Z Restoration Progam

[MikeW]

That appears to be the same checklist that is available on a site (I forget exactly where). I have it somewhere on my computer. I can't believe this guy is auctioning it on eBay.

A google search for "factory restoration checklist" turns up the following hit for a PDF file.

http://www.jasonjarvis.com/main.html

Download and print it out yourself and save the money for the eBay auction.

[JLPurcell]

Les occaisonally posts on IZCC, maybe we can get him to post here. Is he presently a member?

I believe that if we were to put together a list of concise question on the subject Les would be more than willing to post on this site. I believe that it is important that we stay on course with documentation about the program along with direct players insight. Les did state that he did not want to get into negative aspects of the program which I'm sure is what Chris is refering to as the "sensitive issues".

[26th-Z]

Z Restoration Program – the program name

Vintage Z – title of the cars

Z-Store – outlets that sold the Vintage Zs

The collection of information is growing and a few points about this discussion are beginning to clear. The cast of characters is widening! I just want express special thanks to everyone who has written, phoned, and offered information and opinion. This is a controversial subject, there is a lot of information about the program, and I am pleased to announce that so far, no reference mentions the involvement of Goertz!

Most of the information I now have, is published by Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. and if I refer to Nissan or NMC, NMC NA, or NMC USA, I mean Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A and respect the copyright. The “Z Restoration Program”, “Vintage Z”, and Z-Store”, are copyrighted names as well. The documents I have been able to secure include:

“Rebirth”; 1997

“Greetings from the Z-Store at Nissan Corporate!”; No Date (late ’97, 25 cars produced).

“Nissan Proudly Presents – “Vintage Z”; May 3, 1997

“Vintage Z Quality Control Launch Rally”; May 3, 1997

“News Coverage as of May 27, 1997”

“Popular 240Z Restoration Parts”; 1998

“240Z Restoration Program Quality Control Checklist”; January 8, 1997

Let me begin by saying that it is quite obvious that the Z Restoration Program was a publicity / marketing focused effort. The bibliography I hoped to collect has now expanded to over 59 “news coverage” publications, 9 automotive magazine articles, and 25 television news programs with a combined estimated audience reach of over 84,252,000. By comparison, my bibliography of American automotive magazine publications – reviews and road tests – for the 240Z up to 1972 totals 19. The audience reach study was done on the 27th of May, just after the May 3rd unveiling. I think it is safe to say that Nissan did this for publicity and marketing reasons. Hoping to benefit from improved image and name recognition after slumped sales and the discontinuation of the 300ZX in 1996, Nissan Japan approved the Nissan USA proposal and a budget for the program was established.

“Fortunately, the following for Z-cars is just as strong as ever. After the 25th anniversary celebrations in Atlanta, a representative from the American clubs was sent to Tokyo to plead with Nissan to revive the Z. President Hanawa and the staff in the USA were so impressed that a number of older examples were rebuilt with the backing of the factory and sold as new cars. This was an unprecedented turn of events for a major manufacturer”; Yutaka Katayama, “Fairlady Z Story” (translation), Long, Miki Press.

“We hope this program has helped bring new life and new interest to all Z’s out there, and we anticipate that this program has increased the value of your own vehicle”.; Greetings from the Z-Store…1997

“As you may recall, several of the first cars delivered were for special programs, such as a “press car” reserved for journalists…”; Greetings from the Z-Store…1997

There are other references to how and why the program started. It seems the budget grew as demand and sales grew. It seems widely agreed that the program was beneficial, if not financially, for Nissan – calling on their successes of the past. It was not long after the program that the 350Z was announced.

I am pleased to confirm that Vintage Zs were constructed at the following four facilities:

Pierre Z Car Center; Hawthorne, California

Classic Datsun Motorsports; Vista, California

Old Car Service; Huntington Beach, California

Datsun Alley; Signal Hill, California

There is a lot to this story, guys. I can see why there is talk of writing books. This story is a journalists dream. ZCCA is heavily involved. Katayama spoke at the introductory event which included a car show and rally. I have a home video of the show, May 3, 1997 at Nissan National Headquarters, Gardena. There is a conversation about how the “Z-Store” was initiated. There is a conversation about how the program grew and about it’s demise; why ,when, by whom? A Vintage Z was sold at the 12th Annual Monterey Auction (Rick Cole) for $35,000. Vintage Zs were sold to Japan, London, and United Arab Emirates. There is a controversy about parts – what parts went on what cars – and authenticity of restoration. I have a definite opinion for an editorial, but I’m going to gather some more info for that thread. When the program ended, there were parts left over that went to private concerns. The restoration checklist document offers an insight to how the cars were restored and it appears as though Nissan kept records of the most popular replacement parts along with costs. A great many chapters, eh?

Jerry, can’t wait to hear what Les had to say.

[26th-Z]

Here is the Nissan published reprint from Road & Track's article on the Z Restoration Program. This must be the "journalist" car; one of the first completed. It was done by Pierre and includes a short biography of him;

"An instantly likable, French-born former race mechanic, Perot headed the Renault racing effort in the early sixties, preparing an M63 Alpine prototype in 1963 for his close personal friend, Mark Donohue. More recently (for the past 21 years, to be exact), he has been racing, modifying, restoring and maintaining Z-cars out of his shop, Pierre' Z in Hawthorn, California."

The date of the article has me a bit confused. My understanding was that the first cars were not completed before February and this article must have been prepared months prior. There was plenty of publicity though. The oldest reference I have is “Back to Its Rootz”; Automotive News, Mark Rechtin, October 28, 1996. Pierre recalls that Nissan approached him in October, 1996.

You will notice a lot of modifications in the photographs. You will see custom mirrors and a stereo right off the bat. The article states that stock wheels and hubcaps were put on for the photographs (replacing slotted mags) and the custom air cleaner was replaced. I have long contended that many Vintage Z examples are not stock reproductions. I have been listening to a discussion about Nissan providing restoration services to private customer cars and I am aware that some pre-order Z-Store customers were able to provide their own spec. I am aware of those cars. Here is further proof.

This material is copyrighted; Road & Track; "Datsun 240Z; Japan Reinvents the Sports Car", Douglas Kott, February 1997.

[gnosez]

I too am interested in where all this is going as I have proposed to SportZ magazine that they do a small "Where are they now" section with follow-ups to be published as info is recieved. For example, where are the 50 240Z pace cars?, how many g-noses made it to North America?, How many (insert for Black Pearl, 25th, etc.)? How many Z31 showroom racers were built and by whom? etc., etc., etc. I'm sure others can come up with a longer wish list. A book would be great. A series of magazine articles would be nice too.

As to why none of the "F" restored 240s were on the list for Bob Sharps, I would have to say that by this time, Bob was not longer interested to get involved.

I had heard that there were major problems with the engines that Nissan had rebuilt at their Texas facility and they had to be redone after deliver to the shops in CA. If true this and other issues along with a larger than expected list of "sub"-contractors pushed the cost up higher than budgeted. I'm sure available parts had some say in the number of "restored" cars that could be produced too.

[26th-Z]

Before I sit down and write some more, I need to correct my post with the Road & Track photographed car. What bothered me was the issue with the dates. I understood the first car was completed in February, months after when this article would have been written. But look closely at the glass and you will find no Vintage Z emblems. This is not the car that "Autoweek on Speedvision" used for their report, March 1997. I don't see this car in the videos of the Vintage Z Rally, May 3,1997. Although, I do see the "Autoweek" car at the rally. I think the yellow example is a "pre VZ" car. Sorry.

[26th-Z]

Hey John!

You make a good point about the pace cars. I see that Beck has updated his article about the cars as well as pictures. Trying to track these cars down is a huge task. Then there is the privacy of the owner factor. For that matter, trying to track down the Vintage Zs is going to be a task. Did anyone save pictures of the eBay cars (two or three of them) from last May? One of them was an automatic and I would dearly like to see pictures - any pictures - of any of the cars. Come-on you guys! Dig out your archives!

In the mean time, here are some of my photos of the console plaque and glass emblems.

[Carl Beck]

Earlier Chris wrote:

>....snipped....

>I think it is safe to say that Nissan did this for publicity and marketing reasons. Hoping

>to benefit from improved image and name recognition after slumped sales and the

>discontinuation of the 300ZX in 1996, Nissan Japan approved the Nissan USA proposal

>and a budget for the program was established.

>....snipped....

Hi Chris:

Let's back up a bit... I think there's more to the story than that. Since you are after fine details I thought you might appreciate a bit broader background related to the foundation from which the Z Car Restoration Program sprang. As they say, nothing happens in a vacuum. The movement to save the Z Car started several years earlier... and it involved far more than just Nissan trying to generate some publicity.

I believe that the Vintage Z's are the physical embodiment of a far more powerful concept... ie. "To Keep The Spirit Of The Z Car Alive."

It's mid 1994 - Everyone in the Z Car Community is simply dumbfounded when Nissan informs us they have no plans to Celebrate the upcoming 25th Anniversary of the Z!!! (Z Sales are at an all time low by 95.. and they know the Z is dead. Nissan has just had its second or third year of heavy red ink as well .... so no marketing dollars for the Z Car..).

It's late 1994 - at the Z Car Convention - Planing Meeting. The Georgia Z Club will play host for the upcoming 1995 Convention and the theme will be to "Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Z Car". The Convention is to be held in Atlanta July of 1995.

Henry Costanzo, President of the Georgia Z Club suggests that Mr. Yutaka Katayama aka the "Father Of The Z Car", be personally invited to the 25th Anniversary Celebration and the group agrees! Upon checking with Johnnie Gable, who in turn checks with Mr. K... the Club is informed that if they invite Mr. K he will indeed be honored to attend. The formal Invitation is issued at once. (I think by now it was into 95).

Someone (I can't remember the name, but I can see his face..da.....) in one of the local clubs comes up with the idea of holding a "Z Across America Relay", to promote local club participation and Publicity for the Convention. He organizes and runs the whole thing, and he talks Nissan into some sponsorship dollars as well.

Beginning on May 13th, 1995 the 8000 mile - "Z Across America Relay" starts in Salt Lake City..and heads toward Philadelphia..then back Southwest to L.A. from there, heading back to Atlanta - to arrive at the National Z Car Convention on the 25th of July. (picture a map of the USA... and the route forms a large "Z" across the map).

Once Nissan Motors USA got word that Mr. K. is returning to the USA for the Convention, they did a complete About-Face and jumped on the Band Wagon in as big a way as possible!!! They promise sponsorship dollars to the Georgia Club to help pay the costs of the convention (if they can participate!).. they jump on "the Z Across America Relay" when it's pitched to them.. and add $50,000 funding for contribution to charity...!!

Keep in mind that Mr. K was ordered to retire by the Corporate Fathers in Japan when he reached mandatory retirement.. He returned to Japan, and entered retirement with very shabby treatment by Nissan Motors Ltd. Japan. (lots of his US customers never bought another DATSUN after that.. myself included). Since that time, he had not returned to the USA either.

Nonetheless, when a former President of Nissan shows up at any Nissan facility.. he is expected to be treated with great respect and courtesy. Nissan USA knew they would be expected to do no less for Mr. K upon his return to the USA.

Mr. K spent the entire week at the 1995 Z Car Convention... simply amazed at the number of Z's there, the number of pure stock and the number of modified Z's... that were in as new or better than new condition. He was stunned that so many of his American customers not only remembered him, but expressed such affection for him personally. The entire event was simply overwhelming for him... he was AMAZED!.

When Mr. K returns to Japan he finds that the Japanese Press covered his historic return to the USA and the annual Z Car Convention!! He also informs Nissan HQ that contrary to the reports from Nissan Marketing in the USA - the Z Car is far from Dead. Indeed it is alive and well everywhere except at Nissan.

At the Convention, Mike Taylor (aka Mike Mike), then President of Z Car Club Association, spends a great deal of time with Mr. K... keeping schedules, media interviews etc. and Mike had arranged for the History Channel to film a lot of their "History Of The Z Car" there as well.

Mike formed a personal attachment to Mr. K and Mr. K got a kick out of Mike as well.. The 25th Anniversary Celebration as well as the Z Car Club Convention went off very well... and everyone left very happy.

Now it's a few months later... and Mr.K's Birthday is coming up at the end of 1995... Mad Mike Taylor jumps a plane to Japan, to surprise Mr. K with a Birthday Visit!!! Mike stays for the week or so (as I recall).

Mr. K makes arrangements for Mike and himself to visit Nissan HQ and while there Mike makes a plea for Nissan Motors Japan to stop crushing/trashing the very parts we needed to "restore" our older Z's (yes, Nissan was dumping old inventory to cut costs).

Mr. K and Mike also try to make a case for the return of the Z Car to North America!!

Now it's 1996 and annual Z Car Convention is held in Denver. Again Mr. K is happy to attend... at the end of the Convention he informs us that we can expect some significant changes at Nissan Motors Japan.. and that we should "keep the faith" and keep lobbying Nissan Motors Japan for a new Z Car. (many of our IZCC Members write letters to Mr. Hanawa asking for a new Z Car for the USA).

Mr. Hanawa had taken over as President and CEO of Nissan Motors Ltd. Japan. The management chain that had opposed Mr. K for all these years.. the one that forced him to retire.. the one that changed the Brand Name from DATSUN to Nissan (to wipe out any hint of Katayama's huge success)... yep the good old boys were finally gone.. they simply lost too much money to ignore any longer!!!

Mr. Hanawa, it turns out - was a long time friend/supporter/believer in Mr. K's marketing and management abilities; as well as his significant contributions to Nissan's Global success. He held Mr. K in much higher regard than was Politically Correct within the old guard.. Nonetheless Mr. Hanawa was now in charge.. and we begin to see things changing at HQ ... in a significant way!

At that point you started to see the "Yellow Z Car with the G-Nose" and this little Happy looking Japanese Man showing up on your TV's... with his dog. "Remember Us - we were DATSUN"... "Keep The Spirit Alive"... "We Are Driven"... and the Superbowl's "Dream Garage"....

During that time we heard that Nissan was indeed thinking about a new Z Car.. as well as a return to its roots. A lighter, less expensive Z... affordable again... (maybe as soon as 2001)....

"The Z Car Restoration Program"...and "the Vintage Z's" were simply the next logical step (Brilliant As The Concept Was!!) - to keep a ball that was already rolling.. moving. Maybe even accelerate it a bit!!

The idea of keeping the Spirit of the Z Car Alive - after the death of the last 300ZX didn't originate with Nissan Motors USA's marketing department. They simply jumped on an already moving band wagon.... with a great idea!

The Spirit of the Z Car was kept alive in the hearts and minds of the Owners and in the person of Yutaka katayama. The Nissan Employees that came up with the concept... I believe were driven to a far greater extent by the idea of keeping the Spirit of the Z Car Alive, than by just a clever PR or Marketing scheme... (and they more than likely did sell it to management based on marketing and PR value).

In terms of "Cause" and "Effect"... no question the Effect of the Vintage Z's was about marketing and PR... but the real "Cause" was driven by a desire to Keep The Sprit Of The Z Car Alive, at least long enough for its reincarnation.

>“Fortunately, the following for Z-cars is just as strong as ever. After the 25th

>anniversary celebrations in Atlanta, a representative from the American clubs was

>sent to Tokyo to plead with Nissan to revive the Z. President Hanawa and the staff in >the USA were so impressed that a number of older examples were rebuilt with the

>backing of the factory and sold as new cars. This was an unprecedented turn of

>events for a major manufacturer”; Yutaka Katayama, “Fairlady Z Story” (translation),

>Long, Miki Press.

Well, I guess that's a sort of two sentence summary of three years :-).. but it leaves a lot of the details out...!!!

At any rate, I thought you might enjoy a little more about the background leading up to "the Vintage Z's" of ""the Z Car Restoration Program".... too bad we never got to see the restored later model Z's that were planned (the Classic Z Cars), nor the Customer Cars that were planned as a follow on...

FWIW,

Carl

now I'll go digging for that name...Dave ????.. that started the Z Across America Relay..

Carl Beck

Clearwater,FL USA

http://ZHome.com

[TomoHawk]

WOW.

I nominate Carl to write the book on this.

How did they do the 'Z Across America?' Did they carry a torch or something? Maybe hand-off an old hood badge?

[26th-Z]

Thanks Carl.

That is pretty much the picture that is going to emerge. What does a corporation do when they kill the very car that made them famous? Katayama appeared at the induction ceremonies for the final 300 ZX proclaiming the Z was not dead and pitching Nissan products. Does someone have copies of the correspondence - say the invitation sent to Katayama? There are people writing to me asking about such documents. There are people writing me asking for hard documentation to corroborate many of these events.

Case in point....Most people will tell you that there were two or three shops involved in the Program. There were four. Nissan documentation includes a production figure for two of the shops at a certain date.

Another point…The Z Restoration Program was a two-phased program initiated with the sale of later model cars. That issue was announced at the Vintage Z Rally / Picnic in 1997. The later model cars were already on sale. For a fact, at least one Vintage Z was completed on a customer specification basis. It went to an editor of Autoweek magazine equipped with an Eibach suspension kit, custom exhaust system, spook and spoiler, and other modifications.

I love the recollections that I have been hearing, but who was "a representative from the American clubs was sent to Tokyo to plead with Nissan to revive the Z." Representing what American clubs? Where is the correspondence surrounding that? With whom did this person meet? You see, the story is a good one and as I dig into this a little, I am beginning to see where a lot of it originates. Some of it is based in fact. Some of it is a little off color. Actually, I started all this because of the off color F word. The F word is a press interpretation of Nissan marketing. It is taking me some time to sort through the facts. I just got fooled by Road & Track!

Many thanks to MikeW, Bambikiller240, 2ManyZs, gnose, halz, JLPurcell and others who have written with suggestions, comments, and information. Thanks to you, Carl, for the information you gave me the other day. I still have plenty to write about. Information is still coming in. I am hoping for a most factual discussion of the project.

Here is Dale Ishimoto (I am uncertain of the spelling) with Yutaka Katayama at the Vintage Z Rally and Picnic, May 3, 1997.

[Carl Beck]

Hi TomoHawk:

The Relay was divided into 25 legs as I recall, one for each year of the Z. It started with a 1970 240Z leading the local participants. A Treasure Chest/baton was carried in the lead car that contained the funds for charity. The treasure chest was passed from leg to leg.. from year to year of lead Z's until the end when a 1995 300XX lead the participants into Atlanta on the last leg. (you can see this last leg in the History Channels "History Of The Z Car" as I recall.. as they arrived in Atlanta).

Participants were given a decal for their quarter windows.. I'll have to find mine, but I'm pretty sure they are the ones you see in all Vintage Z's. (circle with 25th Anniversary - silver and black)...

Ah... my memory wakes up....

Chris.. in the Yellow Brochure, from the Vintage Z Roll -out that you had... on the second from the last page there is a picture and write-up about the Z Across America Relay.

In the picture of the Z's parked in a huge "Z" pattern, that's my Blue 72 in the middle of the top row.

The brief write-up states: "The Relay was the brainchild of Dave Draper of San Diego's Z Car Club..

OK... now I feel better... Dave Draper... Dave Draper...

FWIW,

Carl

Carl Beck

Clearwater,FL USA

http://ZHome.com

[26th-Z]

Thanks! Here's the picture. Mindfull of the copyright - Nissan Motor Corporation.