Is your car a Fairlady? Or is it a 300zx?

[CaleJDMZ32]

What's the difference? In actuality it's just a name but there is one important factor?
1. Is your car LHD or RHD?
If it's LHD it's technically a 300zx
If it's RHD it is a true Fairlady Z

"Every Z car has been sold in Japan as the Fairlady Z and elsewhere under the names 240Z, 260Z, 280Z, 280ZX, 300ZX, 350Z and 370Z. - wikipedia

"Production of the Nissan Z Car started on October 1969, with 2 separate versions: one for the Japanese market and one for the US market. The Japanese Fairlady Z featured a SOHC L20A inline-6 producing 130 PS (96 kW), while the US 240Z featured a 2.4L L24 inline-6 with twin Hitachi SU-type carburetors that produced 151 hp (113 kW) (SAE gross horsepower). A third Z, the Z432 (PS30) shared a performance version of the DOHC 2.0 L S20 engine with the Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R.

In Japan, the Z car was still known as the Fairlady to keep the car in line with previous Nissan sports cars. However, Yutaka Katayama ensured the American version had all Nissan badging replaced with "Datsun" and prevented all dealer shipments until they were replaced." - wikipedia

Try going on a Japanese website like "RHD japan" or "HKS japan" and try to search for a 300zx, they have it under "Fairlady Z32"

Just a little Z car history for those who don't know.
Sources claim that the USDM version is just shy of 300 hp
While other sources claim the JDM models sit around 330 hp
I'd like to see any actual proof to support either of these, but it does bring me to wonder how if some people claim the USDM and JDM to be no different, yet the stock boost on the USDM model is around 9.5-10 psi and the JDM models run at 7 psi
I'd love to see 2 completely bone stock and un touched 300's with roughly the same low km's or miles dynoed and get actual results.

[Mr93z32]

There is lhd Fairlady 350z's in the states... if im not mistaking...

[Z31toZ32]

it is the same car. the fairlady was thought to be too feminine for an american sports car so they removed that from the name.

[raremotive]

The simple and only difference is:
300zx are sold in USA.
Fairlady Z are not.

There are two different types of markets. And also two different type of emission standards to be met. Hence the reason why we can by low mile JDM motors, and why JDM tuners have rich access to those cars. And finally, Nissan had to play nice with Toyota and Honda, with their gentlemen's agreement which all agreed to limit their advertised power in Japan.

Mr. Katayama, recognized early on that Nissan could not use the same business strategy used in Japan. Also he had a renowned fear of driving on the freeway with Datsun cars, they were too slow. That's why the older cars were fit with more powerful engines to catch up with the American cars.

In the end. All parts are interchangeable. The Japanese cars had yellow mark pieces that they could remove to attain the more power potential figures.

There are many cars that have interchangeable names/brands in the in global market.

For starters:
G35 and G37 is a Skyline

Anyways, congrats. You appear to own a legit Fairlady Z.

And socially the only difference in USA for titling your Z32 is being called "cool" or "dork". Let me elaborate..

"hey man, what kind of car is that?"
"Oh it's a Fairlady Z"
"What's that?"
"The car from Japan, that's their name for our 300zx"
"cool"

verses

"Oh I rebadged my 300zx to a Fairlady Z because that's what they have over there in Japan"
"Dork"

[Chattzx]

I mostly say Z32 300ZX if people have no idea what it is.

[nissanfreak12]

And socially the only difference in USA for titling your Z32 is being called "cool" or "dork". Let me elaborate..

"hey man, what kind of car is that?"
"Oh it's a Fairlady Z"
"What's that?"
"The car from Japan, that's their name for our 300zx"
"cool"

verses

"Oh I rebadged my 300zx to a Fairlady Z because that's what they have over there in Japan"
"Dork"

[canadian booster]

mine says FairladyZ

[StockTurbosFTW]

It doesn't matter if I call it a 300ZX or a Fairlady, I still get the sigh of disapointment when I say the word "Nissan."

[300ZXttZMAN]

It doesn't matter if I call it a 300ZX or a Fairlady, I still get the sigh of disapointment when I say the word "Nissan."

UM WHY????????

Explain yourself

OR

[StockTurbosFTW]

It doesn't matter if I call it a 300ZX or a Fairlady, I still get the sigh of disapointment when I say the word "Nissan."

UM WHY????????

Explain yourself

OR

I don't know...people just seem disapointed when they hear its a Nissan. It's like they were expecting it to be something "cool" like a Porsche or Ferrari or something.

[nghtrain88]

I don't know...people just seem disapointed when they hear its a Nissan. It's like they were expecting it to be something "cool" like a Porsche or Ferrari or something.

Nissan/Nismo has a name in professional motorsports just like Honda or Toyota or Mazda does.. Porsche and Ferrari aren't the only companies that make performance driven cars.. I have no shame saying my Z is a Nissan

[canadian booster]

there's no shame in it, but most people don't know that information, or don't care to. I avoid saying 'nissan' when i can, and there are no 'nissan' badges anywhere on my z32 (i didn't remove them, there were just none to begin with)..

it's more fun to have people guess anyway.. i've gotten guesses like 'mazda', 'ferrari', or modified lambo *lol* must be the headlights, rarely do people know it's a nissan.

[FairladyFan]

Yeah. I've gotten the same kinda responses too.
Also had a few that were really excited to hear it was a Nissan.
The other thing I find funny is that when ppl see that it's RHD alot automatically assume it's an English car because they don't know that Japan is backwards too

[raremotive]

^ What if they were right and we were backwards?

A lot of people don't see Nissan like we do.. They see Maxima or Murano...

[BigTDogg (MA)]

Tomato, tomato.

Potato, potato

[raremotive]

Yet people say

Tomahto - Tomato

Potata - Potato..

[Ace2cool]

Yet people say

Tomahto - Tomato

Potata - Potato..

This. People, I swear.