Once you've fallen fully under the charm of the S30, it's usually quite easy to wonder how such a beautiful car can still be so timelessly beautiful after more than 50 years.

To understand this, I would like to take you on a journey full of amazing design directions, ideas and insights that were pursued during the development and design of the S30, known as the Nissan Fairlady Z in Japan and the Datsun 240 Z outside Japan.
What designs were made at Nissan, and what did these designs look like in the end? That's what this is all about.

The pictures shown here are taken from various books, newspapers and other publications. No book has ever shown all the relevant photos and some well-known publications have simply omitted some chapters.

For example, the "Fairlady Volume I" book by Neko, which is considered one of the great Japanese works, shows the timetable of the various plans without the so-called Plan D and E.

German books such as "Autos die Geschichte machten - Nissan" by Joachim Kuch, on the other hand, very purposely only deal with designs that give a very strong hint of the finished car.

And even in the much-praised "Fairlady Roadster to 280ZX" by Brian Long, you can only guess at the variety of individual steps.

Only the Japanese "Fairlady Z - Story and History" delves a little deeper into the subject, but also leaves out a few things that can be seen in the "Fairlady Z Story - Limited Edition", which is also Japanese.

However, the best source on the subject at this point is clearly the February issue of CAR Graphic, published in Japan in 1970, from which most of the images are taken.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Japanese Z-enthusiast Kats Endo, with whose help I was able to bring together some loose threads and who helped me a lot with some sources and translations.

NEKO Verlag, among others, printed this greatly simplified timeline in "Fairlady Volume I".

The more detailed timeline of the individual concepts shows what else happened around them. "CAR graphic", Japan, February 1970

However, it didn't go from A to Z and certainly not strictly according to plan. From the idea to the finished car. But plan is exactly the right word. Because there were many plans.
Many construction plans or design plans, to be precise.

Nissan was planning a new car that would shake up the sports car market, but was also intended as a successor to the Datsun Fairlady.
It was therefore a new version of the roadster, which Nissan had already established on the market from 1959 as the Datsun S211 and later as the Datsun Fairlady. This also explains the naming of the Z (which rolled off the production line in Japan as the Fairlady Z). The resulting designs are known as Plan A.

The first model in this design series was called the A0 or Nissan 0000ST.

Plan A0, "Datsun & Nissan - only Z"

Plan A1 as 1:1 clay model, "Fairlady Z - Story and History", "Fairlady Z Story - Limited Edition", "CAR Graphic 02/70"

Plan A2, "Fairlady Z Story - Limited Edition", "Datsun & Nissan - only Z", "CAR Graphic 02/70

Plan A3, "CAR Graphic 02/70", "Datsun & Nissan - only Z"

Plan A5, "Fairlady Roadster to 280ZX", "Fairlady Z - Story and History", "CAR Graphic 02/70", "Datsun & Nissan - only Z"

Plan A6, A7, "Autos die Geschichte machten - Nissan", "CAR Graphic 02/70"

Plan A8, A9, "CAR Graphic 02/70"

Plan A10 - 1:1 made of plastic with removable hardtop made of foam, transparent windows, "CAR Graphic 02/70", "Fairlady Z - Story and History"

Plan A11, "日本の原作車もリース, Nr. 12", "CAR Graphic 02/70"

Plan A12, "CAR Graphic 02/70"

At the same time, however, it was not just the Roadster that was to serve as the basis for the new sports car.
In fact, Nissan had several teams working independently on this project. This meant that not only the Roadster was a basis for creating something new - but also the CSP311, which was produced in parallel (and which many will know as the Datsun Silvia). This project was called Plan B.

The SP410 can certainly be seen as the basis for Plan B. A planned successor to the SP311 and CSP311. "Neko - Fairlady Volume I"

Plan B1 - "Datsun & Nissan - only Z", "Fairlady Z - Story and History", "CAR Graphic 02/70"

Plan B2, B3 - with "SP" emblem at the rear, "Datsun & Nissan - Z only", "CAR Graphic 02/70", "Fairlady Z - Story and History", "Neko - Fairlady Volume I"

From December 1965, both teams worked on different designs at the same time and without seeing each other's work. However, while Plan A was stopped in July 1966, Plan B continued until January 1967.
This did not mean, though, that Plan B emerged victorious. Rather, in March 1966, the so-called Plan C began, which took up initial elements of Plan A and thus developed in slightly different directions.

Plan C1 - Convertible, Plan C2 - Targa, both folding headlights - C2 is due to YOSHIDA Fumio, "CAR Graphic 02/70", "Fairlady Z Story - Limited Edition", "Neko - Fairlady Volume I"

Plan C3 - "Fairlady Roadster to 280ZX", "Datsun & Nissan - only Z", "CAR Graphic 02/70"

Plan C4 - 1:1 clay model, designer: YOSHIDA Fumio (involved in CSP311 and A550X), "Datsun & Nissan - only Z", "Fairlady Z - Story and History", "CAR Graphic 02/70"

After Plan C had progressed well for a while, it was then that Nissan merged the two developments to create Plan AC.

But Plan A continued in order to test further design elements and develop various details that would benefit later.

The new Plan AC began in January 1967 and resulted in the production model in July of the same year. In other words, a 1:1 prototype in which the L6 engine was installed for the first time. Previously, only somewhat smaller and narrower cars had been modeled in clay, which also only provided space for a 4-cylinder engine.

Plan AC1, AC2, "Datsun & Nissan - only Z", "CAR Graphic 02/70"

The lead designer and responsible for a large part of the work from model AC2 onwards was TAMURA Kumeo, who was previously "only" a clay modeler and from Plan AC onwards is the only designer working on this project. Thanks to his talent as a draughtsman, he is responsible for many striking details. 

We should also mention YOSHIDA Fumio, who is responsible for the C4 model, among other things, and was previously involved in the CSP311 and was even on board with Yamaha's A550X.

ITSUKI Chiba, on the other hand, was responsible for the interior, but you won't see anything of him in almost any of the books. But more on that later.

While various prototypes were being refined to near-final dimensions, Plan D and E were developed in parallel in July 1967. Each in different stages of development and, with a view to the American export market, very much inspired by the great role models of the time.

Plan D1, "Fairlady Z Story - Limited Edition", "CAR Graphic 02/70"

Plan D2 - ventilation slots in the rear as a template for the 240Z, 2 tailpipes, rear design similar to the 2+2, "Datsun & Nissan - only Z", "CAR Graphic 02/70", "日本の原作車もリース, Nr. 12"

Plan E - with vinyl roof, but also as a prototype with a finished front, "CAR Graphic 02/70", "Fairlady Z - Story and History", "Fairlady Z Story - Limited Edition"

From mid-1967, Nissan worked on so-called production models, i.e. prototypes, which were mostly modeled in clay or plastic on a scale of 1:1. During this period of development, it was all about details and trying out which direction could be taken. At this point, you can already see a lot of small details that later actually made it into series production.

SP-A - closed and convertible, "Fairlady Z - Story and History", "Autos die Geschichte machten - Nissan", "CAR Graphic 02/70"

P1 & P2 - MATSUO Yoshihiko in the front on Targa prototype, "CAR Graphic 02/70", "Fairlady Z - Story and History"

P4 in the wind tunnel & P5, "CAR Graphic 02/70"

P6 & P7 - The "160" emblem is particularly exciting at this point. This was to be the official designation for the Z432 (based on engine power). However, this would have led to too much confusion with regard to the 240Z designation (based on engine capacity). Nevertheless, Nissan took great care to ensure that both emblems (Japan and export) would have the same holes in the boot lid to minimize production costs. "CAR Graphic 02/70"

It is also interesting to note that at almost all times, both an open and a closed car were being worked on. A 2+2-seater was also an option at many points in this history.
MATSUO Yoshihiko, head of the design team, very much wanted this body shape for himself and his family. However, Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. president Katayama did not want to start this properly until after the short Z was completed.

It was also MATSUO Yoshihiko who made the first sketches for the new car. Initially still based on the Roadster.

Sketches by MATSUO Yoshihiko, left from "Fairlady Z Story - Limited Edition", right from "Fairlady Z - Story and History"

Further sketches by MATSUO Yoshihiko and ITSUKI Chiba. From "CAR Graphic 02/70"

Targa prototype, "Fairlady Z Story - Limited Edition", "Fairlady Z - Story and History"

2by2 sketches by Matsuo

2by2 - models + prototypes, also as notchback. The model at the bottom right was presented to Mr. K. in Los Angeles. He was surprised at how far this model had already progressed. In the interior: seats with headrests. "Fairlady Z Story - Limited Edition", "Datsun & Nissan - only Z", "Neko - Fairlady Volume I"

Shortly before it went into series production, Nissan developed certain details on its prototypes, primarily for the US export market. The Datsun hubcaps, side marker lights and Datsun emblems can already be seen at this stage.
The emblem on the C-pillar has not yet been finalized.

One of the last prototypes before series production, "Fairlady Z - Story and History", "Fairlady Z Story - Limited Edition"

It is interesting to note that almost no book contains a picture of the interior. During the concept and design phase, many things were tried out here too, of course.

Nevertheless, there are illustrations in the Japanese magazine "フェアレディス Vol. 1" and in "Craft Magazine - Nissan Fairlady Z". Itsuki Chiba was responsible.
The steering wheel was initially clearly inspired by the Prince Skyline.

"フェアレディス Vol. 1"

1969 - 16th Tokyo Motor Show

In summary, it must be said that the path to the Z appears very simple and planned from today's perspective. But that was not the case. For a very long time, Nissan did not know which engine (and therefore which space for it) the car would have, and even the body shape and the associated size were not clearly defined for a long time.
You can also see in detail which changes have been made and recognize from small details, such as the different number of wheel nuts, which substructure the models often had.
So there was a lot of trial and error here and ultimately the car continued to mature throughout its entire construction period and, in typical Nissan fashion, was improved in detail time and time again.