kats

Thanks Charles , this is the biggest one I have ever seen , my family is no problem , thank you so much . Every year we have big disasters around the world , I hope everyone is doing good ... I am in San Francisco now , adding one more night to avoid the typhoon, will fly on Sunday . Kats

Hi gundee , is your splash pan non-hole type or with holes type ? If it is a non- hole type , it is period correct for your car . But I can’t say it came from a factory or a dealership . Like sports optional parts and even standard parts which are not for US and Canada might be able to be placed an order through the local dealer ship , a scenario that someone put the splash pan at the local dealership or at the individual garage could still be existing. Kats

I would like to show the examples of what Alan is describing. These goodies are easy installation . And everyone can install the fog lamps because the wires are already there . Look at the underneath of the radio , our cars all have a big rubber plug for the drain hole of the factory installed air conditioning system. No matter where cars were designated their destinations. Even Z432 which had never been applied air conditioning from the factory has the plug, it is interesting to see. Kats

From AUTO CAR 6 May 1971/ 10 August 1972 / 14 September 1972 I can see the splash pan for each car . I have heard the red 240Z (HS30-00035) was intended to ship to Australia originally but it ended up landing at Europe, if so , the Australian 240Z has the pan . Kats

Thanks Alan for correcting me , I have learned a new thing . I am curious about Australia cars in the same time period . What made Nissan decide some destinations have the pan and others don’t . Doesn’t seem there was a serious issue to do that . Cost matter ? Or weight saving? Kats

Hi , I saw the pictures, I think the car was added the later pan at some point before . Except a very few prototypes, US and Canada S30 cars ( 240Z ) 1969 October to 1972 August don’t have the pan . I guess this could be true for all export models . My 01/1970 Z432 has a non - hole pan from the beginning, My 03/1970 US 240Z doesn’t have a pan from the beginning but was added a non - hole pan by me for fun . My 06/1972 Fairlady 240ZG has a non- hole pan from the beginning . My 12/1971 US 240Z doesn’t have a pan from the beginning. Kats

Nice examples ! I will take a picture of my Fairlady 240ZG tomorrow, let’s see what the car have . Kats

Thanks Alan , if we don’t understand fully line up of Nissan at that time , we can’t see what was happening with the S30 . Kats

Thanks Carl , yes I think so too , it is not that simple . Reading many books from my book collection , I see these. 1961 Mr.K started a KAKU “ U “ project to let not only engineers but also executives know what is needed for selling cars in the US . Mr. K and Mr . Hara they met already at this point . 1965 L20 six cylinder went on production 1965 Mr. K became a president of Nissan USA 1965 Mr. Matsuo / Mr. Yoshida / Mr. Chiba these styling designers began to study for a new sports car 1966 Chassis Engineers had began to study for a new sports car ( Mr. Kambara is the key person for this ) 1966 late Mr. K met Mr. Matsuo, at this point the cray model which would become S30 was not settled yet . 1967 is the most important year for the birth of the S30 I think . 1967 Feb Mr. Tamura joined the studio and started refreshing the body . Mr.K saw a cray model and said “ I buy this car “ . 1967 Mar Mr .Hara who was a manager of Design engineering and styling section had been watching activity of styling designers and chassis engineers had had decided to start a project of a new sports car . He also believed Nissan can make a new sports car and well sold in the US . 1967 April A meeting was held by production management to set the target of a new sports car. This is the moment of S30 officially became to have six- cylinder engine. A base model is four -cylinder engine, a high performance model is six-cylinder engine. And set the target main market - USA . However this was not seem to tell the styling designer until June , Mr.Tamura . Because he said “ one day Mr. Matsuo came to see my work and suddenly told me “ this car became to have six-cylinder engine “ . That was the summer of 1967 “ . 1967 June 1st new sports car meeting was held and this project was named “ Maru Z Kei kaku “ . The engine has two types , L16 and L20 . 1967 November Mr.Hara had an idea to achieve an approval of a new sports car from executives. I think Mr. Hara did a great job at the presentation. So the answer of the question “What made S30 prototype upgrade to a six- cylinder engine from a four- cylinder engine? will be , “ the meeting of production management held April 1967 “ . As a side note , Maru Z Kei Kaku decided to install a L24 for USA model is July 1968 . Kats

S20 had nothing to do with Yamaha ! If Mr. Goertz ‘ s statement were correct, it would have been meant all two-seater , fastback coupe in the world were designed by him , influenced by him after S30 debut. The designers in S30 design team had already known world’s beautiful sports cars and have taste of those essence. The A550X was never be an model which they started to build . And Mr.Goertz left Nissan way before the project, he didn’t touch / teach any part of the S30 body . Mr. Goertz would never be able to answer for our any single question . Those who want to know about , visit here

Thanks everyone, this is very interesting to discuss. When I home , I will write what I think . I need to review Mr. Tamura’s Letters which describe what was happening when he worked so hard on the clay model . That will indicate when and what made S30 went to have six - cylinder engine. And of course I need to read through again Mr. Uemura’s book , Mr. Matsuo’s book ,and old magazines which were featuring an interview to the “ chief “ of design, engineering, marketing, etc . It seems very difficult to have one answer for everyone ( who is the father , mother , or MVP kind of things . I think each one can have whatever who wants in his mind ) . However we are seeing “what and how they did “ and “ who did that “ at that time . Kats

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate your joining. I realized I had to ask in a different way after seeing everyone’s reply . Like Alan said , seemed there is no correct answer in that choice . I had to specify “when” precisely and use proper words to explain what I was asking about . I always feel there were some key facts of “ how S30 was made “ and those facts were in progress in different people , different section , and they were existing in parallel before they were finally all united . What I was trying to do is ,I wanted everyone to know about the story behind S30 . I thought it is interesting in the part about Nissan executives . ( actually it was not his word , Mr. Uemura quoted from Mr. Hara ‘s book ) I have learned Mr. Hara was very important person who dedicated to making S30 in the early stage . And how do you say , he was a car guy . Mr. Hara also wrote a book , “ Datto San Kaihatsu no Omoide “ ( memories of development of DATSUN cars ) . So , Mr. Uemura wrote like this , ( I will be back later ) Kats

Ok , if your 240Z was born in at or before August 1972 , your car doesn’t need the splash pan . Kats

Hi , I don’t know much of it , as far as I understand is Fairlady-Z ( Japanese model ) series always have it . Not an optional item , it is a mandatory item for Fairlady-Z series even 240ZG . For export model , I don’t know. But except very early prototype used as an example for the service manual and 1973 model year car ( maybe at or later Aug 1972 ) in the US , they don’t have it . Please note the early one does not have holes like you see them on later one shown in the picture . Kats

Hi ,here is a quiz What made S30 prototype upgrade to a six- cylinder engine from a four- cylinder engine? #1. Styling designers wanted a bigger engine #2. Mr. K said “it has got to be a six -cylinder engine for America “ when he saw the prototype #3. Executives in Japan thought it wasn’t a good thing a sedan (Skyline ) has the most powerful engine ( S20 ) in their products . “We have Fairlady ,a sports car deserves a powerful engine . Let’s put S20 in it “ If someone who read the Mr . Uemura’s book correctly,and the book is interpreted correctly ,it is easy to find the answer. I would like to have the English version to see if the book is telling what Mr. Uemura originally wrote . Kats