kats

Alan, are you talking about this race option knuckle arm of your interest for the subject of steering ? I do not know I will put this or not, according to the manuals standard Z432 has 115mm type like other models. Only Z432-R has 105mm type. Some people said 105mm is very very quick and gets driver tired if he does not want to race. However I am curious about the 105 arm, I should try at least once . Then I will decide. Kats

Hi Blue, I also remember Mr.Matsuo told me that , Laurel? is the one which had the cassette on the console. Mr.Matsuo gave me a prototype of AM/FM deck used in a S30 during its development. Kats

Alan, Thank you for the advice, yes I need to talk about this with you and I would like to hear more from you about what is difficult and what is easy. Your questions are perfect, I was trying to say the concept, interior and exterior colors. My goal is to have flavor of factory made, and put image what engineers /workers at sales and export departments would made the car for the US. It is fun for me imagining if Datsun dealer had sold a car like a Z432 in the US, what it would have been like ? I will not be making people surprised to show a car which has exact same exterior of Z432 with Fairlady badges on a LHD 240Z, that is not my taste. Also I do not think about "perfect original US 240Z except engine " type car. Steel wheels with hub caps and a single pipe exhaust system are not suitable for the S20 . So I will remain all the exterior lightings of the US model. Bumper over riders there , as well as DATSUN emblem on the bonnet , front fenders and the rear deck. However, 432 badges will be on front wings and rear deck to say this car could be the one from the factory. Interior items, I will put a stop watch, 10000 rpm tachometer , 8 track stereo system. A horn pad and a glove box door have a Datsun emblem. Seats, I will remain dial reclining mechanism just because I feel "US S30" from it. I really like it because I can adjust whatever I want. Choke and throttle levers will be there. And color, I still do not know. Blue interior with 919 Le man yellow, or black with 920 Safari gold, or 905 Daytona red would be nice . Oil pan, exhaust, wiring, etc etc . Many things have to be sorted out. Oh, but is that a dent for LHD on the S20 only special cross member in the top picture ? Engineers prepared for it just in case? Kats

Gave, I do not know much about that car, but I think we can make a tribute car . Pick up an U.K. or AUS 260Z 2+2 , then put a "Fairlady-260Z" emblem on it. Then you buy an assy of G nose and install it to the car. Or buy a Fairlady-Z 2/2 then put a L26 and the emblems , also put the G nose. I see the rear bumper is painted in grey just like Fairlady-240ZG. Nissan made and listed the emblems for "Fairlady-260Z" in the parts catalog , this indicates they prepared little bit for the production . Some people bought it for having fun. I guess the reason why we were able to buy a full set of G -nose somewhere around 2000 at local Nissan , they would have made enough G-nose for departure of "Fairlady-260Z" . Some of my friends who bought G-nose like those days said it costed 450000 JPY (650000-1000000 JPY today!) and it came with a set of ducts for better air flow for cooling. This means that G-nose is later type, Nissan added the ducts for improvement for the air conditioned car. Fairlady-260Z was supposed to have an air conditioning system as a standard equipment. Kats

Hi Alan , I like the story of wearing boxing gloves ! Yes I probably have been under stressful hotel staying. And you nailed it, I have been thinking of "PLS30" ! How did you know that? if we had LHD model with S20 engine from the factory, what would it have been ? I did not even think about "K " for Kats , ha ha. Hi Gave , yes that book also inspired me to do a project , making a LHD 240Z with a S20 engine. I have been dreaming about making it before we (except Alan) came to know Nissan had a test car which has the S20 in the LHD body shell. My hand drawing is a blueprint, I am hoping I go for it not so far from now. I just want to do something new. Kats

Hi everyone, like Chris and other folks are telling that the shaft will never keep its shape forever. I will apply grease on the shaft before starting the engine . Today I would like to show you this , my poor hand drawing, can you tell what I am thinking about . Kats

Hi Chris, I did not think about it, but yeah, I imagine they wanted to express the word " Maru " ( means a circle ). Just my guess. Blue, I am not an expert about this. Alan is the best. And here is an interesting material which we would love to see, a S20 prototype. Prince engineers began to develop S20 in late 1967, this S20 prototype has many things different from standard production version. Mr. Watanabe who owned this S20 prototype (currently sold to a fanatic) said design of valves and camshafts , combustion chamber etc they are far better than standard S20. And this prototype is even compact to compare with the standard S20. And you see the mount, this prototype has a set of Z432 mount. Mr. Watanabe said this engine could be installed in a Z432 and tested. The mounts came with this engine from the beginning. I do not know this is the 230PS engine which was tested in a S30. And a casting code on the block, you see "70929004" This could be ment "1967 October 9th " or "1967 September 29th" What do you think of it ? I visited Mr.Watanabe's shop last winter, his shop is like a dream land . Lots of S20 and FS5C71A, R192 , and GTRs. People like to throw away FS5C71A and R192 because of the weakness and hard to maintain due to difficulties of supporting parts. We have FS5C71B and R180 and R200 , they performe better and easier to maintain. However Mr. Watanabe like old ones. I will ask next time, why ? Maybe they are lighter than later ones? He is still developing a racing GTR for his own, using FS5C71A . His skills and know how are continuously given into customer's car. Wonderful man. Kats

Thanks everyone, I wanted original look but polishing is included in service menue. I just forgot to tell them no-need. Gave, I sent the carbs to Technical Tohto Kanagawa, Japan. I was thinking sending them to ZT to have roller bearings on a shaft. But time and shipphng cost rise its total equal to price in Japan. (88000JPY this time) The shaft does not have roller bearings, they applied bushes and a special made shaft .I think durability is less than that of ZT. http://technicaltohto.jp/carburetorrestoretion/carburetorrestoretion7.htm Kats

I have my carbs rebuilt, I was trying to do it by myself, but I decided to send them to a professional shop rather than messed it up. The result is so happy, this carbs are for my Blue 03/1970 Datsun 240Z. You can see the difference which is only seen in early carbs, such as non-drain plug at the float chamber, Micky mouse 4- screw chamber cover, and the choke wire hold down bracket. I can not wait to see how they work in my car much much better than used to. Too shiny pot, not original but I gradually love it. Kats

Hi Blue, Mr.Matsuo is there, I hope everyone has wonderful moment with him. I wish I were there. Maybe some day . Kats

You will say just open it and see what is in there. But I do not have tools to do that. I spent some hours looking at the LSD , And compared with the used differential in my hands. I found that they have different case, thickness is different each other. Normal two pinion LSD has thicker case than the other. You can see it from the pictures. If this is a NOS as the seller described and, fully functional like new , and if this is the real race option for GTR/ Z432-R, this four pinion R192 is the good finding. Kats

Thank you Blue , that is a good picture. I have just taken this pictures under the sun, I see a teeth coming from the side which does not have a round window. According to a mechanic who has rebuilt a R192 four pinion LSD, 6 plates inside (4 plates of two pinion) makes the case thinner to have enlarged plates space. Do you agree this LSD is four pinion R192 ? Kats

And this is my spare used R192 LSD two pinion type. Kats

Hi Alan, your S20-000877 is also a good example, casting code is corresponding to the serial number. My 000884 is a bit later from yours , so that my casting code is showing bigger numbers than yours. Alan and anyone please help me to identify this LSD, do you think this is a correct R192 "4 pinion " / 2 way LSD ? I only see two round windows which are open for pinion shaft, these are supposed to be four , are not they? And two way or 1.5 way, it looks two way for me, but I am not for sure. I visited Matsui -san today, he said hello to you Alan, I wish I had plenty time to talk with Matsui-san , it was so fun. Kats

Blue, I will make thousands of copies for my project .Nice idea ! Kats

Engine casting code, this thread is useful. Kats

A front cover of the S20, an unusual surface at top of the crank hole immediately caught my eyes, what is that? I am worrying about this cover has had repaired once before, has not it? As a reference, the third picture is my Z432's cover, I see a lot of casting small dents, and some rough surface at top of the crank hole. I need to look at it more carefully. Kats I see casting code, "9 6 6 20 " I think this means "1969 June 6th " , I do not know last "20" And the water pump, temporarily a GTR one is fitted.

Hi Alan, thank you for your input, that is what I was expecting. Mr . Yamamoto said the engine pulled from a Z432-R, but everything which I saw was a standard S20 engine parts . I understood that is correct, Z432-R which was sold to the public has a standard S20 engine. When you want to race , you have to buy and install race option parts into your S20 engine, I got it. I have seen and missed race option piston, 8H/8L camshaft, camshaft sprocket , but if I managed obtaining those parts, it would not work. I need to have a specific head gasket, specific valve springs, seals, etc, etc.. And professional assemble work. It is just a long way !! Kats I restored my race and rally manual , Terashima-san kindly gave me . I used the parts catalog' s picture. The Z432-R is exactly the same size picture of the manual.

Hi moelk, yes it is. I am so impressed that they are so beautiful, so clean , and installed some race options. Kats

Hi Gave, I am wondering about future price of our car and other old cars. When can I trade my Z432 with a Dino 246GT (or 206GT is more suitable for 2000cc car)? Never going to be happened? If I have a Z432-R , I would be able to trade. On the side note of this Z432-R , recently this car was bought by Japanese car guy in Shizuoka , Japan. I think I said there is a gentleman who has three Z432-Rs in Japan, his cars are pristine and still upgrading the level of originality. We will see them someday in the future. Kats

That is right, this car has trimmings! Additional items which are not harming original parts are better than "missing " Kats

Thanks everyone, By the way, some Z432-R will be showing up on the market not so far from now. Every owner becomes old, wife wants to sell the car. This Z-432-R was sold recently at 55000000JPY( approx.500 000 USD), we do not need to hurry for availability but, the price is going up like this. I guess millionaires are mostly out of Japan, so these cars will left Japan , sadly. Kats

Thank you everyone, we have more to discover, let's keep going. Today I went to a shop , to see a S20 which is going to be my Z432's spare. Mr. Yamamoto is very passionate about S20, LY engine, he loves racing. Mr. Yamamoto said this engine might come from a Z432-R which was totaled , I will be happy if it is true. Does Z432-R's engine have racing piston, racing camshafts from the beginning? Alan , let us know. Kats

Thank you Manny, I received mine today, I am so happy with the perfect tags ! Kats

I think so too!! Kats