Japanese event pics.

[HS30-H]

Halz,

I am a member of CLUB S30, but it seems that they have made a bit of an exception for me. I sometimes find myself in Japan and can visit / join in with some of their events and meetings, so its possible for me to join in with some activities - although ( frustratingly ) without my cars, which live in the UK.

Membership is not cheap, and I was invited to be a member by mutual friends. They have a very nice Newsletter - but you can actually see that online from their site a little while after it goes out to the members. Of course, its all in Japanese too.

The pics of the event at Sagamiko show cars belonging to members of 'Club S30', as well as the 'S30 Owners Club', along with some guests who I believe were not members of either.

Club S30 is a small and compact club, and I honestly can't see much practical use in being a member unless you get the opportunity to take part in person.

Not trying to put you off, but - as you mention - their website is all in Japanese, and so indeed is all of their club communication.

I can't speak for the other club, as I'm not a member. There are many other small clubs and groups in Japan, though.

All the best,

Alan T.

[halz]

I was just interested in what sort of a club it was...it occured to me that, given the high(?) cost of car ownership in Japan and the fact that the Fairladys must be some of the oldest on the roads over there, that these guys must be a very dedicated group! That plus the wider representation of non-export models made me curious :classic:

[HS30-H]

Hi halz,

Ah, I see what you mean.

There are quite a few cars on Japanese roads that are older than the S30-series Z. On any given Spring, Summer or Autumn weekend you can see all sorts driving around in the countryside. I even used to see Fifties and Sixties models sticking out like sore thumbs in central Tokyo.

I sometimes think that the media makes a little too much out of this image of Japan being a throwaway society, and that its too difficult or even illegal to own old cars. In fact, its not half as bad as the stories make out. Sure its not all that easy ( especially if you live in an urban area, where storage / parking space costs so much ) but its not an impossible situation and plenty of fairly young guys and girls drive around in old cars.

The members of Club S30 are - I would say - perhaps a slightly older cross-section of enthusiasts, but there are PLENTY of younger people who own early Z cars. There are even some quite young members of Club S30. I would say that almost every one of them probably uses their Z as a second or 'fun' car, and owns a family car or at least something more practical for everyday use too. However, the S30-series Z still seems to suffer something of a slightly negative image amongst the general public in Japan due to its years as a bit of a hooligan's choice of transport. This is admittedly changing as the car takes on a more classic status.

Surely owning these old cars can be expensive and difficult wherever you live? I know that mine cost me a lot more money and hassle to own than I would like! Central London is really not an ideal place to reside if you are an enthusiast of old Z cars.

Maybe your situation in Australia is a little easier - especially with regard to garaging / storage space? I think you have to take into account the fact that prices for everything in Japan are higher than almost everywhere else, but so is the average wage.

My impression and experience of Japanese enthusiasts is that many of them will make great sacrifices in order to own the car that they dream of. Hats off to them.

Alan T.

[halz]

Thanks for the reply Alan, and thanks for dispelling a myth. I had a mental image of the Club S30 members all being well-heeled executives who could afford the 'expensive' hobby of owning and restoring old cars in Japan! It seems that they are just like the rest of us scattered around the globe...

In Australia, space is one thing we have plenty of... and generally good weather too! At our home we have two garages. One is part of the original 1930s strusture of the house - its narrow and dark. The 'new' garage (about 30 years old!) is accessed from the rear laneway and is what I call a 1 and a half car garage. Again its not ideal but it is the current home of my Z. I am able to open the other end of this garage into our back garden... so, yes we have space! Its cars which are scarce! Oh, and time... if my wife and I and our two small girls didn't lead such busy lives... well, I think I could achieve in 1 month what takes a year to do now!

I can't comprehend how wonderful Z-life must be in the US where there is both space and plenty of cars...but I guess lack of time is the same the world over.

[Alfadog]

Not to mention fuel prices - suddenly those triples dont seem so unecomical anymore...

Those septic tanks don't know how good they've got it!

[Gav240z]

I've been considering a set of tripples lately I don't think it will be so bad.

The worst thing is I found out that fuel comes into the country at 30 cents the government taxes 30 cents on top now we are at 60cents.

Then there is transport, etc.. by the end we are at 80 odd cents a litre. .

[Z-point]

Originally posted by meakin

Ohhh I can beat that!

Just gonna' throw this in here. We pay about $1.30 Usd. for a litre over here....makes you want to

/Meakin

Your OUT!!!

In Holland we pay US$1.38 :stupid::tapemouth :stupid:

[daddz]

Alan,

With regard to the Z car having been viewed as a "hooligan's" means of transport (great choice of wording), would that have been when the Z series was first introduced or later, say in the late '70's or early '80's as used ones became more attainable?

Due to the fact that you have lived in Japan you probably have a good grasp on what it was like to own a Z in that time frame.

I ask because it is interesting to me to understand that phase of the Z car's popularity in that part of the world. I have a fair handle on what it was perceived as in the Eastern half of the United States to own a Z in that time frame. It probably explains why alot of Z's ended up in the boneyard before the rust put them there since the cars lived as hard a life as some of its owners. I guess in England that the Ford Capri was probably known as "hooligan's" transport for a while as well?

As it relates to owning an older S30 here it is not much of a problem (speaking for the colony of Maryland :stupid:) since the newest S30 has crossed the 25 year threshold. Before the '78 turned 25 it was almost impossible to have the Motor Vehicle Administration issue Historic license plates.

In Maryland the costs are as follows:

$27 for two year license plate sticker

No emissions inspection

No state inspection (in GB this would be your MOT)

5% sales tax when vehicle is first registered

$23 title fee

$15 registration fee.

In this regard it is a bit less expensive than in alot of places. Currently our price for Premium Unleaded Fuel is hovering around $1.60 USD.

[Ben]

In this regard it is a bit less expensive than in alot of places. Currently our price for Premium Unleaded Fuel is hovering around $1.60 USD.

That would be $1.60 per gallon, our friends in the EU are paying almost that per litre.....

You guys in the Holland & Denmark are closer to oil fields than the rest of us, what gives?

BTW I'll be paying around $600AUD p/a for registration

[Z Kid]

And I will be paying 90, ahh the benefits of having a car inspector not interested in japanese cars in the car club, but then again thats only for 90 days a year, but who would want to get their Z wet anyhow?

[HS30-H]

Originally posted by daddz

Alan,

With regard to the Z car having been viewed as a "hooligan's" means of transport (great choice of wording), would that have been when the Z series was first introduced or later, say in the late '70's or early '80's as used ones became more attainable?.........snip....................I guess in England that the Ford Capri was probably known as "hooligan's" transport for a while as well?

Hi daddz,

Good comparison there with the 'Crapi' here in the UK. That's almost exactly the situation that I saw with the early Z in its home market.

When new, the early Z would have been pretty much unobtainable for the younger age group in Japan ( unless they were lucky enough to be fairly rich ). In fact. almost any new car would have been all but out of reach for the younger male around that time. However - and this goes for just about anywhere, not just Japan - give it a few years and the price of these self same cars drops through the floor. Then it becomes within reach of the people who couldn't afford it the first time round, and the downward spiral begins. I'd say that by the late Seventies and early to mid Eighties, the early Z car was starting to get a negative image in Japan due to the type of people who were seen driving them and the fact that they were modifying them and being hooligans with them. That is of course a generalisation, and there were plenty of cars that were cherished and looked after by appreciative owners.

My own experience as far as Japan goes ( from the mid-Eighties onwards ) was that friends and family would turn their noses up at early Z cars because of this negative image. It was perceived as something associated with street-racers and lunatic drivers, and the most noticeable ones were VERY loud and extensively modified. There were other models that also got damned by association with this group. This is exactly the image that the early Ford Capri became associated with in the UK.

However, the Capri is having a bit of a renaissance here, and some people have been choosing them just to be 'ironic'. The early Z has been coming back up out of its value spiral for some years in Japan, and lots of restorations have been performed. Its still got a slightly negative image with some people who are slow to change their views though.

These good / bad perceptions are not the fault of the poor old car! Even the Capri was an honest and fairly worthy car, and did not deserve being tarred with the hooligan brush. That's just what happens when the desireable models of a few years ago become within the reach of the 17~25 age group. Its still happening these days, and the target cars have been the 'Hot Hatch' segment for some years.

Its all a big circle, and its the same anywhere in the world I reckon.

Alan T.

[Ben]

Originally posted by HS30-H

These good / bad perceptions are not the fault of the poor old car! Even the Capri was an honest and fairly worthy car, and did not deserve being tarred with the hooligan brush. That's just what happens when the desireable models of a few years ago become within the reach of the 17~25 age group. Its still happening these days, and the target cars have been the 'Hot Hatch' segment for some years.

Its all a big circle, and its the same anywhere in the world I reckon.

Alan T.

And THAT is the crux of the matter. When an expensive & fast car gets cheap enough to be bought readily on the used market, the risk of a bad image goes through the roof.

Having said that - bring on the LOUD & extensively modified Zeds. The more the merrier