Before Vilner picked this Datsun 280Z from 1976 for his new pet project, the classic car was in a good home. Literally. It was stored in the living room of the previous owner and Vilner had to remove part of a window construction to take it out. The result was worth it, because the Bulgarian garage pulled it out to the bones and built it up with better equipment, an entirely new leather interior and a striking blue and copper exterior.
Originally shipped from the United States to Germany with a gold metallic paint, Vilner took over the Datsun a few years ago. It may not be 240Z, which has exploded in popularity and value in recent years, but with the help of The R-M Code this Fairlady Z is now its own kind of special collector's item.
Each piece, bolt, tube and trim of the car was disassembled. Vilner has refurbished, renewed or replaced each component to OEM specification or better. The car is a restomod, so it is not entirely at the factory, but Atanas Vilner says he tried to stay close to the original, with an imaginative flair added. His goal was "a silhouette as clean as possible".
The adapters have specially developed a color for this car called "Vilner Copper Rose" on the Superlite-style wheels, the grille, the backlight and small interior details such as the steering wheel and the control panels. The rest of the outside drops in Cobalt Matte Metallic.
A simple adjustment that cleans the entire appearance of the vehicle is to remove the awkward front and rear bumpers. Vilner also gave the car full LED lights, LED Z insignia for side indicators, machined side mirrors and reduced the car 0.79 of an inch using Eibach springs. The specially polished stainless steel exhaust also has side dampers for the rear wheels. And that's just the outside.
Inside, this 280Z brings people to unexpected and unknown territory for a Datsun. The cabin has been completely renewed with textured vintage leather, including the entire dashboard, doors, steering wheel and middentunnel. The chairs also have matching leather but are provided with blue contrasting piping. The blue does not only correspond to the exterior, but also to the floor, which is made up with blue felt. The headlining also has a panel with wavy blue quilting, a design that was also applied to the door panels and the chairs.
The engine remains the same 170-hp inline-six that is coupled with a three-speed automatic. After years of work Vilner wastes no time in keeping the car. It is already on sale for about $ 85,000. View the details in the extended gallery above or view the car in motion in the video below.