Possible Z31 purchase: do you think this car has been repainted?

[Icetera]

I am currently looking into purchasing a 1987 Nissan 300ZX GLL N/A from a friend's father and have been researching what I can before checking it out later this month. This car is reported to be in great shape and garaged kept, though one thing that has struck me about the picture provided is the paint scheme. All the pictures that I have found of unmodified 1987 Z31s have had dark plastic-colored ground effects, whereas, this Z has matching paint. Has anyone known of any '87 z31s with paint matched ground effects from the factory? Also, from what I can tell, the car appears to be either Aztec Red #AG2 or Hot Red #526 (color charts show a change around August 1987). The car is supposed to have grey leather interior (and that shot looks to be grey or possibly beige), though color charts show that both of those exterior paints were only available with a black interior. There was a Red Pearl Metallic #726 with beige interior, but this picture looks like a brighter red (though I am partially red/green color-blind). Do you believe this car has been repainted? I just want to have all my facts straight before checking out this beauty.

[AZhitman]

Without inspecting it in person, hard to say.

Tell-tale signs would be the moldings around windows, inside door jambs, and a comparison to the underhood area.

Lemme get the Z31 expert in here.

Welcome aboard!

[Icetera]

Without inspecting it in person, hard to say.

Tell-tale signs would be the moldings around windows, inside door jambs, and a comparison to the underhood area.

Lemme get the Z31 expert in here.

Welcome aboard!

Thank you for the welcome.

I certainly intend to check those signs out, and of course I can just ask, but sitting around with the picture weeks before seeing the car has given me a good amount of time to nitpick.

[Ace2cool]

Also, when going to look at it, check for orange peel. It's a tell-tale sign of a respray. But from I can recall, most Z31s that I have seen have the black plastic ground effects.

Like Greg said, Welcome to NICO and good luck with your purchase!

[AZ-ZBum]

The monochrome paint jobs didn't appear until the 1989 models. No. The side skirts should not have been body colored. And neither should the door handles.

HOWEVER... That could be the original paint and they painted just the ground effects and door handles to match.

[Perrenial Badass]

There are black plastic "trim" pieces inboard of the headlight doors, along the bumper cover. There isn't really any practical way to mask so overspray doesn't get on these pieces. So if there's gray or red paint on that piece, it's a respray.

[Icetera]

Thank you for your responses.

I did notice the handles last night, which furthered my suspicions. I will definitely check around the headlamp pods for overspray. I could see the owner painting the ground effects to match, since he did add the louvers and does do some car shows (though this was a daily driver for work). I still suspect repaint due to the exterior/interior color discrepencies and will have to test his honesty.

[AZ-ZBum]

There are black plastic "trim" pieces inboard of the headlight doors, along the bumper cover. There isn't really any practical way to mask so overspray doesn't get on these pieces. So if there's gray or red paint on that piece, it's a respray.

If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, those are only found on the 84-86 models.

And to prevent over spray on those areas, you simply remove the bumper covers to paint. They aren't hard to remove.

[Perrenial Badass]

^Must not be thinking about the same thing. I'm not talking about the trim piece that goes around the headlight and foglight, plastic pieces that go on either end of the hood latch you bolt in.

Tried checking under the carpet or an interior trim piece?

[AZ-ZBum]

^Must not be thinking about the same thing. I'm not talking about the trim piece that goes around the headlight and foglight, plastic pieces that go on either end of the hood latch you bolt in.

Tried checking under the carpet or an interior trim piece?

Then you really don't know what you're talking about since the 87-89 models do not have that either. Only found (once again) on the 84-86 models. 87-89 models have the fog lights in the lower bumper and do not possess anything around the headlights. No trim rings or anything.

[Perrenial Badass]

Then you really don't know what you're talking about since the 87-89 models do not have that either. Only found (once again) on the 84-86 models. 87-89 models have the fog lights in the lower bumper and do not possess anything around the headlights. No trim rings or anything.

And you lack the comprehension skills to properly read what I wrote. Luckily for you, I like underlining crap, so I will add some emphasis to words you might have missed.

^Must not be thinking about the same thing. I'm not talking about the trim piece that goes around the headlight and foglight, plastic pieces that go on either end of the hood latch you bolt in.

I figured you were talking about that trim piece, since the only other thing it sounds like you may be referring to is that rubber weather stripping.

[AZ-ZBum]

84-86 models have a black plastic trim piece that is mounted to the bumper cover in the headlight slots. On vehicles equipped with them, the headlight washer sprayers stick through these slots. These plastic trim pieces are not found on the 87-89 models.

[Icetera]

I love your Z Registry, ZBum. The car was Hot Red (#526) with Black leather interior. Apparently, someone dinged the car so he completely repainted it.