I was a teenager in Fiji in 1977. I saw a pic of this car on a Calendar and loved it. I wrote to Datsun in Tokyo and Requested a catalogue on this car and they sent me one and thanked me for taking interest in this car.
@@willi19671.. I saw only one Datsun 140Z in Fiji in the 70's. Z cars weren't regular sale in Fiji but off course one could order through a dealers if he wanted. It was my fantasy to own a red 280ZX in late 70. My eldest bro. fantasied a black one. We never owned it.it was just a fantasy.
@@lucasbarton1773 Yes Lucas i was very amazed .In that Calendar was also Toyota 2000 {Hard Top} . This Car{convertible} was in The James Bond Movie Dr No. Sean Connery. WOW !! If only i could own it for it's super sleaky shape. So i wrote to Toyota in Tokyo for a catalogue. This was 1977. I had just Graduated with BA and was earning $3000 a yr.in Fiji !! Toyota wrote to me and thanked me for taking interest in Toyota 2000 but said unfortunately production of this car had ceased. They wanted to use this hard top in Dr No but bec. Sean Connery was too tall they had to use a convertible. I found this out recently.
In 1975 my Dad was 21. The first car he purchased for himself was a blue 1975 280Z. He has told me lots of stories about that car. I was born in 1987. My first car memories were sitting in that passenger seat and my dad rowing through the gears. We never turned on the radio because we loved the sound of the inline 6. The first thing I would do when getting home from elementary school was run to the garage to sit in the drivers seat and row the gears myself. He ended up selling he car in 1995, but that car was the catalyst for my lifelong obsession will all things automotive. This video was quite special to me as you can imagine. Sending it to my pops right now.
my dad's first car was a b12 nissan sentra hatchback. he used to tell me stories about having to put rubber spacers between the paint and the license plate because the subwoofer he installed made the plate rattle. man, what i'd give to see that car in person
My dad had 2 nissan 300zx z31s, one for my mom and one for him. Then my mom sold hers and he saved his, the last time we rode in it was 2014 and I was only 8 (im only 14 right now) as of right now the z31 is at my great grandpas house and hes working on it. A few weeks and im going to be able to drive it! Im probably going to cry when i drive it lmao, but that showoff blowoff is the best thing I've ever been in. I cant drive stick but i can drive so its gonna be a little difficult 😅
This car is way before my time but i want an old car like that when i turn 16 in 3 years. I want to be able to tinker and fix my car myself, so i want to get an older car.
This literally made my day. I was in a lousy mood before watching this, and now I feel great. It's nice to see a beautiful car like this get the royal treatment after decades of neglect. It's a beautiful car.
I had a 280z in 1994. So many older men always stopped me to talk about it and ask to sit in out of nostalgia. Now many years later I have it too. Love this episode and loved that car.
What a gem! I’m 58 now. My first job was as a “ lot boy” at Ritchie Datsun ( now Sheehy ) in Glen Burnie Md. I was 15 and 9 months. Back then, the youngest you could get a driver’s license. The next day, I got the job. ( my uncle was service manager, he grasped the skids) I had never driven a stick, and my first wash and fuel was a B210. Wash it, and go up the street and top off the tank. I learned how to drive a five speed, by default, in two blocks. I think the clutch survived ok! I prepped dozens or hundreds of Datsuns and was there when the Nissan change was implemented. After High Skrewl, they moved me to service advisor, and I stayed until about 20. What a great time. Immersed in cars, selling, fixing, parts...and fun times growing up with the “boys”. I was 17...and my was a Chevy Vega. The biggest price of crap ever built. But, I owned it. For prom, I convinced the F&I manager to let me drive his 200sx ( demo) to the prom. It was all worked out. I came to work after school, planned to leave early for the prom. The GM called me up to the front, told me to Wash, wax and fuel him demo ( 1980 280 ZX Turbo 2+2, the most expensive car in stock). I took care of the boss, a real brown noser I was. I spiffed his ride...and took the keys up to him at his desk. He asked...” you’re leaving early tonight?”. Yes sir, prom. Ok, he said...what are you driving? Uh, oh...I’m busted! I was more worried about the F&I manager getting in hot water, for letting a kid take brand new sports car. “ don’t lie to me, he said”. Man, I remember this like yesterday. I said..” A---e is letting me take his car, please...I talked him into it...don’t get him in trouble “. Big guy said...you know I can’t let you take a brand new 200 to your prom, give me the keys. I reached in my pocket, pulled the key and gave it to him. He said, no get outta here, have a good time. I turned and walked away. After two steps he said, hey...I turned around...get tossed me his keys...and said...take mine! I went to my prom in a brand new, washed, waxed and fueled.. 280 ZX Turbo! Oh, he said...bring it back in one piece, ok! Thanks Ron.....
Cool story bro. No really, that's a cool story. Lol. I grew up in Baltimore county, Woodlawn to be exact. I remember Glen Burnie Ritchie highway was where all the serious street racers hung out. My 70 Challenger 383 wasn't enough and my 74 Datsun 260Z was a car for the back roads.
You hear it a lot "showroom quality. Like It just drove off the lot." But this car is beyond that. This car is gorgeous. Truly amazing to see. Like time was frozen around it.
A friend of mine was just 19 in 1978 and had this identical car, same colour; he worked for IBM in Toronto with his dad: installed a powerful pioneer stereo; even drove to Miami in it in 24hrs with another friend; unfortunately Jim rose died before he reached 30 years old, of a brain tumour; was a really friendly guy
I borrowed my dads 1976 280zx for a weekend in 1987.... I was a senior high schooler. Memories of a great car. I took it during prom tome.... I didn't ask. Oops
I remember these cars - they stood out because American cars were still so big, but then you'd have this flashy little Japanese car come shooting along!
Remember these in the seventies garage near me called samurai cars, great looking cars I think they used to race them always wanted one. Had the use of an ex mod landrover through work at the time but I would have given both my kidneys for one of these !!!🇬🇧🤙
Had a 82 280ZX also, had to put larger anti-sway bars on it to keep its nerves on the ground. Also put on smoked headlight covers and a wooden steering wheel and a louder horn.
What an amazing find and circumstances behind the history of that specific car!!! I can only imagine the 44 years and not really having the funds to finish it up the way he had wanted, so parts off and never having driven it, to now actually being able to see it returned to showroom quality and glory ,and to know someone is surely going to treasure and enjoy it every bit as much as he always had, and then also to have the value of the car increase for him so much while it sat there... A little bittersweet, but mostly sweet!!!!!!!
My car! I had the exact same car, same year, color, and everything, back in the 1980's. When I bought it there was lots of rust, so with the help of a friend we restored it with mostly fiberglass replacement panels and parts. I drove this thing forever, and eventually sold it in running condition with 400K miles. What a trip down memory lane seeing the interior details, the "smuggler's" compartments, the hubcaps, engine bay, etc. Must have replaced the fuel hoses on the top of that engine a dozen times! Absolutely amazing find - made my day.
I can’t get enough of these restorations. And I absolutely love how everyone involved worked together as a great team, so focused on the goal and having the same mindset for the process. Thanks Larry, you and your team, THE BEST!!!
It's amazing how good or dare I say, perfect design stands the test of time. An Eames chair, Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes, the shape of a Coca Cola bottle, all are things that like this Z, someone agonized over spending years perfecting and now 40+ years later are still beautiful and timeless. The shape and design language of this car have now carried over into the new 2023 car and even after nearly half a century are still relevant. What an amazing find and how great it must feel to be a part of bringing this car and others back to life for people to enjoy. Thanks for making these videos.
Getting my driver's license in 1980, these cars were a realistic dream of a middle class teenager. I never got one, but it was always just barely within reach
@@lindamon5101 yeah, the 6,000 was probably about right for a new one. I was talking about barely being able afford a used one that would have been about 3 to 5 years old.
Another I'd like to share. It's true, I promise. An airline pilot brought in his relatively new 280z, because it would intermittently lose power, to the point of stalling. He'd sit for a minute, it would start and run fine for days, and then happen again. He brought it in a couple of time, tech could never duplicate or experience the problem. My uncle ( service manager) finally asked him to leave it, with permission to drive it home, etc.... until he experienced the condition. The pilot dropped it off, before going out of town. Take as long as you need. About the third day, my uncle experienced it. He told the tech to drop the fuel tank, it definitely felt like a fuel starve problem. It was a Hershey Bar wrapper, in Japanese. It would float around until hitting the pickup, and starve fuel. When the car stopped, it would float away, until next time! True, I swear!
I must have been doing something wrong. I was an airline pilot and drove used '85 & '92 Toyota Tacoma my whole career. My wife had a new '76 280Z while in college.
@@jcheck6 I had worked and saved my money and with some help from my Dad I got my 76 280Z right after graduating high school. I about wore that car out and sure wish that I could drive it one more time. Mine was what I think they called "racing green".
@@texaswader I am sure you really appreciated yours after you worked hard to get it Tex. You must have been the coolest kid on the block! I know what you mean about driving it one more time. I do the same but with airplanes. Would like to fly the Phantom one more time. My wife says she paid it off in 4 yrs and owned it for 14. Beautiful car except for the bumpers.
Guys, HERE is The TRUE Savior YaH The Heavenly FATHER HIMSELF was Who they Crucified for our sins, NOT jesus, and “HERE IS THE PROOF” From the Ancient Semitic Scroll: "Yad He Vav He" is what Moses wrote, when Moses asked YaH His Name (Exodus 3) Ancient Semitic Direct Translation Yad - "Behold The Hand" He - "Behold the Breath" Vav - "Behold The NAIL"
I was stunned. Me and my grandpa watched this(I’m 42, he’s 88). He was SO IMPRESSED how you guys did this. First thing he said was “Take it to the Pick a part”. I said “Watch this”. He told me to tell you guys BLEW HIS MIND! Mine too! AWESOME WORK!
'76? On the weekends I was out with my girlfriend. Was driving a '70 Dodge Charger at the time, blue with black vinyl roof. Just a couple years later I got a '71 240z, arguably one of the most enjoyable cars I've ever owned.
Absolutely stunning! I remember these Datsuns very well growing up in the 70's. I loved them then and still love them today. I would give my eye teeth to own something like this. To find a 280Z in this pristine condition is VERY rare. Would have loved to hear that little Z fire up after 40 years of being dormant. Great video!
i'm not a car fanatic, but watching these videos where people who are really passionate about their craft, do what they do best by putting some new life into a car, i really just so soothing.
My goodness, the only thing To dislike about this is the fact that I wasn’t the one to find this car. At least it found an owner who appears will take good care of the car
This sort of abrasive cleaning is not recommended, especially rubbing the plastic vacuum attachment on the carpet and swiping the dust across the paint surface, big no no.
@@oldschoolfoil2365 They knew what they were doing; they buffed out the paint with a fine polish after cleaning the surface dirt off. You don't know what you are talking about.
I was born after the Fairlady Z had her heyday. I was able to get my hands on a '77 280z in 2005 while I was in the Marines. I had so much fun in that car. Paid 3 grand for it then. Unfortunately, while I was deployed my bank card had an issue that I didn't know about and the storage facility stopped getting payments. I didn't know until it was too late and they had already put a mechs lein on it and sold it. I miss that car. Thanks for the video. It brought back many memories for me.
I was 8 years old when this car was first purchased… one of my sisters had one in this same color. I remember them being all over in Southern California. This was probably my most favorite barn find video, great job everyone!!
Oh my god. This Datsun took me to 45 years ago and my childhood in Iran. My late uncle had an exactly same model, same colour Datsun and used to take me and my brother around the town sometimes!
@@aap34798 Shaw? Do you mean Shah? Yes, I’m speaking about that time. I think you have mixed up Iran with its Arab neighbours too coz head gear and stuff like this never been or are part of the Iranian clothings.Doing a google search before issuing a verdict is not that hard!
@@aap34798 America isn’t the good guy, pal. If you think so, you’re deluded. The so called “freedom” you want to bring to the Middle East can be well seen in Libya where there are now literal slave trades going on since the US got rid of Gaddafi.
Astonishing! As a huge gearhead and owner of a classic car myself, this about brought a tear of joy while watching the video. The sound of all the emblems as they clicked into place was so satisfying!!! Awesome job everyone!!!
Watching this vid really brought tears to my eyes…my dad used to own a DATSUN as our family’s 1st car…remembered well me & my elder brother as kids would willingly put our time during the weekends to wash the car to make it look good when our dad drove it out from the carpark…really missed that old DATSUN!
WOW! I remember these Datsuns from back in the day!!! This was Amazing to see the transformation! It was all worth it in the end! Beautiful, Absolutely Beautiful!!!
@Edward McCarty That's the nuts thing about the whole "ran into money troubles and just never got around to it" thing. He must have had the equivalent of 30 grand wrapped up in it, but somehow couldn't afford to get a new radio? It's wild.
I bought a brand new ram 1500 and an older restored 5 series in the same year, a few months go by and someone keyed both of them all down the sides and kicked in the door on my bmw. The stress almost isn’t worth it, after that I just want to own cheaper older cars that can get messed up without a care. You can baby cars forever and someone can come along and ruin it.
Yes, I remember clearly that Datsun. One of our neighbors had one when I was 9 years old with exactly the same color and he gave us a ride. This vehicle is a real jewel, you rarely find a vehicle that is new that old. Thanks for bringing it back to life. Amazing game.🤙🤙🤙 Watching from Puerto Rico 👍🇵🇷
@@13THPR0PH37 ¡Vaya boricua! ¡Wepa! Chacho, nuestro vecino nos dio una vuelta a la manzana a todos los muchachos de la calle, era bien buena gente el señor. Murió 10 años después de cáncer y todos fuimos al entierro. Cuando nos encontramos y reunimos por ahí los que éramos vecinos, siempre que hablamos de carros sale a relucir Don Carlos y la trilla que nos había dado a todos. Buenos recuerdos de gente buena que impactaron nuestra vida de personas que no eran come mierda.
My friend's sister had a 240Z. She took us to see the movie, 'The Godfather', at a drive-in. I was in the back, and lucky to have not hit my growth spurt, being 14. I bought a '78 280Z, the last year before the ZX came out. I liked the bumpers on my '78, more than the previous years.
I had a 240Z in the early 80s. It was already ten years old by then, but I just loved it. The straight six engine was great but, above all, I simply adored the look of the car. The whole shape of it, with its sunken headlights was magical. I found an old (the only) photo of it recently. It's now my screensaver!
In the mid 80's, I saved my money and bought a used but very clean gold 78 280z identical in style to 76 and 77. It was my 1st year in college, and what a fun and beautiful car to drive around campus. All my friends and the girls loved it. Brings back some great memories. Wish i could go back😊
I had a 76 exactly like this one. I got it in 1984 after joining the US Coast Guard. I had it repainted after some damage from a wreck and it was absolutely gorgeous. I drove my Z until 1992 and it was a sad day when I finally let her go!
Dealers dont deserve it, often just con-artist with an authority complex.. Only purpose of a dealer is too make the bank money on loans.. In this day and age, rediculous laws are the only reason we dont all bypass the dealer.
Great job, brings a tear to these eyes of mine. Back in the 80's there was a 280z for sale at this dealership that I took for a test ride with my wife. The gear shifting was silky smooth and we were flying thru the freeway, I was in heaven for about 15 mins. Wham she brought me back to reality from the lofty perch in heaven with these words, " Where are we going to put our son in ? " The salesman saw the tears in my eyes as I handed the keys back to him, so close oh so close.
I'm honestly thinking thats worth half a million, there just wouldn't ever be that car available anywhere in that condition with 350 original miles it blows my mind lol. You hear the term showroom for old prestige cars, this is actually showroom 🤯
My ex and I bought a 240Z when they first started advertising them. Three first shipment boats were sent to the US, one to The east coast, one to the west coast, and one boat came to Houston. We lived in Texas. It was dicey that we were going to get the car, but we did. As it was then, we would lend our Z to our local dealership to show and increase sales. It was one of the most exciting and the most fun car we drove for several years. Thanks for this reminder of the Datsun Z era. It was entered in many SCCA Slalom Competitions and won many first places. It was the mustard colored one. I loved driving that baby. 💕💕💕
Even if you adjust for inflation I'm sure that thing is worth way more than it ever was new. You just can't find such a rust prone old car in such amazing condition. What a time capsule. Best of luck to the owners in getting an apropriate price. Who doesn't love a classic japanese car?
@Frank L makes no sense. do you have fraction of $ cent coins? one cent = $0,01 - a comma is only used to indicate cents. Thousands, millions....can be indicated with a “.” like I did in $310.000...
This was brilliant to watch , I remember this being on the streets when I was young and all the wealthy guys driving them. Work you did was amazing and brought back to life a beautiful car.
+Kyle Coolage - very true but it is even more special now. It is odd though, the video stated the original owner didn't have the "Money" to put his car back together but really, there didn't need to be any money needed to put this back together since he had all the original parts. All it would have taken was one weekend of labor. Such a shame the original owner missed out on this dream car experience.
I love these barn find videos! Honestly it was so cool to see an owner get in on the detail with you Larry. His face and reaction when you guys pushed the car out of the garage was priceless. Keep up the great work!
My dad has a 1967 Fast back Barracuda with the original sassy grass green paint sitting in the garage collecting dust. I can't wait until the day he gets it detailed and back on the road again!
I never thought I would say this in my car-loving years but, This car has to stay in a museum for the rest of its life. It's good to drive its, important to the automotive manufacturing history.
I was 16 and in driver's training in high school when that car was sold. I'm 60 now. Scary how time goes by. I'd love to have that car - Datsun Z cars of the 1970s were so beautiful.
Can you believe this guy just stuck it in a barn, and over the course of your entire adulthood and all the things you've done big & msmall, this guy never set aside one single weekend to put the body parts back on… at least he got to see it done right
Closest thing to a time machine ! love it. I drove a used one in 1986. It had over 150k miles and was blowing some black smoke but had good compression. It was fun as hell to drive.
I remember when that car came out, I was in the 8th grade. It was the car everybody wanted. The metallic baby blue and the champagne color were the hottest colors. This was the most amazing one of your videos I've seen. Great work!
Physical contact with a cloth after adding cleaning agent (foaming soap) was a big mistake. You should have gone with a light water rinse then followed up two additional foaming soap application 1) power wash with low pressure. 2) another with medium to high pressure rinse after which physical contact with soft clothes / buffer. You almost certainly subjected the paint to microscratching that didnt have to happen. I work in cleaning validation for pharmaceutical equipment and understand soil removal at a chemical and material science level.
@@zz6gkm Yup. If you want to start an argument, go on the Internet's TH-cam and state an opinion that you "Know better". That'll do it... That is what it's for, isn't it!
correct, but I'm sure they intended to polish the paint anyway. They're main reason for the way they did it was to preserve any paper ID tags from getting wet. I suppose they coul've used water more carefully and efficiently to prevent damage definately would've been better than anything dry.
@@armadilllo You are right. The US models were not called Fairlady; only Japanese right hand drive imports, which are rare. Unfortunately, I just sold one a couple of years ago. Worst mistake ever.
What a beautiful car. I remember when the first 240 Z came out. I was about 15 and my boyfriends father got one. My boyfriend soon bought his very first car, a 1950 Plymouth! Took it to Earl Shieb and got it painted an intense turquoise color.
I was not a fan of those 280z’s. I am now. Under all that dirt you usually see a car in bad shape but this one was like....removing the wrapping to reveal a jewel underneath. I can just imagine how exciting and rewarding people involved must have felt at the end. Congrats to all and to the owner.
Why not a fan? They are incredible cars. The shitty DOT bumpers spoiled the look but they handled great, had a nice power to weight ratio, and were durable. Datsun hit it out of the park with the 240 and 280. Light, nimble, reliable, what more do you want in a car?
Muskoka Mike I was just talking about looks. I’m a a fan of the American Muscle look. Just my preference but that doesn’t mean I think the Datsun or any other car is a bad car. I visited this Datsun website (announced at the end of the video) and read the whole story. It would be incredible to own an old “new” car like this one.
@@serzok1 I'm a muscle car fan too but I'm also smart enough to realize that for better handling, better performance and all around "fun" these can't be beat. I live in an area full of tight twisty back roads, try to toss around a 1970 chevelle 396 and you'd end up in the rhubarb. Not to mention it costing your $10 every time you start the Chevelle. Where I live gas is $5.00 CDN a gallon, you could drive all day in the 280 for the cost of going 3 miles in the Chevelle. See, I appreciate all sorts of cars. Each has their pros and cons. Doesn't make one "better" or "worse". Unless you're talking Pontiac Aztec, then that's just wrong in so many ways lol. BTW: just an FYI? for not a whole lotta money you could build a datsun Z that would eat any muscle car from the 60's and 70's. A popular swap is dropping a 327 EFI into them, they fit just right.....350 hp in one turns it into a neck breaker.
@Muskoka Mike I used to live in Calgary. Over there when snow melts and spring comes, you can see lots of interesting cars on the streets. It’s funny what you say about the Aztec. :) You should watch this video if you haven’t yet: Chip Foose redesigning an Aztec: th-cam.com/video/x5m8MPMlSXI/w-d-xo.html
I am not a gearhead by any stretch of the imagination, but I love channels like this because they bring things back. I like all kinds of channels whether it's automotive, homes, individual pieces, restoration of metals, plastics, rebuilds, redos all sorts of things like that. If I wasn't in my wheelchair and suffered from the stiffness and soreness that I have from 37 years of CP, I would absolutely have loved any kind of restoration business. Just so much fun to see things come back to life.
It’s almost like therapy restoring, cleaning or organizing something. When everything in your life is getting hectic, doing a small project like clean and organize the refrigerator, bedroom, closet or garage, can help your mind to calm down. Sometimes it’s just the inspiration I need to get my blood pumping enough to tackle a bigger project I’ve been putting off. It also gets rid of that shitty guilty feeling I get if I’ve been sitting around on my day off not doing anything.
to be fair that thing hasn't had the motor turned over in 30+ years. I wouldn't just toss some oil and a battery in it and see what happened lol. I'd be checking to see if it was frozen, pre-lubing etc... and then fire it up. But I agree its sad we never get to hear it.
Recently started my own detailing and washing service based out of Fresno California, I go to parts of the mountains of California where the nearest car wash is more then 60 miles away, and the nearest detailing shop more then 80 in some parts. Due to the valley area being basically a massive track, with its large amount of wonderful winding roads, straight aways, and the great views, there is alot of mountain collectors with Bmws, Porsches, Corvettes, Mercedes, and plenty of motorcycles too. Thus this is where I step in, going out to the homes of these owners and detailing their cars infront of them, while also explaining any issues and recommendations...your guides and videos have not only given me the opportunity to learn and try to perfect my craft, while also getting the inspiration to start my business, and most importantly of all, sparking my passion. I love detailing cars, its practically what I consider a dream job, sure the initial investment was alot, but it was very much worth it, that being said... thank you for all your work, videos, and products.
Absolutely horrified they used essentially waterless process to remove that massive amount of dirt from the surface. Even just a little drizzle of water would’ve washed away a huge amount versus smushing it with a microfiber towel
agreed. they should have washed that foam off, then repeated the process a two more times before taking a fiber cloth to it. They're just scratching the paint with the dirt.
I was trying to look for a comment that spotted that huge mistake, like he literally just smeared the dirt off the paint instead of letting water take it off
You guys obviously never had a show car in modern times waterless foam style washing is very effective and when wiping the dirt its a 1 and done then that side is trash
Oh man. I cried at the end. It reminded me of my first car, a used Datsun 280z dark green. It was never undercoated and turned into a big pile of rust. Oh, but for its day, it ruled the road for a kid of 19 [140 on the Speedometer]. Mine was exactly like that, not a dent or ding. Amazingly comfortable seats, a shifter that flowed into place, and amazing looks, and the stash box came in handy. I'm glad I stumbled on your video. It really brought back some memories.
Wow! I remember that car from my childhood and was always fascinated with the engineering that went into it. Really nice to see an original. Good work people.
I was a teenager in Fiji in 1977. I saw a pic of this car on a Calendar and loved it. I wrote to Datsun in Tokyo and Requested a catalogue on this car and they sent me one and thanked me for taking interest in this car.
Did Nissan sell Z / ZX to Fiji ? ( By the way I visited Fiji in 1984. ) My father had a 1980 Black 280 ZX 2+2. Cheers from Berlin Germany
@@willi19671.. I saw only one Datsun 140Z in Fiji in the 70's. Z cars weren't regular sale in Fiji but off course one could order through a dealers if he wanted. It was my fantasy to own a red 280ZX in late 70. My eldest bro. fantasied a black one. We never owned it.it was just a fantasy.
Gotta say that’s nice that they sent you a catalogue and thanked you for showing interest
@@lucasbarton1773 Yes Lucas i was very amazed .In that Calendar was also Toyota 2000 {Hard Top} . This Car{convertible} was in The James Bond Movie Dr No. Sean Connery. WOW !! If only i could own it for it's super sleaky shape. So i wrote to Toyota in Tokyo for a catalogue. This was 1977. I had just Graduated with BA and was earning $3000 a yr.in Fiji !! Toyota wrote to me and thanked me for taking interest in Toyota 2000 but said unfortunately production of this car had ceased. They wanted to use this hard top in Dr No but bec. Sean Connery was too tall they had to use a convertible. I found this out recently.
@@jaimezardel5544 that interesting, shake the production had ceased though, looked like quite a cool and interesting car
this Z was more than a barn find, it was a time capsule.... finding one of these in such impeccable condition is like finding a unicorn
Unicorn indeed.
Unicorn i see every day ... that fairlady love it from the first side
I've got a 240Z never restored it
For sure
Yes, true. The Z's didn't have galvanized bodies which lead many to be rusted at the welds! Very rare.
In 1975 my Dad was 21. The first car he purchased for himself was a blue 1975 280Z. He has told me lots of stories about that car. I was born in 1987. My first car memories were sitting in that passenger seat and my dad rowing through the gears. We never turned on the radio because we loved the sound of the inline 6. The first thing I would do when getting home from elementary school was run to the garage to sit in the drivers seat and row the gears myself. He ended up selling he car in 1995, but that car was the catalyst for my lifelong obsession will all things automotive. This video was quite special to me as you can imagine. Sending it to my pops right now.
my dad's first car was a b12 nissan sentra hatchback. he used to tell me stories about having to put rubber spacers between the paint and the license plate because the subwoofer he installed made the plate rattle. man, what i'd give to see that car in person
My dad had 2 nissan 300zx z31s, one for my mom and one for him. Then my mom sold hers and he saved his, the last time we rode in it was 2014 and I was only 8 (im only 14 right now) as of right now the z31 is at my great grandpas house and hes working on it. A few weeks and im going to be able to drive it! Im probably going to cry when i drive it lmao, but that showoff blowoff is the best thing I've ever been in. I cant drive stick but i can drive so its gonna be a little difficult 😅
@@theonlyrithboi1739 my grandma used to have a 300zx as well, she called it a rocket ship 🤣
Sir! 😭😭
@@theonlyrithboi1739 not as hard as you’d think. Don’t over do it and feel it out!
Back in the early 80's our friend's mom piled in four 3rd graders in the hatchback to drive us to school in a red 280z stick shift. Awesome memories!
The team coming together to help was so cute. I loved Steven's unbridled passion and joy at finally being able to save this car
These are the videos I love
it looks like new 🌟
E muito lindo,no Brasil tbm.tinha um carro quaze idêntico (puma)
I was just a kid when these cars were everywhere. To look at it all completed totally brought me back. Beautiful.
Wow
I love datsun ❤
Fantastic job
This car is way before my time but i want an old car like that when i turn 16 in 3 years. I want to be able to tinker and fix my car myself, so i want to get an older car.
@@aaronbalchand5475 make it fast.. oil cars will be history in a few years.
This literally made my day. I was in a lousy mood before watching this, and now I feel great. It's nice to see a beautiful car like this get the royal treatment after decades of neglect. It's a beautiful car.
Why lousy mood?
you dont want to miss my come up!💙🤞th-cam.com/video/wp44v4gXbA4/w-d-xo.html
@@JustJordoe why
@@32SQUID just spent a whole blunt thinking bout this one and u right
u def gonna wanna miss it
I had a 280z in 1994. So many older men always stopped me to talk about it and ask to sit in out of nostalgia. Now many years later I have it too. Love this episode and loved that car.
What a gem! I’m 58 now. My first job was as a “ lot boy” at Ritchie Datsun ( now Sheehy ) in Glen Burnie Md. I was 15 and 9 months. Back then, the youngest you could get a driver’s license. The next day, I got the job. ( my uncle was service manager, he grasped the skids) I had never driven a stick, and my first wash and fuel was a B210. Wash it, and go up the street and top off the tank. I learned how to drive a five speed, by default, in two blocks. I think the clutch survived ok!
I prepped dozens or hundreds of Datsuns and was there when the Nissan change was implemented. After High Skrewl, they moved me to service advisor, and I stayed until about 20. What a great time. Immersed in cars, selling, fixing, parts...and fun times growing up with the “boys”.
I was 17...and my was a Chevy Vega. The biggest price of crap ever built. But, I owned it. For prom, I convinced the F&I manager to let me drive his 200sx ( demo) to the prom. It was all worked out. I came to work after school, planned to leave early for the prom. The GM called me up to the front, told me to Wash, wax and fuel him demo ( 1980 280 ZX Turbo 2+2, the most expensive car in stock). I took care of the boss, a real brown noser I was.
I spiffed his ride...and took the keys up to him at his desk. He asked...” you’re leaving early tonight?”. Yes sir, prom. Ok, he said...what are you driving? Uh, oh...I’m busted! I was more worried about the F&I manager getting in hot water, for letting a kid take brand new sports car. “ don’t lie to me, he said”. Man, I remember this like yesterday.
I said..” A---e is letting me take his car, please...I talked him into it...don’t get him in trouble “.
Big guy said...you know I can’t let you take a brand new 200 to your prom, give me the keys. I reached in my pocket, pulled the key and gave it to him. He said, no get outta here, have a good time. I turned and walked away.
After two steps he said, hey...I turned around...get tossed me his keys...and said...take mine!
I went to my prom in a brand new, washed, waxed and fueled.. 280 ZX Turbo!
Oh, he said...bring it back in one piece, ok!
Thanks Ron.....
That’s the kind of car story I like to read about.
That's awesome 👍👏👏
That's a truly amazing story 👌🏼
Cool story bro. No really, that's a cool story. Lol. I grew up in Baltimore county, Woodlawn to be exact. I remember Glen Burnie Ritchie highway was where all the serious street racers hung out. My 70 Challenger 383 wasn't enough and my 74 Datsun 260Z was a car for the back roads.
Thats amazing my dad used to have a datsun boxer and at first we thought there were 2500 made but when we found out that there was only 250
The car hadn’t seen dat sun in 44 years
Amazing
Lollll good one mate !
*slow clap* proud of you son
Well played sir.
Nice one ☝🏼
You hear it a lot "showroom quality. Like It just drove off the lot." But this car is beyond that. This car is gorgeous. Truly amazing to see. Like time was frozen around it.
th-cam.com/video/v0OREagkgtA/w-d-xo.html
I’m sure that engine is frozen too 😉
I love this car. My dear friend had one around 91 , that he paid 350 dollars for. Same color, same trim . You guys brought me some good memories. 👍
A friend of mine was just 19 in 1978 and had this identical car, same colour; he worked for IBM in Toronto with his dad: installed a powerful pioneer stereo; even drove to Miami in it in 24hrs with another friend; unfortunately Jim rose died before he reached 30 years old, of a brain tumour; was a really friendly guy
Great Job
Thank you for the story, rest in peace Jim.
My uncle had a blue one...still the coolest car for the coolest person ever as far as I'm concerned
I hope he got plenty of chicks in that car. And good memories with friends. RIP
you dont want to miss my come up!💙🤞th-cam.com/video/wp44v4gXbA4/w-d-xo.html
and here I am being impressed when I see a datsun that still has the original floor pans
Lmao, I could see the asphalt through the floor of my 240Z
I have a 1975 and a 1976 280z 2+2. Both have great pans.
@lickmynuts alongtime where are they selling?
Same lol, you won't find a solid one in the Northeast
That can't be Japanese it doesn't have rust on it.
For those who were around at that time, what a time warp moment! Congratulations on a extremely rare find!
I borrowed my dads 1976 280zx for a weekend in 1987.... I was a senior high schooler. Memories of a great car. I took it during prom tome.... I didn't ask. Oops
I remember the first 240Z. A beauty!
I remember these cars - they stood out because American cars were still so big, but then you'd have this flashy little Japanese car come shooting along!
Remember these in the seventies garage near me called samurai cars, great looking cars I think they used to race them always wanted one. Had the use of an ex mod landrover through work at the time but I would have given both my kidneys for one of these !!!🇬🇧🤙
@@peterbalac1915 they definitely ran in rally races at the time - red body, black hood, they looked particularly great fitted with the night lights!
My first car was a 280zx and these cars still hold a special place in my heart. This was an incredible find and restoration! Just beautiful!
Had a 82 280ZX also, had to put larger anti-sway bars on it to keep its nerves on the ground. Also put on smoked headlight covers and a wooden steering wheel and a louder horn.
@@mountainclimber1227 mine was a '83. Man that thing was fun. I had better swaybar end links and just drove it like I stole it!
Legend has it owner put it back in the barn and it's still there.
@@Utubegofukurself I did watch the video.
Did you get the joke?
😂😂😂
lol
🤣
@@Utubegofukurself i think that everyone got the joke exactly you lol there's always one.
This is the type of stuff to make a grown man cry
That car is absolutely stunning!
Mich macht es traurig wie man Autos wie dieses so vergammeln lassen kann.
look at that design... still beautiful even after many years.
Timeless
@@yepyep2026 who's Tim?
Sold for 140k
I'm just a teenager and may I say, they really don't make cars like they used to man...
Some car designs are ahead of it's time, what a cool looking car.
What an amazing find and circumstances behind the history of that specific car!!! I can only imagine the 44 years and not really having the funds to finish it up the way he had wanted, so parts off and never having driven it, to now actually being able to see it returned to showroom quality and glory ,and to know someone is surely going to treasure and enjoy it every bit as much as he always had, and then also to have the value of the car increase for him so much while it sat there... A little bittersweet, but mostly sweet!!!!!!!
YEEESSS!🤯
love those kind of videos with the old, „broken“ dirty cars getting cleaned again
more of these please!🥺
How was it broken?
@@maxwellbolzman7077 it isn’t broken it is just taken apart
Turtle 15 thank you for explaining my point
@@483t7wbln lol true
My car! I had the exact same car, same year, color, and everything, back in the 1980's. When I bought it there was lots of rust, so with the help of a friend we restored it with mostly fiberglass replacement panels and parts. I drove this thing forever, and eventually sold it in running condition with 400K miles. What a trip down memory lane seeing the interior details, the "smuggler's" compartments, the hubcaps, engine bay, etc. Must have replaced the fuel hoses on the top of that engine a dozen times! Absolutely amazing find - made my day.
I can’t get enough of these restorations. And I absolutely love how everyone involved worked together as a great team, so focused on the goal and having the same mindset for the process. Thanks Larry, you and your team, THE BEST!!!
It's amazing how good or dare I say, perfect design stands the test of time. An Eames chair, Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes, the shape of a Coca Cola bottle, all are things that like this Z, someone agonized over spending years perfecting and now 40+ years later are still beautiful and timeless. The shape and design language of this car have now carried over into the new 2023 car and even after nearly half a century are still relevant. What an amazing find and how great it must feel to be a part of bringing this car and others back to life for people to enjoy. Thanks for making these videos.
Nice comment, well said.
Cheers!
Getting my driver's license in 1980, these cars were a realistic dream of a middle class teenager. I never got one, but it was always just barely within reach
I'm younger than you and 90% of the overpriced supercars today don't look half as good as this. How much were they? 6000$?
I wish that this car had been given to me instead.
@@captainLoknar That sounds about right.
@@lindamon5101 I was talking about the early 1980s
@@lindamon5101 yeah, the 6,000 was probably about right for a new one. I was talking about barely being able afford a used one that would have been about 3 to 5 years old.
Another I'd like to share. It's true, I promise.
An airline pilot brought in his relatively new 280z, because it would intermittently lose power, to the point of stalling. He'd sit for a minute, it would start and run fine for days, and then happen again. He brought it in a couple of time, tech could never duplicate or experience the problem. My uncle ( service manager) finally asked him to leave it, with permission to drive it home, etc.... until he experienced the condition. The pilot dropped it off, before going out of town. Take as long as you need. About the third day, my uncle experienced it. He told the tech to drop the fuel tank, it definitely felt like a fuel starve problem.
It was a Hershey Bar wrapper, in Japanese. It would float around until hitting the pickup, and starve fuel. When the car stopped, it would float away, until next time!
True, I swear!
If you said Kit Kat no one would even doubt.
I must have been doing something wrong. I was an airline pilot and drove used '85 & '92 Toyota Tacoma my whole career. My wife had a new '76 280Z while in college.
I believe it, we had a very similar situation happen with a tractor on the farm. That is one frustrating problem to figure out lol
@@jcheck6 I had worked and saved my money and with some help from my Dad I got my 76 280Z right after graduating high school. I about wore that car out and sure wish that I could drive it one more time. Mine was what I think they called "racing green".
@@texaswader I am sure you really appreciated yours after you worked hard to get it Tex. You must have been the coolest kid on the block! I know what you mean about driving it one more time. I do the same but with airplanes. Would like to fly the Phantom one more time. My wife says she paid it off in 4 yrs and owned it for 14. Beautiful car except for the bumpers.
I can imagine Nissan them selfs would pay to get that car back
I thought the same thing.
It probably has less miles and is in better condition than their showroom fairlady 😂
An enquiry I would definitely make in their shoes. This is a unicorn car 😍
This car should be sitting in a museum
@@goodguy3803 this car should be carving up the twisties
What an absolutely beautiful find. Congrats to the new owner and to you and the guys on an immaculate job.
Guys, HERE is The TRUE Savior
YaH The Heavenly FATHER HIMSELF was Who they Crucified for our sins, NOT jesus, and “HERE IS THE PROOF”
From the Ancient Semitic Scroll:
"Yad He Vav He" is what Moses wrote, when Moses asked YaH His Name (Exodus 3)
Ancient Semitic Direct Translation
Yad - "Behold The Hand"
He - "Behold the Breath"
Vav - "Behold The NAIL"
I was stunned. Me and my grandpa watched this(I’m 42, he’s 88). He was SO IMPRESSED how you guys did this. First thing he said was “Take it to the Pick a part”. I said “Watch this”. He told me to tell you guys BLEW HIS MIND! Mine too! AWESOME WORK!
Shoutout to everyone who is old enough to have flashbacks of what they were doing 44 years ago🥺 like you must be having crazy nostalgia
I was bein born lol
was in my dad's ball sacks.
'76? On the weekends I was out with my girlfriend. Was driving a '70 Dodge Charger at the time, blue with black vinyl roof. Just a couple years later I got a '71 240z, arguably one of the most enjoyable cars I've ever owned.
Crappin in my diapers.
Was driving my 70 Datsun 510!
Absolutely stunning! I remember these Datsuns very well growing up in the 70's. I loved them then and still love them today. I would give my eye teeth to own something like this. To find a 280Z in this pristine condition is VERY rare. Would have loved to hear that little Z fire up after 40 years of being dormant. Great video!
The sound of those fuel injectors starting the engine, is a sound that would take me back 45 years. My Z car I would buy it again.
I used to had a 240z 1971 and a 260z 1974... Watching this 280z ...ah Man what a Beauty.
i'm not a car fanatic, but watching these videos where people who are really passionate about their craft, do what they do best by putting some new life into a car, i really just so soothing.
I'm a volunteer at the Hershey Automotive Museum and it's amazing to see things like this surface in the area!
My goodness, the only thing To dislike about this is the fact that I wasn’t the one to find this car. At least it found an owner who appears will take good care of the car
This sort of abrasive cleaning is not recommended, especially rubbing the plastic vacuum attachment on the carpet and swiping the dust across the paint surface, big no no.
No, he's flipping the car. He's just a business man. 18:37
@@oldschoolfoil2365 They knew what they were doing; they buffed out the paint with a fine polish after cleaning the surface dirt off. You don't know what you are talking about.
Well that and he rubbed dirt all over it and probably scratched the heck out of it before using the pressure washer anyway...smh
@@Cutlass_Rudd You don't know how paint works, do you?
If it wasnt for that dent thing we'd probably never see this on yt... Thanx dent!
Harvey Dent
That’s Señor Dent to you.
Dent has saved the day ...how
I was born after the Fairlady Z had her heyday. I was able to get my hands on a '77 280z in 2005 while I was in the Marines. I had so much fun in that car. Paid 3 grand for it then. Unfortunately, while I was deployed my bank card had an issue that I didn't know about and the storage facility stopped getting payments. I didn't know until it was too late and they had already put a mechs lein on it and sold it. I miss that car. Thanks for the video. It brought back many memories for me.
That's not just a car...that's a piece of art!
I was 8 years old when this car was first purchased… one of my sisters had one in this same color. I remember them being all over in Southern California.
This was probably my most favorite barn find video, great job everyone!!
Oh my god. This Datsun took me to 45 years ago and my childhood in Iran. My late uncle had an exactly same model, same colour Datsun and used to take me and my brother around the town sometimes!
yeah, back when the Shaw was in power and you were free to dress like you felt instead of having sheets and towels on your heads.
@@aap34798 unnecessary bro
This probably is the exact same car your uncle had
@@aap34798 Shaw? Do you mean Shah? Yes, I’m speaking about that time. I think you have mixed up Iran with its Arab neighbours too coz head gear and stuff like this never been or are part of the Iranian clothings.Doing a google search before issuing a verdict is not that hard!
@@aap34798 America isn’t the good guy, pal. If you think so, you’re deluded. The so called “freedom” you want to bring to the Middle East can be well seen in Libya where there are now literal slave trades going on since the US got rid of Gaddafi.
Astonishing! As a huge gearhead and owner of a classic car myself, this about brought a tear of joy while watching the video. The sound of all the emblems as they clicked into place was so satisfying!!! Awesome job everyone!!!
Watching this vid really brought tears to my eyes…my dad used to own a DATSUN as our family’s 1st car…remembered well me & my elder brother as kids would willingly put our time during the weekends to wash the car to make it look good when our dad drove it out from the carpark…really missed that old DATSUN!
I bought a 1978 280z out of PA with 12,500 miles and I thought I'd found the holy grail. Thanks for bringing us Larry.
What a great find! With only 350 miles, this car is cursed by not being able to drive.
I would have watched for 2 hours and 20 ads to see this video. Absolutely amazing.
WOW! I remember these Datsuns from back in the day!!! This was Amazing to see the transformation! It was all worth it in the end!
Beautiful, Absolutely Beautiful!!!
Imagine buying a new car then it not being absolutely perfect, so you don’t drive it for 44 years bc of a dent.
@Edward McCarty That's the nuts thing about the whole "ran into money troubles and just never got around to it" thing. He must have had the equivalent of 30 grand wrapped up in it, but somehow couldn't afford to get a new radio? It's wild.
@Edward McCarty what’s even crazier is he had all the parts with him, he could have just put the car back together.
Turns our to be a decent decision - this car will be worth like 50k+ on auction.
Edit update: sold for $140k 😅
@@MrPhatties I looked it up, factory restored models are going anywhere from 68-110k
I bought a brand new ram 1500 and an older restored 5 series in the same year, a few months go by and someone keyed both of them all down the sides and kicked in the door on my bmw. The stress almost isn’t worth it, after that I just want to own cheaper older cars that can get messed up without a care. You can baby cars forever and someone can come along and ruin it.
Yes, I remember clearly that Datsun. One of our neighbors had one when I was 9 years old with exactly the same color and he gave us a ride.
This vehicle is a real jewel, you rarely find a vehicle that is new that old. Thanks for bringing it back to life.
Amazing game.🤙🤙🤙
Watching from Puerto Rico 👍🇵🇷
the game is under construction :) store.steampowered.com/app/1433570/Car_Detailing_Simulator/
Baya! Boricua! Mi papa me recogio del hospital en uno de estos. 😊
@@13THPR0PH37 ¡Vaya boricua! ¡Wepa! Chacho, nuestro vecino nos dio una vuelta a la manzana a todos los muchachos de la calle, era bien buena gente el señor. Murió 10 años después de cáncer y todos fuimos al entierro. Cuando nos encontramos y reunimos por ahí los que éramos vecinos, siempre que hablamos de carros sale a relucir Don Carlos y la trilla que nos había dado a todos. Buenos recuerdos de gente buena que impactaron nuestra vida de personas que no eran come mierda.
My friend's sister had a 240Z. She took us to see the movie, 'The Godfather', at a drive-in. I was in the back, and lucky to have not hit my growth spurt, being 14.
I bought a '78 280Z, the last year before the ZX came out. I liked the bumpers on my '78, more than the previous years.
C u
I've always thought the original Z series cars were absolutely gorgeous, and this just reinforced that. Fantastic work.
They're classics.. especially the 240. Everything the cam after the 280 is butt ugly in my opinion.
I had a 240Z in the early 80s. It was already ten years old by then, but I just loved it. The straight six engine was great but, above all, I simply adored the look of the car. The whole shape of it, with its sunken headlights was magical.
I found an old (the only) photo of it recently. It's now my screensaver!
In the mid 80's, I saved my money and bought a used but very clean gold 78 280z identical in style to 76 and 77.
It was my 1st year in college, and what a fun and beautiful car to drive around campus.
All my friends and the girls loved it.
Brings back some great memories.
Wish i could go back😊
I shoulda kept my 240Z but I didn't have a barn to keep it in...
I agree, lovely looking car
I had a 76 exactly like this one. I got it in 1984 after joining the US Coast Guard. I had it repainted after some damage from a wreck and it was absolutely gorgeous. I drove my Z until 1992 and it was a sad day when I finally let her go!
This weeks winner of the luckiest SOB Award.
I think this one is stollen from the opening of the ghost town Famagusta Cyprus
I know!..I would probably murder an ugly kitten for that car..luckily there is no such thing.
What a great story, and what a gorgeous car! I was 5 years old when this car was brand new, and they were everywhere. Man how time flies!
Imagine this thing being completely restored and put on a dealer showroom floor. This thing is a literal time capsule
Mexican Spec I think they mean just doing mechanicals on the car, definitely needs the fuel tank cleaned out and new fluids
@@mexicanspec Right?! Other than new fluids and a radiator/fuel tank cleaning, it's needs nothing. It's better than restored, it's original!
Dealers dont deserve it, often just con-artist with an authority complex.. Only purpose of a dealer is too make the bank money on loans.. In this day and age, rediculous laws are the only reason we dont all bypass the dealer.
Great job, brings a tear to these eyes of mine. Back in the 80's there was a 280z for sale at this dealership that I took for a test ride with my wife. The gear shifting was silky smooth and we were flying thru the freeway, I was in heaven for about 15 mins. Wham she brought me back to reality from the lofty perch in heaven with these words, " Where are we going to put our son in ? " The salesman saw the tears in my eyes as I handed the keys back to him, so close oh so close.
I'm honestly thinking thats worth half a million, there just wouldn't ever be that car available anywhere in that condition with 350 original miles it blows my mind lol. You hear the term showroom for old prestige cars, this is actually showroom 🤯
@Armnel Angeles That too having 33k miles on the odo
I've worked on a 43 year old mercedes van with 267 genuine miles on it 😃
they ripped the owner off he had no clue as to its value
It’s a 280z lol. It might be new, but half a million? I just don’t see it.
@@mattbrawner7888 rich morons will pay bigly for bragging rights
My ex and I bought a 240Z when they first started advertising them. Three first shipment boats were sent to the US, one to The east coast, one to the west coast, and one boat came to Houston. We lived in Texas. It was dicey that we were going to get the car, but we did. As it was then, we would lend our Z to our local dealership to show and increase sales. It was one of the most exciting and the most fun car we drove for several years. Thanks for this reminder of the Datsun Z era. It was entered in many SCCA Slalom Competitions and won many first places. It was the mustard colored one. I loved driving that baby. 💕💕💕
I cant believe we didnt get to hear it run!
Or if it even ran didn't even mention or show the engine
@@topcat6565 they showed it, just didnt start it.
@@lixxxxit ok I watch the video I don't know how I missed it.
@@topcat6565 👍
Yea WTF!! How much is it worth too???
That car deserved a lot of TLC. OUTSTANDING PRESENTATION!!! Thank you
Even if you adjust for inflation I'm sure that thing is worth way more than it ever was new. You just can't find such a rust prone old car in such amazing condition. What a time capsule. Best of luck to the owners in getting an apropriate price. Who doesn't love a classic japanese car?
an early Z with 21k miles was sold for $310.000 recently....this is an 280Z but still, I'd say its an even better car!
@Frank L he may be from outside of the US. Some countries interchange the"." and "," when using numbers. The more you know!
@Frank L makes no sense. do you have fraction of $ cent coins? one cent = $0,01 - a comma is only used to indicate cents. Thousands, millions....can be indicated with a “.” like I did in $310.000...
@@ddetorrice3 “some counties” is probably all of the world except the US 🙃
Iirc they sold for between $4500 and 6K new, depending on options and the local market.
I have a 1975 Datsun B-210.. People think it's a crap car, but it's still going strong.
My first car was a 1979 210 hatchback, and it had been used in TV commercials, etc. It was the best car ever, never had a problem with it.
I was in high school when the 240 Z came out. It was such a revolutionary car. I wish they still made them.
but those twin carbs were no fun
This was brilliant to watch , I remember this being on the streets when I was young and all the wealthy guys driving them.
Work you did was amazing and brought back to life a beautiful car.
This man didn’t have it for 44 years. He time traveled and brought it back with him and threw dust over it
😄😄😄😄
I think it was stollen from the opening of ghost town Famagusta Cyprus.
It’s actually Marty McFly and the Back to the future series were based on memoirs.
Hurts to know a car this perfect was only 20 minutes away.
Dang...that could have been yours! Agggghhhh.............
Yeah I live in Lancaster so like 30 for me
+Kyle Coolage - very true but it is even more special now. It is odd though, the video stated the original owner didn't have the "Money" to put his car back together but really, there didn't need to be any money needed to put this back together since he had all the original parts. All it would have taken was one weekend of labor. Such a shame the original owner missed out on this dream car experience.
@@josephvandyuk2962 Can type out how you say Lancaster?
How much did it cost for this restoration?
I love these barn find videos! Honestly it was so cool to see an owner get in on the detail with you Larry. His face and reaction when you guys pushed the car out of the garage was priceless. Keep up the great work!
My dad has a 1967 Fast back Barracuda with the original sassy grass green paint sitting in the garage collecting dust. I can't wait until the day he gets it detailed and back on the road again!
When it was finally cleaned and put back outside, it’s like a time capsule, wow!
I never thought I would say this in my car-loving years but, This car has to stay in a museum for the rest of its life. It's good to drive its, important to the automotive manufacturing history.
Seeing a Japanese car being so take care in a foreign country, it's ry tearing my eye.. Thank you so much
Welcome
We love Japanese Automobiles in the US!
@@ap_purple76 You got a mouse in your pocket? LOL
I think it's worthy.
Over all Japanese cars are the best. From Canada
Oh my goodness my dad had this car...hes 75 now and I will definitely show him this. He always loved the "fastback" style of cars from that era.
Send this to Jay leno he would buy this immediately
It's been stored long enough. Why would you want it to be stored some more?
@@regibson23 because at this point its a relic
@@regibson23 Jay drives all his vehicles.
@@splashibanez92 For that reason he will want to buy, it is as if he were going out with a virgin girl. kkkk
He has already enough cars.
washing is nice, would have liked to hear the engine being alive again though
It won’t start*.*
That's not what this guy does.
Vice grip garage makes videos like that👍
@Curtis ZZZ looking for evens.
Hyyygyy
Looks like they drove it ~5 miles since: bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-datsun-280z-39/
I was 16 and in driver's training in high school when that car was sold. I'm 60 now. Scary how time goes by. I'd love to have that car - Datsun Z cars of the 1970s were so beautiful.
Can you believe this guy just stuck it in a barn, and over the course of your entire adulthood and all the things you've done big & msmall, this guy never set aside one single weekend to put the body parts back on… at least he got to see it done right
Wouldn't it be amazing if human beings were given this level of concern and care.
Wow! This turned out AMAZING! Can't believe only 350 miles. I've never seen an owner so happy to FINALLY purchase this vehicle.
Closest thing to a time machine ! love it. I drove a used one in 1986. It had over 150k miles and was blowing some black smoke but had good compression. It was fun as hell to drive.
I loved everything about this car back in the day. What a gem. I hope you keep her.
Nah. He auctioned it on Bringatrailer.
I remember when that car came out, I was in the 8th grade. It was the car everybody wanted. The metallic baby blue and the champagne color were the hottest colors. This was the most amazing one of your videos I've seen. Great work!
Physical contact with a cloth after adding cleaning agent (foaming soap) was a big mistake. You should have gone with a light water rinse then followed up two additional foaming soap application 1) power wash with low pressure. 2) another with medium to high pressure rinse after which physical contact with soft clothes / buffer. You almost certainly subjected the paint to microscratching that didnt have to happen. I work in cleaning validation for pharmaceutical equipment and understand soil removal at a chemical and material science level.
100 percent correct. That was insane what they did. Hellen Keller would have known better.
@@zz6gkm Yup. If you want to start an argument, go on the Internet's TH-cam and state an opinion that you "Know better". That'll do it... That is what it's for, isn't it!
correct, but I'm sure they intended to polish the paint anyway. They're main reason for the way they did it was to preserve any paper ID tags from getting wet. I suppose they coul've used water more carefully and efficiently to prevent damage definately would've been better than anything dry.
@@lauriecroad3186 Said the women who know absolutely nothing.
+JP Slayermayor- Exaaaaaaaaactly... He is nowhere NEAR professional.
I'm honestly no going to lie, but the game seems to be something I'll be more interested to play than normal games
being honest is the best way to not lie lmfao you idiot
Taaha Siddiqui of ćourse yeh
beautiful doesn’t even describe this 280. pretty sure 99% of the people that seen this video were jealous
Make that 100%. :)
101%
and 1% lied about not being jealous.
@@michaeldickman1460 haha literally man
Bro i hate you to make me feel more bad..... Lolz
I had a 1978 2+2 auto. Great handling and simple repairs. Only downside was they rusted easily in wet climates.
Amazing so therapeutic, my stress levels are way down watching this find. 😃
She is such a beauty... *sigh* No wonder they called her "fairlady".
I thought that was the right hand drive one, when we were driving them it was not good to have a "fair lady", those were not cool.
@@armadilllo You are right. The US models were not called Fairlady; only Japanese right hand drive imports, which are rare. Unfortunately, I just sold one a couple of years ago. Worst mistake ever.
I thought fairladies we the Datsun 1600 convertibles?¿?
Amazing that no mice ever got in there and had there way with it
Ain’t that the truth, my 88 Ford F-250 has some signs where mice used to be
I was thinking a hobo soup kitchen myself
What a beautiful car. I remember when the first 240 Z came out. I was about 15 and my boyfriends father got one. My boyfriend soon bought his very first car, a 1950 Plymouth! Took it to Earl Shieb and got it painted an intense turquoise color.
Now THATS a barn find, beautiful.
I was not a fan of those 280z’s. I am now. Under all that dirt you usually see a car in bad shape but this one was like....removing the wrapping to reveal a jewel underneath. I can just imagine how exciting and rewarding people involved must have felt at the end. Congrats to all and to the owner.
Why not a fan? They are incredible cars. The shitty DOT bumpers spoiled the look but they handled great, had a nice power to weight ratio, and were durable. Datsun hit it out of the park with the 240 and 280. Light, nimble, reliable, what more do you want in a car?
Muskoka Mike I was just talking about looks. I’m a a fan of the American Muscle look. Just my preference but that doesn’t mean I think the Datsun or any other car is a bad car. I visited this Datsun website (announced at the end of the video) and read the whole story. It would be incredible to own an old “new” car like this one.
@@serzok1 I'm a muscle car fan too but I'm also smart enough to realize that for better handling, better performance and all around "fun" these can't be beat.
I live in an area full of tight twisty back roads, try to toss around a 1970 chevelle 396 and you'd end up in the rhubarb. Not to mention it costing your $10 every time you start the Chevelle. Where I live gas is $5.00 CDN a gallon, you could drive all day in the 280 for the cost of going 3 miles in the Chevelle.
See, I appreciate all sorts of cars. Each has their pros and cons. Doesn't make one "better" or "worse". Unless you're talking Pontiac Aztec, then that's just wrong in so many ways lol.
BTW: just an FYI? for not a whole lotta money you could build a datsun Z that would eat any muscle car from the 60's and 70's. A popular swap is dropping a 327 EFI into them, they fit just right.....350 hp in one turns it into a neck breaker.
@Muskoka Mike I used to live in Calgary. Over there when snow melts and spring comes, you can see lots of interesting cars on the streets. It’s funny what you say about the Aztec. :) You should watch this video if you haven’t yet: Chip Foose redesigning an Aztec: th-cam.com/video/x5m8MPMlSXI/w-d-xo.html
This couldn’t have landed at a better time
I miss my Z. I had a 78 same color as this one. One of the biggest mistakes of my life was to part with my Z but I had to at the time. Awesome video!
When I was stationed in Spain in the early 80's one of my buddies, Ernie, had one of these cars. Man that thing was a blast to ride in.
I am not a gearhead by any stretch of the imagination, but I love channels like this because they bring things back. I like all kinds of channels whether it's automotive, homes, individual pieces, restoration of metals, plastics, rebuilds, redos all sorts of things like that. If I wasn't in my wheelchair and suffered from the stiffness and soreness that I have from 37 years of CP, I would absolutely have loved any kind of restoration business.
Just so much fun to see things come back to life.
It’s almost like therapy restoring, cleaning or organizing something. When everything in your life is getting hectic, doing a small project like clean and organize the refrigerator, bedroom, closet or garage, can help your mind to calm down. Sometimes it’s just the inspiration I need to get my blood pumping enough to tackle a bigger project I’ve been putting off. It also gets rid of that shitty guilty feeling I get if I’ve been sitting around on my day off not doing anything.
Same here
Not a gearhead but these bring me back to better times!
@@JohnSmith-it4sv Better times indeed!
It's like watching an entire guitar build, but never hearing what is sounds like in the end.
umm i mean, hes just cleaning the car. not building them. so thats why. also building a guitar without hearing the sounds is weird..
Ummm...Dan ain't no featherweight and watching the car tilt to the drivers side going down the road ain't the best ending. Dan's a lucky man.
to be fair that thing hasn't had the motor turned over in 30+ years. I wouldn't just toss some oil and a battery in it and see what happened lol. I'd be checking to see if it was frozen, pre-lubing etc... and then fire it up. But I agree its sad we never get to hear it.
@@avgjoegeek71 couple of squirts of ether in the air filter. A budda boom, A budda bing...BAM !
@@leolego2 Yeah, they had their own cool though, sort of like a mini me Corvette.
I had a Datsun B210 the same color in the mid 70's. It was exciting seeing you guys clean it up.
Recently started my own detailing and washing service based out of Fresno California, I go to parts of the mountains of California where the nearest car wash is more then 60 miles away, and the nearest detailing shop more then 80 in some parts. Due to the valley area being basically a massive track, with its large amount of wonderful winding roads, straight aways, and the great views, there is alot of mountain collectors with Bmws, Porsches, Corvettes, Mercedes, and plenty of motorcycles too. Thus this is where I step in, going out to the homes of these owners and detailing their cars infront of them, while also explaining any issues and recommendations...your guides and videos have not only given me the opportunity to learn and try to perfect my craft, while also getting the inspiration to start my business, and most importantly of all, sparking my passion. I love detailing cars, its practically what I consider a dream job, sure the initial investment was alot, but it was very much worth it, that being said... thank you for all your work, videos, and products.
That’s amazing! Good for you!
@Jus Smith I thought the same thing🤦
Sounds like a good opportunity for TH-cam
Imagine the price a car enthusiast would pay for this jewel find. Man...that's the best Datsun ever seen.
Absolutely horrified they used essentially waterless process to remove that massive amount of dirt from the surface. Even just a little drizzle of water would’ve washed away a huge amount versus smushing it with a microfiber towel
agreed. they should have washed that foam off, then repeated the process a two more times before taking a fiber cloth to it. They're just scratching the paint with the dirt.
I was trying to look for a comment that spotted that huge mistake, like he literally just smeared the dirt off the paint instead of letting water take it off
I don't understand either maybe that is how you do it in their detailing video game
You guys obviously never had a show car in modern times waterless foam style washing is very effective and when wiping the dirt its a 1 and done then that side is trash
Learn something new every day!
Oh man. I cried at the end. It reminded me of my first car, a used Datsun 280z dark green. It was never undercoated and turned into a big pile of rust. Oh, but for its day, it ruled the road for a kid of 19 [140 on the Speedometer]. Mine was exactly like that, not a dent or ding. Amazingly comfortable seats, a shifter that flowed into place, and amazing looks, and the stash box came in handy. I'm glad I stumbled on your video. It really brought back some memories.
I'm a volunteer at the Hershey Automotive Museum and it's amazing to see things like this surface in the area! absolutely
Wow! I remember that car from my childhood and was always fascinated with the engineering that went into it. Really nice to see an original. Good work people.
Beautiful car, but I'm a little sad because this car will probably never be driven, anywhere.
That might be true but at least we can still enjoy seeing an all original Z.
That's why you go buy a beater and drive the crap out of it .
@@beckywatt5048 yup
Wow, what nostalgia! That was the car that I wanted back in my younger days. Thrilling to see it come to life.