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Hi Gavin, I posted this some time ago, a Z432 has plastic tabs for its lids. This car has April 1970 seat belt tag. On the other hand, the green BAT 310000 USD 240Z has metal crips was manufactured date 05/70. So we can say there is a border line between them. BTW, I also posted this, 4 steps evolution of inspection lids. Kats

Shall we add this as #5 type, metal clip seen from 05/1970. Kats

Just seeing this thread again, after it was re-linked to. The original post has the images in PDF files which are hard to see at a glance. RE: Attached is screenshots of all 4 types. I hope @kats doesn't mind me repeating it here, but this makes it easier for me to see each type. Type 1, 432 prototype: #1 The beginning(maybe prototype) do not have a L-shape tab which is touched by the hood .Just have a rubber. See the picture of the yellow Z.I believe this Z432 is PS30-00013. You will notice there is no hood bumper, also the bracket of the master vac hose is different. #2 The second one has a L-shape tab but it is rivetted. See the picture of the blue Z,this is HLS30-00476 11/1969 #3 The third one looks same which we usualy have seen. But the L-shape tab,this separate piece is welded to the lid. See the picture of the silver Z,this is PS30-00088 01/1970 #4 The fourth one is very common for us,this one piece (L-shape tab and lid together) finish is continued to the later production. See the picture of the blue(clean) this is HLS30-02156 03/1970

Thanks Kats, I don't want to drag this thread too far off topic to be fair to the original poster building this car. However with reference to the rear glass and earlier comment, I suspect it was installed later. The car had a mini refresh in the late 90s, very early 2000s. And it's possible someone replaced the rear glass thinking it should have the vertical defrost glass. The original steel Topy's were also missing and it's now got a later set (with later date stamps) fitted to it. Which would have been another good reference point. The centre console has the blanking plate over the defogger switch (same with the parker light switches) which is more inline with AU delivered S30Z's where 240z's didn't generally have the defrost glass and we only saw it with the introduction of 260z's 74+). AU Market cars also had their seat belts replaced with an Australian brand (Kangol) - I've not seen date stamps on them. As you can see they had a latch, didn't clip and were notorious for coming undone if they were not tightened. Not very safe and a strange decision for Australian standards when they were inferior to what I've seen in other markets. You can just make out the "Approved to Australian standard". You can see they were made in St Mary's South Australia. Looks like they went bust in the 1980s. https://www.eoas.info/biogs/A001371b.htm We also never got the door jamb ID plates like North American cars, which would have been helpful for determining manufacturing date. Instead 'some' cars got compliance plates - when they arrived in Australia, which was likely 1 or 2 months after the cars were actually built in Japan. These compliance plates didn't become a requirement until the mid 70s and so many early cars in particular simply don't have 1. My 72 model 240z, which was built Dec 71 (from the markings on my seat brackets) didn't have 1 as far as I'm aware. But HS30 00150 (which I also own) did, and I believe that car to be an ~July/Sept 70 build date car (compliance plate from memory says Oct 70). Hence we have to use other car part date stamps to form an accurate picture of manufacture date. HS30 00051 - still has it's original front guards, but I don't have access to the car and I can't recall looking at it's inspection lids to see if it had the plastic clips. When I do get to see it again (stored with a friend) I'll try and take note.

Very risky in this market, IMHO.

Actually managed to find the images of other early features on HS30 0004. Plastic clip inspection lid AM Radio - no signal seek function and no power antenna switch (similar to Fairlady Z-S specification) Early style ventilated (hat) brake rotors. But here is the curve ball, since HLS30 in 1969 had the solid rear glass, no defrost glass. But HS30 0004 is different. Temperlite stamp Rear view mirror date stamp and horn date stamps And the sump plug and sump (welded in sections)

Does anyone know when the plastic inspection lid clips were phased out? Date wise? Reason I ask is that HS30 0004 has build date features in line with 1969 production HLS30s such as the bonnet (or hood as you'd call it in North America) without the corner support brackets where the hood meets the windscreen cowl panel/inspection lids and the solid rear plastic panel in the boot (no tail lamp bulb access covers). I've got photos of the above attributes attached, and I can't find them now, but I'm certain HS30 0004 had the plastic fender inspection lid clips too. (I'll try and dig the photo out if I can find it). I'm fairly certain HS30 0004 started production in 1969 or early 70, but may have been put on pause whilst other things happened at the factory as @HS30-H points out here. https://www.viczcar.com/forums/topic/36375-1969-240z-hs30-00048-destroyed-seeking-advice/?do=findComment&comment=246026 In my experience to date, I haven't seen other HS30 (AU) market cars with the plastic clips on the inspection lids yet. Hence why I'm wondering when the plastic clips changed. My own car HS30 00051 had the early Nissan 2400 OHC valve cover, which I know was sort of phased out around July 1970 and many other early AU market 240z's had the 2400 OHC valve cover, but they stopped somewhere between HS30 00100 and HS30 00149. I guess my question is this: are the plastic inspection lid clips considered a 1969 production date feature?