The Short Story:
Fairlady - The name given to the first line of sports cars designed and built by Nissan Motors Japan after W.W.II, with the specific intent of being marketed in the USA - 1960.
The name "Fairlady" was given to the new sports car line by Mr. Katsuji Kawamata, President Of Nissan Motors Japan, after he attended the Broadway Musical "My Fair Lady" while visiting the US in 1958. He felt that the name would invoke an image of beauty for the car - because people would think of the beauty of the music and the leading lady in that Broadway Musical.

This is a common and accepted practice within the Japanese culture for selecting automotive names. It is not a usual cultural method here in the US however - so Nissan more commonly used engine size and model numbers as Model Names for the US market. (Note: There are also minor differences in many cases related to engine sizes, safety and emissions equipment between the Japanese home market models (Fairlady Z's) that those exported to other countries)

The More Complete Story: The SPL212 was introduced in 1960. It was a two passenger car with a 1.2Liter four cycl. engine ( 2 12). The "S" stood for Sport, the "P" was the designation for the Bluebird chassis, and the "L" stood for left hand drive. It is significant to note that "L" left hand drive cars could not be sold in Japan at that time. Thus Nissan's first Sports Car was specifically designed and intended solely for the US market.

To understand why the name "Fairlady" was given to a Sports Car, one has to think in terms of the Japanese culture, rather than that of the America culture. The Japanese revere traditions of Art, Music, Philosophy and the study of Beauty. All of these cultural values are considered to be acquired tastes and skills, gained over a lifetime, through personal study and practice.

Here in the US we place a much higher cultural value on personal creativity. Art and Music are considered to be more a matter of inspiration, personal expression and creativity. We therefore place a higher value on personal creativity and expression, than the resulting traditions of the art or music.

While Mr. Katsuji Kawamata, the President of Nissan Motors of Japan Ltd., was visiting the United States in 1958 he attended a performance, on-Broadway, of the hit musical "My Fair Lady".

A couple of years later (1960), when Nissan was about to introduce its new Sports Car Line, Mr. Kawamata gave it the official name of "Fairlady". He had been so impressed with the beauty of the music and the leading lady in that Broadway Musical, that he thought everyone would relate the name of Nissans new sports car "the Fairlady" to the beauty of the music and the leading lady in the play. Indeed, that is what happened in Japan, the name made perfect sense there and was readily accepted in that market.

The Fairlady Sport Car line continued to evolve through the 1960's with the introduction of the Fairlady 1500 in Oct. of 1962, then the Fairlady 1600 in 1965. Along with this evolution of its product lines, Nissan Motors was attempting to increase it's exports to the US Market.

Mr. Yutaka Kayatama, then President of Nissan Motors USA, knew that his customers would not accept the name "Fairlady" for a Sports Car here in the USA, so the Sales and Marketing departments in the US had used the cars model numbers for the most part, in advertising and sales promotion, and with the introduction of the new models for 1965 the badging on the front fenders was changed, on the US cars, from "Fairlady" to "Datsun 1600".

When the new S30 "Fairlady Z" was designed and built for the US Market (as the HLS30) - Mr. Katayama suggested that it not be badged as the "Fairlady' in the US. Mr. K. thought that the car should be named something more aggressive, like "Tiger" or "Shark" in keeping with US cultural traditions and values. That idea having been turned down in Japan, he was willing to accept "Datsun 240-Z". The 240 was a shortened version of the 2400cc engine displacement, and the "Z", which had been the new car's product file designation within Nissan's Design Department.

Mr. Teiichi Hara, General Manager of Design Department No. 2, had given the original sports car plans the file designation "Type Z", as most all of the other characters in the roman alphabet had been previously used. (I suppose that the roman alphabet is used in Japan for alphabetic filing systems ie. alphabetical order.) -Z-

(source: http://zhome.com/History/FairladyName.html )

 

DAMN!~ if everything you wrote is real... GOD bless you for the information, interesting to read regardless... thanks for the post.

 

Thats pretty sweet. I like 350Z, but Fairlady is just sweet sounding.

 

now i know.........

 

awesome! Thanks for the post!

 

very informative thank you....

 

Also.. The first serious attempt was 1959 with the Fairlady S211.

 

excellent post

 

thats tight thanks

 

You're all welcome!

 

This really isn't related to where the name Fairlady Z came from...but I thought I would share this on the sticky so it doesn't get bumped down daily.

I found a good place for pictures of the Z from Nissan...
http://www.speedycars.net/wallpaper/nissan_z.html

Tons of pictures on there, concept, production model, etc.

 

Hey buddy, watch what you link, that website has an embedded virus.

 

Do what??

It didn't do anything to my computer other than slow it down because there are so many pictures...

 

Thank you very much for the post...very informative. I will know what to tell people when they ask me about the "fairlady" emblem I put on the side of my Z.

 

xziteme:

Just give the Def / Mute cards

Ha !

Cheers Amy -

 

I get asked about it so much! I think I just might make a plastic-laminated 8X10 about the "fairlady" story! Ha!

 

Since you elaborated on your response, provided such a clear and accurate description, and made this subject post a "sticky", I decided to post a reply and share my point of interest.

Recently attended the ZDAYZ event and met a nice young girl with a 350 roadster which she cleverly converted to a US version of the Fairlady. Also met another gentleman there who tagged his new 350 with a Failady emblem. I shared my story with them and was inspired by them to drive my original Fairlady Z to next year's event, ZDAYZ 2006, Lord willing and the creek don't rise. Heads up! Be there. I hope I can live up to my commitment and get the old car roadworthy for such a trip (extending to one of the most beautiful places in the US, touching four states).

The car is an early Fairlady Z S30 built for the Japanese market, prior to production of the 240Z. It predates the 240Z (1969) and the six-cylinder is labeled 1998 cc. It has three 2-bbl solex carbs and seems to me to be quite a bit quicker than the early 240. I horse-traded for it about ten years ago, and understand that it was brought over to the US by a military dude about 1980.

For you history buffs, I will keep you posted on this thread, as to my progress and ability to get it to the show next year, ie. at Fontanna.

 

Very cool n2az. I'd sure like to see that car. How different is it from the 240Z in styling? Wasn't it built with right-hand drive?

And thanks to nis350ztt for the informative "Fairlady" story.

 

Yes, the driver's seat is on the right side. Shift with left hand, but accelerate with right foot. I believe all true Fairlady Z's are driven on the right side, even today. This car came to the states with a G-nose, fender flares and spoiler but these item were "stolen" off the car before I got it. Otherwise, it is very original and looks exactly like the 70 240z except with mirrors mounted on top of both fenders. It is badged Fairlady Z rear and sides. There are no vents on the side rear, but there is no traditional 240 badge, either. All my Z photos from books and magazines show a Z there, but I am certain the Z emblem w/vent will not mount there. I know the car would not have sported the 240 emblem, either, since it was not a 240. I understand "240" is associated with the 2.4 L engine, not the 2.0 L engine for the home market. Can any one help with this question? I will post pictures as my restoration advances.

 

The one episode of Full Throttle on the History Channel had the story indepth. Forpeople unfamiliar with the show, 2 teams take 2 of the same old classic cars or trucks and toss in a few performances modifications over a day or two, and then drag race them. The winning team gets to take both cars/trucks home. Look for the episode of the 240Z.

It was said that the President of the US section was denied the right to change the name in the US, so he stood at the end of the assembly line and shaved the Fairlady badges off himself and replaced them.