69-73 240Z what the difference???

[zorro]

Hi guys just a question i have heard that a 69 240Z is the best one to own and a 73 model the worst. Can someone please tell me why the 73 is bad??? and what makes the 69 the best? Thankyou.....

[MikeW]

First of all, there really isn't a '69. It's common for cars of a given model year to be built towards the end of the previous year. Therefore the early 1970 cars were built in late 1969. Since the earliest Z cars are considered more desirable those built in 1969 are certainly the earliest.

In the USA, at least, 1973 cars had to meet more stringent emissions regulations. Nissan used so-called "flat top" carbs for '73. Many people don't like thes and instead prefer the earlier "round top" carbs. Also, the bumpers for 1973 were pushed out from the body a bit to improve crash worthiness.

[frank13]

Hey MikeW, there is a '69 model. I saw big foot driving one once. . Other than the Hatachi( or how ever it's spelled) flat-top smog carbs, and the bumbers being pushed out with the black covers to fill the space, they had the fully reclining seats, intermitten wiper function, and the series II center console "B" transmission, electric supplemental fuel pump. As to which year is best to own, humm? ONE of EACH & EVERY YEAR! There is some rumor about the gauge of the shell stampings being thiner in the early years. And thus being lighter. Better from the performance stand point. Lighter weight gives better response as the same 2.4L has to move less weight. The other thing I know for fact in the early Z's is they used Fiberglass headlight buckets, then changed over to the recycled US army tank metal ones.(that was meant to be funny! Please don't dig into me for that joke!). The other wiser members like Alan that seem to have been around Z's since they came out might know more facts.

[sjcurtis]

zorro,
I must say there are a number of us who really appreciate late 73 build 240Z. Faults, sorry I am always full of superlatives after a qiuck blast in mine, only fault is the rate at which the tank will empty when fun is being had.

From where you are sitting a 69 build car is still posible but you will have a lot of competition from others out there. Nissan only advise that HS30- build production started in Oct 69 from build Number HS30-00003 but non was released in Australia to the public until early 1970 due to a shortage of engines and other production line issues. HS30-00501 was released Jan 1971, so I would suggest that most of what you can possibly find will be 1970 build with serials below HS30-00501. I do have access to some local Australian and O/S delivered serials covering some of this group, and the compliance details, so if you need any help in this area, PM me and I will see if I can date what ever you find. I think the number of suvivors is probably less than 20 in the early category.

cheers
Steve


Cheers
Steve

[beandip]

zorro , mike is right on about the '69 and the build year. The differences in the cars from the '70 and on through the '73 are mostly vary minor . The reason the '73 got a bad rap ,as was stated before, was due to the regulations imposed by the government in the way of emissions controll. Datsun was forced to change from the proven round top SU to the emission carb the Flat top. This and they had to slightly drop the compression . This cost horsepower and the following year the 260 engine was built to attempt to regain the HP. The '73 was a little heaver due to emissions equipment and heaver bumpers , seat regulaters , they tilt back, retractable seats belts. We are talking about 200lbs or less. The B trans that was mentioned was introduced in '72 and was an automatic. It was just an up date and was used untill '78 I think. . From the first Z in '70 the cars evolved with vary minor changes untill '74 model year . Then the 280s started '75 . So you see there is no worst. If you take a '73 stick on some round tops and early front bumpers and you have a Z the same as the '70, '71, '72, the lighter and the ash tray is in a different position as well as the hazzard swich. I hope this helps to clear up some things for you .

[Bambikiller240]

The 73 had some nice upgrades from the earlier Z's like the intermittant wipers (mentioned by Frank13), and the heater control panel was lighted (which is nice if you've ever had to grope around in the dark to adjust the controls). I would not shy away from a 73 in the same condition as an earlier Z. Swap in the roundtop carbs and perhaps the bumpers and the car would perform as well as an earlier car.

[frank13]

You guy's forgot the rear hatch vent/piller/hatch emblems. Fuse block, tool boxes, and center console. Beandip, the "B" transmission was not an automatic. The "B" tranny was the trans with the bent stick shift. The "A" was the straight up and down one from the eary Z's. The Z that I miss the must was my Rootbeer brown '73. Even more than my first two eary '71's with the hatch vents. I still have the motor out of this car 11 years later. Carl your right about the heater controls! I did not remember that nice green light wheen looking for heat. There is nothing wrong with the '73. It's still an eary Z, with all the same potent L24 and IRS.

[zorro]

Thankyou very much everyone, i was so happy to finally get my first 240Z but i thought i had made a "mistake" getting the 73 glad i haven't. Appreciate the responses!!!!

[HS30-H]

Originally posted by frank13
The other wiser members like Alan that seem to have been around Z's since they came out might know more facts.

Can't be referring to me, as I was just 8 years old in October 1969

zorro, as you are in Australia you are presumably talking about an RHD ( HS30 ) 1973 model?

In which case you needn't worry, as many of the things that are *reputed* to make the later HLS30 models 'inferior' to the earlier HLS30 models don't actually apply to the RHD models. Most of that supposedly bad reputation comes from the USA market models, so for the most part you can ignore it and simply enjoy your car - safe in the knowledge that it is arguably superior to the equivalent date USA market model.

Alan T.
( only about 73% serious ).

[sblake01]

Back in the day, I owned both a 70 and a 72. I purchased the 70 new in April of 70. When the 72's came out, Pomona Valley Datsun from whom I purchased the 70 made me an offer I couldn't refuse. They gave me virtually what I paid for the 70 in trade for the 72! They must have known something then because I always felt that the 70 performed better. I was in my early 20's then. I wish I could recall the vin's for those cars but I'm lucky to remember last week at this point! The 70 was red w/black interior and the 72 was red w/tan. I recall everyone thinking that I had changed the interior rather than buying a new car. It seems to me that the 70 was made in 2/70 but I'm really not sure. Which one was better? I don't know. They were both good.

[frank13]

Come now Alan, I said wiser. Not older. Brsides if you where 8, you had surely already seen your first Zed. I wasn't even born yet! . cheers.

[HS30-H]

I reckon I'm not necessarily getting any wiser as I get older. There are more questions than answers

I can't remember when I saw my first Z. I wonder when it was? Certainly not until at least a couple of years after it debuted in Japan, as we only had two cars here in 1970. Mind you, I was at the 1970 Motor Show in the UK with my dad - where "Datsun UK" showed a very low-number HS30 that was a preview of what we might be getting - but I certainly don't remember it.

Must be all those brain cells dying off. If you are at least 8 years younger than me Frank, then you'll have an advantage in that respect.

As an extended answer to the "what is best" question, I'd have to say that in an ideal ( read: dream ) world, I'd like to have one of each S30 / S31 series model, in each colour and each spec from each and every market, for each and every "year", and supplement it with as many Factory-built race and rally cars as possible.

Which is not going to happen anytime soon.

Alan T.

[frank13]

That's all Alan? Huh. No quires nada! . I would settle for one top shelf model for every year, with all the good stuff I would want on them. HLS30 through Z33. Except for the 240Z's I need at least four of these. One day maybe i'll win the Lotto! Yeah right! I don't know if being eight years younger is that much of an advantage. I think I saw my first Zed at around 9 or 10 years old. I bought HER when I was 20. She was my first Z. The first one I every set eyes on! This is the L24 I still have to this day. And it is a '73. Only been down on me once. And that was my fault!. This '73 has been in At least 5 Z's. With more than 20 engine changes between the 5 Z's. When I scratch one or others wise damaged one, I would just swap out my beloved '73's motor into another body with less scratches! This '73 motor sat outside for three years or so. Then I put in '71. She cranked over and started within 5 minutes. So IMO the '73 has been the best TO ME. Hey Alan the reason theres more questions than answers is due to the fact that you are now wise enough to realize that theres lots of stuff in this world other than ourselves. What's a brain cell? No worries mate, just crack a bottle wine and put on some Beatles!