Datsun-240z Vs Fairlady-z432

[xs10shl]

20 minutes ago, HS30-H said:

Notice it has no emblem ('Datsun') on that left fender either. Possible damage repair?

I do see the join line between the fender and headlamp cowl, but it is very faint. Possibly a lot of paint, and - as above - suggesting a repair?

Largely due to that 1/71 Auto Sport article, '8D-420' has long been one of my dream cars. Big influence on the project I'm currently building.

I can't wait to see the end result of your efforts, Alan!

Apologies for geeking out: Notice also on the previous photo you posted that the other fender has a "Fairlady Z" badge and no headlight covers originally, and then finally (at the Racing Show) what appears to be a "DATSUN" badge, covered headlight, and if i'm not mistaken, a tiny circle in the front of the scoop, indicating the possible presence of a defogger.  And yet at this point, not yet having the front-facing headlight change. Also of note, is what appears to be clear lenses for the running lights. It's great to see how the development progressed.

As to the left fender, with possible accident repair vs. intentional omission: I'd venture to say that both are possible. Perhaps the left side marker was omitted intentionally at one point, either before of after a possible fender-bender, just to see what it was like. With the dual-bulb driving light, One could easily rewire it to use one bulb for running light, and the second one for turn signal. (I'll tip my hand here a little bit, and mention the possibility that some Works harnesses may have used the 4-pin connector for the 2-bulb driving lights instead of the 3-pin, even though only one bulb was wired up, leaving the parking light unwired. But perhaps I'm overthinking it.)

[kats]

5 hours ago, xs10shl said:

So you'd say the date order is this?

1) Auto Sport pictures

2) Pictures above

3) Racing Auto Show pictures

 

Also of note: I can't say if it has to do with the photo resolution, but the left light bucket is remarkably well fitted to the fender.  There's definitely a cut line in later photos, so perhaps its a result of an overly generous paint application.

I am glad that you like it, and Alan , this is the magazine , “driver” issued 5th February 1971 . This magazine is for general people, family car to sports car . 
Kats

[HS30-H]

18 hours ago, kats said:

I am glad that you like it, and Alan , this is the magazine , “driver” issued 5th February 1971 . This magazine is for general people, family car to sports car . 

Thanks Kats. I haven't got that issue (I will have to track it down now), but I have a small collection of DRIVER magazines from that period. The covers are always interesting and fun, and there was always an amazing amount of content in each issue. The journalists must have been working so hard. Nice balance of consumer-motorist (commuter), leisure motorist (trips, family, driving holidays) and sport motoring too. Their back-to-back group tests were very thorough.

They always seemed to show 'back stage' and unusual shots in their motorsports coverage, which I love. 'Reportage' style:

 

[kats]

On 2/23/2022 at 10:47 PM, xs10shl said:

... also, I just noticed that they must have removed the left side-marker. No wonder the fender looked so clean to my eye.

 

{edit: I reviewed the Auto Sport pictures, and can see that the cut line is there, and that the left marker is missing.)

It is mysterious! Why was the side marker deleted ? Just put a new one certainly mast have had  been the easiest way . 
Kats

[kats]

On 2/24/2022 at 11:14 PM, HS30-H said:

Thanks Kats. I haven't got that issue (I will have to track it down now), but I have a small collection of DRIVER magazines from that period. The covers are always interesting and fun, and there was always an amazing amount of content in each issue. The journalists must have been working so hard. Nice balance of consumer-motorist (commuter), leisure motorist (trips, family, driving holidays) and sport motoring too. Their back-to-back group tests were very thorough.

They always seemed to show 'back stage' and unusual shots in their motorsports coverage, which I love. 'Reportage' style:

 

Hi Alan, I didn’t have this one , so I quickly bought the one ! Thank you.

Today I found some new YouTube of Z432-R , they are very interesting to see. Both cars are not well known in Japan (World wide too) . But I believe the one in the Sunday car meeting must be the one which was restored at TA -Auto , Ando-san’s work . I visited several times and watched the progress, that was very interesting to me. Alan might see it too,  might not you ? 

And the one is now restored in progress is now very “ hot “ in Japan. Mr. Saito ( owner and the mechanic) has got the car almost 20 years ago without knowing it was a Z432-R because the car was pretended to be Z432 . It had Normal seats , normal center console , aftermarket steering wheel, and painted red , etc etc.  After stored it in his garage , he found 100 litter gas tank ! He suddenly realized it is Z432-R , PZR , PS30SB . 
Saito san has been showing his working progress on YouTube, his channel is now huge popular in Japan, but he never mentioned the car is Z432-R. He seems that he doesn’t want people get so excited about it and send him a lot of questions and comments which make him bother . 
But we already know the car it is ! 

Kats 

Edited February 27, 2022 by kats

[kats]

Here is a good shot , what thing makes this car a Z432-R ? 
Kats

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by kats

[HS30-H]

5 hours ago, kats said:

It is mysterious! Why was the side marker deleted ? Just put a new one certainly mast have had  been the easiest way . 
Kats

My thinking - and it is just a possibility, I have no evidence - is that because it was an early lightweight '240ZR' (featuring all the PZR lightweight tricks) it would have been fitted with the PZR type lightweight front fenders. I believe these required the side marker/repeater holes to be stamped out in a separate process, and it just may not have been done. I remember there being one or two instances of factory race cars like this. Australian market cars didn't have the holes stamped either, which perhaps shows us that it was indeed a separate process in the front fender manufacturing. Just a theory. I've seen evidence of hand-cutting features on other Works cars too.

 

5 hours ago, kats said:

Today I found some new YouTube of Z432-R , they are very interesting to see. Both cars are not well known in Japan (World wide too) . But I believe the one in the Sunday car meeting must be the one which was restored at TA -Auto , Ando-san’s work . I visited several times and watched the progress, that was very interesting to me. Alan might see it too,  might not you ? 

Yes, I saw it twice during the long restoration process. Amazing work by Ando san, and a real University diploma course in PZR-specific details for me. I have a huge amount of reference photos too. Fascinating stuff.

4 hours ago, kats said:

Here is a good shot , what thing makes this car a Z432-R ?

I don't want to spoil the fun, so I'll keep quiet...

[SpeedRoo]

8 hours ago, kats said:

Here is a good shot , what thing makes this car a Z432-R ? 
Kats

 

Couple of things could indicate it's a Z432R, first the pocket in the transmission tunnel with the holes for the ignition switch wiring. There is a metal cover bracket that goes above that for the switch. Secondly it has the threaded mounting bracket on the right hand side for the harness. Then of course the flat boot floor with no cutout for the spare wheel.

 

Roo

Edited February 27, 2022 by SpeedRoo

[kats]

10 hours ago, HS30-H said:

My thinking - and it is just a possibility, I have no evidence - is that because it was an early lightweight '240ZR' (featuring all the PZR lightweight tricks) it would have been fitted with the PZR type lightweight front fenders. I believe these required the side marker/repeater holes to be stamped out in a separate process, and it just may not have been done. I remember there being one or two instances of factory race cars like this. Australian market cars didn't have the holes stamped either, which perhaps shows us that it was indeed a separate process in the front fender manufacturing. Just a theory. I've seen evidence of hand-cutting features on other Works cars too.

 

Yes, I saw it twice during the long restoration process. Amazing work by Ando san, and a real University diploma course in PZR-specific details for me. I have a huge amount of reference photos too. Fascinating stuff.

I don't want to spoil the fun, so I'll keep quiet...

Thanks Alan, seems to make sense to me. Light weight front fenders are so special. Takeuchi san and other PZR owners usually complained about people tried to put their fingers on the fender to push down and see how the metal is flexible for recovery from bending. At car show , Takeuchi san couldn’t leave his car for lunch . That is an old story I think , nowadays nobody will try to do that , everyone knows how those cars are expensive today .

Kats

[kats]

7 hours ago, SpeedRoo said:

Couple of things could indicate it's a Z432R, first the pocket in the transmission tunnel with the holes for the ignition switch wiring. There is a metal cover bracket that goes above that for the switch. Secondly it has the threaded mounting bracket on the right hand side for the harness. Then of course the flat boot floor with no cutout for the spare wheel.

 

Roo

Hi SpeedRoo , good catch ! 
You are the winner.

I attached some more better shots from a Z432-R at Ando san’s shop . Note a metal tab for the switch wiring inside of the tunnel. 
And the rear gate , PZR has different one (PZR for Works (early) used FRP rear gate , for road going used steel rear gate) . Ando san told me something about inside of the rear gate. I will tell you about it later .

Kats

Edited February 28, 2022 by kats

[SpeedRoo]

It's not hard if you know what you're looking for Kats! There's also something unique about the rear suspension that most people miss. Let's see if you know what it is.😁

[kats]

2 hours ago, SpeedRoo said:

It's not hard if you know what you're looking for Kats! There's also something unique about the rear suspension that most people miss. Let's see if you know what it is.😁

Hi Roo , I can’t tell anything unique of the rear suspension from those pictures above , I am missing the uniqueness!

Kats

Edited February 28, 2022 by kats