This 1977 Datsun 260Z is a rust-free example of a Japanese sports car icon, complete with a retrimmed interior and recent respray. It has reportedly had just three owners over its 47-year life. Under its bonnet sits a 2.6-litre inline-six-cylinder engine turbo charged engine. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. The odometer of this car displays 78,526km. Throughout the 1960s Nissan saw the popularity of European sports cars and wished for its own piece of the lucrative segment.

Aiming directly for the MGs, Jaguar E-Types, and Alfa Romeos of the era, Nissan spent much of the decade creating various concepts and design studies in anticipation of a full model reveal. That model came in 1969 as the Nissan S30 (also known as the Nissan Fairlady Z, Datsun 240Z, and simply Nissan Z). It showed great promise through its sleek styling, modern drivetrain, and relative low price. Nissan was inundated with orders almost immediately. The model broadened the general public’s view to realise the Japanese car makers could produce much more than mundane passenger cars. It underwent several model tweaks – including this more powerful 260Z – over the decade it was produced, until it was superseded by the 280SX in 1978.

This car is painted in light blue and its cabin is upholstered with beige vinyl trim. It is a lightly modified example featuring carbon-fibre fender flares and aftermarket gauges inside the cabin. It also features an SAAS steering wheel and a battery isolator switch. The car rides on a set of 16-inch black steel wheels wrapped in Massimo Aquila A1 tyres. This car was manufactured in Japan and complied locally in Australia in June 1977. The car comes with minimal history, though the current owner states it’s a three-owner car and he’s owned it for 12 months.

The previous owner held the vehicle for 15 years. The car has undergone a service and oil change recently, while the front lower arms were replaced. Condition-wise, this Datsun’s exterior appears in good order. The car has undergone a respray in recent memory and its light blue paintwork presents strongly as a result. The silver window surrounds and carbon-fibre fenders appear in good order, though surface rust can be seen on the exhaust outlet. All four wheels show in good condition and are still near-new, while the tyres retain a deep level of tread.

Inside, the car has been kept in good order over its near-50-year life. The front and rear seats were retrimmed in August 2024 and the carpeting was replaced at the same time. The seat upholstery pulls taut over the seat cushions and shows no wear and tear. The door panels display signs of scuffing and discolouration, while the headlining shows holes and indentations. Signs of patina are noted on the dashboard and instrumentation. All accompanying manuals and booklets will be supplied, in addition to the original steering wheel.

As per Trading Garage Terms and Conditions, although Trading Garage has completed the following checks, bidders must satisfy themselves to the accuracy of the description and do any research they feel necessary before bidding. All listings are sold in Australian dollars. This car is registered in Victoria under a club permit. There are no security interests registered on the PPSR against the serial number and it is not recorded as written off or stolen.