Vehicle History
No conversation about the greatest global sports cars would be complete without the inclusion of Nissan's ageless classic, the Fairlady Z, whose S30 model sold over 520,000 units globally between 1969 and 1978. A radical departure from its open top Fairlady 1600 (SP311) and Fairlady 2000 (SR311) predecessors, the Fairlady Z project was a brainchild of the president of Nissan Motors USA Yataka Katayama; its Z designation was chosen to express the design extremes that the car pursued, including gorgeous body lines and top line performance, all in an affordable price bracket. It was a particular hit in the United States market, for which it was mainly developed and where it was affectionately referred to as the "Z-Car". Trendy fastback coupe looks, an elegant long nose and a new lightweight and rigid monocoque certainly set it apart from the aforementioned SP and SR models, while various inline-six engine options were available; the standard 130hp 2-liter SOHC L20 unit; the 160hp 2-liter DOHC S20 that had racecar roots and had been used in 
the Skyline 2000 GT-R (PGC10); and in the exported Datsun 240Z, there was the 150hp 2.4-liter SOHC L24 unit. Initial four- and five-speed manual transmission cars were joined in October 1970 by a Japanese three-speed automatic option, while owners enjoyed a sumptuously stable drive thanks to a new design of independent four-wheel strut suspension, front stabilizer and rear lower A-arms. The rack and pinion steering system ensured direct steering feel, amplified by the steering wheel lock to lock range of 2.7 turns. Disc brakes were employed at the front of the car and leading/trailing shoe-type drum brakes at the rear with aluminum fins for enhanced heat dissipation. Like the exterior, the 2-seater cockpit was a stylish affair, sporting a black monotone scheme with faux leather combined seats and headrests, knitted out with 3-point seatbelts. The instrumentation was embedded in a single padded piece on the dashboard, the speedometer and tachometer in front of the driver and smaller displays such as the voltmeter, fuel and water temperature gauges in the center.
Demand for the export L24 engine was strong in Japan too, and Nissan did not keep customers in the archipelago waiting long, making the 240Z available from 1971. It could be had in 3 models: the standard 240Z, the luxury 240Z-L and the 240 ZG, which was the top-grade model and only available in Japan. The latter was a particular treat aesthetically with its "aero dyna" nose ("Grand Nose") 190mm longer than on other models and featuring integrated bumper and spoiler, not to mention headlight covers for superior aerodynamics, as borne our by the car's impressive 0.39 drag coefficient. Combined with the 150ps (at 5,600prm) L24 engine and its 21.0kgm torque at 4,800rpm, the 240ZG attained speeds of up to 210km/h, making it the fastest car in Japan at the time. Riveted over fenders on all four wheels widened the car by 60mm and housed wheels with 175 HR14 tires as standard. The Fairlady 240Z was a high-profile entrant in numerous rallies and races around the globe, and while production ended in 1973 on account of Japanese regulatory restrictions, the 240ZG in particular continues even in the modern day to enjoy immense popularity with sports car fans across the world, testament to its timeless good looks and the sheer enjoyment it offers when you get behind the wheel.
Kit Overview
Ok, if you've seen any of our other builds (ok, at the time of this article there's only ONE other build), you'll catch on that we love the 240Z platform. Actually, before the 240Z Custom was available, we got our hands on this one - so, it should be first, but it's not.
Anyway, because we built the 240Z Custom along the lines of the actual car we had, we decided to do the ZG as the box art states. We did make a few color modifications based on the actual photos from the Tamiya website (like painting the chassis maroon) only because it seemed to add a little personalization to the kit.
Moving on, most of the build was pretty straighforward - the chassis and suspension was smooth and went together well, as did the engine. Again, we took a few liberties with paint and added a bit of Tamiya's panel liner in key areas on the engine to give it some depth.
Since the ZG is only available in Japan, the kit only comes with a right-hand-drive option. Most of the parts are the same as the 240Z Custom save for the steering wheel, but all the decals for the gauges, center console and steering column all 'bolt-up' the same way. The door panels have a touch of detail to them (some with paint) but it really is hard to see it so, if you're going to take that plunge, it's really only for you.
We do like how the rear shock mounts are part of the chassis with the interior cut out to slip around them - this allows you to paint the shock mounts the same color as the rest of the chassis without having to mask it off, just like the real car. It's a thoughtful touch.
The wheels are 3-piece units - the wheel, a chrome rim overlay and then a painted cover. Top if off with a Z sticker on the center cap and the final wheel and tire combo looks quite amazing!
Moving to the multi-piece body. Up front, you can do some assembly to allow the paint process to be a little easier. The additional parts - rear spoiler, front valance and fender flares - are painted 
separately and attached at a later time. Make sure you read the directions carefully FIRST about the pilot holes (for the bolt-on parts) before you paint. We figured we could do it after and it did make it a little more difficult, but not impossible. We also have to call out that the windows have chrome moldings that attach separately - WE LOVE THIS!!!!! It makes it so much easier to assemble the glass and chrome bits without having to do any additional masking. Same goes for the headlight covers and bezel trim.
Final steps included attaching the front and rear bumpers, side marker lights, windshield wipers, mirror and emblems. Oh, and the front hood. Not a big fan of that setup as it can get a bit sticky opening and closing it (probably too much paint), making you not want to deal with it. But, but, what about my engine...
All in all, a great kit to build. Not alot of in-box customization available but with the many different versions of this car out there, kit bashing a custom 240ZG shouldn't be an issue - if that's your thing.
Gallery
