Chassis number HS30 - 103276

[Trex]

I have a chassis number that says 103276 but is a HS30. I have did some search and the last HS30 made was in 1973 with a chassis number 103262.

Anyone have any ideas. I have been told that the last 240Z's that rolled out of the factory had a miss and match parts that came from the 260Z's. Not sure if anyone can confirm this.

[Zedrally]

The actual cutoff date would have been different for home or export, [especially into the US].
Your number isn't far away from what was quoted, where did you get your info from in the first place?
If it was Zhome, then some of the numbers they quote are a bit "rubbery'as they haven't taken local production into account.

In reality, one would expect a overlap in parts, a case in question is later model 260's imported into Australia, were for all intents a combination of the 280 and what ever was left over and couldn't be used in the US.

[Zedrally]

Ha,
Old saying never hit reply button without checking....

I went and looked at the chassis num on my 240.

Guess what 103305!

I would be doubting the source of your info!

[Trex]

Hi Phil,

103305, looks like we are close cousins. Got the info from the S30 club in Japan in one of their monthly issues.

What bugs me is that I have a 260Z dash but an L24 engine. Then again maybe the previous owner had changed it for whatever reason.

But what sparked of the query was when I read a book written about Z's that actually mentioned about the factory putting in bits of 260Z trim in the last 240Z's that rolled of the factory. That got me qurious.

Well for sure the 240Z dash and 260Z dash are interchangeable.

[HS30-H]

Originally posted by Trex
103305, looks like we are close cousins. Got the info from the S30 club in Japan in one of their monthly issues.*snip*
But what sparked of the query was when I read a book written about Z's that actually mentioned about the factory putting in bits of 260Z trim in the last 240Z's that rolled of the factory. That got me qurious.*snip*

Trex,
Wasn't your car originally a UK-market model? UK-model HS30 production went well into 1974 I think.

Don't know which Japanese site you got the info from ( CLUB S30 or S30 Owners Club? ) but I think there is a possibility that you might have misunderstood what the figures related to. Don't forget that the Japanese domestic HS30 model was discontinued earlier than the UK / Australian models, and they dropped the "H" prefix when they went back to 2 litre engines at the end of 1973.

The last of the UK-model HS30's were well-known for being a bit strange with regard to spec. They featured lots of parts that were later used on the RS30 models ( different inner wings, the thicker suspension legs etc etc ) - so its clear there was a bit of a grey area for a month or two when the model types changed over. I'm sure the Australian models must have been subject to the same conditions, and in reality its probably the case that all of the RHD models got a bit mixed up around this time.

Contrast this with the LHD car situation, which was always a lot more clear cut, easy to understand and well documented..

Alan T.

[Gav240z]

In Australia I've never seen a 240z with a 260z dash that was meant to be in there.
But I have seen alot of Japanese Z's especially those of the ZG nature with the 260z dash.

Interesting thread.
Gav

[Zedrally]

Originally posted by Trex

But what sparked of the query was when I read a book written about Z's that actually mentioned about the factory putting in bits of 260Z trim in the last 240Z's that rolled of the factory. That got me qurious.

Well for sure the 240Z dash and 260Z dash are interchangeable.

It would be strange that my 240 has a 240 dash and is a later number than yours with a 260 dash.

My money would be on a PO changing the dash over.

Can anyone beat my car num?

[HS30-H]

Originally posted by Gav240z
But I have seen alot of Japanese Z's especially those of the ZG nature with the 260z dash.Gav

Gav,
I think they would be late S30's ( post '73 ) or S31's - so they'd be fitted with the later style dash from the Factory. They would look just like the '260Z' dash that the RS30 and RLS30 models got.

If you spot a ZG-lookalike with the later dash then its certain proof that its not a 'real' ZG ( unless of course its had a later dash retro-fitted for some unknown reason.......

It can be hard to pin down the age of some of the later Japanese S30 and S31 models, especially when they have been modified.

Alan T.

[Trex]

Alan & Gav,

Well my car actually came from East Malaysia (Sabah/Sarawak). It was owned by ex-royalties who by virtue of their status do not have to have their car registered or taxed. This explains the 4 year lapse of registration from the year of manufacture to the first registered owner.

It does have a 260Z dash inside but and L24 engine which when cross referenced to the original registration card confirms that it is the original engine number. To further add confusion to the issue it has the 260Z tail lights as well.This probably confirms Alan's point of it being a UK market model made during the model type change over.

Alan, I went into the Club S30 site, reading their monthly magazines. Not proficient in Japanese but some of the characters used by the japanese are similar to chinese. Would you know of the differences between the HS30 shell as compared with the RS30 shell. Looking at the two shells the only immediate visible difference would be the rear light panels. You mentioned different inner wings and thicker suspension legs.

All the best
Trex

[Z Kid]

Another easy one is does your hatch have one strut or two to support it?
1=240
2=260

[sjcurtis]

Trex,
have you checked the main chassis rails. The two main chassis rails on a 240z should stop short by about 6 inches from the rear of the floor pans, if the chassis is late enough and it sounds like it is if you have 260z style tail lights you may have the longer rails that go right to the rear of the floor pans. Also do you have two large rubber plugs under the rear bumper bar
(covering the cut out holes for impact absorbers).
Does your Zed have aircon in the dash as part of the package .

Cheers
Steve

[sjcurtis]

Zedrally
Does your 240Z have any features that are outwardly different to standard production as we know it for a 240Z delivered in Aus. Did you get hold of your Z as a going concern,competitive club rally car or did you work it up for the dirt yourself.
I don't no of a later HS30 serial in my area ( lower hunter NSW).

Qualifiying statement: I always have an eye open in case one shows up at the right price.

cheers
Steve

[Ben]

FYI - my Australian-delivered car is HS30-103353 & was complianced 29 years & 11 months ago....

[Zedrally]

Originally posted by Ben
FYI - my Australian-delivered car is HS30-103353 & was complianced 29 years & 11 months ago....

Damn!

Now I can't say I've got the youngest 240.

Sounds like a big three O coming up!

[Zedrally]

Originally posted by sjcurtis
Zedrally
Does your 240Z have any features that are outwardly different to standard production as we know it for a 240Z delivered in Aus. Did you get hold of your Z as a going concern,competitive club rally car or did you work it up for the dirt yourself.
c

Hi Steve,
I've had the car 5 years now and it's been progressivly worked on up to 2 years ago.
I suspect it was used as a circuit car by a PO as the engine has been worked. Very little else is known about it [unusal, as most known "hot" cars are well known by most others in Melbourne, more than likely it was worked early in it's life and then passed hands several times to owners who had little interest in Competitive Sports].
I've stopped developing this one as CAMS requirements are to stringent for me to keep developement up, instead, I planning to develope a 260 from shell upwards, needless to say I have my eyes open for a suitable donor!

[sjcurtis]

ZedRally, thanks for that. It is always nice to hear the basis for the Z passion. I guess I was just hopping you had been extremely lucky, and another good CAMS Group C car had survived the trees in the southern forests. Does your chassis conform as a 260 or 240 underneath, I take it the additional plating and bashplates are fitted. From the CAMS requirements you must be talking, I have an alloy cage why steel, back to small brakes and carburation.
cheers
Steve

[Zedrally]

Steve,
I'll hijack the thread.... briefly!
There are quite a few 240's around doen here that have survived the forests. Many are owned by members of the Historic Rally Association and rarely come out. The Alpine in November will probably have 5 or so rear there heads..hopefully.
Most of the others have been relegated to Tarmac Events, unfortunately.
ROP killed any aspects of my using the 240 in the forest, it was an overkill for older cars down here.

Thankfully the HRA are organising events based around TRE regulatrions [timed to the minute] and have been encouraged by ARCOM to use this as a basis for our own type of rally.
This has been provisional named Historic Navigational Trial or HNT.
This is the first year that several events of this nature have been trialled, only time will tell if the concept is succesfull.
The 240 is a definate 240 underneath, and has been considerably strengthened in those areas as well.
As I mentioned earlier, the change in CAMS regs reluctantly forced me away from further developement on this car.
Mike

[sjcurtis]

These late production HS30 are popping out of the woodwork. I came across another late one 2 weekends ago. white with red interior 5speed manual. HS30-103690 09/73. has anyone come across a later build HS30.
cheers
Steve

[GongZ]

These late production HS30 are popping out of the woodwork. I came across another late one 2 weekends ago. white with red interior 5speed manual. HS30-103690 09/73. has anyone come across a later build HS30.
cheers
Steve

Hi Steve,

I have HS30-103724 (09/73) and I thought for a while that mine might be the youngest,
but I have also discovered that 'Gareth. J.' on the Auszcar/viczcar.com group
has "November 73, vin 103771"

see http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php?topic=6765

I just realised that I have replied to a 7 year old post!