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Hello - I am looking at an '83 280zx. It runs and drives beautifully, but there is some rust on the bottom....should I be worried about this? It looks like the bottom of the car may have been sprayed with something...was it to cover up extensive rust damage or something else?
Driver side, under the car.
Welcome to ZDriver!
#1: Pretty much every 280ZX will have some rust... Japanese cars didn't have quality corrosion protection until the 90's.
#2: I've seen A LOT worse. Yours is not structural.
#3: All cars have undercoating to protect the bottom side from corrosion (yes... it can still rust).
#4: If you are doing a full resto, feel free to fix. Otherwise just leave it alone.
Welcome to ZDriver!
#1: Pretty much every 280ZX will have some rust... Japanese cars didn't have quality corrosion protection until the 90's.
#2: I've seen A LOT worse. Yours is not structural.
#3: All cars have undercoating to protect the bottom side from corrosion (yes... it can still rust).
#4: If you are doing a full resto, feel free to fix. Otherwise just leave it alone.
That's good to read! So I probably should not be too worried about the possibility of anyone spraying something under the car to hide rust or other damage?
The rest of the car is in such incredible shape...
Yeah. That is one hot-looking Z. Somebody has loved her for real. If you don't buy it, I will. Just try to avoid standing up in your spike heels on those floor pans. (Hard to find a Z without t-tops you can stand up in anyway) I have to assume she is running great, of course. Good luck!
Last edited by zxguy1986; Jul 3, 2018 at 11:02 PM.
Jeez that is clean! I'd say it's been restored or at least body work and repainted (I'm seeing overspray in the engine bay). And the 82-83 slicktop is indeed more rare since 82-83 was the "all-options-as-standard" version. Even has the Cusco strut brace.
Jeez that is clean! I'd say it's been restored or at least body work and repainted (I'm seeing overspray in the engine bay). And the 82-83 slicktop is indeed more rare since 82-83 was the "all-options-as-standard" version. Even has the Cusco strut brace.
Yes it is! Final inspection at a garage tomorrow...if that goes well, I make my offer.
I bought the car! Thanks everyone for the guidance. The garage I took it to for an inspection basically said the same thing...the rust is not a major problem, it's a very solid car, buy it.
