Search as hard as you'd like, you're going to have a rough time locating a 1970s-era Datsun Z in the sort of condition that vaguely flirts with the seller's ridiculous asking price. That's a fact based on the age and ever-growing popularity of the beloved long-nosed, rear-wheel drive time machines that continue to see substantial aftermarket support four decades after their introduction.

Guys like Oscar Arias, owner of this 1975 280Z, got in just in time. No stranger to the platform, Arias lives and breathes Z-cars, serving as co-owner of Zociety and Zakustech. Originally purchased back in 2014, the car had just 90,000 miles on the clock and upon the deal being struck, included every single component that it rolled off the showroom floor with - including its original tool bag. The familiar story of a massive restoration project and relentless struggle to find virtually non-existent OEM parts was never really a factor.

Just a few weeks after taking ownership, Arias' bone stock "Z" got its first taste of the aftermarket. He adds, "I had to remove the OEM front and rear bumpers and one thing led to the other and I had coilovers on in no time." His goal was to update the suspension and to get it as low as he possibly could without sacrificing the car's underbelly. Reaching the adjustable suspension's limits and the constant "pucker" that accompanies an extremely low car dodging potholes, the idea of air suspension quickly moved to the top of his to-do list.

Today, you can find air suspension kits for just about any vehicle you can image. Almost 10 years ago, that simply wasn't the case. So, Arias decided to piece together his own kit in preparation for the annual Japanese Classic Car Show. All seemed to be in order but on his way to the show, the bespoke set up threw a fit and left him stranded on the side of the freeway.

Years later, that sort of thing isn't an issue, as this 280 is now fitted with FEAL coilovers that see a height assist from Air Lift air suspension. When aired all the way out, the flared fenders gobble up the top of the tires, spotlighting custom-built SSR Jilba Racing wheels that now measure 15x11.5 up front and 12.5 in the rear.

After the suspension debacle, Arias began running down the pros and cons of various engine set ups. Knowing he wanted more power but not wanting to opt for a modern swap, he decided to stick with the car's native L-series but from a later model, and chose the L28ET. The factory-turbocharged I-6 was set in place with APEX Engineering mounts, then fitted with a Garrett turbo and PROTUNERZ exhaust and intake manifold. A custom 3.0-inch downpipe leads to an oval exhaust system for maximum ground clearance and the combination is good for 230 hp.

You won't find any 280s sporting the aero enhancements attached to Arias' creation scooting to your local cars and coffee. "My friend from Japan was able to get me in contact with Kato from Liberty Walk," Arias notes. "I was given the approval to be one of the few to be able to have this kit—a kit that is not offered to the public to purchase."

As rare as the makeover is on its own, a few changes were in order to completely customize the look: namely the one-off side skirts and spoiler. "I noticed those are two areas that not many touch upon when modifying the same chassis, and I felt I had to do something to change that up." The custom side skirts do their job of bridging the bulging front and rear Liberty Walk flares that add substantial width to the athletic Z-car body, while the molded-in sides of the three-piece rear spoiler push the quarter panels up and outward visually.

Viewed from the front and sides, you'd never notice that the original rear hatch glass has been completely removed. In its place you'll find a De Tomaso Pantera-style window conversion. The Italian automaker's famed sports car inspired the unique piece that gives the 280 a flat, trunk-like rear and uses a small, vertical plexiglass window. The conversion is a dramatic take on the classic Z rear end, and with the custom spoiler, sets itself far apart from other Z builds.

Closing in the rear portion of the car doesn't mean all was sacrificed. There was still enough space inside to fabricate a Zakustech roll bar to properly anchor a set of harnesses that lace Recaro "confetti" bucket seats. A throwback feel is what you get from the woodgrain Izumi steering wheel while the ancient gauges have been modernized by Speedhut.

The art of melding the character and spirit of the past with the proven ability of the present has become a common objective for restomod builders in every genre. In the case of Oscar Arias and his 280Z, he's gone to extremes, incorporating impossible to get Japanese aero with a shape-shifting rear hatch conversion, all while peppering in his own custom touches along the way. Looking back at the entire build process, he notes, "The goal was to build a Z that still had a vintage, classic vibe, yet is "kaido," using newer, up to date technology."

Photos Courtesy of Marvin Recinos

Engine L28ET; APEX Engineering mounts; Garrett turbo; PROTUNERZ intake manifold, turbo manifold, fuel rail; MS3X management; HKS SSQ blow-off valve; TiAL wastegate; custom intercooler piping, downpipe, 3-in. oval exhaust; Aeromotive fuel pump, filter

Drivetrain 280ZX 5-speed transmission; Action Clutch Stage II, chromoly flywheel

Suspension FEAL coilovers; Air Lift suspension; ZAKUTECH anti-roll bars; Techno Toy Tuning bushings, alignment kit

Braking Wilwood 4-pot front calipers, dual rear calipers, pads; R1 Concepts rotors

Wheels & Tires SSR Jilba Racing 15x11.5 front, 15x12.5 rear; Federal RS-RR 195/50 front, 205/50 rear

Exterior INOZETEK vinyl wrap Snow Blue/White Out White; Liberty Walk aero kit; custom slit spoiler, 3-piece wing, side skirts; Pantera hatch LED plexiglass

Interior Recaro "confetti" seats; Sparco harnesses; Izumi steering wheel; Griprad shift knob; ZAKUTECH roll bar; Speedhut gauges