Brian Long - Nissan 300ZX/350Z the Z-car Story

First printed in hardback format in 2004.

First published in ebook format 2016 by Veloce Publishing Limited, Veloce House, Parkway Farm Business Park, Middle Farm Way, Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 3AR, England Fax 01305 250479 e-mail .

Ebook edition ISBN: 978-1-845847-18-0

Hardback edition ISBN: 978-1-904788-04-1

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Foreword

The recent rebirth of the Fairlady Z (or 350Z) was like a dream come true for me. As The Father of the Z-car, it was wonderful for me to see the new model come along at a time when most of us thought the days of the sports car were numbered. This fifth series is bringing a whole new generation of enthusiasts into the Z fold, although it has also been readily accepted by fans of the older machines, too. Indeed, Im happy to say that I own one myself!

This is the second book in a two-volume set covering the history of the Datsun and Nissan sports cars that carried the Fairlady badge, and I am pleased to recommend it as heartily as I did the first instalment. This book, written by a true enthusiast, looks at the modern Z-cars - the Z31, Z32 and Z33 series - which are still winning friends all over the world. Love Cars, Love People, Love Life ...

Yutaka Katayama

Tokyo, Japan

Mr K pictured with his charming wife, Masako, at the time of his induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame (AHF) in Detroit, and seen here with the author and his wife, Miho. [Courtesy Hans Bretzner]

Contents

Introduction & Acknowledgements

This book, the second of two volumes, looks in detail at all the Nissan sports cars that proudly carried the Fairlady name - the third generation Z (Z31) and its successor (the high-tech Z32), and the new Z series, commonly known as the 350Z in export markets.

The 240Z was a landmark in automotive history. Known in Japan as the Fairlady Z, it inherited the Fairlady moniker from a series of roadsters that put Datsun on the first rung of the sports car ladder.

By the time the second generation of Z-cars came to the end of their production run, everyone around the world knew and respected the Japanese marque. However, the Datsun name was then abandoned: the Nissan era had begun, with a new upmarket image for the Z.

This book covers the complete production and competition history of the Fairlady range, from the first 300ZX models of 1983 to the 2004 model year vehicles of today. It contains a great deal of new information for enthusiasts in the West, as Japanese models are covered in detail, along with those sold in Europe and America. Photographs and other illustrations have been sourced almost exclusively from the factory, so dedicated owners searching for originality are also well catered for.

This two-part story covering the history of the Fairlady Roadsters and the five generations of Z-car that followed was originally published in two volumes in the late 1990s. The research for these books brought me into contact with so many people, many of whom Im still in regular contact with to this day.

This project would not have been possible without the help and support of a cast of thousands, but I would like to single out Yoshihiko Matsuo (designer of the 240Z), John Yukawa, Win Percy, Tony Fall, Eiichi Shimizu, Johnnie Gable, Rob Beddington, Len Welch, Lynne Godber, James Morris, Kevin Bristow, Alan Thomas, Kenichi Kobayashi, Tetsu Goto, Mad Mike Taylor and the Gangsters, Makoto Oura and the other DSCC members, Tetsu Takakamo, the PR team at Nissan (especially Shingo Suzuki) and, of course, my wife Miho, who is always on hand when it comes to translation.

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my friend and mentor, Yutaka Katayama, for not only writing a Foreword for both volumes of this work, but also for encouraging me to keep going through the low spots. My son, Louis, is very lucky to have him as a godfather, for Mr K is indeed an exceptional person; strong in business, yet warm, witty and compassionate at the same time. I remember once saying that I wanted to fight to get him a medal from the Emperor in recognition of all he has done, and still does, for Japan - he is a magnificent ambassador for the country - but he said hed be just as happy with one from me. I have a feeling that was his humour coming through as usual, but, nonetheless, I want to dedicate these two books to Mr K. These pages are my paper medal awarded to you ...

Brian Long

Chiba, Japan

The story so far

Japan entered the motor industry at a very late stage compared with Europe and America. Shintaro Yoshida was responsible for the countrys first petrol-driven vehicle, the so-called Takuri, which appeared on the scene in 1907. Even then, the engine had been imported from the USA, and production levels were very low; around 12 are thought to have been built.

Textiles, farming and fishing continued to be the most important areas of commerce in Japan, but, just before World War 1 broke out, interest in the automobile was starting to grow. Indeed, on state occasions Emperor Yoshihito was often seen with his Daimler limousines, mirroring the situation in Britain where royalty had made the motor car acceptable during the late 1890s.

In the meantime, Tokyo-based Masujiro Hashimoto, another entrepreneur, had founded the Kaishinsha Jidosha Kojo (the Kaishinsha Motor Car Works) in 1911 with financial help from Kenjiro Den, Rokuro Aoyama and Meitaro Takeuchi.

The second DAT chassis pictured in 1913. Rated at 10bhp, the completed car received a prize at the 1914 Tokyo Taisho Expo. This modest beginning laid the foundation for the Nissan empire.

Hashimoto had acquired his engineering skills in America, where the automobile had been a part of everyday city life for around 15 years. In fact, by 1900, some 8000 cars were already registered in the States, and, before long, a large number of factories - Ford, Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Buick, and Locomobile, to name but a few - had begun mass-production.

In recognition of the help he had received, Hashimoto took the first initial of each backers surname and gave his cars the name DAT. In Japanese, the word Dat would be prounced Datto, which literally means with the swiftness of a hare in flight.

Hashimotos first prototype of 1912 was something of a failure, but a second chassis built the following year was much better. At its first showing in March 1914, at the Tokyo Taisho Expo, Hashimoto received a prize for the vehicles design. The DAT 31 was introduced for 1915, powered by a four-cylinder, two-litre engine, which was later bored out to 2.3 litres for the 1916 Model 41. The latter was made in small numbers until 1926, when production ceased in favour of small commercials.