HS30-H

Don't take this the wrong way, but it sounds to me as though there is some information and speculation that doesn't completely add up here. So do you think this "L28R" engine was actually fitted to this South African-market R30 Skyline from the Factory? Was this a Japanese-manufactured R30, or a South African-manufactured R30 model? First R30s would be - what, 1981 or so? That's pretty late for any 'special' ( or indeed "race" ) L-gata engines to have been developed expressly for racing. The major push in competition-oriented development for the R30 model in Japan was with the FJ-series engine - not a high capacity N/A donk nearing the end of its production life like the L6. Makes it sound like a locally-manufactured confection for a particular job - but what? So you are saying that this engine had an extra letter 'R' stamped into its block as part of its engine number at manufacture? I've seen Nissan 'LR24' race engines that used standard production-based blocks ( no extra 'R' in the block numbers ) and I've seen Nissan pure race blocks too ( no numbers at all ) but I've never seen or heard of an 'L28R' block. Now why would they need to stamp the letter 'R' into them? Usually that kind of thing is done expressly to satisfy homologation regulations - which would likely mean a certain quantity would have been made, fitted to cars, and sold the to the general public. It would also mean that homologation papers would exist for an R30 model with that engine type, and documentary evidence of race use ( presumably in South Africa ) would exist....... I'm familiar with some special race-dedicated heads for the L6, but these had no type identification marks cast into them ( I'm wondering what casting yours had? ) and they used quite radically different inlet manifolds that were not interchangeable with the standard production L-gata units - so they are easily indentifiable. Yours doesn't sound like one of these? "Larger bearings"? Are we talking Mains and Rod bearings here? That I find surprising. How was this achieved I wonder ( and why would it have been necessary? )? Curious. Do you remember any details of the fuel and ignition systems on this engine? Surely if it was a true "race" engine these too would be quite special? Like I said - don't take it the wrong way, but questions are sure to be asked when this kind of story comes out of the woodwork. Alan T.

Another thread from 2003 with diagrams and pics too: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7697

The next page in the Japanese edition shows that the car has a Japanese-market 'Z' emblem on its bonnet ( hood ) instead of the HLS30-U correct 'Datsun' emblem. 'Dad' explains that the car was "....named the 'Datsun 240Z' in America, and named 'Fairlady Z' in Japan." Not your average Dad, then :-)

Carl, When I wrote "fundamentally different", I meant that they are two different publications with two different ISBN numbers and in two different languages. The fact that they are in different languages seemed to me to be a major point ( especially as you were discussing the English language version when Gee's link showed the cover of the Japanese version ). I didn't want anyone to order one and get the other - if you see what I mean? I am sure that the presentation of the story - and most likely all the original drawings - have stayed the same, but I can already see some slight 'tweaking' towards the perceived customer base for the English language version. In the grand scheme of things this will probably make little difference, as the original Japanese version reflected the content of the NHK 'Project X' episode that it was based on. There are mistakes and historical errors, and a large part of the story is left out whilst the whole bias of the story seems to be based on Katayama having some kind of 'vision' for the Z and everybody else working towards making that vision a reality. That's a huge oversimplification in my view. Katayama or no Katayama, Nissan would have built a 'replacement' or successor to the SP/SR anyway - and indeed this is what Matsuo and his team were working on when Katayama came into that part of the story. Such a car would inevitably have been sold in the world's biggest single market and would therefore have been designed with such in mind ( like most of the cars that were sold alongside it - although we rarely hear about them, except for the 510 perhaps ). Matsuo says he was working on designing a car firstly for himself ( hopefully we all understand what he means by that ) and secondly for Japan and the rest of the World - not just the USA market. That's where the USA-market centric part of the story grates; It is presented as though this was the single reason and aim for the car's existence - which is not the case, is it? But I don't want to criticise either the original NHK episode or the manga too much. At the very least, they introduced the names and identities of many of the key players in the story and left out 'The Lying Count'. There is a lot here that we should be glad about - but I don't think anybody ( including the main characters themselves ) thinks of this as the 'definitive' historical version, and the manga itself was something of a fun spin-off to the TV show. And Matsuo did say to me with a chuckle that he called the manga ".......the Hollywood version......". He pointed out a couple of things in the manga that had been changed to make the story 'play' a bit better, and one of these was the full story surrounding the Z signal flag - which he recounts fairly differently. Alan T.

Carl, Watch out for typos. One of the above ISBNs must be wrong........ ISBN for the original Japanese version is ISBN4-87287-899-X. So we are talking about two fundamentally different versions here. Anyone who wants to order one might need to be careful about which version they require ( get both! ). Gareth, The ISBN for "Fairlady Z Story - Datsun SP/SR & Z" with contributions by Yutaka Katayama, Yoshihiko Matsuo, Hideaki Kataoka & Brian Long - published by MIKI PRESS in 1999 - is: ISBN4-89522-244-6. That article in 'Classic Cars' is pretty much the usual fare I'm afraid. They don't seem to try all that hard with the pages they dedicate to the Z. Cheers, Alan T.

Surely we are talking about TWO distinctly different books here? The one I have is the original Japanese language version, and the other must be the 'translated' English language version. Both are by the same author, but the content ( like the cover ) appears to have been slightly tweaked to appeal to an English-speaking audience. Note the different covers and titles:

Carl, Did you "read" the original Japanese issue, or the 'translated' English-language version? The link that Gee provided showed the Japanese issue I believe. "240-Z" is not mentioned in the title, frontispiece, back cover or spine of the original Japanese issue - so I presume you must be quoting from another ( different ) publication. Alan T.

Don't look at me for a while. I'm busy moving home. I don't know where anything is at the moment........

I wouldn't dare pick on you. But seriously, the link shows a picture of the second Japanese edition from 2004 ( it was first published in 2003 ) which had the space on the lower front cover for the Carlos Ghosn mugshot slipover, which I use as the bullseye on my darts board. I thought the English-language version has the picture of the SCCA-type race car on the front cover?

I second the recommendation. I've had these books for a number of years and still keep dipping into them. They are really nice things to have on the shelf. Well worth the money. The section written by Rauno Aaltonen in 'Fairlady II' is particularly good, and I think it shows why the Japanese rally team mechanics and staff held him in such esteem. Alan T.

Surely Gee's link shows the original untranslated Japanese version? Are you getting it mixed up with the English translation version that was recently published? The cover is certainly quite different. That's interesting. Matsuo san described it to me in those exact same words. That's a coincidence isn't it? Kind of a microcosm of S30-series Z authorship history going on there......... :classic: Alan T.

websteg, You can have one of my spares for free if all else fails. FS5C71-A complete with L-Series bellhousing. Only problem is - its located in London, England. You would have to pay for the shipping.......... Might be worth keeping in mind? Alan T.

Here's a cod close-up for the hard of herring:

Hi Miles, Ah - now I understand. I was ( for some reason ) thinking that you lived part of the time on Okinawa ( maybe it was your 'Y' plate? ). Now that would be a long journey.........! The reason I asked about Uchida san is that he seems to have a bit of a 'rep' for being difficult to deal with sometimes. I visited his shop around 12 years ago ( when he was still sharing his workshop space with an 'ordinary' garage business ) and he was - at first - particularly grumpy and abrupt. He soon warmed up a bit though. Car people are car people. His business has grown a lot since that time, and I hear that he also plays in a band now ( ???! ). Ah yes, I can relate to that. My other half just leaves me to it whenever I want to go on a car-related visit in Japan. She goes out shopping or meets her friends for lunch, and doesn't expect me back until late. "What on earth do you find to talk about?" she says. Plenty! Cheers, Alan T.

websteg, Here's a relatively recent thread that contained lots of data that you might find useful / interesting: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20792 Alan T.

Definitely aftermarket. That's a pair of 'Napoleon Auto Mirrors' - early 1970s vintage. Illustrated top right in the mirrors section from this 1971 ad in a Japanese magazine: Alan T.

Miles, Glad to hear that you are reunited with your car. Its a nice time of year to be driving. Is 'Victory 50' a long way from where you live ( I don't know whereabouts you live in Japan )? It sounds like you travelled a long way. Uchida san has a reputation for sometimes being a bit 'difficult' with his customers. Was your experience with him good overall? And did he sing you a song?! ( :eek: ) Alan T.

The original stage play was a musical.

aarc240, Whilst I have your attention, can I re-ask you a question I asked a couple of months ago ( you didn't reply last time )? The original thread was here: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20983 You wrote ( in post #45 ): And I asked ( in post #50 ): If you have any further information I would love to hear it. Sorry to keep asking you for 'evidence' - but what you write is very interesting and begs for questions to be asked. Alan T.

I'm sorry that you find it troublesome and annoying, but I am interested in the truth. If your evidence is only anecdotal, then it might be best to make that clear from the outset. Opinions too are probably best clearly stated as merely opinions, rather than facts. You are referring to the cam cover drawings now, yes? Once again, I'm sorry to disagree with you - but I don't think we should classify the drawings from the factory parts lists as true "engineering" drawings. For one thing, they haven't got very much of the data that an engineer would need on them. Essentially they are guides to help identify individual components, and serve as illustrations to accompany part numbers and their descriptions. They are not "irrelevant" drawings - they just have some slight inaccuracies - and plain mistakes - in them. I have some Japanese-market parts lists and workshop manuals that were hand-notated by the dealers and mechanics to correct inaccuracies. It is clear that mistakes were made, and some inaccuracies were allowed through the net because - presumably - they would result in little adverse consequence ( I'm thinking of the "DATSUN" scripted L6 cam cover illustrations here ). If you spend time looking at the original publications you can spot quite a few incidences like this. Do you have any factory parts lists? I could give you some examples of mistakes if you don't. And with regard to the KPH to MPH speedo conversion on that single KPGC10 - you suggested that 'Jeco' could have performed the conversion ( even though I believe - there's that word again - the KPGC10 speedo and tacho were made by Kanto Seiki ) - which would point to the car being an *official* Factory-sanctioned export. To me, this confuses the situation: You are offering up 'evidence' that is clearly questionable ( Jeco ) - and which can mislead. I went back through this thread and re-read it several times. I picked out the post which caused me some surprise and aroused my interest. Here is what you wrote: So far you have backed this up with anecdotal evidence of one car ( you say it was a KPGC10 ) of which you say no pictures, written reports or other sightings seem to exist. So what about the PGC10s you mentioned? Did they come and go without ever being noted? I would find that hard to believe. This is not a witch hunt - and I'm sorry if it feels that way to you - but you should expect to be asked for a little more evidence after making such a definitive statement. Alan T.

Not really. I think it is funny. I know what "chaps" your "@$$" though, so I keep it up. You tw@.

Oh, and by the way - from the 1969 Japanese market factory Parts Catalogue: *13264-E3000 - arse'Y COVER, rocker. L20 engine. = "NISSAN 2000 OHC" script. The parts catalogue illustration - in contrast to the Export market versions - shows exactly that. Maybe there was some *intention* to fit a "DATSUN" scripted cam cover to the Export market cars, but they never quite got around to it? Alan T.

Mr C, The part numbers are easy to look up. I already did it when aarc240 posted the numbers. He told me to check my facts, and I did. From the factory Parts Catalogue for the USA & Canada market: *13264-E3100 ASSY-ROCKER COVER ( applied model L24 ) *13264-P0100 ASSY-ROCKER COVER ( applied model L24, L26 ) superseded 13264-E3100. The illustrations on the pages ( just like the Courtesy Nissan-supplied illustrations in the books he quoted ) show the script "DATSUN 2400 OHC" - but I think this is just one of those Nissan anomalies in the parts books. For the record, I believe: *13264-E3100 ASSY-ROCKER COVER = "NISSAN 2400 OHC" script. *13264-P0100 ASSY-ROCKER COVER = "NISSAN OHC" script. Alan T.

So there were no sales staff at Nissan USA HQ that day? Wow. I think you'll find that John B. Rae reported the speech as transcribed in the 'Datsun News' publication of late 1969. I presume that this internal company news sheet was seen by sales staff as well as others? When I refer to "advertising copy" I am of course referring to some of the lines from NMC-USA endorsed advertising that you quote on zhome.com I don't have any "resentment" of Katayama as a man. I have a huge amount of admiration for him. If I "resent" anything it is the bad balance of reporting, and the cult of personality that has surrounded the man and his activities to the exclusion of virtually all others. I find the whole thing rather strange - but perhaps it is an American cultural phenomenon? Nobody seems willing to bring up any suggestion that he may have made mistakes that lead to later trouble for Nissan, or that he might have inherited the credit for the hard work of others. All great men make mistakes, so I don't see why it is taboo to discuss them. Funny how you are ready to pounce at any questioning of Katayama's saint-like status, but also ready to damn the work of Hiroshi Iida and his team in their own particular field of blue collar work without even looking further than my posts on the subject. I don't think you even knew Iida's name until it came up on this site - did you? Why would we need that when we have zhome.com? After all, this is the story of "An American Car, Made In Japan". :classic: Alan T.

You'll have to be a bit sharper than that if you want to try and stitch me up. Here's what I actually wrote ( bold type for emphasis on what you chopped out ): Naughty naughty. Nissan offered the "165SR-14" tyre as an "Option" on the KPC10 and KGC10, and the "165HR-14" tyre as an "Option" on the KPGC10. They are exact quotes from official Nissan literature. Nobody is saying that one is a direct replacement for the other - otherwise why would it be offered as a choice at time of sale? Surely you understand that an 'Option' would by definition be something different to standard equipment - regardless of whether it was "better" or "worse", more expensive or indeed cheaper? But that's my point exactly. You mentioned that the car you saw in the Australian showroom was fitted with CROSSPLY tyres. You also mentioned that the S30-series Z standing in the same showroom was also fitted with crossplies ( we are presuming here that it was an official Australian market 'HS30-U' 'Datsun 240Z' ) - which was worthy of questioning. Why would an Australian market car be wearing crossplies when - as far as I am aware - all Australian market 240Zs were fitted with radials? You keep talking about what was "legal" fitment in Australia, and the marking that Australian market tyres should have. My point was that I don't believe the KPGC10 you said you saw was an official import ( or - more to the point - an official export by Nissan Japan ) and if it was a Grey Import then it would be highly likely that some of the specs of the car would not be fully compliant with Australian regulations and Type Approval. I simply offered the possibility that it might have had standard Japanese-market tyres on it. Thanks for the endorsement. I think a crystal ball might be handy at this point. It looks like it might be the only way of corroborating your story. You seem pretty sure that no evidence of the car's presence in Australia will be found ( what about any others? ) - which I find puzzling. Surely the only way you could be sure of that is if you made it all up in the first place? Cynical aren't I? Alan T. :classic: