This Datsun 280Z has been completely restored to glory

By topgear, 28 February 2019
Nissan 280Z

We’re told that this Datsun 280Z, before it was all matt and blue and new, was literally “pulled out of the owner’s living room” in Germany. Literally. The windows of the house had to be taken out.

From there, the 280Z was shipped to Bulgaria – home of Vilner Garage – and treated to a few years’ worth of resto-modding. Let’s unpick that for a second, because those few years’ worth of restomodding have involved some serious upgrades.

“Every single piece of the car was checked, changed, refreshed or replaced with new,” explains company boss Atanas Vilner. Indeed, the whole thing was completely, totally disassembled, right down to the last nut.

The exterior was reworked and finished in Vilner’s own ‘cobalt matt metallic’ blue, while the grill, the rear and the wheels are finished in ‘Vilner copper rose’. There are also full LED head- and tail-lights, illuminated ‘Z’ badge indicators on the front wings, and the removal of both front and rear bumpers for a cleaner aesthetic.

Inside, nearly every panel has been wrapped in leather, while the centre tunnel is covered in blue felt. Vilner also fitted a full stainless steel exhaust system to the 2.8-litre straight-six (itself worked over too), and it sits 20mm lower because Eibach springs were attached.

If you like this Datsun, Vilner’s actually selling it – for €75k. Or a wee bit less than a brand-new Nissan GT-R. Tempted?