26th-Z

Windy City Z Club Windy City Z Club

Specifically, Fiber Reinforced Plastic, FRP. The fibers are not asbestos (where on earth does anyone get these ideas)! Looks good - I like the pictures. The stripe could have been installed by the dealer, but they are not how the car was imported. I suggest you start searching through the archives. There is a ton of information about the early cars.

Courtesy Nissan in Richardson Texas will be a good source for parts - whatever parts are still available for your year. Then there is Motorsport Auto and Black Dragon. I would hold on to the automatic. So many have been lost to conversions and your car being an early example makes it a conversation piece. Have fun and welcome to the club.

I have never seen an early HLS30U, HLS30UV, or HLS30UN (5 digit serial number) with a blue air filter. Ie., one that does not have the pre-heater tube on the snorkel. However I have a set of the service photographs that were part of the original North American dealership maintenance documents and the air filters / cleaners in those photographs are blue. Jerry's photographs are great for color reference, but a 1970 HLS30U would not have the pre-heater tube on the snorkel. If I were you, crazee1, I would keep the blue. After all, orange is so common! Show us a picture.

That's the new Nissan IDx. Nissan IDx concept car test drive, review and driving impressions - Autoweek

Would love to know how you think HLS30-00017 was yellow, Blue.

My thought also. That looks like the one I used to replace the one in 26th.

Of course, this type of equipment has come a long way in the last 50 years, but I think you guys are on the right track. Here are some pictures showing similar set-ups with similar equipment. Also, a picture of Nissan's design computers of the period.

Blue, Horizontal demister wires replaced the vertical ones in April, 1972 beginning with serial number HLS30-062001. Vertical demister wires were fitted after serial number HLS30-01456. Service Bulletin TS72-29 describes the wiring harness modification required for cars prior to 01456 as they were fitted (like my cars) with clear glass. TS71-58 from December, 1971 describes the repair of the vertical demister. In the "test drive" photograph you posted, with all the people, you will notice John Parker; the fellow who managed advertising for Datsun / Nissan North America. Although the crew of engineers and technicians from Japan did drive the cars around for a couple of months, recording data, a significant amount of time was spent photographing the cars for advertising purposes. The woman in the photograph is a model. The photographs from the Competition Press article come from the same car (s). As Alan pointed out, all of this history has been well discussed in the archives. Search thru "North American Test Program", "Canada Test Cars", "Kaku-U" as Alan pointed out. It would be great if you linked the threads back to here. I also want to say that since those days of discussion, I have come across more material that leads me to believe that a misconception may have developed about the testing of the new S30 design. The S30 as a prototype was thoroughly "tested" in Japan before the Kaku-U cars came to Los Angeles. Yes, the team collected a lot of data, some of it used to make future production modifications, but I look at the "Canada Test Cars" as more and more of a promotional lap around North America rather than any sort of fresh testing to see if the car will work as it was intended. It's all an interesting chapter in the early history of the S30 and I'm glad you brought it up!

Thank you Alan, and thank you Stanley for posting that link. Alan, we have touched on the subject of picture-posting without reference / context on the famed social media site. A massive wall-wash, I recall you referring to it as a shuffle of the deck of history cards. The great thing about this new phenomena is that many historic photographs are making it to the digital world providing a 'brain-teaser' exercise for those of us who care.

A few pictures from the last time I saw Mr. K. Nope! Sorry. The last time I saw Mr. K and the car together. That's Johnnie mooning me and Matsuo san in the foreground.

There is a discussion going on the club's Facebook page about this picture. It is being identified as Mr. K's personal car and I wonder if this is true or not. I know the car. Have seen it many times. And even though I haven't talked to Johnnie since the Nashville convention, I was not aware that it has been, or ever was "restored". Especially to this level. The last time I saw Mr. K, I also saw the car. And I don't recall the car looking like this picture would lead me to believe; meaning looking restored and snappy! Perhaps someone can help me out. When and where was this picture taken? Is this his car or a copy? No one on Facebook, even Carl Beck, can describe the picture with some sort of credible accuracy. (Go figure) And some smart-arse is giving me a hard time! (Go figure)

I have one of those. And most of the tools as well, but not all of them. $150 is a real good price. Let me know if you get it. I have a template for the lettering on the cover. Don't try to wash the inside decal with a solvent of any sort. The ink will wash off.

That's Kevin Bristow's car; a seriously meticulous restoration. If I'm not mistaken, a number of parts including the seats were made for this project. Everything is accurate right down to the nat's azz.

What? I love conversations about original originality.

Hey! Great pictures. That web page for Jimbo 'Z-Man' Frederick is so out of date! He sold most of those cars. Headlight covers were option available from the very beginning and were not allowed by law in the U.S. at the time. Many people in America have them - I have sets for my cars. A search on this site will reveal great conversations about them. In my opinion, headlight covers are essential to represent the true nature of the S30 design.

I have been wanting to share this with all the knob aficionados out there. On this site we have discussed the original knob, various knob substitutions, knob size, and just about everything knobbish. I agree that you probably have an AMCO knob, Mike. Post a picture. I know plenty of people collecting the AMCO accessories and I think they are handsome additions to the interior. Your car did not come (from Japan) with a shift pattern plate on the console however. Some years ago, when I was active in judging Z-car shows, I dinked and his lovely early Z for an incorrect knob. It has been generally accepted that the original knob was wood with a shift pattern cloisonne cap. Charlie got a little incensed about it, claiming his solid black acrylic knob with white outlined shift pattern came stock with the car. So a friend of mine sent me images of the FIA homologation application for the LHD HS30 and HLS30 model which contained a bunch of pictures. To my amazement, there it was! Of course, one could argue that this picture is of a very early prototype and that this knob never made it into production. It certainly isn't like the knobs that came with my cars. One could also observe that the solid black acrylic knob was used in other Datsun cars at the time. But I would also point out that we use the pictures in the dealer brochures to demonstrate originality and this picture, although not a published brochure, is a substantial qualification document and would therefore declare that the rare and obscure solid black acrylic knob be considered stock and original.

A "series 1" hatch had vents.

Engine oil coolers were available from Datsun in the sports options and competition catalog. 21300-E4100. They require a special fitting for the hoses at the oil filter. BRE / Interpart also offered an oil cooler 1162050 with their own version of the fitting. It was manufactured by Stewart Warner. I don't see an engine oil cooler listed in the 1970 PS30SB Sports Option catalog however it does appear in the 1976 RS30 and HS30 Sports Option catalog as part number 21305-A0221. The special oil filter bracket is 15238-22000. There is also a cooler for the HS30, PS30, and PS30SB (21305-E4220) that looks like this one. This topic has been discussed - use the search function. I don't recall anyone finding or making the leather cover. I would imagine the drawing is fairly accurate and you could have one made. The question, of course, would be what color to make it. Black or tan. Try searching for part number 21338-25510.

That's what you're looking for and I think $14 is way too low.

Oh, I just have a tattered Xerox copy that I printed from a disc someone sent me years ago. I don't see a date anywhere. This is what the cover looks like. It has been my favorite parts reference. Far more complete than the North American parts book.

My copy is publication number C-236 which lists the years 1969-1972.

I guess, at least my computer, I can't say D I C K The pictures of the 240Z prototype in field testing and skid pad testing come from a series of Nissan films first posted by Kats some years ago. The Jaguar was used to compare ergonomics. Notice all the shrouding around the Z to hide the project from the paparazzi.

The Jaguar XKE was a primary design influence however you are apparently considering only how the Jaguar looks compared to the 240Z. There is far more to design than just how it looks or is styled. Mr. Katayama talks about the XKE beautiful lines, grace, powerful long hood. The 240Z has all that. If you want to make a direct car-to-car comparison, look at the Alfa Romeo Montreal of 1967 and the Maserati Mistral of 1966 and compare it to Matsuo sans C3 prototype of October 1966. Other cars that influenced the 240Z design include the swing arm rear suspension of the VW. I don't know what to think about the **** Avery story any more than the stories I have heard from some German Goertz. **** says he saw a 240Z (double take) on a car lot in 1968 and we know that isn't true. He says he met some Japanese guys, a real tall one, but he has no idea if it was Katayama or not. Someone told him its was...ahh hah. Too bad all his drawings are gone because he can't prove anything. Shame. What we DO have is a resounding collection of drawings, photographs, and films of the S30 design and prototype testing program. It's just too much info to go off and find credibility to some mythical story by someone who apparently has no reason to make any of the stuff up.

We have had huge conversations about this topic; I guess you found the references in the archives. I don't recall the Car & Driver article but the Millspaugh articles are very good and will give you a good understanding of what is going on with the car at speed. The front spook, in my opinion, is extremely effective in cross-wind situations. It is also my opinion that the spook and spoiler apply most effectively as a pair. This is how Nissan set up the car. The BRE stuff is really not much more than a copy of the Nissan competition parts.