Franklin Mint 1970 Datsun 240Z

STEVE BURNS

STEVE BURNS

Club Member
When I was in the states visiting the Z Club Of Texas in 1993 prior to the ZCCA convention in St Louis I was given the following book on restoration of the car that is up for auction

Not sure if they know that prior to the original restoration a tree fell on the front of the car
bill reagan.jpg bill reagan2.jpg
 
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Robbie J

Robbie J

Club Member

Some Quotes From Mr. Matsuo as he writes in 1999;
1. "About 35 years ago, Japan was just starting to make inroads into the American market, but at the time our products were not highly regarded, they sold because they were cheap. "

2. "When Mr Katayama came back from America and visited my department. the words he said made me determined to follow my dream. He stated that we could go on making cheap economy cars forever, but by doing so, we would never be able to move forward in export markets. Nissan, and Japan as a whole, needed to build something stunning, something original that would make foreign manufacturers sit up and take notice of us. "

3. "I felt the only way to make any progress with the project was to make a clay model to show Katayama-san, gain his support, and ask him. as the President of Nissan USA, to push for the model's development. " .
 
Robbie J

Robbie J

Club Member
Really you two, of course, I didn't meet the S30 design lot but later Z's and GTR's yes. I presented tech to some of them.

"Quoting from zhome.com is a bit of a faux pas." but you know my point is valid...

"By virtue of him being a sales force in the US, then he’s had a hand in every us market car?" this was about the S30 design

Just give in you lost. You both sound like engineers I had to deal with in the UK companies "Sales staff haven’t/didn’t make anything", they didn't work with sales or management so never met customer expectations. MX5 anybody?
 
Alphabettispaghetti

Alphabettispaghetti

Club Member
I’m glad I sound like an engineer. I’m a pretty good salesman also, however a ‘no smoke and mirrors one’.

We’ve not lost anything. Just discussing.

We’re all winners...

However, the ‘z’ was off the ground before ‘mr k’ became involved. Unless you know otherwise with your factory connections?
 
Robbie J

Robbie J

Club Member
"However, the ‘z’ was off the ground before ‘mr k’ became involved. Unless you know otherwise with your factory connections?"

I haven't really followed the timeline but the way it's written and what the current Nissan staff say it was Mr K that requested it in the first place, I'm sure they had telephones then will we ever know for sure. I have no more than that. Sorry for getting combative but the dig on the other thread started me off.

and I'm not sales BTW just in case you thought that
 
Albrecht

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
Robbie J said:
Really you two, of course, I didn't meet the S30 design lot but later Z's and GTR's yes.
Click to expand...

I met Katayama several times (now there's a story...), am pretty good friends with Matsuo and have met several other key players (stylists/designer and development engineers) on the S30-series project team over the years.

Robbie J said:
Quoting from zhome.com is a bit of a faux pas." but you know my point is valid...
Click to expand...

It's not though. Katayama attached himself to the already-started '270 Kaihatsu Kigou' project. He wasn't a designer or an engineer and Nissan was going to have a successor to the SP/SR Fairlady range with or without him. Quoting from zhome.com merely ensures you have the filtered-through-the-USA-Uber-Alles propaganda-marinaded version of the facts. Don't fall for it. The truth is rather more complex, and interesting, than that.

Robbie J said:
Just give in you lost.
Click to expand...

I think you might need to put in a few more hours on the subject before you can claim to have "won" anything. I've been 'into' these cars for the best part of 30 years now and I'm still learning about them...
 
Alphabettispaghetti

Alphabettispaghetti

Club Member
Robbie J said:
"However, the ‘z’ was off the ground before ‘mr k’ became involved. Unless you know otherwise with your factory connections?"

I haven't really followed the timeline but the way it's written and what the current Nissan staff say it was Mr K that requested it in the first place, I'm sure they had telephones then will we ever know for sure. I have no more than that. Sorry for getting combative but the dig on the other thread started me off.

and I'm not sales BTW just in case you thought that
Click to expand...

Apologies if you saw it as a dig. It’s just the way the cars are set for that market. I do own one, that’s why it’s not a dig.
 
Robbie J

Robbie J

Club Member
being on the nice side are you saying Mr K wasn't a good influence? He is sales remember and that's what you are saying when you say "sales don't make anything". Its great you know these I know some of the next generation but throwing negative statements around straight off means people won't respect the background knowledge you have. I'm sorry I not so cared with the exact history as its only told from a person's point of view. I still think my point is valid
 
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