Digital 2.