v12horse

Kats, your posting was my bat signal to drive my Z this morning. 😎

Hi Kats. It is nice to see you here. That new Z is looking PS30-SB-ish!😀

Thank you so much. I am going to look at the latching plate for wear. I think that is what it is, but it also seems to be only slightly protruding as if it doesn't get a good grip on the male portion. The spring works, but I wonder if it doesn't have enough tension. I'll be back on later this evening. Thanks. Ben p.s. I want to get this fixed before next weekend as I am going on a drive with it as part of my local Concourse d' Elegance that I'll be participating in. I am so excited.🙂

I need help everyone. I have been having trouble with my hood on my 260z popping open. I don't have to even go over a bump. It seems like pressure builds up at city speeds and then it pops open. The alignment of the hood is correct and it shuts easily enough, but as soon as I start driving it pops open. I will post some photos of my latch this evening. If any of you have advice please chime in. Thank you, Ben

Alan, that is exactly where I put my hand. Beneath the bonnet extension panel. It was just the weave of the fiberglass and none of those ribs. Now that I look at the photo, the gap does look inconsistent. Thanks for the insight. Ben

I don't know where to begin. I was in Monterey for two whole days. I was on the track at Laguna, I was in the room the GTO sold in, and I saw countless gorgeous cars, but this ZG was 'the' car. I cannot explain the emotions that flowed through me when I saw it for the first time. I had never seen a real 240ZG in the flesh and I was amazed. There are certain cars that photograph well and the ZG always does. But with the aperture of the eye this car is so much more stunning in person. The proportions are divine and the color is perfect. This car is a Fairlady 240ZG (HS30-H) and it was a homologation car for the g-nose and the fender flares. It only came in white, red, and this maroon. There may be a few roaming around the states, but it is rare here. The wheels could have been wider, but I wasn't focused on that. I was taking in the whole package. I couldn't help myself when I saw that the door was unlocked. I have ridden in a number of Fairlady Z's and a Bluebird 1800SSS, but I had never been in the driver's seat. I have tried to outfit the interior of my personal car to be as 'Japanese' as possible, but when I opened the door and slipped into the drivers seat of this HS30-H it was whole other world. The door clasped shut. I looked around from a different view and it was all so similar and yet so different. I stared down that long hood with the mirrors peaking on each side as I gripped the competition handle. It felt different than mine. It was rougher and newer whereas mine is smooth and burnished to a shine. The steering wheel could have been a Nismo reissue from 1998. Those details raced through my mind and all I knew was that I was in my automotive home. I feel so selfish and carnal, but when the time is right I will own this car. It may take 20 years, but I am going to get it. So many times I reveal myself on this forum, but I try to be me not hiding anything and to be real. The 240ZG is really something special. We don't think about it today, but in 1972 a 2.4L engine in Japan was a big deal. There were government regulations keeping most cars at 2L so the 2.4L cars were a luxury. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. As for the auction result I was there to watch the hammer come down. It was the wrong crowd for this car and it was late at night when the car sold. The room was less than half full and it was a no reserve auction. It sold quickly for 47.5K and with fees it was 10% more. I wanted bid so badly, but I don't have that kind of cash. What I do have is patience. Ben? p.s. Yes that is me with the car. There were other cars around and I did look at them after I opened every door of this car and felt under its bonnet?. I thought there were going to be five ribs beneath the piece of the nose with the emblem. Speaking of the emblem I believe it was off an S130. There was however the air ducting on the lower valence. It was not a perfect car by any means. It had all the signs of sitting and not being in use as of late. I do believe this was the exact ZG that sold a few years back at auction in the states with a similar result. I hope this car got to an enthusiast that is going to drive it and show it, but I am not so sure. The crowd at RM/Sotheby's seemed much like the investment type. I hope I am wrong.

7tooZ, I love Seattle. One of my favorite cities. The author Garth Stein is from there and he is an excellent writer and car enthusiast! JayHawk, those are some spectacular cars you saw. Thank you so much for sharing the photos. Like all of us here I was over the moon with the Nissan Motor Co. being the marque celebrated at the track and there are many photos and stories I want to share, but for now I will leave you with a photo of my wife and I in the 260Z. It was a parade lap, but we still got to do a bit of a shake down. My wife looked at the finish line clock and I had reached 84mph in the straight. I was having fun, but being careful. Forget about the car. My wife is my baby! The car was set up very well and I was the weakest link. Seeing my wife smiling and having fun made it all worth it. Ben

The car is clean, waxed, tires shined. I’ll be leaving before sun up. No radio just me, a car and a tunnel of headlights. My favorite time to drive. It’s so peaceful, but not lonesome. Self reflective. Looking within. With young kids these drives are nearly nonexistent. I have everything set out. A camera, phone charger, selvedge jeans, my New Balance driving shoes, a journal, an actual Safari Rally silk jacket (from 1982?), some pens(filled with ink of course), my corral pass, and the list goes on. The car is a ritual. Yours Truly, Ben

That’s a great shot. ? Nice to see Nissan taking center stage.

I am excited to see the BRE cars among others. John Morton is a super nice guy the few times I have talked to him. A celebrity of the Datsun world among me, a mortal. That Hino transporter is really cool! I saw it years ago when it was at Les Cannaday's shop in need of a restoration. Now it is where it should be. If I am not mistaken it has a Cadillac V8. I am counting down the days before I go to Monterey this weekend. The entire Monterey Car Week is a time I look forward to every year. The Historics are my favorite as the cars are in their element. The crews are humming along in the pits and the cars on the track just sing. I would love to partake in the racing one day. A vintage car of any sort would be awesome but a Nissan of the Z sort would be ideal. I imagine roaring off into the sunset, cresting a hill and descending the legendary corkscrew. Beneath my helmet would be a permanent smile. Cheers. Ben

I will be in the corral and Sunday I'll be on the track for a parade lap with my wife.?I'm really excited. This week is going to be long, but the weekend will be short.

I wanted to find out how many of you are going to be attending the Monterey Historics this weekend. I am going to be there on Saturday and Sunday and I would love to meet some fellow Z enthusiasts from the forum. I am bringing my Z and with Nissan as the Marque they are celebrating it's going to be heaven. Ben

That is awesome that you brought that to this thread. I had so much more time earlier in my youth. I also didn't need as much sleep. The kids wake me up in the middle of the night nowadays. Ben

That car looks great and like others have said it is without a doubt an early 260Z. Yes our cars are quite close in production! You have the original 4 speed shift knob with the green shift pattern insert. I had one of those on my car for a long time and it is a piece not seen regularly. Is your car an air-conditioning car? I am not sure, but it seems that the only factory options offered for us North American's was the colors of the paint and interior, auto or 4 Spd, and with or without air conditioning. My car also had the Webber DGV carburetors and I have since installed a pair of roundup carbs from a 72' 240Z. These cars are great and I look forward to your build. Sincerely, Ben P.S. The last picture was how my car started out in 2001. The other photos are how it looks today.

Congratulations! The 260z is a proper sports car and one to be very proud of owning. I have had mine for nearly 17 years and I've never wished I had a different Z. They are 'The real McCoy.' You and your son are going to have a blast with the project. As for your car, you have to provide us with some photos. My car is RLS30-034436 so they are quite close! Congratulations again and welcome to the club . Ben

Jason, Those wheels are great. What are they? Ben

Everything about this truck and the setting was just right. I love the faded paint, the white roof, and the hubcaps. The owner wasn't afraid to drive it through the puddles and rocks and it was being used as intended; as a truck. I only got a glimpse of it and now I wonder if others get the same stir of emotions when they see our Z's on the road? This truck looks otherworldly and being inspired I drove my Z that night. Ben

I was leaving the Alameda antiques/collectables flea market and this was pulling in. It looked like such a great truck. I would love to see more of these early Japanese cars and trucks. I thought you guys would like this. Help me figure out what year and model it is. -Ben

Jason, I feel the same way about these parts being something to behold. It is not just the rarity of the parts themselves, but the mystique of the parts as it takes some serious information digging to merely identify the parts. These few interior items we have discussed here are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of neat parts and information that came from the Omori factory(Datsun Comp headquarters that is now NISMO)during the time of our beloved cars. I want to know where the Works race cars where made, see photos of people putting them together, visualize schematic drawings of bucket seats, exhaust systems and other parts. The development that went into the Z is immense and it seems the information of that time and the people that are still around have not been utilized to share this rich history. Have fun with Alan and say 'hello' for me. I'll make it across the pond one day. Sincerely, Ben

That headrest is a great find. I believe it is a nismo reissue from their 15th anniversary. Ben

Hello Jason, I know what your saying when you talk about replicas of these seats and them looking less than ideal. If your really are interested I do believe that Kameari (the company that I got the replica headrest from) sources the buckets as well. I am not sure of the quality or the "look" but it is worth checking out. I would also talk to the guys at JDM Legends, but they are stateside. You are across the pond so I know there are resources for a nice set of Datsun Buckets (or one). Good luck on the hunt. If you email Kameari they will email back and you can purchase items through a paying service similar to PayPal. Ben https://jdmlegends.com

All fixed. Thanks for the heads up. -Ben

I am trying to post in a way that is accurate and I encourage anyone to correct and/or add to what I have to say. I took the car on a proper drive after work today and everything from the snug fit of the competition bucket, the direct steering, the tight suspension, and the sound of the engine all made for such a thrill. Speaking of the Datsun Competition bucket seat; I bought it a number of ago from a guy that had it in a 1800sss Bluebird that was newly imported at the time. The 510 Bluebird coupe has a swept back roof varying from 510 sedan (2 and 4 door) with the large greenhouse type roof. They are both beautiful cars just different. I had always intended to install the seat in my 260Z and it took a lot more time than I would have ever imagined, but now its getting used and squished by my big American body. I will emphasize that it is quite snug, but not uncomfortable. The headrest is a modern replica from Kameari (Thanks Alan T. for the lead.) I feel even more connected with the car and the road while in that seat. It is a bit of a chore getting out as I have to put my hand on the sill, arch my left tip toe to the ground, and then lift myself up. The steering wheel is an original Datsun Competition piece and it was sourced by a very generous member here many years ago whom I am still very gracious for (I hope we can meet one day). The Datsun Competition 'Rally' shift knob is a piece that I saw on Yahoo Japan Auction (again many years ago) and it is a reissue of the the original that was made by Nissan for the 15th (?)anniversary of NISMO. I believe they made the steering wheels and bucket seats for those reissues as well. I would never have thought I would have this set of interior items, but over time I was able to gather the pieces to complete the ensemble. It took a lot of research, some luck, and members of this forum to make it happen, but it was worth it and there is a little story to each piece. I would love to learn more about these pieces and their role in competition cars. The construction of the seat for instance is amazing. The shell looks like fiberglass and the vinyl stretched around it is done to a very high standard. There had to have been a lot of handy work done to make it. My understanding of the 'bucket' seat is that it was Nissan's generic racing seat. I have seen them in anything from Z's to Cherry's. The steering wheel is similar in that it is slightly smaller in diameter than an original, a bit thicker, and not as deep as a standard wheel. It looks similar to the steering wheels in the WORKS rally cars, but those are slightly larger in diameter. In Japan the steering wheel is referred to as a 'handle' and slang for the Datsun Competition piece is Compe handle. The horn button I am using is from a Fairlady Z (1970-1973). It is almost faux pas for me to fit that button because the vast majority of enthusiasts in Japan would have a 'proper' Datsun button, but thats so common here in the states. It is funny how that works. The shift knob is wood (walnut? )with a metal insert. I have always thought it had the perfect shape for a shift knob. Someone once said it was shaped like the end of a broomstick and that's not far off the mark. Anyways, thats all I've got for now. -Ben

Thanks Leon. It was great to have you there and I look forward to taking drives with you and your beautiful car. Its pretty awesome that we live around the corner from each other and have very similar cars (understanding wife's, and little kids). In regards to working on your car all you need to do is install that steering wheel you have been hoarding. Other than that your Z is spot on. I took my car for a drive last night after work and it is consuming. It is so much car being something I am getting reacquainted with. From the time I had it the car was very original in all ways. Now it looks quasi stock, but it is whole other machine. I am not sure if I am sick, but my ears have a faint ring to them still. The exhaust note is not even that loud. Today I am on the hunt for an all-weather car cover. I park in a carport, but the backend is exposed and the car gathers dust quickly. Do any of you guys have a recommendation for a good car cover? -Ben

I am still at a loss of words since I picked up the car yesterday. My expectations were high and Rob exceeded them. Amazing is all I can say. I have a lot more to write and I will provide the details soon. I still can't believe the car is my little old 260z that I got as a college loner over 15 years ago. Now it is looking and running how it was intended to be. I have so many people I want to thank, but for now I will leave you with a few photos. p.s. Check out my son in the hatch area. Ben <- This is one happy Z owner.