what kind of front lip is this?

[2ManyZs]

Pretty sure I saw this on another web-site. I'm fairly sure it's a Japanese model car, so the clear front lenses and mesh grill are probably stock. The Fairlady's all had the mesh grill and clear front signal lenses as did the 432's. Only thing that makes me wonder is the side mirrors, which would more than likely have been on the fenders. Hmm, maybe an import into Japan?

[Mr Camouflage]

Definetly out of the MSA catalogue looks like it has modified indicators and definetly a customised grille.

Na, they are stock indicators with a strip of black tape across them.

If it didn't have headlight covers it woudl have an x taped across the headlights (like the r32 skyline behind it), but looks like they taped a stripe on the covers instead to follow the bend in the light cover.

Why tape? race track rules I suppose. stop bits falling off when you have to 'pursuade' a slower driver to get out of your way.

[Royce]

Zed,

Nice looking car! I am guessing your airdam is fiberglass?? It is hard to tell if the one from the picture that driftmunky posted is fiberglass or urethane because of the nice paint. Like 2manyZs, I would also guess that it is a standard urethane airdam without the air inlets.

Regarding the Z in question,

I would suspect that as 2manyZs said they used tape to cover all it's lights as required for racing. Very tastefully done!

By the way it sure looks like it says FairladyZ on the front fender of that car to me, especially since the license plate is also from Japan! They could have easily moved/changed the mirrors since they didn't mind adding the ZX Turbo vent to the hood. I wonder if it is turbo of if they use the vent to feed the carbs?

Regarding the wheels/tires. Could be BBS, Enkie, Riken, etc. many manufactures made that style wheel. The rear tires are certainly taller and wider but it almost looks like the rims may be taller as well. But, I will vote 16" diameter front and back because it is probably just my eyes, it sure is hard to tell from the picture. Anyone have more pics of it or know more about this car?

Also, it seems to have a BRE spoiler on the back. It sure is a pretty Z!!!

Would look really good in my garage!

[HS30-H]

Sounds like you guys are throwing ideas around a little willy-nilly.

The original picture that driftmunky posted shows a car with a Shinagawa ( Tokyo ) area number plate. Its also got a 34 series taxation class, so its a fair bet that its fairly highly modified engine-wise. You can see that the picture is taken at what seems to be a race track, so he's probably taking part in a "Track Day" or similar event for street cars. They make you tape up the lights to help avoid messing up the track after light contact, as somebody has already pointed out. The car is badged as a "Fairlady Z" on the side, and it probably started life as a 2-litre Z-L and got modified beyond that.....................

It surprises me that somebody would think that the front spoiler was from MSA ( ! ) - as though in Japan they would need to order a spoiler from the USA. In actual fact, there are tens of companies in Japan still selling all manner of Fibreglass and now even Kevlar and Carbon Fibre body parts for the S30-series Z. I would guess that it might be from a company called ATOMIC, who make many of the FRP body parts sold in Japan. And I very much doubt that there is a BRE rear spoiler on the car. Probably either a stock one or another Japanese aftermarket part. Notice that the car is RHD but has side marker / reflector lamps at the rear - another unusual combination. My bet is that the owner added those himself. Those mirrors are aftermarket types, and the originals would have been on the front wings ( sorry - "Fenders" ) as per usual for Japanese-market S30's. They would leave big holes when removed, but nothing a body shop couldn't fix before it was painted.

On my screen, the grille aperture looks very dark - so I can't really make out the grille, but it would be no surprise if it were a "mesh" type grille as ALL Japanese-market S30-series Z cars ( with the exception of the ZG, naturally ) were sold with the mesh grille.

Those clear front indicator lenses are NOT a standard fitment on the Japanese-market cars. They always had amber, and I would think that this guy fitted them ( as many owners in Japan do ) just to make his car stand out a little from the crowd. Those headlamp covers do not look like the Factory "Option" type - unless he has blacked out the stainless surrounds - so its a fair bet that they came from the USA or are a Japanese-made item that is trying to look a little like the American aftermarket covers ( which is somewhat ironic ).Its hard to see clearly. Talking of irony, you can see many S30-series Z cars in Japan with the "slat" grille and other "Export" type parts added to them. Again, an attempt to make the car look a little different from the crowd. There are some "re-imported" HLS30 USA / North American market cars in Japan, and most of these were brought back to Japan because they represent good value as a clean car at a reasonable price compared to the Japanese market value for RHD cars. However, I must say that these cars always seem to keep a lower value than the RHD cars - and many of the Z purists in Japan shun them as slightly inferior, or a kind of compromise.

I'm always trying to make my car look as Japanese-market correct as possible, which I guess is kind of the same thing in reverse to those Japanese owners wanting to make their car look more like an Export model ( except for the fact that it really IS a Japanese-market version ).

That car just LOOKS fast even standing still. I bet there's something quite potent under the hood, and the suspension and brakes are probably up to scratch too. Speculating on wheel makes would probably go on forever; an unbelievable amount of aftermarket wheels are available in Japan ( and they always have been ). Judging by the obviously large diameter these would certainly be quite recent. There's a good chance that this guy would choose BBS, judging by the rest of the car.

Alan.

[driftmunky]

i got these pics from the photo gallery

the engine in it is a 3.1...i'm guessing an l28 bored to 3.1 liters