HS30-H

Kudos to you for laying it on the line, Chris. That "International Preview" title is pretty grand, and you'd think there would be more evidence of what was on display there, how it was displayed, and who was actually there if it really was quite as grand as all that. The Competition Press & Autoweek article is interesting as - and tell me if I'm jumping to conclusions here - it was datelined October 27th ( mag published mid November, as you pointed out ), and yet the photos seem to be in-house 'stock' photos of - again, as you have pointed out - one of the two 'Kaku U' test cars. I noted the clock blanking plate and the recess cubby hole in the radio mount, and the lack of bonnet ( hood ) emblem, in contrast to the '2177' license plated car used in the January 1970 Road & Track magazine article - which had a clock, a radio and antenna, a bonnet emblem and white-band tyres. After all this time we are still somewhat in the dark as regards to what cars were in the USA and/or Canada before the end of 1969, apart from the two 'Kaku U' north American test cars. No firm evidence / photos of a car or cars at either a N.Y. or L.A. event before the end of 1969, and any reports of the events simply used stock press release photos of cars which could have been taken anywhere, but were quite clearly not taken at the events in question. I was surprised to see 'HLS30-00013' being put forward as a possible candidate for the N.Y. "International Preview" car in the ctzcc.com thread ( thanks for the link, Mike B ) as it seems to me that there's little real evidence that 'HLS30-00013' had even arrived on US soil that early. Indeed, it seems likely that it didn't arrive until January 1970 at the earliest, and quite possibly even later than that. Several big holes to be filled here, I think. Alan T.

Some more questions for you, Carl: Given the grand title attached to this event, it's a little surprising that so little seems to be known about what was on display at the Pierre Hotel. Seems that the memory of one man is one of the only references to such a basic detail as the colour of the car on display.... And about that "International Preview" title - can I ask where it comes from? Was this written on any official document of the time ( like the invitations to the event, or any MNC USA press release associated with it ), or is it in fact a title that you have decided to give it? Your zhome page reporting all this claims that "hundreds of reporters and guests" visited the Pierre Hotel event, and yet I don't recall having seen a single photograph of the car on display or a single report in the contemporary Japanese press. Very little in the English speaking automotive press, too ( almost nothing in fact ). That's quite surprising considering the rather grand title associated with it, isn't it? I'm also puzzled to see that you report the car "..... had been flown in from Tokyo arriving the week before and after clearing U.S. Customs it finally arrived at the Hotel the 16 of Oct., just in time to get it set up on display in the Pierre Hotel's Grand Ballroom." So it arrived at the hotel one full week before the doors opened? That must have been quite some display if it took them a full week to build the show around it, and it had arrived "just in time". Something not quite adding up there, I think. I notice that your zhome page completely ignores that Nissan held a 'Press Preview' event at its Ginza, Tokyo HQ on October 18th. Present was an Export model 'Datsun 240Z', as well as examples of Fairlady Z, Fairlady Z-L, Fairlady Z432 and Fairlady Z432-R models. If there was any "International Preview" of the 240Z then this event surely deserves the title? I've mentioned this before ( and have good reason to believe it ) but I'll mention it again: I believe the Pierre Hotel event was another example of Katayama reacting to events and schedules in Japan and trying to trump them. I don't think it is any coincidence that the Ginza Press Preview was held on the 18th October, and that the doors of the Tokyo Motor Show would open on 24th October. Katayama organised the Pierre Hotel event rather more on the fly than your claim for it to have been planned "months in advance" would have us believe. If it had been planned months in advance then why did they need to airfreight the car in at extra cost? The plain fact is that Katayama didn't have a major US show in which to debut the car in the US market until the following calendar year ( the NY Auto Show was in early 1970 ), and needed to do something about it in reaction to the date of the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show. It's the tail trying to wag the dog again. Alan T.

That explains it. We've been discussing the Nissan-manufactured trim-ringed type covers and reproductions thereof, not the type you have.

Thanks for taking the time to do that. Now that it's installed in your S30 body, it would of course have to have been converted to rear sump if it was originally front sump, so nothing conclusive there. I'd expect to see the original front sump dipstick hole plugged and the rear sump dipstick boss casting drilled to suit the rear sump position. I still don't see how it can have been linked to an R30 Skyline just by its engine number though..... Cheers, Alan T.

Frank, I'm still nonplussed. I don't see how there can be such a big difference between the OEM FRP and OEM steel panels. This thread is about the OEM ( 'factory' ) option / accessory headlamp covers with the plexiglass lenses and steel channel trims around the outside of them, and which fit on the outside of the fender extension / sugar scoop. You're not talking about the north American aftermarket / non OEM, perspex / acrylic covers that are designed to fit flush with the body by any chance....?

An INCH!? I'm having a hard time getting my head around this. How can there be a 1" gap when you try fitting the repro covers on the OEM FRP / moulded plastic fender extensions / 'sugar scoops', and no gap on the steel versions? Can you explain in more detail please?

I'm struggling to believe that those Facebook cretins are 'remembering' anything at all. I doubt that most of them would even be able to find Japan on a map ( presuming they knew what a map was for..... ). The elephant in the room with your "people don't forget" warning is that you and me ( citizens of the USA and UK respectively ) will be expected to take responsibility for an ever-growing list of transgressions. I'd say that Japan has been pretty well behaved for the last 70-odd years, and yet you still say that "people don't forget". So how many generations does it take for redemption? I think you and I will have a long wait......

Friends of yours by any chance? http://i.imgur.com/cnWV2.jpg Theres' a whole bunch of prequels too ( "Sins of the 18th Century" etc ). Got any skeletons in your national closet? Seriously, if karma payback is watching then we ALL better be looking in the mirror.

The Austin Healey 3000 engine is just a variant of the BMC 'C' series, which debuted in 1954 ( in the Wolseley 6/90 saloon ) and was the product of the Morris side of BMC, rather than the Austin side. I don't know what Austin "dump truck" you are referring to but the 'C' series was fitted to a wide range of BMC models over a long period, such as the Austin A90, A95, A99, A105 and A110, the Riley Pathfinder and Two-Point-Six, Morris Isis, MGC and Austin 3-Litre saloon. It was a decent, rugged and simple OHV design which gave good power when tuned. It won rallies and races. You can play the same "dump truck" game with the Nissan L-gata if you want to. How about "fire pump", "fork truck", "compressor", "industrial lift", "tug boat" and "dredger pump", for example? Donald Healey had very little to do with your car. Austin used his name under license.

Is it some kind of competition? I find this thread crass in the extreme, given the circumstances.

Don't fret. Due to one of those strange Darwinian incidences, more of the genuine 'HS30-H' models than genuine 'HS30' Fairlady 240Zs and 240Z-Ls seem to have survived. Time has turned the tables, and now your short nose 240Z-L is quite possibly more rare than a genuine 240ZG. Weird old world, isn't it? Anyway, love the one you're with....

Yes, lots of times. Had it at the red line in fifth with a 3.9 diff ratio and 580mm tall tyres, both on the road and on the circuit. Felt 'better' than any of my 'short nose' cars, for sure. No offence, but surely stock springing, damping and steering ratio of north American market cars will only make any high speed aero deficiencies feel 'worse'? Improve aero and stiffen up springing & damping / reduce steering ratio and the car will certainly feel more secure at higher speeds. This is true for short nose cars as well as 'Grande Nose' cars. To be frank, I have to admit that the attraction of the factory ZG look is for me more about what it represents than any real-world driving dynamics. So it's just as much about pure looks as anything else. Those looks - and the rather subjective matter of what they represent ( a factory-made homologation special, incorporating parts to make their factory race cars perform better ) - are the attraction. Real factory-built 'HS30-H' models usually change hands for more money than their short-nosed 'HS30' 240Z and 240Z-L brothers do. Same as when they were new.

Well, it's hard to make direct comparisons with it being so subjective, but - generally speaking - my GP Maroon ZG has always felt more stable at higher speeds than any of my short-nosed cars. By 'stable' I mean feeling less affected by drag and turbulence both when travelling in relatively straight lines and when changing direction / moving amongst other fast traffic. Hard to describe, but just a feeling that there was more stability - probably because there is less of an open mouth for air to grab hold of.... But, as I say, it's all very subjective. Similar effects can be attained by changing spring and damper rates, and steering rack ratio / steering arm ratio. To get the best out of the 'Grande Nose' you would want to fit it with one of the factory spoilers, to control air going under the car. You can fit front spoilers / splitters and other aero parts to short nose cars too, so its all a bit open to interpretation. It certainly doesn't hurt the dynamics of the car, but one of the greatest attractions of such parts is of course to replicate a rare and limited production factory variant that was produced and sold specifically to homologate the parts for use in motorsport. Alan T.

I already have a fair stock of ZG-specific spares, thanks. However, if Rahail splits the 'kit' and has any parts left over then I may very well pounce. Cheers, Alan T.

Looks like you need to top-up the weedkiller reservoir..... Did they re-badge the Prince G7s with 'Nissan' logos on the few G7s used post-merger? Does yours have a 'Prince' logo on the engine and a 'Nissan' logo on the VIN tag? Don't know if it is would be any help, but I have three versions of the A30-series factory parts lists which cover your car. Would be happy to send them to you if you need them? Cheers, Alan T.

Just to vouch for these parts, as I think they deserve it: Some of you may be aware that I own two genuine factory-built 'HS30-H' Fairlady 240ZG cars, and have had a deep interest in this particular model for a number of years. Don't want to blow my own trumpet, but I think I know what I'm talking about. I travelled to Rahail's home a few weeks ago ( I was buying some other parts from him ) and I looked closely at these parts - which he is now selling - so I have seen them first-hand. Most of them are genuine Nissan factory parts ( made by Kotobuki for Nissan.... ) and the lower nose - the largest part in the 'kit' - appears to be a superbly made replica, at least the equivalent standard to the genuine Nissan ( Kotobuki ) part. In fact, I believe it is an early example of Marguen Shokai's fine work. There are many cheaper so-called 'replicas' of the OEM parts on sale in Japan, but in most cases they are not the equal of the OEM parts in quality, fit or finish - let alone the rather more subjective matter of 'feel' The parts that Rahail has gathered however are excellent, and I will vouch for them ( and for Rahail himself ). I could not say that for the vast majority of 'ZG' copy parts that I have seen in the past. Hope that might help to reassure anyone who was thinking seriously about these parts. Cheers, Alan T.

Good to hear that you and yours are safe, Kats.

Can you take a photo of your engine number pad, and post it here? I'm interested to see it, as I've never seen one before. Also interested to see the oil pan / sump position ( front sump, or rear sump ) and the oil dipstick position in the block. But I don't see how your engine number could have been identified as having come from an R30 Skyline. What system would be used to track such things from the engine number? L28-engined R30-series Skylines are fairly rare beasts, too........ Makes sense to me. The 'R' could then be stamped in the gap between the 'L28' stamping and the block serial number at time of Remanufacture, and the 'X' on the end would preclude anyone from changing the number by adding to it ( same as Nissan did with body serial numbers in certain markets, to conform with local regulations ). Cheers, Alan T.