This 1975 Datsun 280Z was on track early in life as a C-production race car, and was later built into the tube-frame GT2 IMSA racer shown here. The car retains only the steel roof and stock windshield, and is a custom built, full-blown race car from the belt-line down. We wish every car listed for sale would have a prominent photos of the car stripped of its bodywork, on jackstands with no wheels, and with the body panels neatly hung on the wall in the background.
The car looks fantastic assembled as well, with a paint scheme reminiscent of the 300ZX IMSA cars. The gold mesh multi-piece wheels contrast nicely with the red, white, and blue scheme. THe wide flares, abrupt rear wing, and deep chin spoiler are also working well together.
The car has been pictured in Grassroots Motorsports, Vintage Motorsport, and Vintage Race Car magazines, and we’d believe it, as it looks terrific. The current owner has owned it since 2004 it claimed GT-2 track records as documented in the auction listing.
The engine was built for the 2007 season and has been run 16 hours since, also getting a refresh in 2009. It is backed by a straight-cut Houseman comp gearbox. Front shocks are Penske race units and the rest of the build sheet looks equally first class.
Lots of Datsun race cars are built on a low budget… this is not one of them. This car looks from stem to stern, and the ownership history and track sorting means it would be a great vintage racer in the coming seasons. This one would be on track and likely competitive with some cars costing many times this price.
Words and feature by: Bringatrailer