Long hood, short deck, fastback profile: a recipe for success. And while many cars have sported this distinctive silhouette over the years, few have enjoyed the roaring reputation that followed the Datsun 240Z back in the 1970s. This article will cover the classic straight-six powered Zs, and we’ll have a part two coming soon covering the V6-powered models.
But for now, take a cruise through our history of the Nissan Z car in the United States and see how the car evolved throughout the years.
The Datsun 240Z wasn’t the first to bear its name…sort of.
Known in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z, the name “Fairlady” was carried over from the earlier Nissan Fairlady Roadster, known in the U.S. as the Datsun Sports. In fact, the Nissan Fairlady Z name has continued in Japan ever since, with no alphanumeric designations to be seen.
Only in exports markets was the car called the 240Z (reflecting its 2.4L displacement), using the Datsun or Nissan brand names depending on location.
Before we go much further, you may be wondering what’s the difference between Nissan and Datsun?
Truth is, not much—both names refer to the same company. Using the name “Datsun” was simply a strategic choice made by Nissan’s corporate leadership when the company introduced its automotive lineup to new markets in the late 1950s.
The Datsun name had already enjoyed significant success in Japan during that time, and Nissan execs thought using the name abroad would help distance the brand from its association with Japan’s industrial efforts of World War II—particularly in the United States. We’ll talk a bit more about the name change further down in this article.
The Beginning of Z
The Datsun 240Z made landfall in the United States in 1969 as a 1970 model.
In stark contrast to many American performance cars of the time, the 240Z carried a number of technologies that were suited to its status as a sports tourer. Every Z came equipped with four wheel independent suspension, front disc brakes, and rack and pinion steering.
As mentioned above, the 240Z was powered by a 2.4L straight-six engine.
The original 240Z carried on with only minor changes for a few years until, in 1974, the 260Z was released.
True to its naming convention, the 260Z was powered by a stroked version of the L engine called the L26, now up to 2.6L. United States emissions regulations choked the power down to 139 gross horsepower, but elsewhere in the world, power actually went up to 163.
The other big change for ’74 was the addition of a 2+2 model with an extra 11.8 inches between the wheels to accommodate a modest pair of rear seats.
Nissan didn’t wait long to make changes to the car. In 1975, the 280Z came along with a bored-out version of the L26 engine, now called the L28, with—you guessed it—a 2.8L displacement. On top of this, a Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection system replaced the prior car’s Hitachi carburetors, allowing a boost in power to 170 hp. This was also the first year that Americans could mark their option sheet with a 5-speed manual.
These early Z cars have become a popular platform for those seeking to apply modern LS power into retro platforms. Believe it or not, we’ve got two videos dedicated to LS-powered Z’s. Check out Eric Ritz’s LS2-Powered 1973 Datsun 240Z here:
And then see this turbo 4.8L LS-swapped 1974 260Z built by Stephen Gustafsson, a Summit Racing employee below:
The First of the X
1979 was the first year of the second generation Z car. The 280ZX was completely redesigned with a stronger focus on comfort and refinement rather than raw sporting capabilities, similar to what was happening with many American performance nameplates at the time.
1979 was also the first year that the name “Nissan” appeared on the car, with badging that spelled out the lineage “Datsun by Nissan”.
With a focus on aerodynamics and fuel consumption, the 280ZX was more efficient than its older siblings. However, it paid the price in terms of raw performance, being slower than an original 240Z despite not losing any power.
Important to note is that you may notice power ratings of 135 hp, down from 170 in the previous car. This is due to the transition to SAE net ratings from gross ratings. In reality, the car didn’t lose any power, but the performance drop came from engine tuning and gear ratio selection.
Even with the softening of the 280ZX, you’d be wrong to think that the car couldn’t be turned into a capable performer. Heavily modified versions of the car won their class in IMSA GTU, as well as SCCA C-Production—with legendary actor Paul Newman at the wheel.
It wouldn’t be long until performance made its way back into the Z stable. In 1980, the car again won its class in IMSA GTU (and gained a T-Top option). But the big change came in 1981 with the introduction of the optional turbocharger.
Pushing power up to 180 hp and 203lb.-ft. of torque, the turbo-equipped 280ZX was the fastest import in America at the time.
Podcast: Learn More About Early Datsun 240/260/280 Z Car History
A while back, we sat down with the Datsun restoration specialists at Resurrected Classics to really get into the weeds with these cars.
For over 30 minutes, we talk about early Datsun Z car history, and the nuances between each specific 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z model. In other words, if you want to learn a heck of a lot more about these sports cars, this episode is worth a listen:
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Nissan or Datsun, we’re big fans of all kinds of Z cars—so we want to know if you have a favorite Z car or a great memory involving one. Leave a comment below, and check out Part Two of this Nissan Z Car History Series here.
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