Concerning Engine Serial Numbers

[TomoHawk]

Since it is possible, and even acceptable, that Engine Serial Number can be different from the Chassis serial number,was there any re-ordering of the engine numbers? For example, my chassis number is 434056, but the Engine Number is 280438,and I believe that the engine is the original one, so I get the idea that they re-started the engine numbering with the new L28 design, because it is significantly different from the earlier carburetted engines.

It's hard to justify that a difference of about 154,000 between the Chassis and Engine numbers, even with the knowledge that Datsun's record-keeping was not to good.

Edited March 27, 2013 by TomoHawk

[cbuczesk]

Look at the plate in the engine compartment. It should have a chassis number and engine number. Are they ever the same?

Chuck

[EuroDat]

Look at the plate in the engine compartment. It should have a chassis number and engine number. Are they ever the same?

Chuck

The 280z didnt have the engine serial number on the ID plate. I dont know when they stopped doing that.

My engine number is also different. I know it has original miles 157000 because of the service records. Its once around the clock. Not sure if the engine is original.

Engine has L28-176692. Car HLS30403100. 05/1977.

Chas

[mgood]

Here are mine for a 11/75 - 76 280Z. These numbers are both on the ID plate in the engine bay.

HLS30 - 281,114

L28 - 058,848

Diff. of -222,266

Here is one from the Z Car Registry

HLS30 - 202,732

L28 - 025,667

Diff. of- 177,065 look like it has a built date of either 4 or 5 of 75.

The must have started the L28 from zero.

If you do some basic sifering using Chas's numbers and mine Nissan was making about 6,500 per month.

So look at the L28-025667 in the 4 or 5th month, they must have started at 00,0001.

Just my guess.

Edited March 27, 2013 by mgood

[Dr. 240Z]

Hi,

By way of suggestion, send a PM to Carl Beck if you want an exact answer.

Regards,

George

[HS30-H]

Since it is possible, and even acceptable, that Engine Serial Number can be different from the Chassis serial number,was there any re-ordering of the engine numbers?

It's hard to justify that a difference of about 154,000 between the Chassis and Engine numbers, even with the knowledge that Datsun's record-keeping was not to good.

Is this an early April Fool joke, or have we all fallen into some parallel universe where Nissan's engine numbers match their chassis numbers ( huh? ) and people think that L24, L26 and L28 engines were only ever fitted to Zs, and only to north American market cars at that...?

I think I might need to go and lay down in a darkened room for a while.....

[EuroDat]

Is this an early April Fool joke, or have we all fallen into some parallel universe where Nissan's engine numbers match their chassis numbers ( huh? ) and people think that L24, L26 and L28 engines were only ever fitted to Zs, and only to north American market cars at that...?

I think I might need to go and lay down in a darkened room for a while.....

You are right. I was wondering when you would post in this thread;)

Datsun used these engines in a variety of models, not just Zeds. The engine number wasnt the same as the chassis number but I know Datsun used to stamp the engine number into the body plate on the early S30 models, but somewhere along the line they stopped doing that. That is a pitty, it made checking for originality a bit easier for us hobbyists.

Chas

[TomoHawk]

Is there a point in the production history where you safely say that the engine numbers definitely no longer match the chassis number? I remember one or two 280Z owners in past years that claimed to have a "matching numbers" car, but I thought it was only a 240-Z thing (or perhaps some 260Zs had that too.)

Otherwise it seems to be a hit-or-miss thing, which does seem somewhat special.

[cbuczesk]

In the world of Zs "matching numbers" means that the chassis number and engine number match the plate in the engine compartment. They are most likely two very different numbers but they match the numbers in the factory's stamped plate. Based on what EuroDat said above Datsun probably stopped stamping the engine number on the plate in 1977. I'm pretty sure that my 1975 280Zs have the engine number on the plate.

Chuck

[HS30-H]

You are right. I was wondering when you would post in this thread;)

No need to wait for me to turn up. Anybody else with an ounce of sense would do the job....

Datsun used these engines in a variety of models, not just Zeds. The engine number wasnt the same as the chassis number but I know Datsun used to stamp the engine number into the body plate on the early S30 models, but somewhere along the line they stopped doing that. That is a pitty, it made checking for originality a bit easier for us hobbyists.

Chas

There were some markets where the engine number wasn't stamped into the engine bay plate at all.

And I'm afraid it still grates to see people talking about 'Datsun doing this' and 'Datsun doing that'. Datsun never did anything, because Datsun was just a badge attached to some of the cars. It was Nissan that was doing the doing...

Tomohawk: The numerical part of the engine number would only match the numerical part of the chassis number by chance, if ever.

[TomoHawk]

In the world of Zs "matching numbers" means that the chassis number and engine number match the plate in the engine compartment. They are most likely two very different numbers but they match the numbers in the factory's stamped plate. Based on what EuroDat said above Datsun probably stopped stamping the engine number on the plate in 1977. I'm pretty sure that my 1975 280Zs have the engine number on the plate.

In that case, my car has matching numbers, since the chassis number is the same in all the different locations. Edited March 28, 2013 by TomoHawk

[kjohnson2444]

On MikeW's registry, the chassis number never matches the engine number (on those who entered engine numbers).

Z Car Registry - Online Spreadsheets - EditGrid