Mike B

Hi Kats. Interesting that it is a rare manual. I got it on Yahoo Japan a few years ago and it wasn't very expensive. I got lucky I guess.. My 1970 Fairlady Z had an aftermarket AC system added in Japan before it was brought to the US in the mid 1970s. I wish it had the factory AC system. I'm sure that was a very rare option due to the cost. Do you think S30-00002 had the AC system when it was built? I recall a thread about that car years ago that said it had some later modifications on it when it was found. Maybe used as a test car? Was AC available as an option in Japan from the beginning of production? I believe the AC manual has a publishing date of 7/70 but I don't have it in front of me right now. -Mike Sent from my SM-G988U1 using Tapatalk

Hi Kats. Do you have a copy of this 1970 Fairlady Z air conditioning manual? It notes the air conditioning system can't be used on the PS30. -Mike Sent from my SM-G988U1 using Tapatalk

The JDM rubber mats came standard on all S30-S models, so not just limited to early cars like North American HLS30s. The HLS30 front mats are also different as they have "DATSUN" molded into them.

I found this early BRE article in an August 1970 Japanese Magazine. There are several shop photos showing a 240Z and 510 or Bluebird. Google translate says "Datsun 510 (Bluebird) will make adjustments to participate in the Mexican Road Race this year." BRE participated in the 1969 Mexican 1000 (later renamed the Baja 1000) with a RHD four door Bluebird (which he reacquired several years ago). I'm not sure if this is the same car being refurbished after the race or a new car. With the several months lead time involved in publishing magazines back then I would assume the photos would be from April 1970 or earlier. Google translate also says "Datsun Z (Fairlady Z) in production for racing this season." I wonder if this was the original #46 car in development? Per Road and Track magazine, BRE received their first 240Z in late January 1970 and it was one of the first 20 Z's to arrive in the US at the port of Los Angeles. I showed this article to Pete Brock and John Morton at their recent open house (hence the signatures) but unfortunately they didn't really have a lot of information to add. John did say he thought the #46 car was originally white from the factory though.

A couple of photos from my collection. Alan, the 2000 GT is labeled as a 1971 (handwritten on the back), but I think that's an error and it was actually from the 1969 show. It seems to be the same model standing next to it as the 432. Do you agree?? -Mike

Kats and Alan posted pictures of the Pierre Hotel event in posts 108-110 in your other thread below. The two Japanese ladies rolling the car cover back on the green car is a photo of the Pierre Hotel. The overhead photo of the larger group with the silver car is the LA Hilton event.

I sent you a couple PMs too. I'm also interested in the Fairlady Z. Thanks. Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

I agree with Alan's assessment. Seems like a nice survivor S30-S (Fairlady Z-S). It's actually a twin to the blue S30-S I bought last year from Michigan that 240260280Z posted a link to above. Note there is no provision for an inspection light in the engine bay and the antenna looks to be the manual extending and locking version that came with the base AM radio (same as my car has). Would be nice to see more interior shots to see if it has all the original rubber mats that Alan posted pictures of. In addition to the front mats there are small mats behind the seats and in the rear hatch area. Curious if it has a clock or the standard blanking plate for the Z-S ( as mine does) and if it has the standard Z-S four speed or was upgraded to the five speed as mine was. Does the dash have any cracks? Original radio? Things like that will also affect the value. -Mike Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

And his "efficient" method of leaving the glass and window components in the doors along with other items not removed on his "exploded" paint jobs. Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/dildo-newfoundland-jimmy-kimmel_ca_5d52d26ce4b0cfeed1a3c11d

The one in 503 was the original. Brad used it as the reference for the reproductions he had made. Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

What is the black coating inside the left rear quarter panel? Also wonder why someone painted the rear panel black around the upper license plate mounting points? Are you going to leave the dealer installed AC in the car or take it back to stock?

Some more photos of it when it was listed on ebay last fall. Odd mirrors on the fenders. Did it come with the original seats or the later style shown in the ad photos? Was the exterior side molding trim just stuck on with adhesive or did it it leave holes in the sheetmetal?

Not sure what's going on with that car. It was sold in a no reserve auction on ebay a couple days ago for $13,000. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Datsun-Z-Series-240Z-Coupe-Low-Miles-All-Original-Runs-Great-Sports-Car/202749760199?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649 Later that night someone on Facebook posted a question asking "what's a 1971 240Z worth" with a couple of pictures of the same car from the ebay ad. I posted the link to the ebay auction there and then the thread mysteriously disappeared. I assume the poster deleted his thread. Not sure if the sale fell through , but seems a little sketchy to me. -Mike

I'd like one too. -Mike Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

Looks like it had the upper radiator support replaced during the restoration.

The "240ZGuild" didn't do anything to the car other than buy it and flip it on BaT. The car was restored in the 1990's by Bill Reagan with additional work done by Banzai Motorworks subsequently to help get it up to gold medallion standards.

I though it might be 4RE red. Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

Just reading some of the owner's notes. Very cool that he documented everything including the purchases of the hand throttle for $7.50 with $2.50 installation and the keyed gas door lock for $3.

Cool car with an interesting history. Would be great to see more of the original documentation that came with it. I watched the ebay listing for it when it sold last month: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Datsun-Z-Series-/303131244682?_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l44720&nordt=true&rt=nc&orig_cvip=true The rust shown in the photos and mentioned in the ad seemed a little concerning but the exterior and interior looked really good in the photos. Do you have any documentation that the JDM fender mirrors were added at the time of purchase or later on when the stainless exhaust and spoilers were added? It looks like the drivers door still has the holes from the stock mirror. Did they plug those somehow? There was another LHD Blue 240Z that was originally purchased in Okinawa posted on Facebook a few months ago. I think it was a 72. It had fender flares that someone removed from the car so I am pretty sure it was not this car. I have a 72 Fairlady Z-S that was also purchased in Okinawa by a Navy service member and shipped back to the US shortly after purchase. Interesting that you could purchase either HLS30s or S30s in Okinawa at the time. It probably had to do with the roads being set up to drive on the right side at the time. During the US occupation after WWII the roads were set up to drive on the right side and didn't switch back to driving on the left like the rest of Japan until 1978. https://www.nytimes.com/1978/07/05/archives/uturn-for-okinawa-from-righthand-driving-to-left-extra-policemen.html

Sure Chris, glad to provide you with plenty of pictures, as always. Where exactly in my post did I say that 'No" means 'number' in the language of a Japanese factory worker? If you read my post you'll see I said I think the writing is some sort of code, possibly inspection marks, similar to the photos of the circled number '3' that blue posted. I don't believe either markings are related to the VIN of the car.

Here's a photo of the writing on the door of my HLS30-00210 after the paint was stripped off.

I think you're reading too much into the numbers shown on the back of the dash. My HLS30-00210 had "No 3" written on the top of the inner fender. That didn't mean my car was HLS30-00003 either. I think these numbers were some kind of code, possibly inspection marks. I'm attaching a photo that Kats posted from an early JDM parts catalog that shows similar markings on either end of the inner rock panel: "No 2" on the left and some other writing and an arrow probably pointing to an area needing some more work on the right. My car also had some kanji writing on the door and quarter panel which I think were also notes about some more finishing work that was needed before being painted.

Agree with the other comments. Nice car. I watched the BaT auction. Curious to see what Robert does to it.

Only on export cars. As Alan noted, Japanese Market Z-L and Z-432 models had the levers to tilt the seat back that we didn't get until 1972.