HS30-H

Don't know if it would help you, but NISSAN sources usually quoted that the Auto transmission versions were 25kg heavier than their Manual trans equivalents. Good luck, Alan T.

Hi Fred, That must be Switzerland you are talking about eh? Some models in Japan had a clock 'delete' option ( notably the Fairlady Z base model S30-S and the Fairlady Z432-R PS30-SB ). These models came from the Factory with the Clock filler panel - which was just a plastic disc that blanked off the hole. I've got a picture of one somewhere. I'll pull it out and post it later ( I'm just about to drop off a package at the FEDEX office - so it'll have to wait ). But why on earth would they want to delete just the clock on a Euro HLS30? Surely it must have been one of several cost-cutting deletes that the original owner specified? Did it have the "plastic" carpets and no rubber trim on the bumpers too? Some of these had the interior vinyl trim with NO diamond pattern ( just plain grain ) and just one interior sun shield. I've also seen them with the non-dipping interior mirrors. I like the super-basic models. Less is more. Allons-y! Alan T.

Hi Alan, The story that I have always heard is that the Factory decided to concentrate initial production and sales on the 2-seater after consultation with NMC USA, and in particular Mr Yutaka Katayama. He wanted to maximise the chances of the car being a success, and didn't want to confuse the market too much. The S30 series Z project did after all start out at concept stage as a 2-seater. The 2+2 model ( contrary to much popular myth ) did indeed get penned alongside the 2-seaters. A pretty close mock-up / pre-production model existed back in '68. I think we have discussed this fact in other posts. Glad that you love your 2+2 and its opening quarter windows ( a great feature ). All the best, Alan T.

Hi Tanny, I don't know if you have their new details or not - but the company moved away from the London area fairly recently. Here's their new address; TECH-DEL LTD. ( original manufacturer of the MINILITE wheel ) Unit 4a ROUGHMORE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE WILLITON, TAUNTON, SOMERSET, UK. tel: +44 1984 631 033 They sell bolt-in valves that should cope with the thickness of your castings with no problem. I too have some wheels with particularly thick Magnesium castings, and they needed the bolt-in valves just like yours. As Rolf says, beware of old Magnesium castings. They can look OK on the outside, but have bad structural problems. If in any doubt whatsoever, have them crack-tested or X-rayed to make sure they are safe. You might of course actually have the Aluminium versions. If any problems getting in touch with TECH-DEL - let me know. I'll try to help. All the best, Alan T.

Alan, hope you don't mind me making a quick interjection here; Japan had cars in 1969. Admittedly it was late in '69 - but not any later than the USA. Yes, there were fewer of them - but they DID exist. I'll always point that out when I see anyone saying different or making it sound a bit like the USA got the first Z cars. The USA got the first EXPORT Z cars, but the S30-series Z debuted in Japan and was first sold in Japan. Back on the true subject of the original post, I think there is something in all of the points made so far. There was definitely a supply and demand problem around the time of the debut of the RS30 / RLS30 260Z and the 2+2 versions, and by all accounts NISSAN really did start to get their knickers in a twist around that time. The "260Z" model was released in Japan and then quickly withdrawn from sale after numerous problems with emissions regulations not being met, and there were all sorts of other problems inside the Japanese parent company at that time. I don't think it seems to have affected the USA-market cars so much as all the other ( predominantly RHD ) markets. Definitely this is a factor. Having taken the step of productionising the 2+2 model ( something that was originally planned to be sold alongside the 2-seater back when the range was launched in '69 - but then shelved ) they naturally would have wanted to sell as many of them as possible. I don't think that NISSAN would have held back on promoting the 2+2 model, and their advertising of the period certainly shows that they had a damn good go at making it a big seller. Here in the UK, Datsun UK made a big hoo-ha about the 2+2 models and could almost be seen to be pushing them rather than the 2-seaters. Add to this the fact that they had already had around three years-worth of sales on the 2-seaters, and you might imagine that they had pretty much sold as many 2-seaters as they could place with owners. Sales of 2-seaters would have naturally been starting to slow up here. I don't know how many 2+2 models were sold in the UK, but it seems a lot to me. Porbably something like the numbers that Alan posted for the Australian market. ie - proportionally more than the USA market. When the 2+2 debuted, it must have allowed those people who really wanted a 2-seater ( but could not get their family / spouse to accept it as a practical family car ) to buy something that looked a bit like the 2-seater - but had that added bit of practicality. I still know people over here who justify their 2+2 ownership with this point. Truth be told, many of them would seem to actually want a 2-seater, but could not get familial consent............... Surely the situation in the USA was different? With more cars per capita, and a cheaper retail price in relation to average income than other markets, surely many 2-seater owners either had another ( "shopping" ) car / runabout or indeed were mostly younger ( with no kids? ) or less tied-down than their non-USA counterparts? I think these people would not have been forced to 'compromise' like those in other markets might have been. So surely, as Alan suggested, this really IS an issue of lifestyle linked to circumstances? No offence to 2+2 owners, but you can see why most people would choose the 2-seaters over the 2+2 models if all other factors other than visual appeal are discounted. I've personally got a soft spot for nice clean original 2+2 models ( and especially the Japanese "2/2" models ) with all their correct equipment and Factory accessories. They are actually very good all-round cars, and are some of the rarer models out there. I'm glad that they exist. Alan T.

...............in the USA.

I'm not sure if you use the same terms in the USA, but here in the UK the process is called "Gold Passivated Zinc" plating. First they Zinc plate the items, then they give them an extra process called Passivation ( in this case, with a gold colour ). Here in the UK we can buy home plating kits ( lots of nasty chemicals and electrics to play with ) and I bought one and had a go at it. The finish was not wonderful, but passable for stuff that's not looked at too closely. First you had to Zinc plate the items ( suspending each item on an individual wire was a pain ) and then go through a separate gold passivation process. The whole thing was much too fiddly and surprisingly expensive - so the professional platers get my vote every time now. I believe that gold passivation can be applied to other base plating ( like Cadmium, as 2ManyZs suggested ) but that the original finish on the majority of first generation Z car parts was Zinc based. Alan T.

Hi Rolf and Guus, ( Guus - long time no see!.......... ) Very sad to hear that Hans Schuller is also not with us any more. Herrmann passed away some years ago - so one of the most successful of pairings in Rally Zs has now gone. It would have been very interesting and educational to talk to both of them. Schuller in particular, as he took part as both a Navigator and a driver on the Safari Rally, and also the Le Mans 24 Hour race in '75 - all in Z cars. I'd like to see Rauno Aaltonen's memories of his Nissan / Datsun years in print at some point in the future. So far he seems to have been reluctant to be interviewed, although he used to do many interviews with Japanese magazines back in the 1970's. Alan T.

Mike ( Zedrally ), I remain unconvinced that a Factory-built G-Nose was ever made in metal. I've spent a long time looking into the history and details of the HS30-H and all the Factory Homologated race body parts that were used, as well as some of the privateer team and semi-Works team efforts in Japan. I've never even heard a sniff of a metal G-Nose. Some race body parts were made in aluminium ( especially for the PGC10 and KPGC10 Works race cars ), but hardly anything. It was a very skilled job to make them in small quantities ( as opposed to making press tools and stamping them out - which would have taken huge investment ). Nissan inherited some good connections from Prince, and one of them was a very good network of FRP specialists who were capable of limited-volume manufacture of the Sports Option FRP body parts for all the Nissan race cars and homologation specials. Nissan also had a fair bit of history with FRP of their own - dating from the late Fifties. It was quite logical for them to make stuff like the G-Nose panels from FRP - rather than metal ( either Aluminium or Steel ). They also had the connections to make Urethane and ABS body mouldings. Your friend seems to think that the Factory G-Nose was metal ( he doesn't say what type of metal in his quote ) but he also seems to be talking about something that was not actually attached to a car when he was considering buying it. I have no idea what this was or where it came from - but it sounds as though it was in Australia. Now that its been mentioned it will plant a seed of doubt in some people's minds that it might be true, and that all the FRP G-Noses attached to the REAL ZG were somehow non-original or some kind of second generation. He also states that many copies were made in FRP / GRP - and this is of course true. However, the discussion started out in relation to genuine Factory parts - so they are just a sidebar to the story. Maybe somebody made a G-Nose replica in metal ( that would have been quite a job ) but I don't think it was Nissan sanctioned. Lots of cars tend to get labelled as "ZG" when they are in fact nothing of the sort. There's a big failing in the Z enthusiast community outside of Japan that this kind of thing is not more strictly policed. Simply bolting a replica G-Nose onto a Z does not make it a ZG, and come to that taking the genuine ZG nose and Overfenders off of a genuine ZG does not make it an "ordinary" Z again. Even attaching the genuine panels from a REAL ZG to a non ZG will not make it a real ZG. This has got to be quite clear. Only the Factory could create a GENUINE HS30-H ZG. This is always quite clear in Japan - and if anyone tries to sell a car as a genuine ZG they have to make sure that it is indeed a real one. Most vendors that are selling a replica ZG or a Z with a G-Nose in Japan are very careful to make the point that it is not a real one. I can't imagine that in the Porsche enthusiast community a replica 911RS would be sold as a genuine car when it was quite clearly a replica; somebody would blow the whistle. Of course, fakes exist. However, passing something off as something it is not - and knowing this to be the case - is fraudulent. I'm building a replica 432R at the moment, but simply installing an S20 engine and all the other detail parts ( and there are literally hundreds of differences ) will NOT make it a 432R. It was, and always will be, an S30 Z-L. I have to be very careful to try to make everyone understand that I am building a replica and not a fake, and try to make it quite clear every time the car is discussed. Even so, I have still heard third-hand gossip here in the UK that I am building a "fake" - as though I am trying to fool anyone that it is a real one. Its even been put into a magazine article without my prior knowledge ( it was photographed at the paint shop ) and captioned as the real thing. This is all very dangerous. So if I seem overly pedantic about making the distinction between genuine Factory-built / sanctioned parts and the myriad aftermarket and 'replica' parts out there - then its true. I probably am. I can't see any other way to defend the real thing from the replicas and fakes. What you believe is up to you, but I feel honour-bound to tell you what I know and hope that you will at least take his claim with a pinch of salt. Anecdotal evidence will not be enough to convince me - I would need to see documentary evidence that this existed and that it was made either by or for the Factory. If it wasn't, then it could be anything. Alan T.

Sorry, but Goertz did not design the S30-series Z. I also don't see very much similarity between the BMW 507 and the S30-series Z. If Goertz can claim input on the A550X prototype, and it was shown to Toyota by Yamaha ( not Nissan ) after Nissan blew it out in '64 - then how come Goertz does not claim the design of the MF10 Toyota 2000GT? Goertz does not want to be connected with something that was seen to be a failure ( even though the Toyota was a great car ). Kazuo Kimura had just as much input on the A550X prototype as Goertz did. Actually, the A680X prototype looked more like an E-Type than the A550X - and the A680X had more similarities with the S30-series Z than the A550X did. Yoshihiko Matsuo and his team would have been influenced by the E-Type, amongst other references ( and he has name-checked the E-Type ) and it is they who designed the S30-series Z car. They also designed the A680X prototype. I think the Goertz myth is going to go on forever now. Nissan should have nipped it in the bud before he brought that court case and the Nissan legal department settled out of court with an ambiguous statement ( which Goertz was happy with - but was a lot more than he deserved ). I am no Goertz fan, as you can tell. Alan T.

Gav, I feel like I'm under "Friendly Fire"................ When did I "hold back" about the two different models of G-Nose? This is just something that I happen to know and I did not know anybody else was asking about it specifically. Mike ( Zedrally ) posted that his mate had told him about it and I mentioned back that I was surprised that somebody else knew about it. What's the problem? You never asked me a direct question about it did you? Did I miss a question or something? I could wax lyrical for ages about the differences between the genuine ZG and other models - but it'd have to be in response to a direct question, otherwise how would I know who wanted to know?????? If you perceive me as being a smug sod who likes to lord it over knowing stuff that other people might not know, then so be it. You may well be right. However - in my defence I might say that I've been partially pushed into a kind of seige mentality in an ( albeit hopeless ) stand against people who think they know everything and don't want to learn any more. I'm particularly talking about the Z scene here in the UK now. I've been somewhat marginalised by inverted snobbery and I've even had the indignity of having my car vandalised at a Z car show. That might show the kind of mentality that I've been up against over here. I've had some of these people trying to poke holes in my car and spread rumours that its not even a "real" ZG ( like they would know how to tell....... ). To arm myself against this kind of thing, I've made a big effort to try to find out all I can. This was hard work. It took a great effort on my part and I had to do a lot of research. I didn't have it handed to me on a plate. If that tends to make me a bit precious with the info then I can't help my personality. But if anyone shows any REAL interest or thirst for knowledge about the things I'm interested in, then I will honestly do my very best to help out. I've seen posts on other boards where people claim to have real ZGs - but its quite clear that they do not once you look at photos of them. I'm not going to go and burst their bubbles unless they ask me specifically about it. I have a good few reference points now on how to identify a real one, and the two different types of G-nose moulding is part of that information. I've had somebody here in the UK showing me a picture of the later type and telling me that my car cannot be a "real" ZG because it does not have the ducting in the picture. Seems like some people really would like to twist the knife. I suppose its ultimately up to you what you think about me, but I'd prefer that you knew a bit more about what makes me tick before you had a go at me about something like that. Taking criticism from someone who you respect is pretty hard, I must say. Alan T.:disappoin Christ, I even used a Smilie.............

Hi Enrique, Hmmmm, that's a good point - but your picture was of a really late E-Type ( Series 3 or later? ) and that was styled a fair time after Matsuo and his team would have been doing the S30. Matsuo has name-checked the E-Type as a reference-point in the design process ( in fact Nissan bought or otherwise borrowed one for the design team to have a look over didn't they? ) - but that would have been either a Series 1 or 2. I always thought the Series 1 coupe was the best ( I always choose coupes over open cars ), and the rest were pretty ugly............... especially the 2+2 version. I like the ( partially obscured ) caption on the photo, by the way! I think the Ferraris ( 275 / 365 et al ) look closer to the S30 design in the end. Good point by 2ManyZs too. I have no idea what they are putting in the tea at the Nissan Design HQ canteen - but its sure making things come out looking a bit less exciting than they used to..... Alan T.

Geoff, I really like posts like yours. That's what made me take the bait! I too have permanently got my tongue planted firmly in my cheek. My dry and boring style of writing probably doesn't quite get this across. Maybe I should use more Smilies. Keep 'em coming.................. Alan T.

The 365 Daytona debuted at the Paris Motor Show in late 1968 - so Pininfarina would have had to have had a man on the 'inside' at Nissan if they had copied the S30-series Z............. Yoshihiko Matsuo has mentioned in interviews that he was a big fan of many products of the big Italian styling houses ( aren't we all?! ) during the Sixties. If you look at the Ferrari 275 you can see a lot of cues for cars such as the S30-series Z and indeed lots of other stuff, and its clear that Matsuo and his team would have been influenced by cars such as these. In fact I think Matsuo has namechecked the 275 as an influence on his taste, and he only got the chance to go further with this when the ZG debuted in late '71. I think its probably fair to say that almost ALL automotive designers and stylists would have been looking towards Italy during this period, and would have been influenced by what they saw. I don't know how far the Italian houses were influenced by what they themselves saw in other designs from other countries - but I'd have to say it was probably pretty peripheral ( try saying that while you are eating............... ). Japanese manufacturers were naturally looking to Italy, as the acknowledged masters of automotive styling cool, right from the mid-Fifties. Indeed, by the late-Fifties Prince had already paid for design consultants from Italian styling houses to help them with the Skyline range. I doubt if Matsuo and his team would have seen what the 365 looked like until at least early to mid '68 - and by that time the S30-series Z was already looking pretty much as it was going to look at launch. More a case of great minds thinking alike than copying I would have thought........... Alan T.

ps I seem to remember we had a thread going a few months back ( last year? ) discussing kerb weight / dry weight etc. for the different models in different markets and the differences between them all. No idea where it was exactly, but you might try the search function on "weight" or something similar to find it. Government departments are notoriously crap at entering the correct details for vehicles into their records. My 1970 Fairlady project car was privately imported to the UK back in the mid Eighties. The DVLA here decided that they knew exactly what it was, despite what evidence was presented to them. According to them, I am now the proud owner of a "1970 Fairlady Turbo". The dumwits. Alan T.

Be careful here, as the normal definition of "Tare" weight for a VEHICLE is its 'dry' weight with no passengers. So just the car without anybody ( even the driver ) and with no fuel in the tank. I use these kinds of terms at work, and despite the fact that we use them all the time there is still sometimes some confusion over what they mean. In some countries, they interpret them differently - even though the whole idea is that they are an internationally recognised standard............... When 'Tare' is used in the freight business it usually means the weight of the packaging or the container - without the goods / contents. I think the word is originally from the French language, and derives from an Arabic term. Useless information dept. Alan T.

As a Englishman I feel duty bound to inform you Sir that Sidney Allard was one of my countrymen. God save the Queen. Alan T. ( and yes, I know Sidney used American V8 engines in some of his cars! ).

Alfa, The guy is a friend of Mike's who astounded me by actually knowing that there were two different models of G-nose type ( early and late - just detail differences but very important to us penile extension experts ). As I said, I thought I was the only person outside Japan who had a handle on that. Nobody else I've ever conferred with outside Japan seems to know bugger all about them. A kindred spirit. Hooray! You lot are fresh as daisies, but I'm fit to kip. Time to climb the wooden hill to Bedfordshire again. 'Night all. Alan T.

Mike, that car is going to be loooooong. Have you got garages that long in Australia? Alan T.

I tell you what, nothing would surprise me about these bloody cars any more. Anyone who tells you he knows all about them is delusional ( and yeah, that includes me ). I just hope your mate wasn't referring to something that he can't back up with evidence. If that's the case, then we won't get anywhere with it. As the owner of a genuine HS30-H ( had to get that in at some point didn't you Mr T.? ) I have made it my business to find out as much about them as possible. That includes lots of research about Nissan's interesting subcontracting for their FRP parts and the factories that made them. I have to say a sheetmetal G-nose would be a piece of art, and even just the lower panel would have to be made in several pieces and then butt-welded together. That I would like to see. Not impossible, but in the scheme of things, not very likely. I went on a work-related visit to the Morgan factory last year. We were covering the Aero 8 for the magazine, and I was very interested to see and hear that they are forming many of the aluminium sheetmetal components using a subcontractor who vacuum-forms them. This is aerospace technology applied to cars. They said that they can form accurate double-curvature aluminium panels at low cost, and save much time over some poor old bugger slaving over an English Wheel for a whole day just knocking up one part. That's the 21st Century for you; Vacuum-formed aluminium Morgans. I hope this turns out to be an ear blunder on your part, Mike. If this guy is the same guy who actually knew that there were two different models of G-nose, then I don't know what we'll do. He was the first non-Japanese bloke that I have ever heard about who knew that little chestnut. Hats off to him. I thought I had that one sewn up and was dead smug about it............. Alan T.

Sod the Bex, I just cracked open another big can of Kronenbourg 1664 - "La Premiere Biere Francaise". Please God make me right about the sheetmetal G-nose story...... Alan T ( hic.... )

OK Mike, you can have the new VIN prefix if you like - but PLEASE, no more sheetmetal G-nose stories. I'm already on happy pills as it is. Alan T. ( don't suppose your mate can back up that sheetmetal G-nose story can he? That might cheer me up a little ).

Mike, please ask your friend what on earth he has been drinking. If he thinks that the genuine G-noses, or any prototype or race-version thereof was sheetmetal then I'm not sure what I can do or say to convince him otherwise. The poor man must have been seriously misinformed, or eats far too much cheese before he goes to sleep. Sorry, but this will not wash. There's a danger with these cars and their history ( and the large holes therein ) that anybody can say anything and it might get taken for the truth, or at least not proved to be untrue. You can ignore what I say if you like, but I want to state most forcefully that this story is NOT true. Blimey, I nearly had a heart attack when I saw that. I'm going to have to have a little lie down now. Alan T.

Opel GT?