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Z31 300ZX European Market Registry

European-market Z31 300ZXs were built for Europe, Australia and other right- and left-hand-drive export markets, with their own VIN format, model codes and equipment. Look one up to see how it left the factory: build month, paint and trim codes, and what its model code says. Owners add their car through their XenonZcar forum garage and keep its details and photos up to date.

European VINs look like JN10HGZ31U0012345. It’s on the model plate under the bonnet; where the plate sits depends on the market (see below). US-market cars are in the US registry.

Cars with History Records
2
VINs in Nissan’s catalog
7,931

Euro Model Plate Arrangement

The model plate is under the bonnet. Where it sits, and what’s on it, varies by market. It shows the VIN (chassis number), type, paint and trim codes, model code, and the engine, transmission and axle models, plus the weight ratings on European plates.

Where the plates are on a European Z31
Plate locations. Click for a larger view.
European model plate example
European model plate
Model plate example, except Europe
Model plate for other export markets

Production by Serial Number

All European Z31s have a VIN starting JN10HGZ31U0; the last six digits are the serial number. Nissan numbered the cars in separate blocks, so the serial tells you roughly when a car was built and which version it is. Zenki and kouki are the Japanese terms enthusiasts use for the early and late versions of a model.

Serial numbersBuilt CarsIn Nissan’s catalogVersion
000001–00004706/83–12/834740Zenki
000048–00232402/84–07/842,2771,405Zenki
010001–01210207/84–08/852,1021,921Zenki
020001–02120609/85–01/871,206799—
030001–03002605/86–11/862619Not known
500001–50001602/87*1616Not confirmed; possibly an early kouki (“kouki light”)
030027–03130302/87–04/891,277523Kouki without catalytic converter
500017–50101402/87–06/89998998Kouki with catalytic converter
Total7,9495,721

Serial ranges, build dates, counts and versions: Kaur Tuttelberg. “In Nissan’s catalog” is how many of those cars are listed in Nissan’s European parts catalog (FAST), which you can search below; every European Z31 in the catalog falls in one of these ranges.

* Nissan’s catalog dates all 16 cars in the 500001–500016 block 05/86–11/86, the same months as 030001–030026. They are all turbo manuals. Their model codes have an O where the earlier cars have a Q (for example KHLGZ31JTOCH), the same as the later 500000-series cars with a catalytic converter.

Model Code Breakdown

The model code on the plate (for example HLGZ31JQB) reads like this:

European Z31 model code breakdown
Click for a full-size version

European Z31 300ZX Registry Search

Search by any mix of VIN (or part of one), model code, build month, paint and trim codes, condition and owner. Factory records come from Nissan’s European parts catalog (FAST), which lists 7,931 of these cars; not every car is listed, so a VIN that isn’t found can still be genuine. Another 18 VINs come from Kaur Tuttelberg’s serial number ranges; for those only the build dates and version are known. Owner names and places match only owners who chose to show them.

European Z31 300ZXs in members’ garages

2 cars.

Photo VIN Car Built Paint Engine / Trans Condition Entered Miles Owner Garage Location Website Comments
JN10HGZ31U0030426 1987 2+2 Turbo 09/87 AG2 VG30ET / Manual Restoring/Refreshing Nov 2026 165,000 Thomas Bekker XS9909’s garage Amsterdam View
JN10HGZ31U0500455 1987 300ZX 2+2 Turbo 10/87 326 VG30ET / Manual Running/OK Nov 2026 — Hidden kaur’s garage Hidden —

Is one of these cars yours?

Owner details are kept up to date from your XenonZcar forum garage. Log in, claim your car once (only one member can hold each car, so nobody else can change your car’s record), and then you can update the owner name, location, condition, mileage, website link, comments and photos any time. Your name and location show publicly only if you choose; otherwise only XenonZcar admins see them. Your car also shows on your forum profile.

  1. Log in to the XenonZcar forum (or join; it’s free).
  2. Open My garage, pick Z31 300ZX European market (1983–1989) under “Which Z?” and enter the 17-character VIN, e.g. JN10HGZ31U0012345.
  3. If the car is already in the registry and no other member has it, it goes straight into your garage with the details you entered. Otherwise an admin confirms the claim, usually within a day or two. Sold the car? Transfer it to the buyer from your garage and it stays in the car’s history.
Claim or update my car Join the forum Z31 US registryZ31 VIN info

All registries

Sources Used

  • VINs, build months, paint and trim codes: Nissan’s European parts catalog (FAST)
  • Plate and VIN diagrams: Nissan 300ZX factory service manuals (non-US editions)
  • Owner details: XenonZcar forum members
  • Serial number ranges and production counts: Kaur Tuttelberg