This is a 1970 Datsun Fairlady Z432, it’s the Japanese-market-only special edition of the Datsun Z series that was factory-fitted with the S20 straight-six from the “Hakosuka” Skyline 2000 GT-R – one of the preeminent holy grails of the JDM world.
Only 420 examples of the Fairlady Z432 were built, all were sold in Japan, and it’s not known how many have survived to the modern day. A handful have been imported into the United States where they typically fetch high values at auction – but many are still unfamiliar with the model.
Fast Facts – The Datsun Fairlady Z432
- The Datsun Fairlady Z432 is a rare, Japan-exclusive variant of the iconic Datsun Z series, featuring the high-performance 2.0-liter S20 straight-six engine from the legendary “Hakosuka” Skyline 2000 GT-R. Its name, “Z432,” references four valves per cylinder, three Mikuni carburetors, and two overhead camshafts, highlighting its sophisticated engine design.
- Limited to just 420 units, the Fairlady Z432 combined the advanced engine with the 240Z’s unibody design, offering superior performance with 160 bhp and a 7,000 rpm redline. Despite a smaller displacement compared to the standard 240Z, it was more powerful.
- The 1970 Fairlady Z432 featured here was imported into the UK in 2018 after a restoration in Japan, sporting its correct yellow finish and recent mechanical updates costing £7,000. The presence of roll cage mounts and wider rear arches hints at a possible racing past, potentially increasing its historical significance and subsequently its market value.
- This particular Z432 is set for auction through Iconic Auctioneers, estimated between £120,000 and £140,000 (approximately $159,000 to $186,000 USD).
The Datsun Z Series
The Datsun Z series, led by the Datsun 240Z, is arguably one of the most important families of sports cars to ever come out of Japan. Before the debut of the 240Z in the international marketplace in 1969, Japanese cars had developed a reputation for being cheap, cheerful, somewhat prone to rust, and for being almost disposable.
The Datsun 240Z helped to fundamentally change the perception of Japanese cars in the United States and throughout the western world by offering four-wheel independent suspension, class-leading performance and specifications, excellent reliability, and a price point below that of its closest competitors. Image courtesy of Nissan.
The Datsun 240Z helped to fundamentally change the perception of Japanese cars in the United States and throughout the western world by offering four-wheel independent suspension, class-leading performance and specifications, excellent reliability, and a price point below that of its closest competitors.
The styling of the Datsun 240Z was completed by a team led by Yoshihiko Matsuo, the long-running rumor is that Datsun executives wanted the car to resemble two of the most popular sports/GT cars of the time with four-wheel independent suspension – the Porsche 911 and the Jaguar E-Type.
The waiting list to buy a new Datsun 240Z quickly grew and the Z series would become one of the most successful sports car families of the 1970s and beyond. The 240Z was soon upgraded to the 260Z, which would then become the 280Z before the series switched over to the 280ZX.
The Datsun Fairlady Z432
The Datsun Fairlady Z432 was a Japan-only model that incorporated the unibody of the Datsun 240Z with the advanced engine of the “Hakosuka” Skyline 2000 GT-R – a car that had originally been developed at Prince before that company was acquired by Datsun.
The Hakosuka S20 is a 2.0 liter double overhead cam straight-six with four valves per cylinder, three carburetors, and a total output of 160 bhp at 7,000 rpm, and 130 lb ft of torque at 5,600 rpm. Despite the engine’s smaller displacement when compared to the 2.4 liter straight-six used in the 240Z it produced 9 bhp more power.
The Hakosuka S20 is a 2.0 liter double overhead cam straight-six with four valves per cylinder, three carburetors, and a total output of 160 bhp at 7,000 rpm, and 130 lb ft of torque at 5,600 rpm.
The model name Z432 references the fact that it’s a Z car, and that the engine has four valves per cylinder, three Mikuni carburetors, and two camshafts – Z 432.
Just 420 examples of the Fairlady Z432 were made, and they cost far more than the standard Fairlady Z that was offered in the Japanese home market at the time – though interestingly they were in a lower tax bracket than the 2.4 liter 240Z.
The 1970 Fairlady Z432 Shown Here
The car you see here is a 1970 Fairlady Z432 that was imported into the UK in 2018 from Japan, where it had reportedly been restored with (correct) yellow paintwork reapplied. The car recently had £7,000 spent on it with Z-car specialists to get it into tip-top shape.
It’s noted that this car may have been raced in Japan earlier in its life, there are signs of roll cage fixing points, the rear wheel arches seem a little wider than stock, and it wears aftermarket alloy wheels at present. The new owner may want to investigate this further, because if the car does have racing history in Japan in period it could potentially boost its value.
The long-running rumor is that Datsun executives wanted the car to resemble two of the most popular sports/GT cars of the time with four-wheel independent suspension – the Porsche 911 and the Jaguar E-Type.
This Fairlady Z432 is now due to roll across the auction block with Iconic Auctioneers in mid-May with a price guide of £120,000 – £140,000, which works out to approximately $159,000 – $186,000 USD, and it comes with the UK registration number EKH 953J.
If you’d like to read more about this unusual JDM gem you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Iconic Auctioneers
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.