Somewhere I saw someone mention their 10/71 240Z as being an "early" production date '72 model. My '72 was made in 9/71. Anyone know what the first month 72's were made? What about the first VIN? Mine is HLS30-47431. I'm assuming that the VIN numbers are in chronological order.

There was a discussion not long ago about this. Do a search on "VIN" and you shall find lots and lots of info.

Yes they are in chronological order and numerical too although some (namely HS30-H) will tell you that a few numbers were skipped for whatever reason unknown.

The VIN number means it was the 47,431st of the HLS-30 cars off the line or close to it. There were a few other models for other markets, so those were also being built alongside the US HLS-30 cars at the same time. They were also being number in order with a different prefix in the VIN number.

Hard to tell what month the first of the 72's were built, as the Japanese didn't have the same model year changover that US makers did in the past. Now we see some of our new models coming out in July and August where they used to not hit the showrooms until October or November....

If you check out www.zhome you might be able to figure out about what month the changeover occured using the registry.

Originally posted by 2ManyZs

If you check out www.zhome you might be able to figure out about what month the changeover occured using the registry.

Thanks. Unfortunately that list doesn't show model years. While it's in ascending VIN order it only shows the point where the 1973 cars start. Oh well, I was just curious. I have noticed that some of the paint colors were first introduced in 9/71 so that may be where the 72's start.

Considering the transit times from Japan, and then the distribution times from the port to the dealer, I would say they probably did change over in late August/early September. It might have taken 6 weeks or more from the time the car left the line till the time it hit the dealers showroom.

Guess we haven't really come that far, the last Dodge I ordered took 4 weeks from the time it left the lne till it got to the dealer here...:stupid:

Originally posted by 2ManyZs

Considering the transit times from Japan, and then the distribution times from the port to the dealer, I would say they probably did change over in late August/early September. It might have taken 6 weeks or more from the time the car left the line till the time it hit the dealers showroom.

After looking some more, I noticed this page:

http://zhome.com/History/1970or1971.html

It appears that the change over was sometime in August. That seems reasonable.

I knew you would find the page sooner or later, I was just being lazy tonight and didn't look for it....:sleepy:

My 71 missed out on being titled as a 70 by 3000 cars and one month....bummer...:disappoin

Just to clarify this point, my comments on previous posts about skipped sequences in the numbering of S30-series Z cars were in connection with the RHD models. This is very well known in Japan.

As far as I know, there is no evidence that any numbers in the HLS30-series VIN prefixes were skipped - so you do not have to worry about it for the LHD cars.

The LHD VIN numbers make a lot more chronological sense than the others - so they can be relied on to provide more accurate dating info.

Alan T.

Hi all,

www.zhome.com has a register where many of us have registered their VINs. They are in an order and it seems that the VINs are linked to a time order. By the way, isn't the production date of your car on that little label that is fixed to the B-pillar at the driver's side?

Rolf

Hi Rolf,

Happy New Year.

Actually, most of the RHD market cars did NOT have the little tag on the door jamb that quotes a manufacturing date....................

Like I said, its a lot easier to track the true age / manufacturing date of a LHD market car than an RHD market car............

I have to say that I think this concept of "Model Year" is confusing, and is linked more to marketing / sales than to any reality of manufacturing date.

I have never heard the Japanese talk about a "Model Year" ( EG "1971 model" for a late 1970-made Z ) and to my mind it can only be a local market idea that is propogated in order to help sales. As far as I know ( and I could well be mistaken ) there was never any such idea as this at Nissan Japan in the early 1970's period.

I also have a very strong suspicion that a lot of the dates on those door jamb plates were "tweaked" to suit business needs in Japan........................ Not that Nissan would ever admit it.

Alan T.

Hi Alan,

I read you are in Japan or are you already back? I wish you - and everybody on the list - the sort of year that great memories are made of !

Interesting what you write about the "non-tag" on RHD cars. I didn't know that. What you say about the Datsun/Nissan philosophy on production years is what I learned from a Nissan manager here, too.

On my Z's right door jamb I have my personal tag. It has the same dimension like the original one on the left side, but I hammered into it the car's "personal" dates like day of delivery to the first owner, importation date from the US to Germany, the day I bought it, and day of my first drive after restauration.Foolish, isn't it, but I like the symmetry to have a tag at each jamb.

Rolf

Hi, Alan,

Oh yes,you are in Sapporo!And thank you very much for flying for me.Your payment is my sallary!

Alan,I know you already saw these data listing below.I try to find out the numbers with my guessing approximately,what do you think of it?

I think these data are not accurate maybe,even if they are accurate,there are some tweaking like Alan said.

[data from NISSAN for HS and HLS]

production

(unfortunately,NISSAN only has these combined

data with HS and HLS.This is really FRUSTRATED!!)

1969, # 438

1970, #17,892

1971, #41,595

1972, #61,595

1973, #34,584

1974, # 1,310

export (these are only for HLS)

1969, # 3

1970, #17,005

1971, #40,219

1972, #60,025

1973, #51,332

[data from JAPAN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY association]

(only for HS in Japan,none for HS for export

because it starts from 1971 ends 1973.Of course they do

not have for HLS)

serial number for HS in Japan, started sale in OCT.1971.

1971, 10001 to 10436

1972, 010437 to 012045

014001 to 014801

100001 to 100800

1973, 100801 to 101537

102001 to 103262

I think I combine these data with zhome.com's registration data,

I can estimate roughly the number of HS in 1969,1970 and

early 1971.

I have to sleep,so see you next time.

Good night,

kats