Going to look at (and probably drag home) a 280zx in the morning.
Where are the typical rust spots on these? Anywhere in particular that would/should make a person run in fear?
Really, this guy's asking price is low enough to drag home, wash and resell for profit. So I'm really just asking because I'm stupid excited at the moment.
Rust can be pretty much anywhere - floors, "frame rails" (underneath the floor), doglegs / door jambs, rear quarter panels, sometimes around the tail light of just under the hatch, spare tire well. Most of it is repairable with enough time and interest, but you know how much you're willing to put up with.
What year? Turbo? 2+2?
These are awesome! Slick-top or T-Top? Also where in the country are you? Good luck!
(Also, they're really prone to rust. Anywhere/everywhere you might think, it does. Windshield rim especially is where mine was rusty, at the top.
I'm in Central Texas, so I'm hopeful for a minimal amount of rust.
The seller wasn't very forthcoming with information, (one word responses etc) but his asking price is only $500 for a complete car that supposedly runs. It's also relatively local so I figure it's worth a look considering what the usual asking price for these is these days. (Challenge money for slightly crusty rolling chassis)
It's listed as a 1980 280z (sic) so I'm not expecting the most accurate answers anyway.
I'm not even sure if it's a manual or not. LOL (listed as "other" lol which I'm guessing was supposed to be auto) But the one photo in the ad shows it's not a t top car.
As long as it's not overwhelmingly riddled with tin worm I'm hoping to do some bodywork/paint and flip it.
Judging by the comments on here over the years start at the battery tray and work outwards. Me personally I'm jealous. And rust? Meh. 
If you wanna talk about Zxs feel free to PM me. Ive been slowly turning my 80 slicktop into an all out track car.
For rust the major areas are: battery tray, floor pans, front frame rail sections and rear inner fenders (especially passenger side where the spare sits)
If you have any more questions just ask!
In reply to Fitzauto :
I've been quietly following your build thread.
I'm having to remind myself that I don't want to do anything crazy to this.
I'm also totally not looking at the $300 350z shell with plans of a second body swap.
In reply to Crackers :
Im not the one to talk you out of a body swap. Im too much of an enabler!
My first thought when I read the title of thread?
Look for a different car. 
Wheelbase-wise....The Miata chassis is a perfect fit under the 280z body shell. If you are happy with the Miata 1800 drivetrain, this could be a beautiful thing.
z cars rust a lot. Under the battery is a given. Where the frame rails kick-up in front of the firewall and the floor fronts by your feet. Sills also. A lot of them have been "Fixed" using interesting methods.
The engines are pretty much perpetual motion machines. The intake system got a bit lost in translation as the smog era took over.
Z cars are some of the best styling to come out during the Malaise era and has stood the test of time.
I am not sure because I don't live in the space, but I have a feeling that body-panels are not as available as you would expect. Quality of what is available would be the next question.
EDIT...just caught the X as in ZX. The X adds 9" to the wheelbase and ruins the side profile of the car. Not one I would want and priced at about market price at $500. Engine and manual gearbox might be the most valuable items.
So I just left the guy's place a few minutes ago. I'm sitting in the truck eating truck stop chicken waiting for this storm to pass. I pulled over when I realized I couldn't see the fenders on the trailer.
I'd have the car on the trailer but it was too muddy and I would have gotten stuck. I did leave with the title after leaving a deposit and I'll just have to wait a while.
All the rockers, rear wheel wells, doors, hood and hatch are really solid. As far as the battery tray...
And the firewall is pristine. I'm floored.
The only notable rust is around the windshield and small spots around the rear quarter windows. (I'm assuming the floors are toast though)
It needs a lot of work. The interior is "kill it with fire" disgusting and it has several missing pieces. I will be a while before I get to it as it has to sit in line, but I'll get around to posting a build thread.
Oh, and a better picture.
Until next time!
In reply to NOHOME :
My love for the S30's leaves me emotionally unavailable for the S130. I'm going to have some fun with it and move it down the road.
It's in good enough shape I could flip it untouched for a decent profit in the local market.
They make good race cars, better than the earlier Z's as the body has lower drag, and all the good early stuff bolts up underneath. Mine had a lot of rust around the windshield but nowhere else. My 240 rusted under the battery tray pretty badly and the around the hatch area. If it's a slick top, hard to tell from the pic, they do sell for more money.
Oh yeah, it's a 2 seater, slick top, with a stick!
I’ve had plenty of these cars they are all great mechanically, although anything that is a 2+2 looks like garbage to me. Don’t let that battery tray fool you though, the only true way to know how bad the firewall is, is to pull up the passenger side carpet. That’s when you’ll start seeing holes in the floor pan and the firewall which requires reconstructive surgery
In reply to Crackers :
A slick top is pretty rare with the s130. Most were t-top cars which made them rust even faster.
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