eBay Find of the Day: 1980 Datsun 280ZX Black Gold #1
There's a great Sam Kinison routine that goes something like this: the problem with cocaine is that it ends one of three ways. You die, you go to jail or you run out coke. Of course, there's a fourth possibility -- you buy a Black Gold Datsun 280ZX! Only, we'd hardly consider the latter a "problem." Besides, if you buy this Black Gold you're Pablo Escobar, king of all that is 1980s. Why? Because it's ichiban, baby: Black Gold #1!
Ah, but you were born when Reagan was president, and you don't remember the 80s, let alone Black Gold. We're here to help. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Z, Nissan Datsun released 2,500 Black Gold 280ZXs, along with 500 Black Red cars. While they were little more than trim packages -- special paint, leather seats, lots of decals stating "10th Anniversary," and a couple of numbered plaques -- Black Golds are nonetheless hugely desirable. Especially when those numbered plaques all say "1 of 3000."
That's right -- the very first Black Gold. This baby is just sitting there on eBay waiting for you to snatch her up. Currently, the first bid is for $35,000 -- reserve hella not met! Now you might be thinking, "being 1 of 3000 is pretty special, but it's not greater-than-$35,000 special." And that's where you're wrong. This Black Gold has but 1,052 miles on it. We get press cars with fifteen times as much mileage. It's a brand new car! As working car journalists, we can't hardly afford the long distance phone call to Georgia to bug the poor seller half to death, let alone go any higher than thirty-five large. Here's hoping you can.
Still not getting the whole Black Gold/Datsun/Cocaine trifecta? A bit confused about the awesomeness of T-tops and the double-triple awesomeness of a stainless steel 8-track? Then you must watch the unbelievably amazing commercial that Datsun used to actually air on the TV back in 1980, immediately following "Vote for Reagan" spots. Seriously, you won't believe your eyes after the jump, and here's hoping you don't have to pass any drug tests for the next little while. Talk about a contact high... Thanks to Tyler for the heads-up.
Gallery: 1980 Datsun 280ZX Black Gold #1
[Source: eBay Motors]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Jung 8:08PM (8/09/2009)
ZOMG! I really what THAT, SON!
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Kaveh 8:12PM (8/09/2009)
Ahhh, cool car, had friends that had them in high school, only bad thing is how low the horsepower was, but then all the cars in the early 80's had low power.
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Farmboy 12:45AM (8/10/2009)
True, however, this car looks so cool. I like this better than the ones 300ZX on to the present. There is a 280ZX Blue/Silver down the road. Looks so good, however, the interior isn't the best...
Kaveh 12:51AM (8/10/2009)
Yeah, it looked better than the 300zx until the 1990 version. I liked the dash, because I had a 1983 nissan pulsar, the dash is about the same. Everything is easy to find on the car. But I remember in the 90's reading about a 280zx body that was put on a skyline chassis and engine, was insane.
artandcolour 8:37PM (8/09/2009)
1980-the year i lived in LA right after college, and cars like this were everywhere. i can't even look at a two-tone car like this without smiling, remembering the .... oh never mind. i've got 1/2 a bottle of Hornito's Añejo to finish. THEN i'll be able to talk about the '80s.
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TigerMil 8:14PM (8/09/2009)
Shiz-itty rear axle geometry. At 9/10 the outside wheel turns out, flipping you end for end.
Ask Bob Sharp Racing about this POS.
My 81 280ZX turbo was even worse.
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JeremiahBWhite 8:28PM (8/09/2009)
It's pretty. Thats all it needs to be.
By the way Jonny, loving your articles. Fun stuff man.
tankd0g 9:00PM (8/09/2009)
I recommend you don't drive anything 20 years old that you got off ebay at 9/10s.
Rick C. 10:52PM (8/09/2009)
This is a ZX, not a Z. It's a soft and bloated luxury vehicle. Blame the idiots in marketing. 240-260-280Z owners shun these as pretenders., not to mention they ruined the Daytona-like lines of the non-ZX body.
Lad 1:54AM (8/10/2009)
My track car is a '73 heavy modded 240Z with a '82 turbo engine...outruns many of Subies and Mitsus. 180hp, 200ft lbs at the wheels; weights 2400lbs. Like the engine and closer ratio tranny from the ZX but not the chassis(too heavy) or suspension(too twitchy).
The car shown is the first model of the zx and as was said the suspension had problems at speed...I think the fix was to relocate some of the connecting points.
RG 8:19PM (8/09/2009)
I bet Jed Clampett picks that baby up.
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tangocat 8:20PM (8/09/2009)
As a heads-up, there is no 8-track in that car. From what I remember of my 1980 280ZX, they come with original cassette tape decks, and lo and behold, in the photo included, you can barely make out that it says cassette on it.
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Tabajara Labs 9:43AM (8/10/2009)
But there was one on the comercial ad
tangocat 3:26PM (8/10/2009)
Wrong. That may look like an 8-track, but that is still the same Hitachi Dolby cassette deck.
Fooman 8:27PM (8/09/2009)
Worth it to the right 100 people, and although I am a z man.. I will keep my carbed 240's...
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ack154 8:32PM (8/09/2009)
That is ridiculously clean. I don't know about starting at $35k with a reserve though. They better hope the right buyer is just waiting for this car to pop up.
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Willute 8:39PM (8/09/2009)
Wow, straight out of Baby Boomerville. If that mustache didn't get you laid, Black Gold to the rescue.
Thank God for the RX7.
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HotRodzNKustoms 8:43PM (8/09/2009)
Black and Gold, one of the most underrated color combination in my opinion. That is a pretty car and it is ridiculously clean.
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Mike 9:35PM (8/09/2009)
I completely agree. Saw an old pontiac the other day done in it, and my pants instantly were soaked with glee.
Kappy 2:09AM (8/10/2009)
BLACK AND GOLD BABY!!!
(I go to Vanderbilt, we should buy that just to use for school functions)