26th-Z

I don't think there are limitations, but you're going to get a smart-arse comment if you do! There's nothing bad about bringing up an archive if you have something to add. Actually, it's better that way - keeps all the info in one place / thread.

Yes, you will decrease the interest and resulting "value" buy installing plastic emblems and not restoring the metal emblems. A knowledged buyer would know that a 1970 model HLS30 had metal emblems - chrome Z or not. If you have the metal emblems, restore them.

This is the first time I have seen this thread and what I liked was the photograph collection of the cut sections revealing the way the body shell was constructed. We have many conversations over the last few years about how the "chassis" was constructed. The web site photos describe some nice detail.

Matt, I'm south of Tampa and do not know many establishments up there even though I used a machine shop in Ybor. I suggest you contact Carl Beck or Jim Frederick for some good advice. Chris

Supposedly, arguably, the first 100 of any car like the Datsun Sport Z is valuable from a collector's point of view. The Z432 variant is highly coveted. The Mazda RX-7 is a good comparable example. Early examples are very pricey and not easy to come by. Although the early cars had their quirks, as Ron points out, they were the lightest and fastest of all the HLS30 models.

Guten tag Rubber Duck!

I'm very surprised. I would sell HLS30-00027 for that kind of money. Seriously. But the economics of this sort of project have been well hashed over. The cost seriously depends on your expectations of the finished product. The cost also depends on who does the labor and for what rate. Some guys prefer to pay someone. Some prefer to do it themselves. Some buy replacement parts and some restore the parts they have. For me, I have always worked on cars so I'm doing most of my own work. I contract out many different things, but the process one would take for this car is similar to what I am doing to Her Majesty the 26th. HLS30-00026 (Her Majesty) has around $4,500 in metal work alone including the electrolite dip. Paint was another $5,000. The engine and trans represent another $5,000. I have quite a bit invested in re-plating bolts and fasteners. I can only imagine what the chrome plating cost is going to be. My original optomistic estimate was $30,000 but now I am optomistically thinking $40,000 or more. It wouldn't suprise me at all to see someone spend $70,000 to $100,000 on a restoration like this. And we will see cars of this value soon. HLS30-00017 is lurking in a restoration shop and I'm positive that HLS30-00019 will be finished soon. I think HLS30-00052 is close to being finished. No...I'm very surprised to see the results of this auction. Surprised at the sales rhetoric from the seller and surprised at the bidding results.

Datsun film from the 1971 Trans-Am championship

Way to go, Will! This looks like it will be a lot of fun.

Of course the mule story is lore but if it were true, that would make Her Majesty the 26th more famous as the very first car intended to be sold to the public. Poor Jim and Rick with their "mules".

Woo hoo! Just got a Canon EOS 60D.

Very nice set of pictures, Mike. Somewhat inspirational for the guys who complain about rust damage. Arne, think Watanabe...

Very nice, Dan. Anxious to hear what you think of the repro knobs.

Please go back and read my post #44 guys. The Datsun 240Z did not race in the same SCCA class as the Porsche 356 - ever. The Datsun 240Z did not race in the same SCCA class as the Porsche type 911 - six cylinder. The American Road Race of Champions was / is a race of SCCA National Divisional champions, not regional. There is a big difference.

Agreed. Any of the fender patch panels are basic starting-point shapes and metal work is required to fit them. Mine came from Tabco but I'll bet the BD parts are the same. The quality of the finished repair can be near perfect.

Very nice. Two thumbs up!

Kats, Interesting story from Mr. Tamura has me thinking. If he was part of AC prototypes from 1966 through most of 1967 but not part of the final clay models - P-types. Here are some pictures of the AC models. The convertible is A6 from January 1966. It shows the sharp corners of the headlamp cover design. Perhaps what Mr. Tamura was talking about with his Yoshida conversation. Then model types AC-2, AC-3, and AC-4 from May through October of 1967.

Hey Kats! Many thanks for the pictures and story. This is great information to hear! The pictures of clay tools are stunning information to add to our collection of how our cars were conceived. All my best to Mr. Tamura. Chris

Thanks Alan. That explains many questions I have had following this conversation. I'm satisfied with what the E4126 looks like. There is no doubt in my mind that a 'prototype' could exist. I had this sort of conversation with Matsuo san years ago. There are several other 'prototype part' examples and we find switch-ups from the earliest production cars all the time.

Couple of comments from the conversation; This web site is pretty much the "history channel" for the history of the Datsun 240Z Sport S30 Series. Years ago, we had conversations about the relevancy and context of historical writings by Matsuo, Katayama, and others connected with the design program. The point was made that individual comments that we were interpreted as historical fact were likely slanted by the perspective of the author. This video is a perfect illustration.

I wondered if you had posted the link, Carl. Great video isn't it? This should be posted in the thread from last week about the design of the S30.

Yes, that's the Frisselle Z.

Carl, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards regulated headlamp design for many years prior to 1968. The '68 law regulated positioning, but the sealed beam design was still required. Prior to '68, several automobiles had over-under layouts of high and low beam headlamps. The '68 law requred side-by-side layouts. Around 1965, the square sealed beam was introduced and the '68 law addressed that too. I'm guessing, as I don't remember 240Zs with headlamp covers (because they were illegal) in the period, that this headlamp cover phenonmina is a more 'recent' development. Yes, they were available in the competition catalog, but I just don't recall seeing them with any sort of regularity. One other thing that should be noted here about headlamps. Headlamps manufactured for the Japanese domestic market have reflector patterns in the headlamp for driving on the left-hand side of the road. They would be improper for use in America.

Carl, Look up Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108. "In 1968 when Federal auto equipment and safety regulations were initiated, the requirement for two large or four small round sealed beams was codified, thus freezing headlamp design for many years. At the same time, the new regulations prohibited any decorative or protective element in front of the headlamps whenever the headlamps are switched on. Glass-covered headlamps, used on e.g. the Jaguar E-Type, pre-1968 VW Beetle, 1965 Chrysler and Imperial models, Porsche 356, Citroën DS and Ferrari Daytona were no longer permitted and vehicles had to be imported with uncovered headlamps for the US market. This change meant that vehicles designed for good aerodynamic performance could not achieve it for the US market." The standard was revised in 1970 to accomodate a petition by Ford Motor Company to use square shaped sealed beam headlamps and has been revised periodically since.

I think your's are the early ones, Ron. Mine are the same.