Early 2+2's

[Zedrally]

Just need to clarify the photo I posted.

It is NOT a metal Nose, simply just the G-Nose that I had obtained recently.

sj you raise an interesting point about the metal nose.

Another scenario:~~~~~~

It may be posible that it is some type of composite metal/glass contruction.

Unfortunately, until one actually sights one then all we have is conjecture.

PS. Alan, even the 1 armed man might be persuaded into a halfway point with this info!

PPS. Hope that floppy turns up

[HS30-H]

Hi all,

Just calling in from a local Kinko's in Tokyo ( can't keep away, can I? ).....................

Coincidentally, I've been swanning around in a 73 ZG today ( belonging to fellow Club S30 member Mr Watanabe - its the white one in my Gallery pics ). I took some photos and I'll post them when I get back to London. Mr W's been very nice to me all day and we had a great laugh. He's got a very dry sense of humour which I really like.

I took the opportunity to put my 'hand up the Fairlady's skirt' ( if you see what I mean ) and can confirm that, apart from the extra ducting on the 73 model which my 72 model does not have, Mr Watanabe's car has exactly the same structure as mine. That means: ABS plastic headlamp cones, expanded urethane foam bumper with integrally-cast bumper irons and metal mounting section for the upper panel mating surface, fibreglass lower panel ( woven mat type - not strand ) and the upper panel / bonnet extension made from either ABS or GRP that is gel-coated on both sides and has fillets moulded into the underside for strengthening. It really is exactly like the one on my car, except for the extra ducting ( which was to help the cooling on cars that were being equipped with air-con, after the ZG models that were fitted with coolers had overheating problems. The Factory made the 'mark 2' G-Noses with the ducts at the end of 72. I can confirm that the ducts ARE indeed made from GRP / FRP / Fibreglass or whatever you call it in your locality, and its woven mat just like the panel its bolted to. The woven side is face down, so you can't see it in most photos, and its thin enough to look like metal until you touch it. Quality is absolutely top notch.

I'm going to a club meeting at Nissan's old Zama factory tomorrow ( Sunday ) and there should be a few more genuine ZG models in attendance. I'll take as many shots as possible. We are supposed to be getting to see Nissan's own collection of old race cars - which should be fun. The Japanese SP / SR owners club should also be in attendance.

Mike - your acquired G-nose panels look like top-notch replicas. The shape looks just right, and I would guess that it may well be a Japanese-made set. Only the Japanese 5-piece kits look as good as that ( from what I've seen ). You did well. Good stuff!

Don't forget that you need the special bonnet hinges too, though. The guys tell me that there are still some specialists with some stock over here..................

Just a last thought about the "Yeti"............. From what I've seen of both replica AND genuine ZG panels that have been dismounted from cars - they quite often show surface rust marks on them from where they are rubbing through to bare metal on the panels that they are attached to. Kind of a Turin Shroud type of situation. Makes it look like rusty fibreglass............... but its fibreglass just the same.

I'll take a straw poll amongst ZG owners and other experts tomorrow as to whether a metal G-nose ever existed. If I hear any inkling that it even MIGHT have existed then I'll eat my Urethane front bumper with steel bumper irons still attached. Pass the Ketchup..................:classic:

Alan T.

[Mike]

Thanks for checking in Alan!! I am envious of you at this point... driving around Japan in a Z. Look forward to the G-nose stuff when you get back.

- Mike

[Cuong Nguyen]

Nice to hear from you Alan,

I REALLY wished that I was still in Tokyo...please say hi to our friend in Jimbocho if you call pass there.

Cuong Nguyen

[Gav240z]

Alan while your there see if you can take a photo of yourself with your hand up the fairlady's skirt :classic: . I'd really like to see that.

Looking forward to seeing those photo's.

Take Care.

[HS30-H]

Originally posted by Mike

Thanks for checking in Alan!! I am envious of you at this point... driving around Japan in a Z. Look forward to the G-nose stuff when you get back.- Mike

Hi Mike,

I don't know how I managed to do it - but I somehow started a new thread on the "Early 2+2's" subject when I actually meant to continue the original thread started by ZEDRALLY.

Maybe I'm just being cack-handed while I'm in Kinko's and pressed the wrong button ( I throught I pressed the NEW REPLY button......... ). It's these Japanese keyboards y'see.............

Any chance to shift this thread and tack it back onto the original Early 2+2's thread? It'll make much more sense that way.

Cheers,

Alan T.

[HS30-H]

Hi all,

Well today was a 'bumper' day in more than one way. I had a good conflab with the guys who should know, and we are quite certain now that the metal G-Nose story is bunkum. Five genuine ZG owners and a whole bunch of other Japanese early Z fanatics all thought that the story was apocryphal - so we are now in need of further evidence to the contrary. As previously mentioned, the only parts of the Factory G-Nose that were made of metal are as follows:

*Bumper brackets ( moulded into the Urethane front bumper )

*Upper panel mating bracket ( moulded as above )

*Front number plate bracket

*Bonnet hinges

*Bonnet hinge torsion bars ( different to 'normal' type )

*Headlamp cover garnish ( stainless steel )

The rest is either made of expanded Urethane ( front bumper ), ABS-type plastic moulding ( in white ) for the headlamp pods and the bonnet extension / upper panel, or woven mat glass-reinforced plastic ( GRP / FRP ) for the lower panel.

I took quite a few photos of original cars and I'll post them in the Gallery when I get back to London.

Went to the old Nissan factory at Zama today to see their collection of old race cars, rally cars, pre-production prototypes and other historically-important cars. There were more than 400 cars in a huge warehouse, and only natural light from the skylights in the roof ( the electrics are temporarily off ). It was almost too bloody dark to take photos!

Since the Zama plant ceased production, Nissan have been planning what to do with the site ( its massive ) and have all sorts of interesting things going on there. At the moment its a kind of activity centre and used-car sales and service operation mixed with some press and PR activities. The collection of old cars is very difficult to get to see ( invitation only ) but Nissan DO now seem to have plans to build a proper museum to house them, and are working on the details. They have already got a location sorted. This is good news I think, but probably something like ten years late in comparison with Japan's other big brands............

Again, I'll post some pics when I get back to London.

Cuong, I can't believe you've bought a BNR32! You jammy bugger. The Mrs won't let me have one. Looks like you are going to be getting some R32-related books, mags and bumph from me in the near future. It needs a good home. I'll say hello to Mr Sugamura in Jimbocho for you ( haven't been over that way yet ).

Gav, I'm much too old and ugly to appear in photos that involve young ladies ( or even older ladies ). It would put you off your food for days.....................:classic:

All the best,

Alan T.

[Mike]

Originally posted by HS30-H

I don't know how I managed to do it - but I somehow started a new thread on the "Early 2+2's" subject when I actually meant to continue the original thread started by ZEDRALLY.

All fixed up, Alan. In fact, you should also notice that I've removed the new thread icon from the options (while reading a thread). Too many people have done this, so, I removed the confusing part...

[HS30-H]

Thanks Mike!

Alan T.

[Z-point]

Hi guys’s

Am I too late? I thought there was a conversation about the 2/2 emblem places?

Here’s my 2cts

This is from book of Brian Long!

[Z-point]

And here’s another dime!!

[Zedrally]

Guus,

Thats wonderful about the emblems.

I never expected a 2+2 badge on the front grill.

Interesting that while they never sold any of these g-nose 2+2's they did make it onto the road via the constabularly., at least thats the way I read it?

Any of them still around I wonder?

Maybe they had the metal nose?

Just as an aside, I looked at mu nose today and noticed "rust " marks, I'll inspect it in greater depth tonight [if I remember] as I seem to recall the attachment lugs [fittings] seeming to be metal underneath. A magnet will reveal all later......