My car had this on it when I bought it in 1985. I have never seen another Z with one on it. I have heard that this was a warranty replacement one, but if it was, why wouldn't it had been orange? I know they switched at some time to this blue for all their air cleaners, but wouldn't they have stopped producing this by then?

That blue was manufacturer Tsuchiya's 'house' colour for Nissan product. When parts were supplied as OEM replacement - as opposed to when attached to a new car - they were supplied in Tsuchiya house blue.

Happened on other models than S30-series Z cars too. Some Nissans had the Tsuchiya blue as stock equipment, so less impact in those cases.

 

Case in point: My 432 type airbox was supplied as a replacement part via Nissan, in the Tsuchiya house blue. If it had been fitted on a 432 ex-factory, it would have been a particular shade of red.

So blue is still a correct color, just not as correct.

It could also be off a JDM imported motor, while the US got the flat tops and FI...other countries carried on with the SUs into the late 70's. 

10 hours ago, tzagi1 said:

It could also be off a JDM imported motor, while the US got the flat tops and FI...other countries carried on with the SUs into the late 70's. 

Wrong shape.

Here is a picture of the engine compartment of one of the earliest 240z's.  Date would be ~ Aug-Sept 1969.

You can see the air filter housing colour is like yours.

Spare parts housings were also reported to be delivered in this colour.

 

 

Edited June 5, 20186 yr by 240260280

3 minutes ago, 240260280 said:

Here is a picture of the engine compartment of one of the earliest 240z's.  Date would be ~ Aug-Sept 1969.

You can see the air filter housing is like yours.

....except that it isn't.

If file photos of Kojyo Shisaku and Seisan Shisaku cars (by definition 'Pre Series Production') are being cited as what is *correct* on full Series Production parts, we will soon descend into a whole new world of reappraisal. Where do we start? No paint code sticker? No voltage regulator shield? There be dragons...

Ockham's Razor applies: The air filter housing in the first post is a Nissan replacement part in manufacturer Tsuchiya's house blue. Nissan didn't supply them in the production line orange/red shade when sold as spare parts.

OK, so from the assembly line they were all orange/red, if you had an issue, lost/damaged one, you got a blue one from the parts dept at the dealership in the US. I imagine that is what happened here, as the motor was matching #'s when I bought it. But that motor was blown up soon after I got it , then I found another block and head to use.

17 minutes ago, '71 zcar said:

OK, so from the assembly line they were all orange/red, if you had an issue, lost/damaged one, you got a blue one from the parts dept at the dealership in the US. I imagine that is what happened here, as the motor was matching #'s when I bought it. But that motor was blown up soon after I got it , then I found another block and head to use.

In a nutshell, yes. I believe that's the most simple and logical explanation, and all the evidence - including that for other Nissan products - points that way.

7 hours ago, 240260280 said:

Here is a picture of the engine compartment of one of the earliest 240z's.  Date would be ~ Aug-Sept 1969.

Wasn't it one of these pictures that started the "correct-distributor-cap-color" argument?

2 hours ago, 26th-Z said:

Wasn't it one of these pictures that started the "correct-distributor-cap-color" argument?

Good Eyes!  Almost.

Here is the original I used above c/o Kats: https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/22141-my-clollection/?tab=comments#comment-323796

 

 

This is also the same car in the Maintenance Manual that Kats posted.

 

You can see the light coloured fuel hose in this photo c/o Kats

 

Here is another from Kats with better clarity.  The fuels hoses are very light and the dist. cap is green.

The strange 3rd hose from the fuel rail is there.