My two swiss S30Z Fairlady Restoration build thread

[JDMjunkies.ch]

30 minutes ago, HS30-H said:

That looks like quite a 'late' pair of struts (late 70s/early 80s?), and I don't *think* they were for use on the S30 chassis.

I don't recognise the part numbers (54302 indicates RH Front, but is the suffix number '16230'?) and I'm wondering what other chassis they might have been made for. None of the factory adjustable-platform struts for the S30 were externally adjustable in that way.   

I thought the same. However i remember seeing similar struts with that adjustment knobs being advertized as S30 struts, but that doesn't mean anything. They put the S30 or Z432 label on anything in japan on some websites recently, just to make it look rare and expensive.
The original japanese sales ad mentioned they were from a Z432 but as with such purchases from abroad you cannot verify the background story. Since they were so dirt-cheap i thought i get them anyway. The other set i bought is without the adjustment-knobs. so we'll see. i'm trying to figure out more.
Strangely it seems to fit physically or visually quite well, most dimensions fit with my factory struts when putting them next to each other... Nevertheless, it was worth the buy and i will try to figure out more. Also curious to compare it to the second set when it arrives here.

[HS30-H]

37 minutes ago, JDMjunkies.ch said:

They put the S30 or Z432 label on anything in japan on some websites recently, just to make it look rare and expensive.

Yes, I've noticed that in the last few years. Sneaky!

37 minutes ago, JDMjunkies.ch said:

Strangely it seems to fit physically or visually quite well, most dimensions fit with my factory struts when putting them next to each other...

There were a few other Nissan models that had fairly similar front hub/spindle castings. Some of them probably fit the S30 series too. 

Is the second half of the part number indeed '16230'? Usually I'd expect an official strut for Nissans of that period to have an alphabet letter at the beginning of the part number suffix which is a great help in identification.

I'm guessing that Kayaba/KYB themselves might be helpful in giving you a positive identification? 

Edited to add: That top mount might also be a clue? Can you post a picture of it from the top? The spring looks to be smaller outer diameter than I'd expect too.   

Edited September 11, 2023 by HS30-H

[JDMjunkies.ch]

After closer inspection i think the first figure of the second part of the number is not an "1" (one), but an "I" (large "i")
I tweaked the following photo a bit for better visibility:

The top mount is also quite strange and doesn't look like something i've seen on a Z. it's basically a big flat dish with some holes. The diameter is much larger then for e.g. the rubber stoppers on the 240Z factory struts.

The spring diameter seems similar to the ones from the Z (haven't compared in detail yet), but might look smaller, because of the large disk on top.

Unfortunately i'm a bit busy in the next few days and won't find the time to work it out, but i hope next week i'll be able to go through some old compe catalgoues etc. And i'm happy to get any input from you if you have an idiea what car the "I" refers to. 🙂
I Always appreciate your inputs and thoughts 🙂

Quote

I'm guessing that Kayaba/KYB themselves might be helpful in giving you a positive identification? 

That might also be a great idea to ask them if we can't figure it out by the swarm-knowledge in this great Forum 🙂

Edited September 11, 2023 by JDMjunkies.ch

[kats]

I didn’t know that Mizukami Auto produced such a nice roll-bar! I would like to see it in person if I like to have it in my car. A set of flat plates which is going to be welded on the rear floor as for securing the bottom brackets isn’t not shown, is that included? 
 

I attached a picture of genuine roll-bar which was sold on Yahoo auction, I still regret that I didn’t make a bid. Recently I became to know that the seller of the roll-bar was my GTR friend!

This original set was also missing a set of flat plates. Maybe it was very difficult to take off the plates from the rear floor.

Kats

[JDMjunkies.ch]

Beautiful rollbar you found there. It's not often they pop up for sale these days.

Yes the two detachable plates are included. see grey plate in the picture below from my Mizukami replica:

[HS30-H]

2 hours ago, kats said:

This original set was also missing a set of flat plates. Maybe it was very difficult to take off the plates from the rear floor.

 

1 hour ago, JDMjunkies.ch said:

Yes the two detachable plates are included. see grey plate in the picture below from my Mizukami replica:

Technically, I believe the two flat plates that sit underneath the two vertical drop mounts were meant to be welded to the rear deck floor. That would be a good reason for them often disappearing when the bars were removed from cars and sold on.

I've got a 'normal' Nissan Sports/Race Option 4-point bar kit in my 432-R replica car, and an original Nissan Works rally version in my ongoing Works Rally 'Test Car' replica project. The difference is that - on the Works Rally type - they moved the two vertical drop bars and mounts further apart so that two stacked spare wheels/tyres could be carried onboard, and they added a steel arrestor strap and a hinged clasp to hold them down (adjustable for one, or two, spares).

All the side mount points are in every car, so they are a bolt-in. It's just the vertical drop mount plates that need to be added. Here's how the Works style plates were welded into my 'Test Car' project:

 

[kats]

59 minutes ago, HS30-H said:

 

Technically, I believe the two flat plates that sit underneath the two vertical drop mounts were meant to be welded to the rear deck floor. That would be a good reason for them often disappearing when the bars were removed from cars and sold on.

I've got a 'normal' Nissan Sports/Race Option 4-point bar kit in my 432-R replica car, and an original Nissan Works rally version in my ongoing Works Rally 'Test Car' replica project. The difference is that - on the Works Rally type - they moved the two vertical drop bars and mounts further apart so that two stacked spare wheels/tyres could be carried onboard, and they added a steel arrestor strap and a hinged clasp to hold them down (adjustable for one, or two, spares).

All the side mount points are in every car, so they are a bolt-in. It's just the vertical drop mount plates that need to be added. Here's how the Works style plates were welded into my 'Test Car' project:

 

Super fascinating Alan!!

 I wish I could have either type of roll-bar, it is a long way to achieve it.

Thanks for the pictures JDMjunkies.ch and Alan, I am  (I am sure we! ) looking forward to seeing the both car when complete. 

Kats

[JDMjunkies.ch]

A while ago i got in contact with an super friendly elderly lady who used to own a Body- and Paint shop on the Premises of Datsun (Suisse) SA in Urdorf. The company was not related to DSSA, but they worked closely together. She handled warranty repairs for DSSA and worked on special cases for them. For example did she install the first 240Z spoilers and mirror after the cars arrived from Japan. She also got invited to some of their company events and therefore has loads of stories and memorabilia. We talk every now and then, and out of the blue i got a box in my mail yesterday. With this cool stuff:

She had shown me photos of these items before, but i never thought she would give them to me for free.. what a nice gesture!
The large "Brighten up" Poster was new to me, allthough i've seen the two comic faces before:

But on stickers with different slogans:

I really like the poster and will frame it and hang it in the garage.
The rest of the parts? Well here is where things get funny: Jeff turner, an Australian-Swiss country singer, who worked with the likes of Johny Cash, etc was sponsored by Datsun (later Nissan) Switzerland and they had him on many occasions like company festivities and so on.
She was a big fan and gave me her whole collection of his stuff including a nicely signed poster, some tour books:

You can clearly see he was sponsored by Nissan and he got free Nissan Patrols painted in his colours, w hich was quite famous in the 80ies:

They also used him for many promo gigs and presentation of new cars:

And even organized a "nissan Festival of Country music":

The set also included a sticker with his Patrol and a Pin:

And a "Jeff Turner" Bolo Tie:

Fun side story: At a Nissan event, they raffled out a Nissan Micra, and the winner wanted it to be signed by Jeff turner, so the Lady prepared the hood for his signature, and clear coated it after he signed it. Here are some photos from her workshop during the ceremony:

 

Myrtha, if you read this i want to thank you from the bottom of my Heart for sharing the stories and your nice collection of Datsun / Nissan Switzerland History with me.

Edited September 21, 2023 by JDMjunkies.ch

[Captain Obvious]

Great stuff!

Funny though, (in my immature 13 year old brain) this me chuckle : 

[JDMjunkies.ch]

3 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:

Great stuff!

Funny though, (in my immature 13 year old brain) this me chuckle : 

Haha, Fahren is german for "driving".
fährt = "drives". So it means "Jeff Turner drives Nissan".
But as a funny coincidence "einen fahren lassen" = let one rip 😂

[70 Fairlady Z]

On 8/5/2023 at 7:45 AM, JDMjunkies.ch said:

Nice. you don't happen to have a spare set of HDPE for sale? Or manage to do another set? I'll happily pay for it and shipping of course.

I have a set if someone needs it...

[JDMjunkies.ch]

Recently i went shopping a bit in japan again and the first delivery arrived today:

It consists of two pieces: the first one is a NISMO generic purpose electric fuel pump:

I'm not sure if this will end up in the Z, but since i stumbled over it while shopping i thought i  better secure one of those, as long as they're still available:

Here are some specs from the NISMO racing parts catalogue:

The second interesting thing i found was a Japanese "change of service provedure" manual. In my opinion it's basically the japanese version of the "technical bulletins" that were vailable in all kind of variants both as single sheets or the better known "Service Shuho" books. I have never seen something similar before, and the price was low, so i just secured them for my collection:

This one was particulary interesting because it had the wiring diagrams for the S30 and GS30 inside:

But also some changes in the clutch procedure:

Ans some other stuff, which i still have to translate: