Datsun 240/260/280Z model chart poster

[AndrewCarGuy]

Hi everyone, my name is Andrew and I'm from Melbourne (Australia).  I've just introduced myself in the appropriate forum and now I'm writing to seek a little assistance from Datsun fans who may know how to answer a few questions.  I am developing a Datsun 240/260/280Z model chart poster which profiles all the key models and changes from the 1969 to 1978 production run, as well as including a few specials.  You may have seen some similar posters on eBay.  I will post some examples of the posters I make below, but I am close to finishing my Datsun one, and will show some "work in progress" images below as well.

 

I like to show models with different factory accessories fitted on the different cars but I'm finding it hard to locate and confirm what they were exactly.  There's little info on the web about it, and the brochures don't really discuss much.  I found one for 1972 I think, but no other years.  I've managed to find info on a wing-type spoiler, body stripe and rare T-top option, but nothing about the more common ducktail-type spoiler and I'm unsure which front spoilers/air dam are considered period accessories.  Was the ducktail spoiler a factory option right from the start?  I'm also not sure about optional wheels.  What types of wheels could be optioned?  Was a radio/stereo usually always fitted?  Were bumper overriders/underriders always optional on the original bumper-style cars?  Did the optional body stripes change over the years?

 

So I'm looking to option up a few of the models so they don't all look so similar (except in different colours of course) and make it better value for buyers of the poster.  Could anyone please make a list of exterior options and what they were called, which years available, etc?  I will happily supply the posters to you at a special price!

 

Many thanks in advance and hope someone can help!

 

Andrew.

 

 

 

 

[Six_Shooter]

Most of the options you mentioned were not factory options, they were aftermarket add ons, or dealer installed options.

[d3c0y]

And to beat HS-30H to it, you have to decide if you are doing AUDM, JDM or USDM models which are all different again. Since you have 280Zs in there i guess you are doing US market cars?

[AndrewCarGuy]

Thanks for the replies!  I am doing the US market cars at first, and would definitely want to include dealer-fitted items and some common aftermarket items too, to keep the poster interesting.

 

It will have the Scarab, a convertible conversion and Z-BAIT on it, too.

 

As for items to add onto the cars, I've just found the following:

 

Competition hood scoop

G nose - what's that?

OEM front and rear spoilers

BRE front spook

BRE 4-spoke racing wheel

 

Were the BRE items common accessories people added?

[PB260Z]

Thanks for the replies!  I am doing the US market cars at first, and would definitely want to include dealer-fitted items and some common aftermarket items too, to keep the poster interesting.

 

It will have the Scarab, a convertible conversion and Z-BAIT on it, too.

 

As for items to add onto the cars, I've just found the following:

 

Competition hood scoop

G nose - what's that?

OEM front and rear spoilers

BRE front spook

BRE 4-spoke racing wheel

 

Were the BRE items common accessories people added?

 

G Nose

 

[AndrewCarGuy]

Ahh right, so it's like a deeper front end with no grille a big lower air intake.  Enclosed headlights too!  I think US regulations banned enclosed headlights though.

[Alfadog]

Welcome! Your previous posters look great. Looking at these, I am guessing you're going for more a 'fun an interesting' than 'anorak' vibe, right?

 

With this in mind, I think it would definitely be more interesting if you included some of the key S30 models worldwide, not just US.

 

In particular, the Japanese domestic market were treated with a wide range of models from factory which were not offered anywhere else. Google Fairlady 240ZG, Z432 and Z432-R !

 

You could even do a police car like you did with the Maverick.

[AndrewCarGuy]

Thanks for the suggestion of the police version, I definitely want to add that.  Well I'm looking for a list of 16 cars to fit the poster format, and at the moment I'm at 16 just for the US models.  I think what I'll do is make two posters like I have with my AMC AMX posters, and the buyer can choose which one.  I will have one without the Japanese variants and one with them, which drops some non-standard US ones.

 

01. 1970

02. 1971 with G-nose, rear spoiler and wheel flares

03. 1972 with dealer options

04. 1972 Z-BAIT

05. 1973 with T-top

06. 1973 convertible conversion

07. 1974 260Z

08. 1974 Scarab

09. 1974 OMS pace car

10. 1974.5 260Z (bumpers and full power)

11. 1974.5 260Z 2/2

12. 1975 280Z

13. 1977 280Z

14. 1977 280Z Zap

15. 1978 280Z Black Pearl

16. Modern customised version

17. 1969 police car

 

[HS30-H]

02. 1971 with G-nose, rear spoiler and wheel flares

 

17. 1969 police car

 

Very very ( very! ) unlikely that you would have seen a 1971 car with a Grande / Aerodyna nose in North America in 1971.

The 'G' nose was sold as a semi-official 'Race' part - through 'Datsun Competition' in North America, but it was well after 1971 before it got there.

 

In any case, you are in danger of straying from your own ( "USA model" ) theme by including such a car. In my opinion it would be a travesty to include something in a 'USA themed' that looks so much like one of the exclusively Japanese market models, but isn't.

 

If you want to include a 'G' nosed car in a USA-themed grouping, there's one - rather obvious - choice. Yutaka Katayama's personal USA-market 240Z was dolled-up with a 'G' nose ( but no Over-Fenders ) wire wheels and bright yellow paint for him in the USA. Katayama was President of Nissan Motor Co. USA at the time. It's a famous car, and might be an appropriate car to include in this group.

 

How a 1969 Police car ( as used exclusively by the Japanese police... ) fits in with your USA-themed grouping I don't know....

[phillay]

that's so cool, if you don't mind do you have a hi res one so I can put it as my desktop (the z poster)

[gav240z]

I think as Alfadog suggested looking at the global market would make things far more interesting. I think the Safari Rally cars really deserve to be in there - more so than the pace car - which I've never seen before. The home market got some interesting variations like the Fairlady 240zg (with that nose cone piece and flares), PS30 (Fairlady 432) with a unique motor (S20) although hard to show on your poster, then perhaps the most interesting of all the 432-R which I'm sure Alan (HS30-H) could give you plenty of info about. Also some markets like Portugal got Kobe Seiko wheels as standard and the Australian market had it's own share of unique details on our models also.

 

I think it would be important to show the 260z (since your poster only shows the 280z) and the 2+2 introduction in 1974 - in particular the AU market got a bucket load of these compared with 2 seaters.

 

 

 

 

[Mr Camouflage]

I'd include other non USA cars.

 

Adding to your list,  something like:

 

1969 (USDM: early emblems and D hubcaps)

1970 (JDM) Fairlady Z (jdm emblems, fender mirrors, optional mags)

1970 (JDM) Fairlady Z432 R

1971 (JDM) Farilady 240ZG (with G-nose, rear spoiler and wheel flares, fender mirrors)

1971 (USDM) Later emblems and hubcaps

1971 Works 240Z #11 East African Safari Rally winner

1972 (USDM) with dealer options (bumper bar things and side stripes)

1972 Works 240z #5  Monte Carlo Rally (placed 3rd outright)

1972 Fairlady 240Z-G Police car (http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/HERITAGE/fairlady_240z_g.html)

1973 Works 240Z #1 East African Safari Rally winner

1973 Failrady 240ZG race car (http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/HERITAGE/fairlady_240z_059.html)

197? Big Sam (Samuri UK race car)

1974 260Z (thin bumpers)

1974 260Z 2/2 (thin bumpers bumpers)

1974 Scarab (with full body kit)

1974 OMS pace car

1974.5 260Z (5mph bumpers)

1974.5 260Z 2/2 (5mph bumpers)

1975 280Z

1977 280Z Zap (decal kit)

1978 280Z Black Pearl

Z BAIT (1970's 240Z modified in the late 70's early 80'z)

Devil Z (of Wangan Midnight Manga Fame) S30 Fairlady Z with L31 twin turbo.

 

 

[d3c0y]

1973 Failrady 240ZG race car (http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/HERITAGE/fairlady_240z_059.html)

That is actually called a 240ZR

[Mr Camouflage]

Yeah that's what the Works team called them.

[AndrewCarGuy]

Thanks to everyone who has responded overnight!  I got a bit excited by that police car, sorry for the confusion with it being on the US list.  I have decided I will do a blend of US and Japanese market models on the one print, with no motorsport cars except for the pace car.  Though I may replace that with an Aussie model, but am unable to find any definitive info on AU models.

 

Thanks for that big list of cars, it's very helpful.  As there's too many for a poster, I have revised it to the following 16:

 

1969 USDM early model

1970 JDM Z

1970 JDM Z432R

1970 JDM ZG

 

1971 USDM update

1972 USDM dealer options

1972 JDM ZG police car

1974 260Z

 

1974 260Z 2/2

1974 Scarab

1974 OMS pace car

1974.5 260Z - new bumpers

 

1975 280Z

1977 Zap

1978 Black Pearl

Z-BAIT

 

Gav, the 260Z has been included since day one.  The images I showed are just works in progress on a few of them from the entire range I'm putting on the poster.

 

Phillay, sorry but my policy is to not share "clean" digital copies of my work.  People use them to print their own smaller prints from it so I don't share them anymore.

[HS30-H]

....I have revised it to the following 16:

 

1969 USDM early model

1970 JDM Z

1970 JDM Z432R

1970 JDM ZG

 

1971 USDM update

1972 USDM dealer options

1972 JDM ZG police car

1974 260Z

 

1974 260Z 2/2

1974 Scarab

1974 OMS pace car

1974.5 260Z - new bumpers

 

1975 280Z

1977 Zap

1978 Black Pearl

Z-BAIT

 

There's no such thing as a "1970 JDM ZG". The 'HS30-H' model ( Nissan Fairlady 240ZG ) debuted in October 1971.

 

Why is the only '1969' car a "USDM"? The two cars you list below that, a "JDM Z" ( which one? ) and a "JDM Z432R" both debuted in 1969 too. Doesn't make sense to me. You're making it look like the "USDM" model came first ( it didn't ) and you're leaving gaps. You're also forgetting about our friends in Canada; That's why the correct term is "North American Market" rather than "USDM".

 

 

 

Unfortunately, artworks of the type that you are engaged in producing ( nice as they are ) tend to get used as reference material for historical fact. Mad isn't it? Missing out large and important chunks of the S30-series Z story is something that happens time and time again, and it may indeed be one of the contributing factors in your ongoing confusion regarding models, specs and production periods. The internet's default setting is USA-centric ( it shouts the loudest ) but these are Japanese cars we are talking about here and their story is best told from the Japanese viewpoint ( preferably in a seated position at the end of the production line.... ).

 

To be honest, I'd rather see you take a shot at grouping just the "USA" ( ahem, North American Market ) cars together. That on it's own would be a big piece, and you'd have your work cut out keeping it accurate and fully representative. Trying to throw in assorted "JDM" models without really knowing what's what is probably going to result in the kind of glaring omissions and/or tokenism that sends people like me ( who takes this kind of thing far too seriously... ) into a mouth-frothing frenzy. In fact I'm well on the way there already. Nurse! 

 

And if you put that bloody 'OMS Pace Car' thing in and leave any of the Works rally cars I'll probably have to hunt you down and confiscate your pencils. A barried-up 'image' car built to queen around a lap or two in front of real race, versus two outright wins on the East African Safari Rally and an - all things considered - amazing third outright on the Monte Carlo Rallye is not only no contest, but also no comparison. So there. In fact, there's enough material for you to make a race & rally competition-only grouping that would be both interesting and huge on it's own. Food for thought?

 

I am now going to lay down in a darkened room.             

[Mr Camouflage]

1974 OMS pace car

 

BRE 240Z   

 

That would keep the USA contingent happy.

 

Never even heard of the OMS pace car until now, and most likely neither has 99% of anyone with a Z.

[Mr Camouflage]

You're also forgetting about our friends in Canada; That's why the correct term is "North American Market" rather than "USDM".

 

My bad. Just throwing generic terms around to help distinguish them from JDM cars.

[d3c0y]

What's a Z-BAIT? Isn't that what happens when you find a pic of a really good looking zed on the internet?

 

 

I google came up sans answer.

 

 

 

 

[Mr Camouflage]

I had to google that too. Turns out its the first of the 3 Primadonna Z cars built in the late 70's early 80s by some dude ( in California i think). originally white, then repainted red. Its current where abouts is unknown.

 

 

 

[HS30-H]

Its current where abouts is unknown.

 

Best thing that could happen to it.

 

 

 

In my opinion...

[d3c0y]

Lol.

[Six_Shooter]

Best thing that could happen to it.

 

 

 

In my opinion...

 

For once, we agree on something.

[HS30-H]

For once, we agree on something.

 

Well, if you're right I'll usually agree with you... 

 

Hopefully you saw me sticking up for the Canadian market cars a bit further up the thread, too. Some of our USA-based "expert" friends might not have, which is bad manners at the very least. Nissan on the other hand took the Canadian market very seriously. And rightly so.   

[gilltech]

Well FWIW I'm enjoying this thread, and I'm now hoping that there will be several posters - we all have our preferences & as owner of a NZ-new '74 S30 I'd like to see:

1. a range of cars applicable to this part of the world (NZ & Australia) being both new & used imports that we are familiar with; (not liking the fat-bumper North American models);

2. a range of the factory specials & limited edition models including the rally cars & track cars & Z432s that we all drool over.

Not keen on aftermarket restomod Zeds either.

I'm wanting some new posters to laminate & put up on my garage walls, my current ones have faded over 25 yrs.