Datsun 240Z S30 RH Parts Catalogue

[boyblunda]

This was just listed on ebay and sold for AUS$560 or approximately US$420!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&item=190037738137&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Description reads :

"DATSUN 240Z - Model S30 - Right hand Drive models - Parts Catalogue.

For a restorer or an enthusiast this book would be the bible. The detail is superb.

Over 100 pages of diagrams, exploded views and information for the enthusiast.

The book is in as new condition.

Revised Edition : December 1970"

The winning bidder is listed as being located in Japan and was a very serious bidder with two substantial bids. There was also interest from the UK, Australia,Canada and New Zealand.

This is the highest price I have seen paids for any Zed publication so I suppose this particular item in good condition must be relatively rare. Are these parts catalogues so much better a reference or is it just that they are highly collectable or both?

I have also noticed advertising brochures making higher prices on ebay auctions in recent times and am beginning to think that prices are on the rise, even for the 260Z publications.

[Zedrally]

That baffles me as to why anyone would pay so much for a printed copy?

Any ideas why????????

[240 in OZ]

The winning bidder is a member of this site; hoping he will chime in.

Joseph

[Zak's Z]

Wow. I'd love to see that catalog. I dont have a RHD, but I'd enjoy reading any piece of nostalgia thats worth that much.

[Mike B]

I have the first US and Canada edition (LHD) dated 11/69.

[boyblunda]

MikeB

How and when did you come across your LHD edition? I do not remember seeing these come up too often - in fact I cannot specifically remember these being available at all in my very short history in Zeds although I do have a copy of the CD available from ClassicZ.

I can understand someone wanting a hard copy of anything even if it is available electronically as, for me, there is something in being able to pick it up, carry it with you, and read it where and when you like.

I am certainly not critical of anyone paying any amount at all for something they really want and it needs to be kept in mind that the winner of an ebay auction only pays a small increment more than the second highest bidder was willing to pay.

However, this result in an auction is starting to make me think that collecting Zed memorabilia and publications will only get more expensive in the future and maybe I need to leap in and buy while I can still afford it.

[Mike B]

MikeB

How and when did you come across your LHD edition? I do not remember seeing these come up too often - in fact I cannot specifically remember these being available at all in my very short history in Zeds although I do have a copy of the CD available from ClassicZ.

I can understand someone wanting a hard copy of anything even if it is available electronically as, for me, there is something in being able to pick it up, carry it with you, and read it where and when you like.

I am certainly not critical of anyone paying any amount at all for something they really want and it needs to be kept in mind that the winner of an ebay auction only pays a small increment more than the second highest bidder was willing to pay.

However, this result in an auction is starting to make me think that collecting Zed memorabilia and publications will only get more expensive in the future and maybe I need to leap in and buy while I can still afford it.

I got it on ebay a couple of months ago and paid around $50 US. I didn't really expect to win it, but I don't think people really noticed it for some reason. I hadn't seen one before, so I think they are fairly rare. Someone contacted me soon afterward and offered to buy it for quite a bit more than I paid, but I decided to keep it for now. I have the parts CD from the club as well, but I was interested in this since it was published in 11/69 and I thought it would be interesting to see differences between my 72 and the early models. Some of the pictures in it are pretty cool and I like having the hardcopy of these. It has some funny suggestions to the dealers on some of the divider pages and a page with samples of all of the seat vinyl colors. As for collecting Z memorabilia I don't think you should buy something with the intent that it will be worth more in the future, but if you find something you like and you think it is a reasonable price then go for it.

[26th-Z]

Mike you lucky soB! I can just imagine someone offering you much more than you paid! And I can just imagine who it was! Mine was about three times the price you paid. Oh, well... Let me know first, if you want to sell your copy.

All the editions of this particular catalog are fairly uncommon and will continue to get harder and harder to find. They are far more descriptive (and entertaining) than the catalogs we commonly buy in Cd version. Those are prints of the parts fische mostly. I would say any of the authentic printed versions of the S30 parts catalogs (as well as service manuals) trade for much more than one might expect. They are very collectable and probably have far more value in the hands of a collector like the guy who bought this example. I'm certain this eBay purchase went up on the shelf in the library next to his other editions.

[kats]

Hello everyone,

I am kats and I am datsunz903 in Ebay.

Of cource I want to buy items as inexpensive as I can,$560 is very very expensive and I am afraid my wife will know it soon and she will get angly with it.But I do not normaly have enough time to enjoy the bidding in front of a computer.I have to bid in early stage and just see how the auction goes. Every time I find a nice item which I am looking for a long time,I think again and again,is it an once in a life time item?If I think so,then put my maximam amount which I am willing to pay.I know my maximam is crazy,but I want to get it.

This parts catalog is not a frequent item on Ebay.That is why I put that amount.I I have a same size same condition U.S. & CANADA Nov.1969 version like Mike B and Chris mentioned.I can not say how much I paid for it(if I tell you, you will get heart attack) I paid XXX times more of this RHD version.Yes I am crazy,but you know how much I was excited when I happned to see it and I managed to buy it from previous owner.I am still very very happy to have it,and I feel I was right to pay big money because I have never had a chance to buy this catalog and like this condition once again past 6 years.I made a good decision to pay huge money to get it.It is just a book, but for me,it is more than a book.

I need to know about RHD 240Z.It is nessesaly to know my U.S. 240Z more and more.Also about Fairlady-Z,I bought a parts catalog of Fairlady-Z.Some times I can find a fact of U.S. 240Z in the Fiarlady-Z 's parts catalog.I am assuming same thing in the RHD 240Z parts catalog.

Attached photos are my collection.The small white one is a unique tiny Fiarlady-Z's catalog.For JDM,there are some kinds of size for the parts catalog.A big one and this small one.Both are the same contents,small one has exactly same pictures and parts number listings.

For example,we(U.S. 240Z) can not buy sepalately 1969-70 tailgate air vent duct fittings.But look into Fairlady-Z catalog,there are individual parts number for the duct fittings.For some parts,this theory is vise versa.

Thank you,

kats

[boyblunda]

Congratulations Kats and thanks for putting your post into this thread. Now that we know the identity of the winner it helps us to understand how valuable this item would be to you.

Crazy price? I do not really think so as it was only $10 crazier than the second highest bidder was willing to pay. I personally like your bidding style and I would bet that the seller is very happy with the price.

Fantastic to hear of your win and to know that the item would have struggled to have ended in the hands of a more appreciative new owner.

Regards

Dave

[26th-Z]

Hi Kats,

The red dot arrived. It is in very nice condition . Just one nick in the plastic cover. Ever Wing. The glass mirror must be replaced. Any ideas about who might repair the glass mirror?

I have a copy of the small Fairlady manual. Alan sent me a scan so that I could make a correct cover for it. I did not realize it was so small! My copy is large. Very nice parts listing for S20 engine! With this Fairlady catalog, I found the correct exhaust manifold I was looking for.

[HS30-H]

I need to know about RHD 240Z.It is nessesaly to know my U.S. 240Z more and more.Also about Fairlady-Z,I bought a parts catalog of Fairlady-Z.Some times I can find a fact of U.S. 240Z in the Fiarlady-Z 's parts catalog.I am assuming same thing in the RHD 240Z parts catalog.

Hi Kats,

Congratulations on your purchase. That must be the earliest version of the Export RHD parts lists. Very very rare I think. Don't feel guilty about the amount you paid, as I think the information and cross-referencing that it provides will keep paying you back for many years to come.

The updated editions are also of interest, as they sometimes corrected mistakes or anomalies and gave good clues as to why parts were changed or superseded.

My feeling is that in order to fully understand each individual S30/S31-series model you need to try to understand the whole family of contemporary models. And in order to understand the later additions to the family, you need to try to understand everything possible about the models and variants that came before them.

Alan T.