HS30-H

Gav, I think they would be late S30's ( post '73 ) or S31's - so they'd be fitted with the later style dash from the Factory. They would look just like the '260Z' dash that the RS30 and RLS30 models got. If you spot a ZG-lookalike with the later dash then its certain proof that its not a 'real' ZG ( unless of course its had a later dash retro-fitted for some unknown reason.......:cross-eye:) It can be hard to pin down the age of some of the later Japanese S30 and S31 models, especially when they have been modified. Alan T.

Trex, Wasn't your car originally a UK-market model? UK-model HS30 production went well into 1974 I think. Don't know which Japanese site you got the info from ( CLUB S30 or S30 Owners Club? ) but I think there is a possibility that you might have misunderstood what the figures related to. Don't forget that the Japanese domestic HS30 model was discontinued earlier than the UK / Australian models, and they dropped the "H" prefix when they went back to 2 litre engines at the end of 1973. The last of the UK-model HS30's were well-known for being a bit strange with regard to spec. They featured lots of parts that were later used on the RS30 models ( different inner wings, the thicker suspension legs etc etc ) - so its clear there was a bit of a grey area for a month or two when the model types changed over. I'm sure the Australian models must have been subject to the same conditions, and in reality its probably the case that all of the RHD models got a bit mixed up around this time. Contrast this with the LHD car situation, which was always a lot more clear cut, easy to understand and well documented.. Alan T.

:classic: Alan T.

Please excuse me for chiming in here. I hope you don't mind. I just wanted to point out that all that extra emission control equipment was never fitted to a lot of the other ( non-USA ) market cars until at least 1973. Quite simply, the petrol tanks vented to air. I did note that the main part of your discussion was with regard to whether the very earliest USA-market cars had the extra equipment or not. I am no expert on the USA-market cars, but I do know a fair bit ( I think ) about the Japanese home market in particular. I can tell you that right from the very first deliveries of S30 and PS30 models, through late 1971 and the release of the HS30 models, and on until well into 1973 - the Japanese market cars had no vapour recovery tanks. As far as I am aware, the UK-market cars did not have them either. Seems that the USA ( and California in particular ) was in the forefront of clean air legislation as applied to automobiles. Looking at it from an outsider's point of view, it seems to me that discussions regarding the details of early HLS30 models can sometimes appear blinkered to the fact that there were OTHER models of S30-series Z in production at the same time. And yes - I mean right from the very first days of production in late 1969. By all accounts ( and I have spoken to guys who were working at Nissan in late 1969 - both on the assembly lines and in sub-assembly and parts supply ) the first few months of production were pretty chaotic to say the least. Some of these guys remember some really daffy things happening - like VIN number prefixes being overstamped, and cars being disassembled in quality control and the parts being 'recycled' back to the beginning of the production line. In the light of this, I don't think its very surprising that there was at least a very strong potential for anomalies and just plain weird things to occur. Having said that, the USA-market HLS30 models ( as opposed to the non USA-market HLS30 models ) seem to be the most faithful in conformity to type and specification out of all the models of early Z car. I guess it could be supposed that a little extra care might have been taken with Export models, to make sure that there were no problems caused by freak spec. changes. This would certainly make sense. Anyway, the point is that I don't know anybody amongst the Japanese Z enthusiasts that I know ( some of them having been involved in building the cars at the Factory or selling them when they were new ) who thinks that Nissan stuck to specs. and types 100% faithfully during the production of the cars. This makes me think that the USA-market HLS30 cars were also subject to the odd black sheep or Friday Night Special. I think that they were, however, at least the more faithful of the models to leave the Factory. What I'm getting at ( or trying to, anyway:ermm:) is that it seems to me that the USA has a tendency to think of the very earliest HLS30 models as the FIRST cars on the production lines. This is patently not true, as there were S30 and PS30 models in production alongside them. Arguing which was 'first' is probably pointless ( I think that's a stone which this David would have trouble hitting Goliath with!...... ) - so I won't go there unless I have reinforcements behind me. So if you consider that other models with DIFFERENT specs. to the HLS30 were also in series production ALONGSIDE the HLS30, and take into account that the first few days / weeks / months of production were fairly rushed and a little unfocused, then it would not be any surprise that the odd anomaly got through - such as an HLS30 without the vapour recovery tank, or with an unheated ( base model S30-S ) rear screen. I don't really intend to be all preachy about it, but I DO think its worth keeping in mind that 'other' market spec. DNA could have accidentally been spilled into the USA-market HLS30 gene pool by mistake or force majeure. Alan T:classic: