The 1983 Datsun 280ZX, was a testament to Japanese automotive engineering at its peak. As the final year of the iconic S130 Z-car generation, the 280ZX represented a blend of classic design and modern performance. With its distinctive long nose, flowing lines, and 80’s charm, it quickly became a favorite among enthusiasts. While the 280ZX was known for its reliability and driving pleasure, its potential for customization and performance upgrades has made it a popular choice for car enthusiasts and tuners alike.
In 2018 we were lucky enough to stumble upon our very own 280zx “barn find” out in Harrisonburg VA, fully intact with minimal parts needed to get it running. After driving it around with the stock engine for about a year we were itching for more power, so we bit the bullet, ripped the stock engine out and got to work! Fast forward to 2024, our iconic 280zx has been reimagined by Eric at Sorenspeed with a full RB25DET swap and with the s130 always having been a favorite of ours at Sorenspeed we knew it had a solid platform with a ton of potential for customization. Boasting some original one of a kind fabricated parts, full custom turbo back exhaust, and a ton of suspension upgrades all done by Eric, our 280zx has come a long way from stock. We couldn’t be happier with the progress thus far and we were very lucky to have found out that there are a lot more parts for this chassis than anticipated!
I could go on and on about every single thing we custom made for this car but for now I’ll just highlight a few of the aftermarket parts we bought to further enhance our driving experience. We knew early on that we had to upgrade the handling so we added some height-adjustable suspension from Techno Toy Tuning. A highly recommended add on to any build, stock or swapped. Techno Toy has a ton of parts for the S130 and I guarantee you they are worth every penny. In addition we also slapped a Wilwood big brake kit up front, upgraded tie rods and will be installing a set of control arms from Techno Toy Tuning as well. Can you tell we are huge fans? I feel like we could do a whole segment no the interior of this car so we’ll give you the run down for now and go in depth in a separate blog. Since we went hard on the engine and suspension for the 280 we knew couldn’t skimp on the interior. The goal was to keep it as stock as possible but like most old cars the original seats were ripped, the paint on the plastics was fading and the carpet had way too many unidentifiable stains. So Corbeau seats, Glowshift gauges, Vintage Air heat, & a fresh oem carpet from Z Car Depot are just a few of the many upgrades we added to the interior while trying to keep it as close to OEM as possible. This is only the beginning, we have a lot more planned for the s130 so stay tuned! We will be posting the next blog on instagram so go check out @Sorenspeed and give us a follow!
