kats

Hello,let me jump in. I attached my hand writing about holes.There are 3 types I think. And how to of the NISSAN OEM cover with the mounting screws and guides.The screws are special, the big one has slightly round head. kats

Thank you Jim , Carl , Chris. My dream is,drive my 240Z(or Z432 ,or both) in the U.S. with my son from L.A. to Florida!! But wait, it is a very cool to trace the test drive routing. Carl,how about 00006 and 00007 ? Are they imported at same time 20th Dec 1969? And many of american people's curious, where are 00009 to 00015 now ? I did lots of posts, it is unusual:classic: kats

Hi, I revised and put some video of my 240Z. Please see 39 years old Am radio is still working and useable in Japanese radio frequency band. http://www.geocities.jp/datsunz903/240zvideo.html Engine is noisy,is not it? kats

Hi, What does "K" , "F" , "Q" mean? I guess these are name of groupe(department) in Nissan . I attached this picture got from Mr.Matsuo with permission. "K-12" must be a design studio code.June 1969 is close my birth day;18th June 1969! kats

Thank you geezer, I have lots of things to discuss.What am I doing first? This is a scan from Mr.Matsuo's letter. Mike,I also thinking about solid(not hollowed) emblem for rear deck 240Z and fender DATSUN and hood DATSUN. I guess quater emblem and rear deck DATSUN are only one for the solid type. Seems to me these two were not settle down untile the end of design study. Also,I guess emblems for Fairlady cars are all hollowed type with white Z painted because they are finished well before the production. kats

I do not remember I show this before,maby once or twice I posted? This scan tells us very interesting informations.Each car has each place(department) to belong and has subject to be used. 1 = S30-00001 Nissan Shatai (test drive) 2 = HLS30-00001 Q21 (production factory study) 3 = PS30-00001 Nissan Shatai (test drive) 4 = HLS30-00002 Nissan Shatai (test drive) 5 = S30-00002 Nissan Shatai (test drive) 6 = PS30-00002 K11 (registration) 7 = HS30-00001 Nissan Shatai (test drive) 8 = S30-00003 K11 (registration) 9 = S30-00004 F45 (K31 spare) 10 = S30-00005 F45 (K31 spare) 11 = PS30-00003 F45 (K31 spare) 12 = HLS30-00003 E81 (service; service manual? kats) 13 = S30-00006 F45 (for press/media) 14 = PS30-00004 F45 (K31 spare) This report is dated 25th Jun 1969. kats

Hi Carl, Yes that is the matter.You are correct Carl, I made a mistake. I thought the possibility of HS30-00002 and 00003 were made in Sep 1969 as only TWO export model. In this case, they could be Primary production prototype #12 and #13 , but there are no place for HLS30s as a Primary production prototype #14 and #15.If that happned,#14 and #15 are Domestic models. I say it is clear that two test cars are HLS30 and they are Primary production prototype #14 and #15. So it is natural #14 and #15 are HLS30-00004 and 00005. Thank you, kats

Hi Mike and Chris, I did not think about place of the photo.I review this hand writing map and time schedule of the test. They enter Canada from Vancouver, then out from Calgary as I see it. Time schedule,sequence is below,from the top left #1 Arrived (NMC USA) / 2nd Oct #2 Driving practice / 3rd to 7th? Oct #3 Organize staff and property of Test project / 7th to 8th? Oct #4 Test cars arrived /10th Oct #5 Maintenance of car /10th to 12th? Oct #6 Death valley (including Bakersfield) / middle of Oct #7 Maintenance / 15th to 20th? Oct #8 New Orleans /20th Oct to 1st? Nov #9 NMC staff test driving (including LA motor show) / 2nd to 10th?Nov #10 Maintenance and repair /10th to 15th? Nov #11 San Francisco hill climb test /16th to 20th ? Nov #12 Visit NMC-E, Cornell labo, Detroit by air /21th to 1st ? Dec #13 Parts replacement of steering and drive train to solve the problem "Vibration and car shaking" /3rd to 5th? Dec #14 Packaging and prepare for COLD weather operation / 4th to 6th ? Dec #15 Test drive for cold weather operation Canada /7th to 20th? Dec #16 Clean up staff , warehouse etc / 20th to 22th? Dec #17 Back to Japan /29th? Dec And I found one statement in this reports,it says 20th Dec a car(not mentioned single or maulti) that is equipped with replacement parts of vibration and car shaking arrived (at NMC,shipped by air) and the car was accepted by NMC even still it is remaining some minor things to be solved(regarding tire and balance) . This car( or these cars) is the first one and pictured in the road and track issued Jan 1970? kats

Hi TofuRunner, thank you Alan and g72s20 ,in Japan there were lots of optional parts for Zs from Nissan sports department.Cams/valve springs/webber etc. I think many Z432R owners installed these parts when they race it. kats

Congratulations Filipe! beautiful car.You have got a rally clock,I can see it. kats

Thank you everyone,this thread is very hot and heavy to read for me,but very very interesting.I think we are going deep even Mr.Matsuo/Mr.Katayama can not remember these old days.Anyway,the first thing which comes up in Mr.Matsuo's mind is "No time to do that because Mr.Katayama refused Fairlady name" I agree it is not easy to exprain by one word,there must be lots of stories running through from different angles. I will give a call Mr.Matsuo and ask one by one. kats

Thank you,thank you everyone. I am now in L.A. no lap top in my room,I have to pay crazy expensive money for the hotel business center. I will post a letter from Mr.Matsuo, Carl. Alan,that is right,last minute change is the point. I was wondering why Fairlady's embelms have withe Z from the begining of production? And this is just my guess,I think there is no solid emblem for Fairlady cars.(I need to ask and confirm this Mr.Matsuo soon) Emblems for the Fairlady cars were settle down already well before the production,but for the Export model,Mr.K refused Fairlady's emblem and he wanted somthing alternative ("Datsun 240Z") Nissan had to settle down about emblem,the car was about to be assembled in the production line... I think this is not new for us is not it? However this is the key of existing Chrome/solid Export piller emblem and rear deck DATSUN emblem. As Mr.Matsuo said, no time to paint,no time to hollow the back for the Export cars. So,the letter "Z" was surposed to be painted white when the Export name had settled down I think, simply no time to do first. On the other hand, Fairlady's emblems were hollowed and painted white Z from the bigining. We have never seen/found solid/chrome Z for the Fairlady cars in Japan. Chris,the cray model of S30,you can see big picture in my website. AND please NOTE that the pillar round emblem,that is painted YELLOW and BLACK and RED and NAVYBLUE for the outer circle of the emblem.That is came from ZULU flag that you mentioned. kats

Thank you every one, all of your answer are great, I can say all of you are correct!!(of cource Chris too:)) I do not know how many people in this thread can read Mr.Matsuo's letter but if you can, you will find there are lots of interesting facts. The point is, Mr.Matsuo said "there was no time to paint white for the letter Z and design back of the emblem." Sorry,I have to go for work.Will be continued soon. kats

Hello everyone, Today I want to share this short story about solid/chrome Z emblem. I recently wrote an article for the CLUB S30(Japanese club) about solid/chrome Z emblem which I have been collecting since 2000. Mr.Matsuo is an honorary member of this club, he read my article then he told us very interesting story which was previously not unveiled. Can you guess the reason of making the chrome Z emblem? Can you guess the reason of making the solid Z/Datsun emblem? kats

Thank you Carl, About test cars,I think they could be HLS30-00004 and 00005 but it could be different if HS30-00002/3/4 were made before the test cars.Mr. Uemura and Mr. Osawa told me the two cars were sent back Japan immidiately after the test. Interesting, one of the test car got automatic transmission.But I can not confirm it from the video.Also In the video we can see one of the test car got rear deck aero spoiler during the test conducted. Chris, about the emblem, did I tell you in the video, Mr.K and the crew members were talking about something standing at near the rear gate, in front of the area which is used for "emblems". Seems to me they were talking about the emblem, the crew explaining(suggesting) emblems' details, and Mr.K was thinking about the emblems. kats

Hi, from a press kit for DATSUN 1970(two different types of kit for 1970). A young man and a lady , are they the same of the red car in the U.S. brochure? Note the white ribbon tyre, not superspeed radial-20, no D hubcap, Rear bumper corner rubber guard, no OK sticker, no splash pan chrome-Z quater emblem, kats

Hi, We in Japan can buy reproduction pans(no-holes ￥10,000 and with-holes ￥12,000) made of F.R.P. from this shop. Please see this, http://www.dockmanracing.com/Only_for_the_Nissan_L_type_engine/Handling_goods_list/S30_COOLING_parts/index.html Listed other items are all OEM parts from Nissan. kats

Hello, My 240Z and Z432 got a splash pan also, but it does not have holes on it. As you can see it in the service manual, this type is the earliest.I do not know when the pan got holes. Some late1969/early1970 magazines shows both silver and black pan. I think either way you will be correct. Mike,I was surprised #237 has one.I was thinking/understanding the pan was installed from 1973 240Z for U.S., but it existed in the early model! kats

Hi Carl and Chris, let's keep going, I love to talk about early chassis number cars. I am going to ask about the young man and lady in the brochure,who are they? How old are they now? If we can here about when they were working on that photo mission,it is great , is not it? I will post a 1970 press kit, I see there are another man and lady in the picture. It seems to me they are different people,different hair style from the brochure. kats

Hi everyone, Did you find my Z432 does not have original vacuum system? It is later type. See the picture,the periodically correct original has tall and hexagonal hat, the sticker "H" means use for High octane gas. I am going to install this today. Also the bracket for the electrical fuel pump, my Z432's bracket is cut away of lower guard panel I do not know why. Maybe previous owner thought this makes easier to replace the fuel filter. Amazing,this bracket is not supplied from Nissan(of cource it is NLA),this is a reproduction by Mr.Nishi. This is a hand made,please see this perfect shape and high quality. The part number is 17033-E4200. kats

Hi Mike, What a great find,HLS30-00032 has 432 wing nuts!! I said 432 wing nuts because the part number is given E4201. But I am not sure this nut is really only for 432. It could be used for other Nissan/DATSUN models. This shows us there were something unusual in early days of production does not it? I see the first U.S. 240Z sales brochure, the red car has ordinary wing nuts on the air cleaner box. Anyway what is the VIN for this red car? I wish I had a chance to talk to Mr.Jon Parker,I would ask when and how this photo mission was taken. Hi Chris, 26th and 27th both have normal wing nuts, great. #32 is an only one exceptional? kats

Hello, As Carl pointed out very nicely, there are still many things have to be replaced to original. This one is a Wing nut (actually it is a bolt) correct for Z432. The part number is 16516-E4201. More to come soon... kats

Hi Mike, Probably you have this one, the one came from the service bulletin issued May 1970 shows rubber driver's mat "DATSUN" . And just for your interest, the picture from the Japanese car magazine showing a shot of an Fairlady Z(basic model) in Nov 1969.You can see the rear deck rubber mat glossy. kats

Hi Mike, Chris and other members, I said wrong.The picture is not in the service manual issued for exported car. But I saw the picture which is showing the strap with the buckles mounted back wards in the Japanese service bulletin and Japanese sales brochure both are issued Nov 1969. The 3rd picture is also from that Japanese service bulletin, this picture is the same one which is used in the exported service manual. The mounting style is normal, can I say this car is HLS30-0000X or HS30-0000X ?? Or it could be S30S (Fairlady Z; basic model) because seat reclining mechanism is same/rear deck rubber mat is same in this extremely early days for exported cars. Is this mounting style only for Japanese?? Probably the manufacture was thinking westerners are tall and long reach but Japanese are short.Anyway my Z432 has the Japanese mounted style by me:) My 240Z has normal mounted style. And I am always wondering why Japanese Z's seat has a seatbelt hanger at near the headrest while exported models have it on the middle of the seat back? kats

Mike, I found the picture in the chassis and body manual, not sure the page number. And the difference of length,it is very small.Sorry for poor describing, please waite until I post pictures. kats