New Art: 1969 Nissan Fairlady 240Z 432

From far away, it may look like a relatively common Datsun 240Z (Nissan Fairlady Z in the Japanese home market; Datsun was a brand name used in North America), but the Z 432 variant is something truly special—a factory hotrod with a seriously potent motor, and whose rarity makes it one of the most desirable Z-cars ever. “432” stands for four valves per cylinder, three carburetors, and two camshafts—all features of the high-performance S20 motor yanked from the top-of-the-line Skyline GT-R. The S20 gives the Z 432 nearly fifty percent more power than the stock L20 engine, seriously increasing performance. Outside, there are a few subtle clues that this was an extremely rare version of a classic sportscar: red “432” badging on the flanks and hatch, unique mag-style wheels, and the signature vertically-stacked dual exhaust tips. Of course, all of the great features of the lesser Z-cars, like bold colors and the classic long-hood proportions, are still present. It’s the ultimate expression of the vision of Yutaka Katayama (better known as “Mr. K,” father of Nissan’s Z-car program) to produce a world-class sportscar—and with only 420 produced and sold exclusively in Japan, it is as valuable as it is rare.

So of course I’ve fooked it all up and customized it.