Exact Import Numbers for Australia

[That Ozzy Guy]

One guy I was speaking to that's been in the business of Z's for years and years has told me that Australia only got 2003 Z's imported. He was adamant that it was that exact figure and he repeated himself a couple of times. I was under the impression that it was more like 3000 as I've seen that figure thrown around in this forum.

Does anyone know for sure? ie, not what you've heard from someone, like myself.

The person in question is Ando from All Z 16 Autoparts in Sydney for the sceptics.

Thanks,

George

[Z Kid]

69 0

70 319

71 894

72 362

73 783

74 442 + 599 2+2's

75 198 + 742 2+2's

76 385 + 1615 2+2's

77 98

78 0

There it is for what it's worth, as published at http://www.zhome.com/

not sure why it matters, as long as you've got one, unless its important for your pub boasts.

[Z Kid]

The source for their info was According to Nissan Motors - as stated in the "DATSUN 280ZX" book published in 1978 by Nissan Motor Company.

[That Ozzy Guy]

That's great. Thanks

[W.A.ZED]

Can anyone tell me how many 1971 240z came into the country

with the E31 head and a close ratio gear box. ( does such a beast exist)

Have just bought one ( I think ) and have been told that the head and gearbox combo was a special run that was only released in Australia so that they could be used as world rally spec.

Is this true.

Cheers

Gavin.

[HS30-H]

Sorry Gavin, but that "World Rally Spec." thing is just not true.

ALL of the early "HS30" VIN prefixed cars ( that's RHD L24-engined cars ) had the 5-speed "A" type transmission - which had fairly close ratios anyway. The ratios changed to a more widely-spaced set when the "B" type 5-speed was phased in, so this is why you tend to hear about the "Close Ratio" gearbox thing.

I quite often see comments from USA owners about "special racing transmissions" or similar when they are merely describing either an early "A" type 5-speed or one of the Sports Option transmissions available from Nissan Motorsports in the USA from the early 1970's ( which, apart from the proper "Dogleg" shift-pattern competition boxes, are usually just the 5-speeds that were stock in other markets except the USA ).

The E31 head was also stock on most early cars ( what's your VIN number? ).

Please don't believe any of that "special run" talk, as the only way that it can be seen as true is in the fact that there really were not all that many early "HS30" cars IN COMPARISON to the amount of early "HLS30" models that the Factory knocked out........

There was no real "Special Model" for Australia; you have to count the "HS30" VIN prefixed cars that went to Australia as very similar to most other "HS30" VIN prefixed cars, although they were arguably more similar to the Japanese market "HS30" prefixed cars than they were to the other ( mainly UK market ) "HS30". This was mainly due to the retention of the proper wraparound front indicators at the front where the UK version had compliance problems with them and switched to a rather ugly version on top of the front bumper.

Take those figures from z.home as "gospel" at your peril; they purport to indicate production figures that relate to RHD cars for export. They do not seem to include any of the Japanese home-market cars ( very important ) and they come from the notoriously inaccurate "Datsun 280ZX" book that NMC published when the ZX was launched. They certainly will not help you in relation to how many cars made it to Australia.

I would guess that "accurate" figures for Australian-market "HS30" VIN prefix cars would have to come from sources within Australia ( who must be privy to more and better info than that available elsewhere ). This must be known by the Z clubs in Australia surely? Be careful of conjecture though.

A nice 1971 HS30 is a good thing to have. Are you sure that it really WAS made in 1971 ( and not 1970 ) - as I would have thought the E31 head makes it statistically more likely to be a 1970 manufactured car. This would be even better ( especially for those early VIN number lovers ).

Like I said - what's the VIN number? Maybe this will help to identify it properly.

Good luck with it,

Alan T.

[W.A.ZED]

thanks for the info Alan.

Good to know the correct information on my car. Being new to the z car scene I just believed what I was told. (it all sounded good to me!)

Looked under the hood and found these numbers

engine no. 035238

car no. 00793

could not find year of manufacture. is this not stamped on the car somewhere?

Where does that put my car in the sceme of things.

cheers

Gavin

[HS30-H]

Hi Gavin,

Thats a relatively low chassis number that you have there.

The actual date of manufacture was not "officially" marked on most of the early RHD models as far as I am aware. However, I wonder of the Australian market cars had a similar tag on the inside of the door jamb ( just by the catch ) to the LHD cars, which stated a manufacturing date for local compliance purposes? The UK and Japanese home-market cars certainly did not.

I can't remember whether they did or not - but if you DO find one please bear in mind that the RHD cars had to stick around in Japan for a lot longer than the LHD cars, while they got enough made / ordered for a consignment to be sent out. Some of my Japanese friends have told me that they remembered RHD Z cars sitting at the dockside in Yokohama for weeks and even months before being sent out. Compare this to the USA / North American market cars which were being sent out just as fast as they could put them together. Add this up, and it means that quite a lot of early RHD cars ended up at their destinations quite a long time ( relatively speaking ) after leaving the assembly line. For this reason, the local compliance / date of manufacture tag ( if fitted ) would not necessarily all that accurate on an RHD car compared to an LHD car.

Based on the manufacture date of other cars that I know, I would think your car is indeed a mid to late 1971 manufactured car. To pin this down more accurately, you might want to get into Sherlock Holmes mode and start sniffing around your car for clues. First place to look would be the cloth tags on the seatbelts ( presuming the original Takata Kojyo belts are still in it ). These state the month and year of manufacture, and can provide a good clue. Usually they were made only a few weeks before the car was put together. Other places to look are on things like the back of the ashtray, the fusebox, back lamp housings and other items like that. You will quite often, but not always, see a round-shaped ink-stamp with a series of numbers in it. This is usually the manufacturing date of that item - but its in Japanese year date system according to the incumbent Emperor's reign ( in the case of your Z - it was still Emperor Hirohito, who the Japanese know as Emperor "Showa" ). To get the "correct" year date, just add 25 to the last two numbers on the date stamp. This is because the "Showa" era started in 1925. You will be therefore probably be looking at date-stamp numbers that end in 46 ( meaning 1971 ). If you see more than one 45 number, your car could well be an earlyish 1971 car. However, from your VIN number I think its a later 1971 car ( arguably one of the better dates to have in an RHD car ).

You can also date these cars from the glass manufacturing marks and other more obscure places - but that's too complicated to get into here.

Have a dig around your car and see what you can come up with datewise. If you need any help I would be glad to try to assist. I love early RHD cars in particular.

Glad you are not too upset by the fact that its not some kind of Homologation Special. All too often people mis-identify stuff because they do not have much data on it. I guess this is what happened with the person who described your car as something other than a "normal" early RHD car. What you actually have is something rather good anyway. Remember that the early RHD cars were a much better spec. than the LHD cars ( 5-speed, 3.9 diff, rear anti-roll bar and the driver sitting in the "right" place! ).

Hope that you take it back to its original colour, and close to original spec. if its been modified in any way. These relatively early HS30's are worth looking after.

All the best,

Alan T.

[Zedrally]

Originally posted by HS30-H

However, I wonder of the Australian market cars had a similar tag on the inside of the door jamb ( just by the catch ) to the LHD cars, which stated a manufacturing date for local compliance purposes? The UK and Japanese home-market cars certainly did not.

Alan, you never cease to amaze me!

Let me fill in the unknown for you.

Local Delivery zeds [Aus] didn't have that plate in the door jamb either.

You can also date these cars from the glass manufacturing marks and other more obscure places - but that's too complicated to get into here.

Alan T.

Don't stop here Alan, where else should we be looking?

Cheers

MN