26th-Z

Well, I was there. I was racing in the SCCA at the time and both Bob and Pete were racing way before the introduction of the S30. Here's what Peter Brock was doing https://bre2.net/the-racing/hino/Bob Sharp was racing his Fairlady 1600 and 2000 roadsters throughout the late 60s. The Datsun USA competition department was established (bare with me, I have to look up the year. I have copies of the original Bulletins) so Nissan was not " setting up a new race program in a foreign market ". Further, the SCCA didn't have a class recognition for the PS30 or the PS30SB because it wasn't imported and sold in the USA. And the crankshaft vibration problem; do you wonder how little is heard of Bob Sharp's problems with the crankshaft? What does Bob's engine builder have to say? I might suggest that you take Peter Brock's presentation with a grain of salt. If you know Pete... My point wants to be that the "armchair" guys have spent a lot of time, invested a lot of money (a big, fat lot), spent years discussing issues (how long have we been corresponding, Alan a decade?), and compiling libraries to have a pretty good understanding of what seems to be what. Laddie, when I started in this forum thing, we were discussing Milbrecht Goertz! In all probability, this forum is the definitive book on the S30. There have been all sorts of topics discussed ad-nauseum within this library. Oh! If you want answers from Bob Sharp or Peter Brock, why don't YOU ask them? Tell us what you hear. Thanks for the pictures, Blue, Mr. Hoover.

I found the reference and it surprised me. I have paid pretty close attention to the stories about the North American testing and the cars imported for the North American introduction / car shows. I have not heard anything about a PS30 or a PS30SB brought to North America. My first question would be why? Neither of the cars were ever intended for export to my understanding. Let alone crashing one. I have seen an S20 engined LHD prototype crashed in Japan for crash testing purposes, but nothing about a production example. I'm also aware of what was taken to Europe for racing-rally purposes, but again, not a PS30SB.

"By some accounts a Z432-R came over here and was crashed and written off". I would like to follow a reference to those "accounts". I haven't heard of that one. Reference?

You show two different hardware sets, Kats. Which one do you think is most correct? Black screws or plated screws?

These will make great Christmas gifts! I'm in for two sets.

"hardly touched by anybody except the local handyman and destined to be liquidated as also-ran lots in an auction where Wayne Carini is selling a Fiat Jolly" Bwaa-ha-ha, cough, sputter, sputter...

I would agree with Alan that there isn't one definitive book. Not in English. I recommend starting with Brian Longs; "Datsun Z, from Fairlady to 280", 1998. There are passages that could use updating but it is the best "starter" volume. Brian wrote what I call follow-up titles which I have not read allowing that I don't know if or how he addressed outdated passages in his first volume. I would invest in the original printing. Hitoshi Eumura's; "Datsun 240Z Engineering Development" is another must read. It is poorly edited but there is good information and presents a picture of design development that you won't find anywhere else (in English). It surpasses the common internet conversation containing pretty pictures of stylized design studies by discussing the mechanical dynamics of the chassis and how the design was influenced by performance criteria. "Mr. K" is going to impress the reader with what all the Mr. K hype is about. Make sure you read "Z-Car, Revival of a Legend"; Yutaka Katayama and Seiichi Takarabe along with "Mr. K'. Both of those books need to be read together. Pete Evanow wrote; "Z, 35 Years of Nassan'sSports Cars" which is pretty good from the American corporate perspective of marketing a successful Japanese import in North America, however, it is more of a cocktail table book. Neko Publishing Co. Ltd, published "Fairlady Vol. 1 and Vol. 2" from1985 are very good if you can find copies. They are considered rare books now. Another good Japanese volume is "Fairlady Z File"; by Studio TAC Creative. Another one of my favorite Japanese volumes, this one a Mook, is Motor Magazines; "All About Fairlady Z", 2005. Agreed, the internet is full of "armchair experts". I have found that few of them actually read. With all encouragement, I wish you the best in your scholarly endeavor. There has been a lot written about the Z. By many different perspectives with various agendas. Best of luck and "Enjoy the Ride".

PPG automotive paints were used for the Vintage Z restoration program. They are going to be the correctest color. You could probably get the 'formula' from a PPG supplier but why not just order the color and be done?

Wow! That's twice as large as I am planning. Very nice! I'm dealing with a more "urban" setting. No where near as much land and the neighbors would appreciate something that looks more like a pool house. None-the-less, I'll have plenty of space and much more than what I'm dealing with now.

I would prefer barn owls over barn cats, but that's just me.

Marty, I didn't catch your square footage and dimensions. I'm in the process of building a garage and I'm really enjoying all the comments. You're are going to spend as much money 'setting up shop' as you spent on the whole building ! Interesting construction type - post and truss framing with siding on purin or bent framing. Lovely piece of property!

Spill grease! Looks great! Congrats

I would like to weigh in by pointing out that Classic Motorsports magazine is primarily an entertainment periodical and not an historical document by any reasonable stretch of the imagination. The article, although written by an extremely credible source, is written and presented as a story, an opinion, commentary, and recollection. For instance, if BRE corresponded directly with Nissan engineering directly, of course Nissan would present the described, interpreted reaction. Alan's quote above is a perfect illustration. Peter Brock offers no indication of what Nissan or Mr. Katayama were "aware"; only his opinion or perception, recollection of those days so many years ago. For that matter, even his own engines were extensively modified; balanced, cc'd, ported, polished, only resembling what was delivered and sold to the public. Of course Peter saved the day. He's the greatest. Just ask him. A true disciple in the very image of his mentor, Carroll Shelby, who incidentally, snaked the Toyota 2000GT racing program away from Peter. The reader has to take all of this with a large dose of salt, as they say. Great entertainment, great story, probably mostly true, but not factually substantiated to qualify as gospel, let alone 'history'.

Datsun dealer in Sarasota, Florida where Her Majesty the 26th was purchased.

There seems to be so much confusion about tow hooks! How can that be?! The loop eye bolted to the front frame rail is the specified tow hook per the owner's manual and service manuals. There is a load rating given for it. Towing the car from the front is the only concession made. There is no recommendation for pulling or towing the car from the rear. These hooks mounted to the rear bumper brackets are tie-down hooks meant for transportation purposes; keeping a car stationary on a flat surface. That's how the cars were secured during shipping. Sometimes they were removed by the dealer but I see them all the time. They have no structural load rating.

Roll the window up so that you have room to work on the handle.

I'm betting 905 Monte Carlo Red. Its an early car and probably worth more in a stock configuration, but it's your car. Nice find! No, you don't really need to do anything more other than get it rolling before you ship it. Probably air up the tires.

According to Carl's list, HLS30-00958 is in Connecticut; if that adds anything to this discussion. The model identification list that ZedHead posted is probably from a later chassis manual of some sort judging by the reference to SU carburetors. However, that list appears in the May 1970 Service Bulletin vol. 125 "Introduction of the Datsun 240Z Sports Model S30 Series". I can't scan the thing (and we have discussed this in the archives - possibly the HLS30-UN thread) so I'm going to make some explaining: Every LHD car imported into North America was an HLS30U. It doesn't say that on any stamped chassis ID, but that's what our North American cars are. They all came with L24 engines, F4W71A-4 gearboxes, and 3.364 final drives. The Basic HLS30Us had engine emission control devices but it was the HLS30UV that had the evaporative emission controls. For instance, my cars are HLS30Us without the evaporative tank but with smog pumps on the engine. Canada export cars, HLS30UN, did not get either emission setup, thus the E41 balance tube. However, both HLS30UVs and HLS30UNs went to Canada. In the State of Ontario, HLS30Us were HLS30UVs because they had emission control devices on the engine and evaporative emission control devices on the chassis. So! There's a good chance your car could be an Ontario import which probably doesn't help because it is the same HLS30UV that was sold on the West coast of USA.

Yea, I agree. Why would you want to replace the good one, anyhow? If you can get away with a patch like that, do it. See what you have to work with when you cut it open. Is it under the battery tray? That's why it rusted out in that spot.

I never want to be critical of someone else's car - critically negative. That's just not polite. So I want to point out some things on the BAT car that I am particularly fond of. I can't stop admiring the construction screws used to mount the fuel filter; mounted over on the side so you can see the custom holes drilled in the shock tower. The battery acid drip marks are to die for! What authentic patina! Like none I have ever seen before. The heater hose firewall grommets are gorgeous! I just can't say enough. Put a reserve on your car, motorman. A big reserve. If that thing can go for $44k.....

Great transmission pictures, Kats! Thanks

That was what was pretty much going on at the time. Semi-professional, sponsored teams were placing entries in a racing series that was intended for amateur builders and drivers. Incidentally, Pete Brock has a new book out; "The Road to Modena".

Unidentified pertinence: "As best I can tell from various sources...Richie Ginther, as an employee of VW-Pacific, was commissioned by VW (Jo Hoppen) to built six 914-6 cars for 1970, for dealers to go for the 1970 ARRC (Road Atlanta) C Production National Championships. Two of those were campaigned by VW-Pacific for Alan Johnson and Elliot Forbes Robinson. They only got 4th and 5th at the ARRC behind the Datsuns. VW lost interest in the program and the cars were raced in 1971 but not seriously." I concur with the statement above from personal knowledge. Bob Tullius of Group 44 fame campaigned a Triumph TR-6 in C-Production during the 1970 - 1971 SCCA "American Road Race of Champions" with similar results against the BRE Datsuns. Another thing to consider is that the racing we are referring to was considered "amateur racing" in the day. Porsche's success in the series you have cited, Alan, were considered "professional racing" by comparison.