Datsun 510 240Z Racing History Book

[jmark]

Ron here is the book Carl recommended to me.

[Ron Carter]

Thanks JMark...I have seen that book...I will keep an eye out for a spare copy. Let me know if you can source more than one copy.

Thanks!

[jmark]

Amazon lists a new book coming out in March 2006.

Project X - Datsun Fairlady Z (Paperback)

by Akira Yokoyama

[HS30-H]

The "Project X" book by Akira Yokoyama is a 'Manga' based title, originally published in October 2003 to accompany the NHK television documentary of the same name. It tells what I would call a modernised version of the story of the creation of the S30-series Z in cartoon format, and leans heavily on the Katayama / Matsuo dynamic. It is quite lighthearted, and not really 100% historically correct.

It is hard to truly recommend other Japanese titles, as each of them tends to contain just a small section that is of interest to me. Also some of the ones I consider to be better are no longer in print.....

"Warera ga Fairlady" ( roughly: "Our Fairlady" ) published by Kodansha in 1979 is a great little paperback with a lot of small but interesting historic photos in it. Out of print now, but sometimes possible to find used in Japan.

More recent is "Z no shin wa" ( roughly: Legendary Z" ) by Shigeru Kubota, published by Shuppan Geijutsu sha, ISBN 4-88293-211-3, is a rather dry text-based softback that puts the Z into historical context in Japan. Rather short on good photos.

Also recent is "Z o-tsukuta no otoko" ( "The man who made the Z" ) by Hisashi Kuroi, a softback published by Futaba sha, ISBN 4-575-29444-6 and subtitled ( my translation ) "Yutaka Katayama and the Datsun Z". Some historical pictures in this, but in my opinion it is basically an opportunistic bit of bandwagon jumping in the Katayama personality cult

vein, and the title is fairly preposterous. But there you go - there's a lot of it about.

Car Graphic's "Nissan Fairlady" softback, published back in 1981, is a good value compilation of all Car Graphic magazine's articles on the Fairlady up to that point. Their road tests are a benchmark in Japan, and their reprint of the article detailing the creation process of the S30 is nice, but not as good as the original magazine with its fold-out sections. There are some good articles about the race and rally cars in there too - with a reprint of Shotaro Kobayashi's Fuji track test of a Works 240ZR, which is great.

Car Graphic recently updated and re-released this as "Nissan Fairlady Z", ISBN 4-544-91502-3, but it adds lots of S130-onwards stuff and drops the SP/SR stuff that was nice in the first version. However, the printing is much better quality and on much better paper. This is worth having.

Neko Publishing's "Fairlady Z" - no.32 in their pocket-sized 'World Car Guide' series is fairly new ( ISBN 4-7770-5067-X ) and covers the whole Fairlady range with a few bits of race history thrown in. Some nice colour pictures, but some silly mistakes on captions and headings. Probably still very worth having at the price though.

Neko publishing's "Fairlady I" ( ISBN 4-87366-005-X ) and "Fairlady II" ( ISBN 4-87366-007-6 ) hardbacks are pricey and weighty investments as coffee-table 'art' tomes, but I reckon they are nice things to own and pull out of their slip covers for a browse every now and then. Good data in them too. In and out of print since the late 1970's, sometimes seen on eBay and with book dealers, it should be possible to order from a book specialist if you are armed with the current ISBN. But as I said, pricey.

"Fairlady Z File" published by Studio Tac Creative has been re-released a couple of times, and is a full-size full-colour "mook" of the type that is so often seen in Japan. Lots of colour, lots of street-modified cars.

Re-prints of NOSTALGIC HERO magazine's articles in the GEIBUN MOOK series are good value:

"All Fairlady Z" ( ISBN 4-87465-480-0 ), Geibun Mooks no.260 is an all-Z compilation from several years of Nos Hero magazine, and is nice.

As is Geibun Mook no.327 "All Nissan Sport" ( ISBN 4-87465-562-9 ) which covers many of Nissan's sportier models, with some rare Z content and good race history articles. Interesting and worth having at the price.

Since the Z33 debuted there have been a wealth of new "Mooks" dedicated to the Z range published in Japan. Each of them seems to cover a little bit of history, and I'd say each of them has something to offer - even if it is only one picture that we have never seen before. I can't list them all here as I'd be typing all day.

Maybe some of the above would be of interest to you?

Cheers,

Alan T.

[jmark]

Thanks Alan. I have a coworker who owns a 280Z and is working in Japan. He attended a 35th Anniversary celebration in Mr. K's home town. He got a pretty cool softbound book "All About Fairlady Z" by Motor Magazine Mook ISBN4-943924-70-0 signed by Mr. K! I am trying to talk him out of it!!!!

[jmark]

Thanks JMark...I have seen that book...I will keep an eye out for a spare copy. Let me know if you can source more than one copy.

Thanks!

Ron, My source has another copy if you want it. $70 shipped. Let me know and I'll get you his Paypal info. He had to source it from Japan.