JDM Z's

toopy said:
Wow, three 2+2s next to each other at the start of the film, and another two further up the line

Ive never seen that many in one place ever!! :eek:
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Good to see a few other JDM 2+2's and a bonus that there are a couple in white. The first white one even has the same wheels as mine.

I wonder if they are still running the original L20 engine or as most, the engines have been swapped for L24,L26 or L28's (or different engines).

Some JDM enthusiasts may call me a Phillistine but I think I prefer the S30 without the fender mirrors. I think they spoil the sleek lines of the car.

With so many S30's on show and seemingly around in Japan. it surprises me that so few in the UK go to Japan to import one. Do people prefer left-hookers from the US or is there an issue with exporting/importing from Japan that puts people off? Or is it that they have the same rust issues given the similar climate?
 
it's a matter of cost. The cars themselves are more expensive in Japan, and then you have to get it shipped halfway around the world. Plus, finding a suitable car can be a challenge. You either need to get out there to do some hunting yourself (with language challenges to boot) or have someone acting for you who knows what they are doing.

There's also plenty of dogs among the good cars there too, like everywhere in the classic car market. Just look at how many guys in the States have imported C10 Skylines from Japan over the last couple of years only to face a total body rebuild when the extent of the filler has become apparent.

Sourcing from the States is more comfortable and cheaper, and the dry state cars have their particular advantage in the iron oxide department...
 
One Z just isn't enough! :bow: I think I may have to take a second job so I can start collecting them :D

:driving:
 
Albrecht said:
...........The green car is a 1970 Fairlady Z-L in lovely patinated original condition (he runs it without the precious OEM hubcaps as they are pretty much unobtainium) and the red car is a genuine HS30-H Fairlady 240ZG that was recently restored by Ando san at 'T.A. Auto':
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Love the green car - apart from the hubcaps on my car I have a set of new ones still in Nissan plastic bags!

ZG - that is a fantastic car but looks so silly with unnecessary arches. I realise the arches were homologation items to allow for wider wheels in competition. When I saw JWs ZG at Donington last year her son told me that their car would have been supplied with the Watanabes but I thought all those road ZGs had the steels from new?
 
Rob Gaskin said:
Love the green car - apart from the hubcaps on my car I have a set of new ones still in Nissan plastic bags!
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The earliest Z-L type hubcaps are the rarest of the lot. They look like the ones on the earliest export market 240Zs, but they are subtly different. Super rare...

Rob Gaskin said:
ZG - that is a fantastic car but looks so silly with unnecessary arches. I realise the arches were homologation items to allow for wider wheels in competition.
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The nose and the overfenders are the whole reason for the HS30-H Fairlady 240ZG's. As you have mentioned, Nissan needed to homologate them for FIA Group 4 race use and this was the only way to do it. So, rather than "unnecessary", they were a necessity....

Rob Gaskin said:
When I saw JWs ZG at Donington last year her son told me that their car would have been supplied with the Watanabes but I thought all those road ZGs had the steels from new?
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Without wishing to be harsh, let's just say he is mistaken. Stock equipment for the HS30-H and HS30-HA models was indeed TOPY steel wheels and pressed steel hubcaps.

Nissan did however have comprehensive 'Sports Option' catalogues covering the S30-series range, and a buyer could purchase a set of magnesium 8-spoke wheels (8j x 14" front and 10j x 14" rear) manufactured by Kobe Seiko. These looked just like the classic RS Watanabe 8-spoke design, but weren't...

By late 1971 there was a huge range of aftermarket wheels and tyres available in Japan, and it was expected that new and used car buyers would indulge their tastes according to their budget. Very few ZGs stayed on the stock steelies for very long.

Ironically, there's a growing trend in Japan to put them back on the original - correctly date stamped - TOPY steels and hubcaps, with tall full-section tyres.
 
I wonder whats the reason why the rubber strip goes all way round on red car ? With a full wrap round rubber over the bumper and that grey/black shade, it echoes 80's styling IMHO
 
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