Great advert.....240Z series '1'

[SeanDezart]

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C693096

We just completed a restoration of this beautiful and early 240Z and the car looks and drives amazingly.
The car is a 1971 model.
The 1970 through the mid-1971 model year 240Z are referred to as the Series I.
These early Series I cars had many notable features differing from later cars.
The most easily visible difference is that these early cars had two horizontal vents in the rear hatch below the glass molding providing flow through ventilation.
In mid-1971, for the Series II 240Z-cars, the sail pillar emblems were restyled.
You will see from the pictures that this car we have for sale now is a Series I car, and they are super collectible.
The Series I cars are most desirable 240Z of all time.

And they want to ship it back to the USA.

Restored ?

 

[SKiddell]

Questionable use of the word "Restoration" with the rear bumper kinked (left near side), a kinked front lower valance, neither would have taken much sorting out by the looks, maybe its my eyes..............its early

 

[SeanDezart]

And the overspray on the fuel-tank.....

 

[vipergts]

When a car looks rough in pics you just know it's going to be a breaker when you see it in the flesh.

 

[ryn004]

Did the series 1 ever make it to the UK in RHD?

 

[MaximG]

Did the series 1 ever make it to the UK in RHD?

Could you please define series 1?

 

[Matt Long]

According to American folklore, some others disagree.

THE SERIES I 240Z's - Produced from Oct. of 1969 through Jan. of 1971. They are identified by the fresh air exhaust vents located on the rear hatch. (some of these cars were also produced in the first few weeks of Jan. 1971 during the transition period) They have plastic covers for tools and jack located behind the seats, steering wheels with indents, rather than holes.

The Series I 240Z's were sold and titled as 1969, 1970 and 1971 Model Year Cars here in the U.S. and North American Markets. (as they complied with all U.S. Emissions and Safety standards in effect for those years. There was not much change in the standards for those years.)

Cars that arrived at the U.S. Ports after Sept. 1 1970, could legally be, and were, sold as 1971 Model Year Cars. (they could also have been, and were, legally sold as 1970 Model Year Cars! - however very few of them were, due to the price increase on the 1971 Model Year cars. ).

THE SERIES II 240Z's were produced from Feb. 1971 through Aug. of 1971. They are identified by the fresh air exhaust vents relocated to the side or "C" pillar of the car, from their prior position on the rear deck lid. The tools and jack were re-located to pockets in the rear deck area and the steering wheels have holes, where the indents were on the Series I cars.

These cars were also sold as 1971 Model Year Cars here in the U.S....So both Series I and Series II Z Cars were sold as 1971 Model Year cars.

THE SERIES III 240Z's were produced from Aug. 1971 through Sept. of 1972. These cars are identified by the re-designed center console with the ash try behind the shift lever (because of the use of the newer "B" style transmissions, cig. lighter moved to the dash.

These cars were all sold as 1972 Model Year cars, because they complied with the 1972 Safety and Emissions standards only.

THE SERIES IV 240Z's were produced from Sept. of 1972 through Sept. of 1973. They can be identified by the 2.5 MPH bumpers which extended away from the body, and had larger bumper over-riders. Also all 1973 model year cars had VIN#'s beginning with HLS30 120xxx as major changes to the emissions and safety laws took place in 73.

So the "actual" answer to the questions, "What Year Is My Z?" or "Is My 240Z a 70 or 71?" is actually determined on the Series I cars, by how the Request For Title was filed by the selling dealer, supported by the original Manufactures Statement of Origin (MSO) and the date of Delivery to the Authorized Dealer.

The answer to these questions, as it relates to the Series III and Series IV cars, was determined by compliance with the changing emissions and safety standards for 1972 and 1973 Model Years cars. So all series II cars were sold as 1971 Model Year cars (because they were produced after Jan.1, 1971). All series III cars were by law (Federal) sold as 1972 Model Year 240Z's and all Series IV cars were sold as 1973 Model Year cars.

 

[SeanDezart]

Could you please define series 1?

You beat me to it

According to American folklore, some others disagree........as they complied with all U.S. Emissions and Safety standards in effect for those years..........because they complied with the 1972 Safety and Emissions standards only.........as major changes to the emissions and safety laws took place in 73.

So the "actual" answer to the questions, "What Year Is My Z?" or "Is My 240Z a 70 or 71?" is actually determined on the Series I cars, by how the Request For Title was filed by the selling dealer, supported by the original Manufactures Statement of Origin (MSO) and the date of Delivery to the Authorized Dealer.

The answer to these questions, as it relates to the Series III and Series IV cars, was determined by compliance with the changing emissions and safety standards for 1972 and 1973 Model Years cars. So all series II cars were sold as 1971 Model Year cars (because they were produced after Jan.1, 1971). All series III cars were by law (Federal) sold as 1972 Model Year 240Z's and all Series IV cars were sold as 1973 Model Year cars.

Yep......all of which is specific to the USA market, only one (albeit big) export destination country and doesn't tell me what my late Euro spec (also HLS30) 240Z is or an HS30 UK destination Z.

Remember that the USA is a country that needs help to identify things - series 1, series 1 1/2 XKEs....so known as it was believed that the important USA markat would be confused by changing the series of sports-cars from XK120, 140, 150 to E-Type.....I wonder how Jaguar explained their Le Mans victories to them - wins by the XKDs ?

 

[Alphabettispaghetti]

Could you please define series 1?

Its like turning the volume upto 11

About 15000ish made(lhd)
Rear hatch vents, air circulation stuff inside
Badge on 3/4(not air vent)
No toolbox's in the boot
Plastic tool boxes behind the drivers seat
Fast idle control on some of them
Hazard switch on the dash
lap belts
e31 head
Slightly higher compression
Vertical rear window heater
Am radio
apparently about 100kg lighter, not sure how this comes about though unless toolbox lids are 50kg each? I'm guessing later cars are more refined, must mean other body pressings are unique in some way.
diff bar is straight, later modified to reduce vibration
2400cc valve cover
reduced emissions gubbins
am radio

You know all that though. I guess for Americans, where there's lots of 240's, its just more unique.

I like them as I prefer the exterior detail with the rear hatch etc. Given that its a lhd car that i'm going to have to suffer, its nice to have one of the first of the breed from a narrower number of cars.

 

[Albrecht]

Its like turning the volume upto 11

Arguably like down to 8 in some respects....

Generally speaking, earlier cars are *better* than later cars in some weird sense. We'll have to argue about the Top Trumps categories in question, though...

...apparently about 100kg lighter, not sure how this comes about though unless toolbox lids are 50kg each?

With respect, I think this "100kg lighter" thing is all rather apocryphal (or just plain old ********). 'Early' cars were certainly lighter than 'later' cars, but 100kg is a huge figure and the real figure is more likely to be between ten and twenty kilos. I've seen at least one Z 'expert' claiming that the 'Series One' (yes, I know...) cars were made from a thinner gauge of sheetmetal, but that's cobblers. The only early S30-series Zs made from a thinner gauge sheet metal were the 432-Rs and the 1969~1971 works race and rally cars.

I don't personally like all the 'Series One' / 'Series Two' etc stuff, but kind of understand how it came about. People like to pigeonhole things retrospectively, and it's all for the want of a better term really. Trouble is you can even divide the 'Series One' into less than One ('Series 0.3' anyone...?) and the truth is that the whole S30 range was in a fairly constant flux of update and supersession all through production.

At the very least, I think it makes some kind of vernacular sense to differentiate between solid quarter, vented tailgate bodies and vented quarter, solid tailgate bodies. That's one of the biggest changes and pre and post is easy to see and understand.

 

[Alphabettispaghetti]

Yes, I can't see 100kg, hence the 50kg toolbox lids.

What other things have I missed Alan?

 

[SeanDezart]

What other things have I missed Alan?

In weight ? Well, the early cars had solid steering wheels so there's some EXTRA right there.

Early/late gearbox and therefore diff repositioning - probably doesn't change the weight though....

Over-riders added weight - we never had them but we did have different front anti-roll bars and one at the rear...

 

[Alphabettispaghetti]

In weight ? Well, the early cars had solid steering wheels so there's some EXTRA right there.

Early/late gearbox and therefore diff repositioning - probably doesn't change the weight though....

Over-riders added weight - we never had them but we did have different front anti-roll bars and one at the rear...

Forgot about the steering wheel, also the tacho?

The diff position was due to the rear mounting bar, I think that was changed to give the UJ's a better time and reduce vibration.

 

[SeanDezart]

I thought that early cars had shorter boxes and driveshafts....maybe then just a shorter driveshaft to compensate for the advanced position of the diff for your reason...