HS30-H

Hi znz, Looks like that car would have been a private import to NZ ( i.e. non-official ) Japanese-market car. If it was a '77 with an injected L20 ( that would be an L20E ) and 5-speed then it was probably a Fairlady Z-L ( S31 ) or Fairlady Z-T ( S31-J ). If it had a 4-speed it would have been a Fairlady Z ( S31-S ). The Air-Con was a factory option in Japan on those models. Technically speaking the Japanese-market S31 model was pretty much equivalent to the RHD "260Z" model, but with a smaller engine. Actually, they were quite refined cars with the Injection and 5-speed - and the L20E with its injection system was almost as efficient as the carburated L26, and a lot smoother. They rated the L20E at 130BHP. It had a pretty low compression ratio of 8.6:1. Shame you missed it, as at that price it would have been a real steal..................... You'll have to keep looking. I've heard that there are some good Z cars in NZ. Regards, Alan T.

Hi everyone, 2Many - I used to own a Sunbeam Alpine ( Tiger's poor four-banger brother ) and it was AWFUL. That car taught me all about "scuttle shake". I suppose they must have beefed up the chassis on the Tiger. Being an Englishman, I have to say that there are frankly not that many old British cars that I would covet. I've owned a lot of bad ones. Maybe I think I want to own something so-called "exotic"! Ben - sounds like the situation in Australia was fairly similar to the UK in the '60's and '70's. Even though the cars got grudging respect for being well put-together and fairly highly-specced for the price, there was always that element of prejudice ( sometimes verging on racism ) that damned everything the Japanese made as a "copy" or inferior in some way. I strongly suspect that this originated from wartime ill-feeling and propaganda, and I have to say that I STILL hear anti-Japanese comments in relation to cars. I find it quite disgusting, and it certainly damns those who make the comments as idiots and bigots. Fred, that's a good point about import restrictions. Many European countries had these in the '60's and '70's to help protect their national car industries. This was particularly true in Italy - where you hardly ever used to see a foreign car. We had a semi-protectionist policy in the UK, where they just taxed the hell out of foreign imports. That's one of the things that put the price of the Z up in the UK market ( along with the long-distance shipping ). The cheaper models did not get hit so badly, so British people saw more of the cheap-and-cheerful four-doors and formed a mental image of the Datsun brand as something boring or ridiculous, despite the fact that it was a great product. I guess this did not happen in the USA? Kats, I cannot and should not comment on what the USA thought, but surely Nissan's sales would have gone down in the USA whether they changed the name of the brand or not? Don't forget the crisis that the world economy was in during that period. We had the "Oil Crisis" ( the big increase in world oil prices caused by OPEC ) and basically a big economic slump after the boom of the Sixties. Add all the tide of new legislation on safety ( Ralph Nader et al ) along with stricter emissions regulations and a lot of anti Japanese-car maker protests ( I remember seeing American auto-workers abusing a Nissan on the TV news ), and it was clear that the carmakers were forced to retreat and regroup. They came back with some very badly-conceived models in the late Seventies, and surely that is what hit sales most? I can't see that the name change had that much impact........................ When you mention Japanese TV, are you talking about that "Project X" special on the S30-Z made by NHK? I have a video of it, and I must say that I think it was deeply flawed. I think they got a lot of things wrong. I applaud their efforts on trying to cover such a subject ( I am a great supporter of the "unsung heroes" of Japanese industry ) but I think it was very badly researched and presented. The S30-series Z that they had in the studio was not even an early one. The whole programme was looking for a hero, and once again Mr Katayama was brought on as a figurehead. I still have feelings of unease about this, as he tends to overshadow ALL the other figures in the company history of that period. Poor Matsuo and his team are only ever promoted by Katayama, and most of them also left Nissan a long time ago. I can understand people thinking that Ishihara was responsible ( everybody wants to look for a scapegoat ) but the WHOLE management of that period was responsible. I think whatever they did at that time would have been seen as the wrong thing, and their hand was forced by economic and political conditions. Generally speaking, I find it very regrettable that large ( almost faceless ) corporations like Nissan did not look after , nurture and support many of their key staff during that era. Many very talented people were almost forced out of Nissan, when they should have been promoted and given greater power. That whole thing of Japanese team-identity still dominates, and this is why hardly anybody knows who designed and styled their cars. This left the door open for opportunists like Goertz to claim credit for something that he had very little to do with. Who knows the names of any famous Japanese car designers / stylists? Not many, I suspect. Compare this to the American / Italian / French / British "superstar" name designers which companies actively promote. This is not the done thing in Japan. I think its a good thing to some extent ( sometimes you see stylists taking all the praise for something that a team of hundreds worked on ) but it does leave Japan open and vulnerable in some respects. Regards, Alan T.

Don't worry Mike, I think Nate and Fred understand eachother. I think Nate's a peacemaker ( he's stuck up for me a few times ). I've had a look at a few other ( non Z ) BB's and I think this one does quite well for peace, love and harmony. Some of the others look pretty acrimonious from the outside. Hope we don't get like that. I think its interesting what Kats is saying about the demise of the "Datsun" name. There seem to be quite a few people who cherish it, and would like to see it come back. However, the situation here in the UK ( although admittedly only a very small part of the world ) is quite different. When Ghosn made his recent statement of intent to do something about bringing back the Datsun brand, many motoring journalists and news media people here in the UK were making all sorts of jokes about it. I am sorry to say that the Datsun name here in the UK conjures up very negative images for many people. Most of this is down to the activities of "Datsun UK" ( the franchise holders who were the first importers of Nissan's products to the UK ). They insisted on importing the most bread-and-butter Datsun models ( the Z was the exception ) and they almost made a point of fostering a negative image for the brand. They had many disagreements with Nissan, until Nissan could bear no more and ended the relationship. In light of the above, as far as the situation in the UK was concerned it was probably not a bad thing for Nissan to get rid of the Datsun brand. They were probably hoping to get rid of some of the negative connotations and give the Nissan brand a leg-up and a fresh start here. I certainly don't remember anybody here protesting about it................. Its interesting that the Japanese "Home" market S30-series Z cars ( and probably many other models ) were not branded as Datsuns, and in fact great lengths were gone to in avoidance of the name. When I first got my Fairlady 240ZG I was fascinated to note that there was no "Datsun" branding anywhere on the car. Even the pressed aluminium step plates in the door apertures do not have the "Datsun" brand on them - they are just plain. This has led to some Japanese enthusiasts seeking out the "Export" version parts ( which they see as interesting and unusual ) and fitting them to their cars. Personally, I would rather have the PRINCE MOTOR COMPANY revived. That's a cause I could really get behind. Regards, Alan T.

Good stuff Ben, I don't think there was an N/A 200ZR, from what data I have on hand - they all seemed to be turboed. There were two versions of 200ZR as well as two versions of 300ZR ( both called I & II ). I don't have any data on a 200ZX. Was that an official import to Australia or was it a Japan-only model? I can't see any mention of it in my stuff ( although the Z31 is admittedly not my strong point ). Factory codes were as follows: *200ZR-I & 200ZR-II ( 2 seater ) = PZ31 *200ZR-I & 200ZR-II ( 2 by 2 ) = PGZ31 ( so ZR-I & ZR-II had the same factory prefixes - confusingly ) *300ZR-I & 300ZR-II ( 2 seater ) = HZ31 *300ZR-I & 300ZR-II ( 2 by 2 ) = HGZ31 ( so the 300ZR did actually come in the "2 by 2" as well - which contradicts what I said in the above post. I've now edited it ). There are a few others too............. So there were obviously lots of special versions / promo / anniversary models that were only seen in Japan. Interesting, isn't it? Regards, Alan T.

Nate, you're a true Gent. Always throwing me a lifeline when I'm just about to go under..................thanks mate. Maybe I should apologise to Raven for being a bit too much of a smartarse ( sorry Raven ), but if you DO type "Fairlady Z" into the search engine thing on this site you can get at least three pages of relevant threads. Reading through them you would certainly glean enough info to realise that there IS indeed such a thing as a Fairlady Z. I thought my second post was a bit less smartarse and a bit more informative ( no? ), but maybe my "style" or manner is a bit difficult to get your head round unless you are acclimatised ( anaesthetised? immunised? ) to it. Oh well, you can't please everyone. I would have thought that Raven might have spotted an attempt at a constructive reply in my second post, but maybe it went over his head.............. Probably my fault. Sorry about that. Nate, things are really not all that good over here at the moment. I live in central London, and the transport / traffic system is in total chaos. Big Brother is trying to "improve" the situation by narrowing the roads and making traffic signals stay red for longer. From February we have a new system of road tolls for central London ( intended to stop people from driving IN to central London ) and I live INSIDE the toll-controlled area. However, I will have to pay to travel OUT of the toll-controlled area. Go figure that one out. Added to this we have thousands of "speed bumps" and traffic-calming measures that are tearing the undersides off of many cars. My everyday driver ( not a Z ) is even suffering from this damage, so I will stand no chance if I try to drive one of my Z cars down these roads ( goodbye exhaust system ). Compared to all that, the impending war seems quite unimportant ( at least until it all kicks off, that is ). Thanks for the lifeline, Nate. All the best, Alan T.

Go for it Kats! Your input will be hugely valuable to everyone who frequents this site. Just type away. Even a short post is better than nothing. I'll do my best to help out if I can. All the best, Alan T.

Yes Raven,thats me alright! Regards, Alan T. ( ps. Maybe Mike can make a "Smartarse" smilie for me, or a "tongue-in-cheek" / "irony" smilie so that people don't take a little joshing the wrong way? ).

Hi Zep, Those "late model" Z cars are not my specialist subject, but I believe the 300ZR was a Japanese "Home" market-only special edition, not officially sold outside Japan. Perhaps you friend's brother's car was a personal import? It's not to be confused with the 200ZR. There were two version of the 300ZR - the first in October 1986 and the second ( apparently rarer ) in June 1988. The 1988 special edition came with viscous LSD and 50-series tyres. They both had the VG30DE engine rated at 190ps and a 5-speed manual trans. and came in the 2-seater and 2 by 2 body shapes. Basically, I think the 300ZR was one of those last-gasp special editions that car companies put out just before the debut of a completely new model ( in this case the Z32 in July 1989 ). Alan T. ( edited )

The Japanese car companies have always seemed to keep some of the better models for themselves. However, it seems that this is usually down to a combination of local vehicle law compliance and dumwit distributors / importers who want to keep things simple for themselves. Certainly here in the UK, from the very earliest days of Nissan / Datsun imports back in the 1960's, we had a franchise company operating as "Datsun UK". They pretty much did what they wanted, and hardly imported any of the two-door, twin carb, or "sporty" models that were available in the Japanese Home Market. Nissan got rid of the franchise and took over the UK sales and service themselves back in the 1980's, but they STILL fight against the negative image that Datsun UK created for them. They don't seem to realise that selling even just a few of the factory "hot rods" actually pays off hugely in the long run. Honda have done it really well here in the UK, and enhanced their image as the sporty driver's friend no end. Personally, I have always loved the idea of lots of "deletes" ( like the Musclecar era of the late Sixties ) where you could specify a super-basic no-frills package combined with the hottest engine / trans / suspension. These days, they just seem to ladle on the extras whether you want them or not. I bet when the Z33 comes to the UK market ( late next year - why so late? ) it will probably be in a one or two model choice with not much personal input from the buyer. Alan T.

Actually, I found it amazing how many people who initially turned their noses up to the very idea of the car ( me included ) seem to be coming around to a different viewpoint. Not that I'm ever going to entertain the idea of buying one or anything ( yuk ) but what I mean is I don't hate it as much as I used to! For me, even the S130 series Z is a model that probably did not really deserve to be called a "Z", let alone this new thing. I think I resented the idea of it being a "Fairlady Z2 more than anything else.............. Interestingly, I already see the whole "Fairlady" / "240Z" name thing happening all over again; In Japan, this new model is called a Fairlady - but ( like I think they should ) it is identified by its model designation of "Z33". All the different versions on sale in Japan are just varieties of Z33 Fairlady. However, in the States and very probably everywhere else outside Japan, its going to be identified as the "350Z". Plus ca change............... Alan T.

Sorry Mr C, maybe I was being a bit too obscure. But Raven really ought to have used the "search" function a bit more before firing off a question like that..................! That "My Fair Lady" story actually initially applied to the "Roadster" SP / SR series cars, and ever since then Nissan / Datsun have called the series and its successors "Fairlady". The "Fairlady Z" was the next generation on from the SP / SR series - and technically we should call this iteration the "S30" series ( mainly because all the model variants were derived from this basic model designation ). When you see the cars badged "240Z" you are really just looking at one type of S30-series Z ( and a local-market single type at that ). Don't forget that in Japan there was always a bigger choice of model variant to choose from. From October 1971 they got the addition of the L24-engined cars - called "Fairlady 240Z", which will confuse you even more. At that time they had a choice of 7 different versions to choose from, and none of them were called just "240Z" - they were all Fairladies................. The more pendantic amongst us ( moi? ) might even try to persuade you that ALL S30-series Z cars are really Fairlady Zs, whether they are badged locally as "240Z" or not. I guess its just a question of where you are looking at it from. For further information on this topic, might I suggest that anybody interested invests in a copy of Brian Long's excellent book "DATSUN Z - from Fairlady to 280Z" published by Veloce - ISBN 1-901295-02-8. Anybody want to discuss where the musical "My Fair Lady" came from? Regards, Henry Higgins.

Hi Raven, OK - I admit it. It was me all along. I made it up. It was my idea of an April fool joke ( but a bit late ). You got me. Alan T. ( insert "irony" smilie here ). PS - clue: You will not see OXO Cubes in Japan, as "oxo" means something very unappetising indeed.

Er, Mike I think the point that Kats is making is that with the help of Nishi san he was able to convert his NOS 72-73 dash to look just like a 1970 version that his car should have ( with the undrilled / unused recess for the Hazard Lamp switch ). I'm sure that he knows what the original dash was supposed to look like ( and that's why he was trying to replicate it ). As you can see from his photos, Nishi san did a great job. This is no mean feat, as it involves some serious filling and blending to make it look correct. Nishi san and his small workforce have these skills. I'm hoping that Kats will keep Nishi san as "our" little secret.......... Regards, Alan T.