Ever since Sung Kang’s “Fugu Z” won Best of Show, Datsuns have been increasingly prevalent at SEMA, the biggest aftermarket trade show in the world. In fact, the number of classic Zs handily outnumber new ones, and Nissan even brought one of their own. Of course, that means that now, a few years on, everything must be taken to the logical extreme. Some we liked, some we didn’t. Others raise the question, at what point does a Z cease to be a Z? Here is a gallery of every Z we saw at SEMA this year.
At what point does a Z cease to be a Z?
1st clue : when it no longer has an L-gata.
2nd : When there is less than 50% of the original body showing.
3rd : when the original chassis is replaced leaving merely an outer ‘Z-skin’.
Discuss. 🙂
50 percent? You are a generous man! 🙂
I understand the love and purity of the L-series but I don’t see why you couldn’t consider it a Z if it had another engine, especially if it’s in the Nissan family. You’re saying if it had an RB, it’s no longer a Z? I can’t go that far. I like even an SR swap, even if it’s not an I6 and even though people say it’s overplayed and doesn’t sound good. Nissan has yet to produce a better 4cyl.
The FJ series of Nissan engines were far superior 4 cyls. SR20 are one of the worst 4 cylinders ever made by Nissan.
Of the Zs pictured above, only 2 had Nissan family engines. Both L’s.
3* I guess the Nitto Tire car was an L.
You guys forgot the brown 260Z at the Prestone booth by North Hall.
Ah, we didn’t see that one!
There was also another Z in Blue Lot behind the Toyota Booth. I almost missed a ton of JNCs there only because I didn’t want to go thru the hassle of being re-screened by security when I went outside to see the other modified Supras outside.
It sounds pretty cool.
PRETTY COOL.
Don’t hold back on us JNC! With comment, please!
Z’s have become the late 60’s – 70’s Muscle Cars: everyone and their mother are modifying them to the point a stock example is much harder than Hen’s teeth.
Same could be said of JZA80 Supras…
Anyone who puts under glow on a Z (or any car for that matter) should be taken out back and beat with a bat.