Nishikawa (The following is written as "N"): Preservation car (Non restore) with very rare automatic transmission. First, please tell me how you met this car.

Owner A: When I visited Los Angeles on business in 2013, I found it in the famous Japanese car parts shop (JDM AUTO PARTS) run by Jay Ataka.

N: What kind of feature was the car?

A: This car has always been one owner and has been treated well. I heard that the previous owner bought it when he was 50 years old to go to a church in the neighborhood with his wife. If you want a manual transmission, you have to wait for half a year, but if you want an orange automatic car, the dealer told you that it can be delivered immediately, so you bought it.

N: Even so, it's a non restored car with a good atmosphere. In addition, it has a neat appearance, and I can't find the tired feeling of old cars.

A: It seemed like he was always running at least once a week in California, where there was no humidity. Mostly it's a round trip to the church a few kilometers away. The car was driven calmly, partly because it was an automatic transmission. I think it's a combination of these good conditions that have kept us in miraculous conditions, as if we had come from the past in a time machine.

N: The texture of the original paint is amazing!

A: From the precision of assembly by Nissan, the quality of paint, and the way the edges and lines were laid out by Nissan at the time, it was obvious that "Oh, it was like this back then.". In a good sense, there are some parts that are not finished properly, such as setting doors. The paint is somewhat soft and round rather than edgy.

N: As it is a non restore, there were marks of touchup everywhere on the body and some rust on the steel parts.

A: I dare say I left that part intact. I think the fading of the steering wheel and the rust on the muffler have a certain charm to them. If you don't like it, you can just replace it. Of course, there is no major damage at all to the important parts, such as the inside and back of the body.

N: I just took a test drive, and there was no problem with the body and the ride was comfortable. It's an active run.

A: That's right, it is said that the S30 is said to have no rigidity, but I thought that it is not so when riding this 240Z. Also, it's a little different from the body rigidity, but the switches and such were originally designed in a reasonable manner.

N: Above all, the compatibility between the 2400cc engine and the automatic was excellent! I took the S30 automatic for the first time, but I didn't know it was such a good one. It may have been better than the 4-speed MT.

A: You'll be able to take full advantage of the 2400cc and drive without any stress. The differential is a R180 with a gear ratio of 3.545 and the kickdown switch works fine. It makes me feel so peaceful just to imagine that the previous owner, a married couple, drove leisurely every weekend in a beautiful orange sports car under the blue skies of California.

N: Documents also remain properly.

A: Anything related to this car is left behind, from the description of the car and its equipment, to the maintenance records, receipts, and even the price sheets from when it was on display at the dealership.

N: It seems to be enjoyable just by reading the history. Are there any areas that you've tinkered with since your purchase?

A: Yes, I overhauled the compressor on the air conditioner and replaced the heater hoses. That's all there is to it. I have to replenish the gas every season, but the air conditioner works well.

N: This car is a 1972 model, but is it a 240Z after minor change? Please tell me the difference from the early model.

A: Minor changes were made to the car in October 1971. The event coincided with the debut of the 240/240ZG series in Japan. Let's list the differences from the early models.

・The design of the center console has been completely redesigned.
・Added a sunshade to the map lamp.
・A fine louver was added to the center vent of the air conditioner.
・The seatback was changed to a slim type.
・The toolholder was moved from the rear of the seat back to the upper part of the rear deck.
・The hatch gate air outlet was moved to the C-pillar emblem (We deal with it by making a hole in the emblem.).
・Replaced with an E 88 head, the compression ratio was changed from 9.0 to 8.8 to accommodate regular gasoline.
・The differential gear was shifted back 35mm (the rear drive shaft is now in line. Until then, the differential gear was placed 35 millimeters in front of the rear axle to avoid the risk of interference with the gasoline tank in a rear-end collision.).
・The wheel cap of the new design was adopted.
・A seat belt warning switch and buzzer are provided.

N: There are many differences. I learned a lot. Please take a look at the report of the 1970 model 240Z, which Mr. A exhibited at the same time.