Mike B

Steve, What did you end up using when you painted your 904 white car, single stage or base/clear? I have a white car that is having body work done now and will be painted when ready. I know the single state is probably more original, but I think the clear coat would probably look better (more shinny and deeper). The original paint on my car was also pretty heavily discolored from exhaust at the rear and oil leaks, etc in the engine bay. I am thinking the clear coat would help protect it more. -Mike

Like this one? From an ebay ad last year I believe. As I recall, the reserve was pretty high and it didn't sell. I don't doubt that the seller could get at least $500 for it on ebay if he would ship it. -Mike

Here is an interesting add on clip that I found on a 1/70 production car. Only one inspection lid had it. The other side had remnants of a plastic clip. This looks like it was made for this purpose, so I don't think it was some type of generic replacement. It fits loose enough to be able to slide up or down, like the plastic clips do, in order to adjust to variations in the fender attachment point. I had to pry one side back with a screw driver to get it off. I wonder if it was used as a replacement by Nissan at some point after the switch was made to the attached metal clips on the lids? -Mike

Ron, I saw these aluminum bumper brackets on ebay recently and thought you might be interested in them for your new stainless steel bumpers. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-240z-Aluminum-Rear-Bumper-Brackets-/300438661032?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item45f38a27a8 -Mike

And also from the 1970 US brochure. -Mike

Kats, those are great scans of the maintenance slides! Thanks for sharing them. I know it is expensive to have them scanned, but they are a great reference for all of us trying to restore their cars back to stock condition. The color is especially helpful. I'm not sure if I mentioned to you before, but I have the maintenance slides for the automatic transmission (model 3N71A). There are 126 of them with a booklet like yours, but they are more technical and show the internal components and principles of operation. I may just buy a cheap slide scanner to scan them rather than paying to have it done. It's hard to read, but it does look like L24-107. Carl's zhome site says that the oldest known running L24 in a 240Z is engine #2079. I assume the engines prior to that were used in other Nissan vehicles. Do you know which ones? Also, do you think that all of the L24s had the engine number stamping painted white like that, or was that just for the photos? -Mike

I also found these markings on the transmission bell housing and the back of the engine. I don't recall seeing them before. -Mike

Thanks for showing the press release info. Interesting that they would use a reversed image of a HLS30 instead of a right hand drive for those two photos. I wonder what the reason for that was? Yeah, I did a google search for Mal after I got the photos, but didn't find anything related. I thought he might have been a famous Australian motorsport journalist, so I am surprised you haven't heard of him . -Mike

I finally got the engine pulled, the car stripped down, and headed off for body and paint work yesterday. I think it will probably be done in about two months. The car was parked in an underground parking garage when it was a daily driver, until it was stored in the mid-eighties. As a result, it is almost rust free, however, it has more door and fender dings then I have ever seen on a Z. The prior owner must have parked next to someone that didn't like him every day. Lots of staining in the back from the exhaust and in the engine bay from oil leaks. Does a clear coat help protect a white car from this kind of staining better than a singe stage paint? I'm not sure which I will go with at this point. I'm sure a little maintenance and periodic cleaning would have gone a long way to preventing the staining in the first place though . -Mike

Hello Mr. Camouflage, Yes, I realize that Oct 1969 is far too early for the launch of the 240Z in the Australian market. I thought it might have been part of an article to cover the introduction at the Tokyo motorshow, or the launch in other countries (Japan, North America, etc.), but that was just a guess. Just curious though, if the Australian press release had a "do not release before" date of September 27, 1970 (a Sunday) why would the picture would be dated Wednesday (for a Wednesday article I assume)? The picture I have also came with another of an Australia market 260 2+2 (if I recall correctly). I just assumed they were unrelated. -Mike

It still makes me sad to hear that. Hopefully that is not the case. I want to see you keep your Z432 forever. -Mike

Actually, using moonpup's per mile price in the first post, it must have been listed for $25k the first time, so it is on sale now! Down to just $1.00 per mile! -Mike

There was a thread about these wheels a few months ago http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37213. Are the wheels actually in stock now? Here are a couple of pictures of the Shelby "libre style" wheels on two of my cars. -Mike

It's back on craigslist again http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/1809840757.html. So Jerry, I guess you never ended up coming out to inspect it. Was the seller firm on the $19,500 price? -Mike

http://www.datsunclassifieds.com/index.php/cat/53

Sounds like there is demand for at least two in the US . -Mike

I think this is the last of the four. I didn't find anything in the old newsletters, but here is a link to a Hemmings article about the ad campaign http://www.hemmings.com/hmn/stories/2007/02/01/hmn_feature14.html And a link to the real "Dali Datsun" http://www.cartype.com/pages/4173/dalis_datsun -Mike

Yes, it was the original artwork for the 1200 Peter Max ad. You didn't just win the lottery . -Mike

I think these were a series of four different artists. They might have been mentioned in an old Datsun newletter I have. I'll have to check to see if I can find it. Here is #3 (not to be confused with HLS30-00003 ) -Mike

My guess is it was part of the same ad campaign as this Peter Max art for the Datsun 1200. I believe someone was trying to sell the original on ebay a few times a couple of months ago for several thousand dollars. edit: just found the Dali ad on ebay too. -Mike

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showpost.php?p=261022&postcount=15. I think someone in Oregon that imports JDM parts had them for awhile, but I am not sure if they still carry them. I can't recall the name of the place though. -Mike

Howdy Rick, I have an interest in the color combinations used on the early cars too. I have a small amount of data that I have compiled from the public registry lists, ebay auctions, cars I have seen, etc. There were actually quite a few of the early HLS30 cars that seem to have been produced in color batches of two, three, or more (at least based on their VINs). Here is a quick list, I'm sure Carl Beck has better data. North American test cars (#4?, #5?) - Silver #13, #16 - Gold #17, #19, #20 - Silver #26, #27 - Green #32, #33 - Blue #40, #42 - Gold #51, #52 - Green #57, #59 - Red #94, #95 - Green #237, #238 - Silver #331, #332, #333 - Green Here are some of the early HLS30 red cars that I am aware of before #231. I am sure there are others. #36, #57, #59, #87 -Mike

I just came across this Hemmings Sport and Exotic Car article about the 1970 SCCA runoffs. It's pretty brief, but has some interesting pictures with captions. I'm attaching the text and pictures in case the link goes away at some point. http://www.hemmings.com/hsx/stories/2009/02/01/hmn_feature11.html Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car - FEBRUARY 1, 2009 - BY JIM DONNELLY The SCCA Runoffs rolled to Dixie in 1970 Like a Super Bowl for amateur and semipro road racers--which it is--the Sports Car Club of America's Runoffs have been fought for blood at various famous locales during its 45 years. If you've never experienced it, the Runoffs pit aspiring stars against one another in scores of classes, a huge blowout that marks each season's end. Only recently, fields of combat for the SCCA's best have included Mid-Ohio and Heartland Park Topeka; the Runoffs will move north to Wisconsin's historic Elkhart Lake in 2009. From any venue, you can get to almost any goal in Runoffs racing, as a historic rundown of participants makes plain. In 1970, the Runoffs pulled into a new venue, the gleaming, just-opened Road Atlanta circuit with its 2.54 miles of fresh, unrubbered blacktop. It was literally brand new, having just opened its gates that September with a Can-Am date that Tony Dean won in a Porsche 908. The track is actually located about 50 miles north of its namesake city, and has a mailing address of Braselton. In the estimation of Roswell, Georgia, resident Hal Crocker, who was at the 1970 SCCA Runoffs that inaugurated Road Atlanta and captured these images, the nearest place of consequence to the track is actually a little burg called Chestnut Mountain, not far from Lake Lanier. Nice hill country in the South, but that wasn't the prime rationale for moving the Runoffs to Georgia, he mapped out. "There were a number of things going on. First, Road Atlanta was a new track," Crocker told it. "The operators put together a very enticing proposition for the SCCA. Until then, the Runoffs used to alternate between Riverside and the road course at Daytona. A lot of people didn't like racing on the banking, because it gave a definite advantage to a car with long legs." In close to 40 years henceforth, Road Atlanta remains a premier, justly well-known American racing venue, even though the Runoffs have long since moved on. It also earned, despite a roster with worldly credentials, a strong intimidation factor. Most people really liked it," Crocker said. "But Road Atlanta was a very fast track, a potentially dangerous track, especially for drivers who were somewhat lacking in that kind of experience." PHOTO 1 "Early on in the E Production race, Logan Blackburn leads the way through Turn Three in his MGB. Chasing him in the number 9, a 1969 Triumph GT6+, is Don Devendorf, a really good driver who later co-founded Electramotive Engineering and went on to run the Nissan GTP program, along with Kas Kastner. Devendorf was at the very peak of his driving ability when I took this photo. The guy back in third place, by the way, driving the Morgan Plus Four, is none other than Anatoly Arutunoff, a real sports car guy for years and years. His grandfather invented the submersible oil pump and made a fortune in Oklahoma. Toly is still a real character." PHOTO 2 "Early in the C Production national championship race, John Morton is ahead of Bob Tullius as they head under the bridge at Road Atlanta under heavy power. Morton went on to win this race, a historic accomplishment, since 1970 was the first year for the Datsun 240Z, and this was its first really major event that had drawn attention from around the world. Tullius, in the Triumph TR6, was a DNF, completing 11 out of the 19 laps that made up the race. Morton is driving one of Peter Brock's cars, which made up the West Coast team backed by Datsun, later Nissan. This win by the 240Z was a very, very big deal. There was a lot of politicking that was going on behind the scenes in the time leading up to this race, believe me. Bob Sharp was on the SCCA Competition Board when people were complaining that the Z-car should be racing in B Production, not in C Production. The Datsun was extremely fast right out of the box, especially in Morton's hands. As I recall, Brock did a banzai effort to get the cars prepared, and to get Morton enough SCCA national points so he'd be eligible to drive in the Runoffs. I was there when Brock had Morton run the Z in a race at the Roebling Road course, outside Savannah, to make sure he had the points before going to Road Atlanta." PHOTO 3 "Running hard in the D Production championship race is the late Jim Fitzgerald, from the days before he teamed up with Bob Sharp. This Datsun 2000 roadster was his own car. Right here, he's leading one of the Group 44 cars entered by Tullius, the Triumph GT6 of Carl Swanson, who was from Hawthorne, California. Fitzy came from Clemmons, North Carolina, which is right outside Winston-Salem. Jim was an electrical engineer, a very good race driver and a really neat guy. He was killed driving a Trans-Am car during one of the street races at St. Pete. He won this race, and Swanson came in second, which probably represented a high point in Swanson's driving career." PHOTO 4 "The D Production field comes snarling up the hill with Jim Fitzgerald in third place. I say so because the first car you see here in this photo is not the leader. Dan Parkinson is out in front in a Datsun 2000 roadster and had already built himself up a lead, but it didn't do much good because he DNF after seven laps. In front of Fitzy in this image is Brian Fuerstenau, in the Triumph GT6 of Group 44, who, as it turned out, also DNF. Brian was a tall, lanky guy, and a hell of a shoe. As we've already established, Fitzy won the race. Behind him is Carl Swanson in the number 6, the GT6+, and next is Jim McComb in one of the BRE Datsun 2000s, who also DNF. That car way behind him, starting to come up the hill, is the Lotus Seven of Chris Graham." PHOTO 5 "One of the contestants in the A Production national title race in 1970 was **** Barbour, a guy who was so good that he went from club racing to win Le Mans, driving this Porsche 904 against all the big-block Cobras and Corvettes that made up so much of that class. ****'s from San Diego, and he cut a real traditional race-driver figure: old-school open-face helmet, old-school goggles, putting a lot of body English into driving the 904. I can't explain the presence of the Fuchs wheels on this 904, which is unusual, other than to wonder if he may have gotten them through Porsche via a parts or accessories sponsorship. This race, by the way, was won by John Greenwood, driving--you guessed it--a big-block Corvette." PHOTO 6 "At the Road Atlanta Runoffs, one of the drivers on hand was John Kelly, who was running this Triumph Spitfire 1500 in F Production for Group 44, the Bob Tullius team, famously sponsored by Quaker State. The earlier Spitfires with the 1,200cc engines raced separately in G Production. Kelly was a guy with a real job in life, who drove for Tullius for a number of years, and won this particular race. Kelly was from Falls Church, Virginia, and is now deceased." PHOTO 7 "Good race. Jeff Kline, who still lives in California today, is leading it. This national championship round was for C Sedan, and Jeff was here driving his Alfa Romeo GTV Junior. He was quite a little racer. At the height of his career, he raced in the IMSA GTP Light series, in one of the Brumos cars, and I think he may have even had a couple of starts in the full GTP cars. Damn good driver, although right here, he became a DNF after 16 laps were run, I think after the Alfa's timing chain or belt broke. You can look back through the field and see for yourself that it was a pretty eclectic mix, with a bunch of Minis, the Alfas and at least two small Lancias. One of the Minis, driven by Ed Spreen of Hackensack, New Jersey, won the race." PHOTO 8 "This is the pace lap for the same C Production championship in 1970, with Morton on the pole. As the cars bend to the right here, they're going under the bridge, which isn't a foot bridge, but rather a concrete bridge for vehicles that allows access to Road Atlanta's infield. It looks as if that's Bob Sharp behind Morton, in his own 240Z, part of the East Coast team backed by Datsun, which he ran. I strongly suspect that the Porsche 914-6 in the second row, right behind Tullius, is Elliott Forbes-Robinson. If you don't know it, EFR has been married for a long time to a woman from Hawaii, so he had a Hawaiian design on his helmet for his entire career. The 914-6 behind him was driven by Alan Johnson, a Porsche-Audi dealer from the West Coast, outside San Diego." This article originally appeared in the FEBRUARY 1, 2009 issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car.

Great videos Kats! I can't believe they actually let someone drive the African Safari Rally car like that! -Mike

Hi Kats, Not sure if I showed you this already, but the post about HLS30-00007 and the 1970 brochure got me thinking about it again. I got this photo from ebay Australia last year. It is the same red 240Z that was on the 1969 US brochure and I believe the same car used in the service manual. It looks like they just reversed the image to make it look like a RHD car. Note that they drew over the portion of the picture showing the front license plate with black marker, to cover the reverse image of the word Datsun. On the back side it says "Wed. P. 34". I am guessing that this photo was used in an article about the introduction of the 240Z on Wednesday Oct 22, 1969, like your US press photos. Interesting that they would use a reverse image of a LHD car instead of a photo of a RHD car, since they had several RHD cars produced before the Oct 1969 Tokyo auto show. -Mike