An original Nissan Z in Jay Leno's garage.

The Nissan Z first appeared in the United States in the late 1960s as the Datsun 240Z, but in Japan this first model (code-named S30) was known as the Nissan Fairlady Z. In a recent episode of "Jay Leno's Garage," Z specialist Jay Ataka shows an early example of the version sold in Japan.

Although sold in both countries, the 240Z was designed with the United States in mind. Yutaka Katayama, then head of Nissan's West Coast operations and known as Mr. K to Z-car enthusiasts, promoted the car and, concerned that Americans would not like the name Fairlady, advocated the 240Z name instead. Like other U.S.-bound Nissan models of the time, this sports car was badged Datsun.

The car shown here is easily identified as a JDM model by the fender-mounted mirrors common on cars sold in Japan. They also have covered headlights, grille-mounted turn signals, and, since they are base models, plain steel wheels without hubcaps. It also has a locking gas cap, which was not available as a factory option in the U.S.

The U.S.-spec 240Z was launched with a 2.4-liter inline 6-cylinder engine with a maximum output of 130 hp, which was later downgraded to 125 hp midway through 1971. However, the base model for the Japanese market, like this car, was shipped from the factory with a 2.0-liter version of this engine. This car had upgraded heads to increase output to 125 hp and was equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission.

A 2.4-liter version was also sold in Japan, as well as a special Z432 equipped with a twin-cam version of the 2.0-liter inline-6 shared with the Nissan Skyline GT-R sold at the time; the S30 generation Z was relatively affordable in Japan when new, but most still made it to the United States.

While the 240Z is still a common sight in the U.S. classic car world today, and several have appeared in Jay Leno's garage over the years, this JDM Fairlady Z is a rare glimpse into the early history of the Nissan Z. Watch the full video.