Great Datsun Z Article on 'Ate Up With Motor'

[JonnyRock]

Just found an awesome article on the site 'Ate Up With Motor'. If you guys have never heard of this site you should really check it out. It's a wealth of information on cars, car makers, and automotive icons. I've only read a few articles so far, but each one has had me glued to the screen. They're fairly long, but particularly well written.

Z Trip: The Original Datsun Z-Car

I'm only about halfway through this at the moment, but so far everything I've read lines up with what I've heard here and on zhome, etc.

Enjoy!

Edited March 29, 2010 by JonnyRock

[Kathy & Rick]

Just found an awesome article on the site 'Ate Up With Motor'. If you guys have never heard of this site you should really check it out. It's a wealth of information on cars, car makers, and automotive icons. I've only read a few articles so far, but each one has had me glued to the screen. They're fairly long, but particularly well written.

Z Trip: The Original Datsun Z-Car

I'm only about halfway through this at the moment, but so far everything I've read lines up with what I've heard here and on zhome, etc.

Enjoy!

I could make 2 or 3 minor corrections, but overall, a really good article. It

was nice to "relive what happened back in the day," but it would be even

better to meet AND TO THANK the man who made it all happen. With Mr K

being age 100 now, I guess we will have to arrange a trip to Japan for that.

Being pretty near a charter member Z guy, I would find that a real thrill.

All Z Best,.............................Kathy & Rick

[motorman7]

Nice article and great feedback by HS30-H below the article. Thanks for bringing the article to our attention.

I did have a couple beefs though. The several comments on the lack of headroom in the early Z cars are surprising. I am 6' 3" tall and fit well in all my Z's; 2 are completely stock. I do not fit in most Honda's, Corvette's, or the current 350 and 370Z's. Odd that this was brought up. I am guessing the author is short and does not really have to deal with this issue.

Would have been nice to have an original 240Z in the photos. A call to any of the local Z clubs would most likely get you a decent one.

As a side note, Also heard rumor that Matsua, on his way to ZCON (noted by HS30-H in the article comments) will be in San Diego for 3 days to visit the Datsun display at the SD museum and the Datsun Heritage Museum in Temecula. Assuming this is true, I am hoping to meet him and possibly get his signature on the underside of my hood. Will be taking off work to make that one happen, definitely worth it.

Peace Out,

Rich

[Gary in NJ]

I am hoping to meet him and possibly get his signature on the underside of my hood.

Rich, that would be very cool.

[yetterben]

The Z also inspired a variety of imitators, including the Mazda RX-7

This is completely false and wrong. I cant attest to the other models but this i can. Rx7 design was completed in 68 shortly after Mazda acquired the Wankel rights. Its was shelved in favor of the cosmo sport.

Its not even right to put two great images and powers against each other. Both camps drastically changed the way America looked at Japanese cars in two different periods. In fact i would be so bold to say where the z left off THE REAL Z meaning s30 the rx7 came right in and carried on the greatness with a new platform in 78. To me everything after the s30 is not a z. The demographic changed and so did the reason to produce. Nissan shot themselves and changed the reason to make cars. They saw money and changed there market of who would buy the car. Same as the rx7 after 85. Both camps when started production wanted the soul of the sports car but in the end became soulless 50,000$ cars.

Edited July 3, 2010 by yetterben

[HS30-H]

I could make 2 or 3 minor corrections, but overall, a really good article.

Come on Rick, no point in writing that here and then not mentioning what those 2 or 3 corrections would be.

......it would be even better to meet AND TO THANK the man who made it all happen.

Yutaka Katayama is a great man, but what exactly would you thank him for, Rick? He didn't conceive the idea of a replacement / successor to the SP/SR Fairlady line, he didn't style, design or engineer the S30-series Z, and - arguably - it pretty much could have sold itself at the time it was released ( being lucky enough to have been born into a boom time ). Katayama was a cog in a very large machine. Making him 'King Cog' only serves to demote others, and cast long shadows. He was - above all - a salesman. I would say that one of his biggest successes has been selling the concept of 'Mr K.'....

This is completely false and wrong. I cant attest to the other models but this i can. Rx7 design was completed in 68 shortly after Mazda acquired the Wankel rights. Its was shelved in favor of the cosmo sport.

I think you might have a few of your wires crossed here....

First of all, Toyo Kogyo ( Mazda ) acquired their rights to the Rotary Engine from NSU in July 1961.

Secondly, their 'Project X605' ( which became the 'RX7' ) began in May 1976. The 'RX-7' officially went on sale in March 1978. Maybe you are thinking of any number of Mazda concept cars ( RX-500, X020A/Z, X110, X020G ) that never reached production?

Whatever way you look at it, the S30-series Z must have been one of Mazda's reference points when they were working on the X605. The RX7 certainly wasn't anything like a 'copy' of the Z, anyway.

Alan T.

[yetterben]

I will have to go back and research then. That little comment just seemed wrong to compare to legendary cars together. Being a huge rotard is just kinda rubbed me wrong. I knew they acquired rights in 61 hence shortly after...i guess 7 years is not shortly after

[torker]

I am way out of my comfort zone here but I recall Mazda having the rotary as an RX-3 I think as early as 73. A friend had one. I can agree however that both companies seem to have" sold out " in the late seventies/ early eighties. In fact there is really no car that I would really want between 73 and about 85. Save maybe the RX-7 for a couple model years.

Edited July 4, 2010 by torker

[d240zx2]

I had a '73 Mazda RX-3 station wagon, of all things. That motor was stronger than Granny's breath, I'll tell ya.

[yetterben]

Indeed the rotary was in many things before the 7. The cosmo sport being the first from mazda. I too had a rx3 wagon with a good ol 13b 4 port hitachi carbed goodness.

I have been on the hunt for years for a rx3-sp. YEARS!