Flow-thru ventilation was one of Datsun's big selling points at the time. Considering the 240Z was one of the first automobiles equipped with such a feature, it is not unreasonable to understand that it didn't work as well as ventilation systems work today. The early cars with the hatch vents established ventilation through an elaborate system of ducts and louvers incorporating a rubber flap as a backdraft preventer. By comparison, the pillar vents are much more sophisticated. Still, it is unfair to compair their performance to anything contemporary.

The hole is for venting purposes and was originally back painted black.

Are these hole's supposed to be black?

Ed,

As you know, I am not a pillar vent kind of guy. I am a hatch venter. But I understand from my most respected gurus that the hole is supposed to be black. I was standing around some time ago listening to a guy go on and on about how his car was original paint and the snide comment was made based on the fact that his vent holes were not black. Beandip is also correct about the right and left hand applications of the emblem. I know its picky, but I wanted to share it with you guys.

Have a look at almost any car from that period. Most have holes or some kind of "vent" for this purpose.

FYI, The C110 has one vent, on the right behind the badge (the left is a petrol cap)

Are these hole's supposed to be black?

Hi Ed, Chris (26th) is right on. The 72 I used to have was brown but that inner panel in the hole was black. My 73 was repainted and it too was black inside.

Chris

Ed,

Beandip is also correct about the right and left hand applications of the emblem.

When I got new emblems from Chloe a while back I noticed that one was marked L and the other R. I installed them that way but otherwise didn't see any difference between them. I suppose I'll have to pull them back off and inspect them more carefully.

It can pretty much be said that all cars with the round pillar emblems have vent holes as ya'll are discussing. The exception applies to 432s and prototype models.

Clarification: Not JUST the 432s, but ALL the Japanese home market models had a round pillar emblem with the 'Z' mark in the centre. This emblem is often mistaken for a 'vent' type emblem, when in fact it is solid, and mounts on the two small holes in the quarter panel.

Home market cars switched over to the same 'vent' style emblem at the same time as the Export cars.

Pic of earliest home market pillar emblem for reference ( notice its round, solid, and not vented ):

I was standing around some time ago listening to a guy go on and on about how his car was original paint and the snide comment was made based on the fact that his vent holes were not black.

They were indeed painted black ( pretty much flat black ) and by the same guy, with the same brush and pot of paint, as other areas of the car. Notably the metal behind some of the plastic trim gaps, and the front of the rad support panel.

Mr Ishikawa ( who was left-handed ) worked alternate weeks to Mr Imura ( who was right-handed ). Do you have left-handed or right-handed brush strokes?

I can confirm that on my '78 there is an opening at the top of both pillar emblems. Checked it on my car tonight. Learn something new every day.....

On my '73, the vents look like they go nowhere. Was Nissan going to put something there later? I also have the emblem with the "Z", but it is not solid. (has 4 cutouts, one top, 2 side and one bottom.) What is the real "Original" one?

On my '73, the vents look like they go nowhere. Was Nissan going to put something there later? I also have the emblem with the "Z", but it is not solid. (has 4 cutouts, one top, 2 side and one bottom.) What is the real "Original" one?

The vents actually open towards the top. What you have sounds original.

Sweet! I'm trying to get her as OEM as possable. Thanks Mike!