Datsun 240/260/280Z model chart poster

[HS30-H]

So about the Big Sam, you're saying that the 240 number (among other things) is not correct for the year stated?

 

Well, the year stated is 1971. The car we know as 'Big Sam' ( actually two, or three cars depending on what we want to count... ) didn't exist as 'Big Sam' in 1971. That's a whole can of worms that you don't really want to open here, believe me...

 

But the point is that the car is depicted in a 1990s-era livery and spec ( when it was owned by a perfect gent called Nick Howell, and prepped by Tim Riley ) and is sporting the 2005 Goodwood Festival of Speed start number sticker ( the '240' in a silver oval, stuck on the rear quarter where the factory emblem would normally go ) so it's not in its 1974/5-ish era championship / class winning livery, which I would think would be its most significant and pertinent? It's up to you what you depict in your poster, but I would have thought a period-correct livery ( like the BRE car and the works rally cars ) would have been more suitable for purpose?

 

Having said that, I don't think your choice of cars makes much sense really anyway. The subject is just too big. You can't decant all of the significant models into something that fits on your poster size. In fact, you wouldn't be able to do justice to the full complement of the Japanese market models on one poster, let alone the world market. And there are probably enough recognisable and significant competition cars to justify a poster of their own, too. I think that's a point I made way back at the start of the thread. 

 

About spoilers, etc, I think it's fine to include factory and dealer optional parts, as that's how some would have left the official showrooms.  I can cover that kind of note in the text.

 

I don't agree. It doesn't make much sense to try to be accurate if you are going to blur the lines between what was factory stock and what wasn't. Pictures such as these - annoyingly - get used as reference pieces. They can tend to seed a new crop of mistakes and confusion. I think if it's worth doing it's worth doing well. Mistakes may happen, but when you've got a good chance to get it right ( our comments here will surely help? ) then I think it's worth keeping at it until it's a right as you can possibly get it.

[AndrewCarGuy]

I have updated the poster with all the points raised, and it is shown below.  I'd like to respond to each point individually so you can see how much I appreciate and take care in what you are saying!

 

> HS30-H said:

> Japanese market cars did not have the marker lights on the rear quarters.

A: I didn't notice, my mistake!  Thank you.

 

> The exhausts on the works rally cars are wrong.

A: I've found some better side/rear shots to get them right.

 

> Japanese market cars are all Nissans ( not Datsuns ).

A: I had no idea, thanks for pointing that out!  It has required a revision to the big poster title and individual car labels as well.

 

> Nissan Fairlady Z432 didn't come with a rear spoiler as stock equipment ( although it was an extra-cost option ) but Nissan Fairlady Z432-R did.

A: I've taken your advice seriously agree that it'd be best to depict it in standard form, since you made a point about this kind of artwork being referred to many years or even decades from now.  I will mention the spoiler being optional in the notes, and that will explain why most of them have one.

 

> What's with the door mirror on the Fairlady Z432-R and Fairlady 240ZG?

A: A simple oversight, I forgot to delete the door mirror.

 

> Nissan Fairlady Z432-R came with steel wheels ( and no hubcaps ) as stock equipment.

A: I have managed to find a photo with the original wheels (took a while!) and have updated it.  Thank you for letting me know.

 

> The police car is a Nissan Fairlady 240ZG, as is the Nissan Fairlady 240ZG ( what's a "Fairlazy"? ).

A: I've added individual Datsun or Nissan labels to each car to cater for this and Fairlazy was simply a typo of course.

 

> Brock Racing Enterprises = BRE not 'BRA'.

A: Another silly typo.

 

> 'Big Sam' is depicted in Goodwood Festival of Speed guise ( with '240' FoS start number and 240 door numbers ) which is perhaps a little 'late'? The car has been returned to a closer approximation of one of its original liveries now.

A: I haven't got around to addressing this yet.  Would this be an original livery?

http://images1.bonhams.com/image?src=Images/live/2011-05/18/8317775-1-11.jpg&width=640&height=480&halign=l0&valign=t0&autosizefit=0

 

> Alfadog said:

> - Green colour of the first car doesn't quite look right for 907 Racing Green available in 1970

A: Thanks, I think it was meant to be another colour entirely, but I've updated it to that colour.

 

> - Should the steering wheel silhouette look slightly different for RHD/LHD cars?

A: No, the original photo I based everything on was shot from a long way away, making things like that look the same from both sides.  I always try to find photos like this for my artwork.

 

> - Silhouettes of the seats in the Z432 and Z432-R should be different, i.e can't see them at all really since they are small bucket seats. I'm not sure about the BRE or rally cars.

A: Thanks, I have addressed the seats in those models.

 

> - Some of them seem to have 2 interior door locks?

A: It's actually the same effect as the steering wheel.  The original photo has this too.  It is such a perfect angle that the perception makes them look like they are right next to each other.

 

> - Some of the rear qtr badges are in the wrong spot (e.g. Z432)

A: Yes, I pasted them in from another car and then must have got distracted or something, and forgot to move them into place!

 

> - Japanese black fender mirrors look kinda too big and bulky

A: True, I have examined better photos and revised them.

 

> - Why is there a 1974 260Z and a 1974.5 240Z?

A: A simple typo which has been fixed.

 

> - I think the dual exhaust of the Z432 & Z432-R is not high enough, and doesn't look like two pipes

A: Thank you, I have revised them accordingly by finding better source photos.

 

> - Front spoiler on the UK car doesn't look right to me

A: Thank you again, I really struggled to find a good side shot showing this originally.  I managed to find one after you reported this and fixed it all up!

 

> - A subtle detail but if you look at some photos you will notice that the body hip-line crease doesn't continue in front of the front wheel arch

A: I noticed that too and had intended to correct it in a final stage.  I have done this now.

 

> - Windscreen wipers on the 240Z-G were black

A: Thanks, I have changed them!

 

> - Shape of the overfenders on the 240Z-G cars, and the rivet positioning and size doesn't look right

A: Thank you, I assumed they'd be the same as the earlier (and now dropped) modified 240Z I was going to include on it, but it turns out they aren't!

 

[AndrewCarGuy]

I have updated the poster with all the points raised (except Big Sam), and it is shown below.  I'd like to respond to each point individually so you can see how much I appreciate and take care in what you are saying!

 

> HS30-H said:

> Japanese market cars did not have the marker lights on the rear quarters.

A: I didn't notice, my mistake!  Thank you.

 

> The exhausts on the works rally cars are wrong.

A: I've found some better side/rear shots to get them right.

 

> Japanese market cars are all Nissans ( not Datsuns ).

A: I had no idea, thanks for pointing that out!  It has required a revision to the big poster title and individual car labels as well.

 

> Nissan Fairlady Z432 didn't come with a rear spoiler as stock equipment ( although it was an extra-cost option ) but Nissan Fairlady Z432-R did.

A: I've taken your advice seriously agree that it'd be best to depict it in standard form, since you made a point about this kind of artwork being referred to many years or even decades from now.  I will mention the spoiler being optional in the notes, and that will explain why most of them have one.

 

> What's with the door mirror on the Fairlady Z432-R and Fairlady 240ZG?

A: A simple oversight, I forgot to delete the door mirror.

 

> Nissan Fairlady Z432-R came with steel wheels ( and no hubcaps ) as stock equipment.

A: I have managed to find a photo with the original wheels (took a while!) and have updated it.  Thank you for letting me know.

 

> The police car is a Nissan Fairlady 240ZG, as is the Nissan Fairlady 240ZG ( what's a "Fairlazy"? ).

A: I've added individual Datsun or Nissan labels to each car to cater for this and Fairlazy was simply a typo of course.

 

> Brock Racing Enterprises = BRE not 'BRA'.

A: Another silly typo.

 

> 'Big Sam' is depicted in Goodwood Festival of Speed guise ( with '240' FoS start number and 240 door numbers ) which is perhaps a little 'late'? The car has been returned to a closer approximation of one of its original liveries now.

A: I haven't got around to addressing this yet.  Would this be an original livery?

http://images1.bonhams.com/image?src=Images/live/2011-05/18/8317775-1-11.jpg&width=640&height=480&halign=l0&valign=t0&autosizefit=0

 

> Alfadog said:

> - Green colour of the first car doesn't quite look right for 907 Racing Green available in 1970

A: Thanks, I think it was meant to be another colour entirely, but I've updated it to that colour.

 

> - Should the steering wheel silhouette look slightly different for RHD/LHD cars?

A: No, the original photo I based everything on was shot from a long way away, making things like that look the same from both sides.  I always try to find photos like this for my artwork.

 

> - Silhouettes of the seats in the Z432 and Z432-R should be different, i.e can't see them at all really since they are small bucket seats. I'm not sure about the BRE or rally cars.

A: Thanks, I have addressed the seats in those models.

 

> - Some of them seem to have 2 interior door locks?

A: It's actually the same effect as the steering wheel.  The original photo has this too.  It is such a perfect angle that the perception makes them look like they are right next to each other.

 

> - Some of the rear qtr badges are in the wrong spot (e.g. Z432)

A: Yes, I pasted them in from another car and then must have got distracted or something, and forgot to move them into place!

 

> - Japanese black fender mirrors look kinda too big and bulky

A: True, I have examined better photos and revised them.

 

> - Why is there a 1974 260Z and a 1974.5 240Z?

A: A simple typo which has been fixed.

 

> - I think the dual exhaust of the Z432 & Z432-R is not high enough, and doesn't look like two pipes

A: Thank you, I have revised them accordingly by finding better source photos.

 

> - Front spoiler on the UK car doesn't look right to me

A: Thank you again, I really struggled to find a good side shot showing this originally.  I managed to find one after you reported this and fixed it all up!

 

> - A subtle detail but if you look at some photos you will notice that the body hip-line crease doesn't continue in front of the front wheel arch

A: I noticed that too and had intended to correct it in a final stage.  I have done this now.

 

> - Windscreen wipers on the 240Z-G were black

A: Thanks, I have changed them!

 

> - Shape of the overfenders on the 240Z-G cars, and the rivet positioning and size doesn't look right

A: Thank you, I assumed they'd be the same as the earlier (and now dropped) modified 240Z I was going to include on it, but it turns out they aren't!

 

[gilltech]

Looking good!

Some of the title text under the cars is incomplete.

Personally, I don't like the (brackets) used around the stated 'market', doesn't read well as not all the cars are noted as having a 'market'; why not just use a simple hyphen instead?

[AndrewCarGuy]

Thanks mate, I took your advice and changed them to hypens instead of brackets.  Does look heaps better.

 

It's all finalised and I've sold two prints so far, so looks like an enthusiastic initial response to this new poster.

 

A BIG thank you to everyone who has helped me out with info, tips, photos and details!

[gilltech]

So where do we find these posters of yours? Website?

(sorry if you have already said & I've missed it.....)

[AndrewCarGuy]

Hi mate, it's available on eBay or my own website:

 

http://www.uniquecarposters.com/datsun-240z-and-nissan-fairlady-z-car-model-chart-poster

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121347703967?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

I've now sold three in a week - that's considered a very strong result for one of my posters.

 

[HS30-H]

So, after all that, we still ended up with a whole load of mistakes...?

[gilltech]

How about you do a final review HS30-H, no doubt Andrew can tweak a few bits still.

And then I'll order one.

Andrew, can you have them plastic laminated to order? (Extra cost obviously). Some eBay vendors offer that service.

[AndrewCarGuy]

I've worked really hard to get this poster to where it is at the moment, so I'd love to know what mistakes you're referring to!

 

I offered laminating before but not anymore.  I did it through OfficeWorks but they ruined a print on two occasions.  So now I leave it up to the customer to do it on their end.  It is intended that they are framed behind glass anyway.

[HS30-H]

I've worked really hard to get this poster to where it is at the moment, so I'd love to know what mistakes you're referring to!

 

Well, for a start, all the stuff about the "Nissan Fairlady ZG". There was no such model.

 

It was the 'Nissan Fairlady 240ZG'.

 

The whole poster fails to get across the fact that the Japanese market did get L24-engined cars ( a layman reading the text would be forgiven for believing that Japan only got 2-litre engined cars ) and that the Fairlady 240ZG was part of a range of Japanese market models ( Fairlady 240Z, Fairlady 240Z-L and Fairlady 240ZG ) that all had the L24.

 

And what's all that stuff about the 'G-nose' panels 'kit' being offered to the North American market? Bolting parts onto your car doesn't instantly turn it into another factory model, so what's this stuff about "...and cars equipped with it can be referred to as a 240ZG"...?  That's just complete and utter nonsense.

[AndrewCarGuy]

Thank you, I have made the corrections.  The lack of 240 from the ZG's name was picked up from Wikipedia's lack of it, and the Datsun 240ZG error is again from Wikipedia, although their wording sounded a bit like it was a nickname, not an official model.  The words I chose I guess could have seemed like it was a model available from Datsun, but that was not the intention.

 

I had no idea about the other Nissan Fairlady 240Z cars.  I had to Google deep down into the search results to find something concrete to cross-reference.  I ended up finding an article about the Japanese performance models and someone writing in the comments telling off the writer about the same thing you told me off about!

 

I've revised the text to briefly discuss that the L24 engine was introduced in 1971 with the other models and that the ZG was a part of them.  I've removed that whole US nose cone thing.