26th-Z

Well! I can't thank you enough for throwing that Hemmings article into the fray, Zztom! Seriously! That was great. Here are a couple more logos they didn't print. Despite a couple of spelling errors, the article confirms a few things I have long suspected. Did anyone ever really believe that Nissan used the Datsun name "in case they failed" story? The Katayama revival of the Goertz scheme is an interesting spin. Don't you think, Alan? And, did you get the line about the corporate rivalry? I don't think I have ever heard it put that way.

After watching that great video I looked up the web site. The kit shown in the video costs about $100. All the various stuff is also available individually.

That's very interesting ! ! ! I don't think I have those wing nuts.

There was a conversation years ago about the validity of the manufacturing date on the door tag. The point was made that the tag represented a "date of shipping". The November date stamp on 26th is a perfect example of the presented case. Obviously, 26th was assembled in October, however I believe the original engine was replaced before she was shipped.

Thanks for posting the info, Carl. It certainly answers many questions one may ask. I can vouch for the complexity of what has been accomplished so far. A 501c3 is Internal Revenue Service lingo for "non-profit corporation" as many of you know. It takes over a year to process the application. A corporation must be established with published by-laws, officers, and a board of directors. This is all governed by law, I would imagine California corporate law, and provides for the corporation and it's benefactors a legal tax status. Fred has been talking about this project for years. Every time I go to an annual ZCCA convention, Fred is talking about the project. I can imagine how fulfilling it must be to see the birth of the dream. Congrats to all the board, the officers, the Datsun Gang, and especially to Fred and Betty.

Don't ya think Nissan should campaign the GTR? As much as I like Johnny O, I was glad to see the Astons beat the Corvettes.

There are two types of owner manuals printed as of December, 1969. I believe the darker Z at more of an angle survived into 1970. Yes, this manual was reprinted in 1997 as part of the Vintage Z program. In past threads, I have seen manuals like these with the reference to the hand throttle omitted. I have no idea what these are worth. I keep trying to buy a Vintage Z reprint with no luck!

Thought I would post a picture of the Datsun Gang taken at Daytona last year. Fred is third from the left with his wife Betty next to him. Then, John Parker in the beige shirt with his arm around Mrs. Usami. That's Masataka Usami on the right. Behind the line-up is Mike Taylor and Johnnie Gable. I'm not certain who the fellows on the left are. I think the guy on the far left is Hiroshi Degawa, director of NISMO, but I could be wrong. I'm glad to hear this project is taking shape and I'm looking forward to talking with Fred about it in Cleveland. Get behind this, everyone! Send Fred $5 if that's all you can spare. This is a project that really should happen!

I'm really enjoying this thread. I have some questions, please. What is the length of the long primary strap and what is the length of the tail? I never realized that the primary strap could be mounted from the back. I always figured that placing luggage in a car and adjusting the straps would be done from the tail of the car and not inside. What a total surprise to see your pictures, Kats. Ron, in your description, you mention using a jig to cut the strap length. If the longer strap is just a "mistake", how could the length always work out in equal length pairs? But notice in the pictures that the longer strap is mounted from the luggage stop! What do you do with all that extra strap tail? I have no idea why the seat belt hooks are mounted so high on the seat. They look like the correct small metal hooks, though.

Hi Kats! Good to see you pipe in on this subject! Both 26th and 27th came equipped with the short straps. After looking at them and measuring them, I recognize the texture of the strap weave. It is course like those pictured. The straps we are talking about have the hardware sewn to either end and the other half of the luggage strap is the tail. There is no way to get them mounted backwards. For information, my straps measure 16 inches ( 40.6 cm ) and the tails measure 52 inches ( 132 cm ). What is troubling me is that all the pictures and references show the short straps - or straps that position the hardware in line with the shock towers. I would like to see pictures from brochures that show the longer strap length. Perhaps the 280Z brochures? Anyone have those?

Exactly the point I was trying to make. Over the years I have found that as soon as an aspect of the S30 gets nailed down, the exception is discovered. I was shocked to see the date stamp on this belt. It makes no sense for a lift buckle to have that date when we all know the push button buckle was installed much earlier. I believe that by 1972, the lift buckle mechanism was no longer legal. So this is very strange.

Mike, Are your close-ups of different texture? I seem to recall mine are real smooth weave and not as rough looking as your pictures. I'll have to go out to the shop and dig around. All the hardware is silver sink plated? And I see you still have the little plastic strap sleeves. I have posted this before, but this place is an excellent place to get belts and straps restored. http://www.ssnake-oyl.com/ Of course, it wouldn't be odd to find an exception to the various lengths. Have a look at this seat belt I bought on eBay. Manufactured in 1972?

Hey Mark! Haven't talked to you in long time! How ya doin?

Those are probably the best threads about emblems. As discussed, the first "batch" of emblems were cast solid and appear on the very early cars. Randy, you have a metal "white Z". The picture below is the "Chrome Z"

Mike, This picture from the 1970 brochure. Notice the position of the buckle. I think short straps were the fashion of the day for our early queens. My guess would be that after realizing that the short straps didn't hold much more than a B cup, Datsun gave us longer straps for our double Ds. (Daily Driver)

I'm up on my high horse because of some book I read a couple of months ago. The premise of the book was that we are buying oil from and funding the very terrorists we are at war with. It was a very anti-saudi theme with lots of history about the development of the middle east as testiment to the jihad we face. And then the pitch was made for energy self sufficiency - not for just us, but the rest of the world as well. At the moment, flex fuel vehicles seem to make the most sense toward reducing our consumption rate of fossil fuels. The distribution infrastructure is already in place, something which kills the hydrogen fuel cell idea. At the moment, hydrogen costs more to produce than is obtained, however it can be produced with Lp gas which is plentiful. Ethanol and methanol don't pack as many btu's per unit as gasoline - a drawback perhaps. In terms of "green earth", ethanol, methanol and the bio diesels make the most sense of what is on the table for consideration. America consumes 70 million barrels of oil per day, I'm told. I don't think we really need to burn the precious stuff and polute our atmosphere if we don't have too.

Please do some research about ethanol before you post a lot of misinformation. Ethanol mixed with petro fuel is not any more coorosive than water. It is a renewable resource and it doesn't emit as much greenhouse gasses. The high food price thing is pure propoganda. 40% of our nation's corn production today goes to cattle feed. The government pays farmers to not grow crops - we all know that. Ethanol farming is a new economic opportunity. World wide. Ethanol / methanol fuels provide 87% of Brazil's energy needs and 95% of new automobiles sold in Brazil run on flex fuel; 85% ethanol. As a result, Brazil fuel prices are far lower than ours. Brazil mandated ethanol / methanol flex fuels ten years ago and they are the world wide model example of energy self suffiency. Currently, ethanol costs around $2.50 a gallon to produce. You may think it is more expensive, but then you say all the gas in Huntsville is ethanol mixed, so more expensive than what? By growing more crops for ethanol, we are planting more green; the primary source of scrubbing CO2 from our atmoshpere - thus reducing global warming. Yes, ethanol blends used in our old cars will result in decreased mileage and there is not much that can be done about it. More and more new vehicles will be equipped for flex fuels and those vehicles won't have the problem. But let's face it. We are financing the terrorists waging war against us by purchasing their oil. There is no shortage of oil. The OPEC nations just don't want to pump it out of the ground for $25 a barrel when they can get $140. Flex fuel automobiles have demonstrated energy independence in other countrys around the world. We Americans can do it too. Write your congressman and demand farm legislation to promote the growth of ethanol crops and waste production of methanol. In the mean time, change your fuel lines. They are probably original and need to be replaced from age. My 3c

The Japanese S30 model (or ZL) came standard with carpeting and the less expensive S30-S came with rubber floor mats. The Japanese had the luxury of ordering their car with certain specifications whereas the American imports were resigned to what we refer to as dealer add-ons. The bill of sale for 26th lists carpeting as a standard feature, but as I have come to understand, carpeting was manufactured and installed in America. Mike, you might want to chime in on this one. I was surprised to hear what you discovered. I have no idea if the ZL model came with both rubber matts and carpeting. From the sounds of our conversation, the American imports may be the only model with both. I have some original rubber. Here is the deck matt for 26th. I also have the floor rubber for behind the seats. They came from #403 which was a Canadian car. Good question; "did the floor matts in Japan say Nissan".

Even 40k is surprising to me, John. I would think way higher than that. But the only thing to do with the car is vintage race it and there are a couple of the GTP cars doing that now. It takes pretty much a full time mechanic or two and a rig far more elaborate than a trailor behind the station wagon! Awesome beasts they were! Those cars generated so much downforce that it was difficult to keep tires on them. Was it Bob Akin who was killed in one of these at Road Atlanta? Vintage racing at Road Atlanta?

Yes. That was HLS30-60354 in the eBay ad.

Thanks! The starting price is quite interesting. low

Congrats Bob!

Well that blue and white checked flag is the State of Bavaria, isn't it? Do you think it could be a Geortz thing? I need to change the flag on my geisha.

It has to be the full moon passing in Gemini along with the rising sun moving into the house of Gemini. Usually everyone here is pretty stickly on the facts rather than the opinion and gab that is going on here. Ohh, I hope no one believes the war crimes / name change / afraid of failure garbage. Yes, Alan, the name change was - in the American market - a gaff beyond description. And it devistated Nissan. No close scrutiny of the books required. But what has me rolling way beyond Carl's grammar and the mild misspelling here and there is the very title of this thread! When I first opened up the subject, this is what I thought it was about.

During the battle of Tsushima Straight (Sea of Japan Naval Battle, Russo Japanese War 1904-1905), the Japanese fleet under Admiral Heihachiro Togo destroyed two-thirds of the Russian fleet. As the battle began, aboard the flagship Mikasa, Admiral Togo ordered the hoisting of the Z flag: “The Empire’s fate depends on the result of this battle. Let every man do his utmost duty”. It was the largest naval engagement of the pre-dreadnought battleship era. Historian Edmund Morris calls it the greatest naval battle since Trafalgar. The Z ensign is a common symbol in Japanese culture. As I posted previously, the Z is a symbol for the concept meaning ultimate.