Overview of the Nissan Fairlady Z E-HS130
This 1978 Nissan Fairlady Z coupe is chassis E-HS130, the 2800 cc S130 generation, finished in maroon and fitted with a five speed floor manual. It is offered at USS Tokyo as lot 65051 on 15 October 2026, graded 3.5 overall with an interior grade of C, and the odometer reads 67,900 km, approximately 42,191 miles. First registration was November 1978 (Showa 53).
This is not a standard car. The sheet lists a long run of aftermarket parts, and the paint was originally white before being changed to maroon. It sits in the sales corner the auction calls the notable car corner, and it is the kind of Z that suits a buyer who wants a driver with character rather than a museum piece. It comes to auction for the first time, bought in from a private owner.
The Drive Review
The S130 was always the comfortable, long legged Z. The factory 2.8 litre inline six is a smooth, torquey engine, and the car is rear wheel drive with independent suspension at both ends. A five speed manual, as here, suits the long stride of the engine. Expect a light, communicative old school steering feel, a low seating position and a long bonnet ahead of you, with none of the filters that modern cars put between driver and road.
This example will drive differently from a factory car. The sheet records aftermarket carburettors, a Parts Assist exhaust manifold and silencer, aftermarket power steering and BILS coilover suspension. Together these point to a car set up for response and sound rather than originality. The RAYS TE37V SL wheels are 17 inch, and the wide flared arches in the photographs give it a purposeful stance. How well these parts work together is not stated, so a buyer should expect to spend time sorting the setup to their taste.
Auction Details
The car is lot 65051 at USS Tokyo, auction date 15 October 2026 in Japan. Overall grade is 3.5, interior grade C and the exterior is also given as 3.5. The auction start price is ¥2,980,000. The Autoselecta guide bidding range is £2,750 to £5,500. That is an estimated bidding range based on the car and the market, not a guaranteed purchase price, and there is no promise that the car will sell within it. Two similar cars sold at Japanese auctions between £5,903 and £15,223, but those include other versions and conditions, and they are auction results, not Autoselecta sales. For the minimum bid and the full landed cost, please use the price panel on this page, which updates live.
All bids must be submitted before 9PM UK time the evening before auction.
Vehicle Specifications
Manufacturer: Nissan. Model: Fairlady Z. Chassis code: E-HS130, frame number HS130-001132. Body: two seat coupe, with 446 cm length, 175 cm width and 125 cm height. Year: 1978, first registered November 1978. Engine capacity: 2800 cc, petrol. Transmission: five speed floor manual. Drive: 2WD, rear wheel drive on this model. Right hand drive. Exterior colour: maroon, originally white, with the colour change marked on the sheet. Colour code: blank on the sheet. Interior colour: blank on the sheet, though the photographs show a black interior. Registration plate: Yamanashi 346 te 1123. Mileage: 67,900 km, approximately 42,191 miles. Seats: two. Grade or trim: blank on the sheet. The recycling deposit is shown as 0 yen.
The shaken expiry is shown as 25 April 2026, which falls before the auction date, so the car should be treated as having no current Japanese inspection.
Factory Features and Equipment
The sheet marks power windows as the only ticked equipment. Air conditioning is shown as AC, and the sales points describe it as Star Road air conditioning, so it is an aftermarket system. An ETC toll unit is noted as fitted. The photographs show a wooden rim steering wheel, a wooden gear knob, three round dashboard vents, an aftermarket head unit, black seats and a carpeted cabin.
The sheet lists these sales points: RAYS TE37V SL 17 inch alloy wheels, aftermarket power steering, Parts Assist silencer, Parts Assist exhaust manifold, BILS coilover suspension (written as BILS, the full maker name is not shown), Star Road air conditioning, aftermarket carburettors and Recaro seats. The exterior also carries wide wheel arch flares, bonnet louvres and a rear spoiler visible in the photographs, with the Fairlady Z script on the spoiler and dashboard.
The new car service record book with warranty is shown as none. Owner manuals and maintenance records are not mentioned. The spare key is marked as missing.
Japanese Auction Report Translation
The inspector records the following, translated and checked by Autoselecta. The paint has been changed colour (resprayed a different colour). The floor side member is scratched and dented, marked as large. The centre floor is dented. The bonnet and front wings are aftermarket, and aftermarket parts are fitted. The dashboard is cracked. The cabin is scratched and dirty. The luggage area is scratched, partly retrimmed (the inspector added a question mark to this), and has parts missing. There is rust on the underside. The jack and tools are missing. Scratches, dents and waves are noted throughout.
The points to note are that the car was bought in from a private owner, that this is its first time at auction, and that ETC is fitted. The sheet does not mention any engine, gearbox or clutch fault, oil or coolant leak or warning light, but it also gives no mechanical report beyond the above, so the running condition is not confirmed on the auction sheet.
Damage Diagram and Body Condition
The front bumper carries A1, a small scratch. The bonnet and both front wings are marked XX, meaning replaced panels, and the inspector confirms these are aftermarket parts. The windscreen shows a scratch in the wiper sweep area. Both doors carry U1, a small dent each, and so do both rear quarter panels, giving four small dents along the sides. A further XX appears at the rear, either the hatch or the rear panel, though the exact panel is not certain from the diagram. The rear bumper is marked with a paint crack.
The diagram is fairly modest, but the written comments add important detail: a large dent on a floor side member, a dented centre floor and underside rust. These are structural areas on a car of this age and need close attention. Overall this is a usable enthusiast condition car with a modified, resprayed body, not a collector grade original. The photographs show a glossy maroon finish and flared arches in good light, but they cannot show the underside.
Interior Condition
The interior grade is C. The sheet notes a cracked dashboard, a scratched and dirty cabin and a scratched, partly retrimmed luggage area with missing parts. The photographs show a black dash top with the Fairlady Z badge on the glovebox lid, a wooden steering wheel and gear knob, black seats and clean looking carpet. The sheet lists Recaro seats as a sales point. The instrument cluster shows an odometer of about 67,900 km, which agrees with the sheet. Where the dashboard crack sits is not visible in the photographs.
Japanese Auction Grades
Auction grades run from 1 to 5, with higher numbers being better and 3.5 meaning a used car with visible wear and some repair or modification. Interior grade C is a fair rating, with noticeable wear. Together they describe a car that should be bought for its character and set up, not for its originality.
Model History
The S130 Fairlady Z arrived in 1978 as the successor to the original 240Z, 260Z and 280Z line, sold in some markets as the 280ZX. It was larger, more comfortable and more luxurious than the early cars, with a 2.8 litre six cylinder engine and a more refined chassis, and a T bar roof was offered on some cars. The long nose and fastback shape stayed true to the Z lineage. In Japan the car continued as the Fairlady Z, and the badge on this car reads Fairlady Z. It remained in production into the early 1980s. This car is an HS130 with a registration date of November 1978, so it is an early example of the generation.
Why This Model Has Become Collectible
Z cars of every generation have been climbing in global interest as the original Datsun Z cars have grown very expensive. The S130 has benefited from that, and clean examples from Japan are getting harder to find. The attraction is a rear wheel drive, six cylinder coupe with manual gearbox, an analogue drive, a famous nameplate and a shape that still turns heads. Right hand drive Japanese cars with low mileage are popular with buyers who want a genuine Japanese domestic market car. This example is modified, which will suit some buyers and put off others. Nothing here is a guarantee of future value and the car should not be considered an investment.
What To Look For When Buying This Model
Rust is the first concern on any S130. Common areas are the floor pans, sills, strut towers, rear arches, battery tray and the area around the hatch. This car's sheet already records rust on the underside, a large dent on a floor side member and a dented centre floor, so the underbody needs a proper inspection on arrival, with a view to likely repair.
On the mechanical side, the L series six is a durable engine but old rubber, cooling systems and fuel systems cause trouble. This car has aftermarket carburettors replacing the factory injection, so check how they are set up and tuned. Check the cooling system and the condition of the aftermarket power steering and BILS coilovers. Original wiring and connectors on these cars can fail, and the sheet notes aftermarket air conditioning and ETC, so check that those installations are tidy. The sheet also asks you to look at the resprayed paint and the replaced panels, including the rear XX, whose position is uncertain. Finally, the aftermarket bonnet and wings mean fit and gaps deserve checking.
Why Import This Car From Japan
Japan is the best source of rust free, well documented Z cars because of its dry garaged culture and strict inspection system. Buying through auction gives access to cars that never reach the domestic dealer market, and the auction sheet gives an independent condition record. This one has Yamanashi plates and a first auction listing, which is rare.
USA Import Information
This 1978 Fairlady Z is more than 25 years old and so is eligible for import into the United States. Autoselecta can arrange shipment from Japan to the United States. Please contact Autoselecta with your city or ZIP code before bidding so that a delivered quotation can be prepared. We can calculate the expected purchase, Japan costs, shipping, customs related costs and delivery requirements. Additional charges will apply, and these depend on the port and your state.
Ultimate Guide For Japanese Imports
Check the import and registration rules in your own country first, including age limits, emissions and safety testing. Then read the auction sheet fully, set a maximum bid, and allow for repair and servicing costs after arrival. A car of this age should be budgeted for sorting, not just purchase and freight.
Why Import Through Autoselecta
Autoselecta gives direct access to Japanese auctions with translated and checked auction sheets, vehicle sourcing and bidding assistance. We handle export, shipping and import support, and provide vehicle tracking where available, with help on arrival in your country. Communication continues throughout the process, including USA shipping where relevant.
Browse This Week's Japanese Auctions
This Fairlady Z is one of many cars on offer this week, from classic Japanese coupes to modern performance models. Browse the current listings to compare grades, mileage and condition before you place a bid.
Live Auction Search
Use the live auction search to find other Nissan Fairlady Z cars and similar classic Japanese sports coupes as they are listed. You can filter by year, grade, mileage and price, and ask Autoselecta to look out for the specification you want.
Auction Caution
Auction cars are inspected before sale but are still used vehicles. The auction sheet is an independent condition guide, not a mechanical warranty. Older performance cars may need servicing, maintenance or refurbishment after purchase. On this car, please remember the inspector's warnings: a large dent on a floor side member, a dented centre floor, rust on the underside, a cracked dashboard, a scratched and dirty cabin, a scratched and partly retrimmed luggage area with missing parts, the colour change, aftermarket bonnet and front wings, no service record book, and a missing jack, tools and spare key.
