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Datsun 280Z by Vilner Is a 1970s Flashback Restomod

East European tuning garages, the very few we know of, are usually the run-of-the-mill. With possibly one exception: a Bulgarian company that goes by the name of Vilner.
Vilner Datsun 280Z 40 photos
Photo: Vilner
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The Bulgarians have for years tried to make a name for themselves in the tuning industry, working hard to come up with impressive machines, spanning from Alfa Romeos to Corvette Stingrays. Last we heard from them was in December last year, when they announced the BMW E30 M3 Evo.

This February, Vilner came back in the spotlight with an odd-looking, heart-warming Datsun 280Z. Odd, because it lacks things like front and rear bumpers, and heart-warming because well, it does take one’s mind back a few decades.

The car Vilner worked on these past few months was originally built in 1976. They, of course, took it apart completely to repair what was to repair, restore what needed restoring and replace what was no longer usable.

When the car was reassembled, it found itself powered by the same 2.8-liter inline six-cylinder engine - good for 170 hp and 221 Nm of torque - of the original car.

Some of the efforts made to increase the performance and handling of the car can be seen from afar, as the 280Z presence itself with a more aggresive stance, 20 mm lower thanks to the use of new springs.

Visually, the car is nothing like the model it is based on. First of all, it uses modern-day technologies like full LED headlights and taillights and a customized exhaust system with side silencers.

Then there’s the crazy-looking interior, one that with the exception of the side panels and the central tunnel is fully wrapped in leather.

Vilner does not plan to make more 280Zs like this one, so it is probably a one-off car. More than enough reason for the Bulgarians to ask 75,000 EUR for it ($85,000 at today’s exchange rates).
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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