240Z Parts Variations

[hls30.com]

Hi everyone,

I was going through some of my parts yesterday and researching what variation of trim parts went on what "series" 240Z. I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread(one location) to show all of the variations of different parts that went into 240zs as they were manufactured.

My thought is to collect all of this info on this thread, and create a technical article that could help in defining a correct "what went when" parts time line and maybe help out in the creation of judging documentation that Carl Beck is working on.

My thought is to post side by side pictures of the variations of parts at a standardized background to make the formatting of the final document easier. My thought is to use a sheet(or more) of Quadrille paper (1/4" graph paper) as a background, and take as close a picture as your camera is clearly capable of. (the high res images could and would be resized for a standard format for the final documents)- please add your thoughts!

This way all parts could be identified and illustrated with part numbers and (hopefully rough apropriate dates) to make a correct restoration easier.

Here are some examples to start the ball rolling.

To my knowledge all of the parts pictured in this post are USA version-as they were all removed from LHD cars I have purchased or located salvage yards in the southeastern United States.

Will

[hls30.com]

I will gather the rest of my variants over the next several days and picture them the same way. Please add as you can, and suggest as you will! I'll come back with part numbers and dates where I can find them.

Will

[HS30-H]

I was going through some of my parts yesterday and researching what variation of trim parts went on what "series" 240Z. I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread(one location) to show all of the variations of different parts that went into 240zs as they were manufactured.

Will,

Can I suggest that any such list makes it quite clear as to which '240Z' it includes? You don't appear to have mentioned this.

Maybe it would be best to stick to the USA/Canada market 'HLS30U' versions ( making it quite clear what market version it applies to ), unless you want to include parts and specs relevant to European market 'HLS30' models - let alone RHD Export market and Japanese domestic market '240Z' models............... especially if the data might form part of the reference material to aid a 'judge' in assessing any particular car.

It would be a shame if a non-USA/Canada market car was judged as 'incorrect' in spec because data pertaining to a different market was being used to judge it.

Just a thought.

Alan T.

[hls30.com]

Thanks Alan, That is exactly the type of suggestion I am looking for, but I would like the parts variation defined by the person posting the parts as to what car/market/year it came from, and a consensus on where it actually appeared-IE #26 was manufactured in 69, but had seatbelts dated '72-obviously replaced somewhere along the way....

I would certianly love photos of any/all '68-'73 S30/S31s parts-but labled appropriately for the market they came from-I just recently got a copy of the S30-Gs30, S30 S31-GS30 GS31, S30 PS30 jdm manuals(man the art work is fine in them!).

As a matter of fact, I will be posting a Rhd headlight combination switch, and several other rhd pieces I have and contrasting them to the LHD variety, but I will wait untill the flow of this thread gets to the point that establishing some standards is at more of a consensus-I have found no evidece of something like this having been tried before, and because I know my own limitations in terms of knowledge and experience, I asked Everyone to jump in and join the collective in getting the job done well.

[EScanlon]

Will,

Can I suggest that any such list makes it quite clear as to which '240Z' it includes? You don't appear to have mentioned this.

Maybe it would be best to stick to the USA/Canada market 'HLS30U' versions ( making it quite clear what market version it applies to ), unless you want to include parts and specs relevant to European market 'HLS30' models - let alone RHD Export market and Japanese domestic market '240Z' models............... especially if the data might form part of the reference material to aid a 'judge' in assessing any particular car.

It would be a shame if a non-USA/Canada market car was judged as 'incorrect' in spec because data pertaining to a different market was being used to judge it.

Just a thought.

Alan T.

Alan:

I agree with what you've said here, but maybe I can toss in something that has caused me to be confused about the different "models".

The S30 and all it's variations did not arrive equally to ALL markets. As a result, there are HLS30 European and HLS30 United States (and it is from that U you used that I'm deriving that bit of information). But I'm deriving information that may have been garbled in my attempt at understanding it.

While this may have been addressed in various different threads, different variations have not been posted to ONE thread. That is partly what Will is trying to do.

Could you help us in turn, and give us a brief syllabus of the different S-30 models? This would help myself and others in being able to properly identify the specific model being referenced when posting the picture for a part.

What I'm suggesting would be along these lines:

(This is not accurate in the least, as I'm totally confused.)

S30: "Fairlady-Z" model; Sold in Japan only; 2.0 LITER engine; RHD

H-S30: 240z; Japan only; 2.4 Liter; RHD

H-L-S30: 240z; Europe only; 2.4 Liter; LHD

H-L-S30-U: 240Z: US/Canada; 2.4 Liter; LHD

L-S30: "Fairlady-Z"; ????; 2.0 Liter; LHD

G-S30: "Fairlady-Z";Japan only; 2.0L; RHD; Extended Hood/H-Lights

S31:

P-S31:

etc.

While this is something that you are well versed in, I find it baffling, and I'm sure there are others who are as perplexed as I am. I'm sure that in my brief example above, I've omitted and possibly "created" a model or two. But I think it explains how confusing it can be

This would allow those with parts with differences they've noted to properly document what model they found them on.

2¢

Enrique

[Wobbles1971]

Hi Will, Ill be following this post and adding what info I can here in the next few days after work tonight. I could use alot of info also for I have a bunch of bags and what not scattered containing knobs, radio pieces, trimming, ect. Most my interior pieces are dissasembled from my 72 and 71 and Im hoping to get them sorted out as well. I think the PO had a broken knob syndrome because its like all the knobs and interior pieces on both cars were taken off and held in bags.

[hls30.com]

Here are a few more, these I don't have a history of-I didn't pull them, but they were in USA version cars.

WIll

PS,

I will label the images and repost each of them as I find their suspected part numbers and issue dates.

[26th-Z]

Will,

That picture I sent to you was just the only picture I had available of an early seat belt buckle. It didn't come off 26th. And the reason I took the picture was because of the oddity - a later date on an early buckle.

Chris

[hls30.com]

Chris and Everyone,

OOPs-Sorry for both my assumption and misinformation.

Will

[26th-Z]

Enrique,

Alan is only partly correct with his "encompassing" description of the HLS30U. I would never jump down Alan's case like he does to me about something like this. I'm what is know as "rice rocket appreciative" and take his comments within the intent of his conversation. Happy New Year, Alan!

The HLS30 U is the general designation of the cars exported to North America. The HLS30 UN went to Canada. The HLS30 UV was specifically sold in California and because of the numbers of cars sold in California, probably makes up the configuration of most of the cars we see. The plain HLS30 U, like 26th, is the standard "Federal" car imported in the United States. I have the papers from 26th. She was imported in Jacksonville. If 27th was imported in New Jersey, she would be an HLS30 U also. Few know that I also own 403rd and in all probablility was an HLS30 UN. Generally speaking, the difference is that the UNs got higher amp generators and starters and the UV cars had different emmissions parts.

HLS30 Us that came equipped with an automatic transmission were HLS30AUs, or HLS30AUVs, or HLS30AUNs. The five-speed transmission was designated with the letter F which would derive a designation along the lines of HLS30FU. For the four-speed equipped North American export version the correctest way to type the designation would be with a space indication such as HLS30 U. 26th's correct title is HLS30 U-00026.

So! The "other" model designations came the same way and as much as Alan has tried to explain it to me, I am confused as hell also! The S30 and the HS30 came in two variations based on finished trim; what we would consider "options", not export destination. The "ZL" we speak about is a description of the delux version which included such items as headlight covers, 8-track player, foot rest, carpet, etc. The S30 and the HS30 were fitted with five-speeds and the delux finish whereas the S30S was fitted with the four-speed and no "options". It is the S30S which most resembles the HLS30 U. The HS30s came with a five-speeds. The same suffix A indicates the automatic trans.

The PS30 and PS30SB represent the Z432 with an S20 engine in delux format and racing version accordingly. The "ZG" is similarly designated HS30H and HS30HA. Note that there is no HS30HS. One only got the delux version in either five-speed or automatic.

Hope that helps.

[AZ-240z]

Enrique,

The HLS30 U is the general designation of the cars exported to North America. The HLS30 UN went to Canada. The HLS30 UV was specifically sold in California and because of the numbers of cars sold in California, probably makes up the configuration of most of the cars we see.

Chris,

I need to jump in here in the hope that you may give me some clarification about my car. On all of the tags on my car, the model & vin numbers are always given as HLS30-20419 without the UV designation. My monroney sticker gives a model #296, and port of entry as Los Angeles, CA. Should I be looking somewhere else for the UV designation?

Dan

[HS30-H]

Alan is only partly correct with his "encompassing" description of the HLS30U. I would never jump down Alan's case like he does to me about something like this. I'm what is know as "rice rocket appreciative" and take his comments within the intent of his conversation. Happy New Year, Alan!

Happy New Year to you too, Christopher

I didn't realise that I was apt to "jump down your case", and if that is the perception then I apologise. I'm certainly not singling you out for special treatment. I'm usually only trying to get things right for the benefit of us all and the doubtful posterity of the 'search' function, all the time with the Sword Of Damacles hanging over my head for daring to suggest that the S30-series Z cars are a family of cars with equal rights in terms of concept and design, rather than one 'supreme' deity and a bunch of "irrelevant" runts. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?

As I'm sure you realise, I didn't open up the can of worms of the U/UN/UV and their Auto suffix combinations as pertaining to Canadian and Californian versions of the '240Z' because it is just that; a can of worms. I think the 'U' suffix covers them all for the sake of discussion until we want to start getting more specific, no? I don't really consider myself a specialist on the LHD Export models, and I'm sure there are people here better armed to explain the differences between the 'Ontario' market version of the 'HLS30 UN' and all the other UNs, for example.

I saw a thread here the other day where a prospective purchaser was asking about the differences between the 'USA' market version(s) and Canadian versions(s) of the '240Z'. He got a few replies, but none answered the basic question. I felt sorry for him, as I know the answers should be readily available, but I didn't feel 100% confident that I would be the right person the attempt to address them......

To be honest, I'd expect to see more explanation and exploration of the suffixes on sites such as ours and - for example - zhome.com, but very few people seem to be au fait with them. Unlike the oft-used and abused "Series" designations, these prefixes and suffixes are FACTORY terms ( and therefore should mean something a little more concrete ) that would help us to understand what Nissan made - and even why they made them in some cases. Maybe we need to get our heads together and make a 'sticky'?

So! The "other" model designations came the same way and as much as Alan has tried to explain it to me, I am confused as hell also! The S30 and the HS30 came in two variations based on finished trim; what we would consider "options", not export destination.

The Japanese home market variants are particularly difficult to list up concisely, and they represent something of a moving target to boot. They have the most complicated variant listings, and buyers also had the possibility of choosing options and deletes that complicated matters still further. So - for example - Mr Suzuki could walk into a Nissan showroom in Sapporo in October 1971 and order an 'HS30 D', but decide to go with the 4-speed option instead of the standard 5-speed of that model, delete the radio and clock, but add a heated front screen as part of a 'cold weather pack' ( something not listed on the official printed options lists - but nonetheless available in certain areas of Japan ) and studded snow tyres. Trying to decipher Mr Suzuki's car 35 years later would prove rather difficult without having Mr Suzuki present to explain his choices to us.

Here are a couple of charts to help illustrate the points I'm trying to make ( Enrique, I hope this helps to start answering your post without actually getting too far into it, as I think the subject demands its own thread or 'sticky' really ). Remember that this is just a snapshot of what was available in one market at one point in time ( October 1971 ). Note too that they do not even list ALL of the possible variants ( PS30-SB 'Z432-R' is not listed, for example ) and the subject of low / high compression variants and optional equipment is barely touched on. Note too the 'nickname' terms given to the major variants ( 'PZ', 'PZR', 'ZS', 'HZ' etc etc ) and used internally by Nissan on factory documentation, parts lists etc which might further confuse and confound until you start to get used to them.

Will,

I'm sorry if all this has diverted the original intentions of your thread somewhat, but I think the point needed to be addressed. Even if you end up sticking to the different 'HLS30-U' sub-variants for the 'Parts Variations' topic discussion, I think it is a good idea for us all to bear in mind the wider connotations of the term '240Z'.

Alan T.