---
title: "Super Samuri: English for the Ultimate Z-Car"
description: "This 260Z is a child of the race car they called Big Sam."
date: "2016-01-26"
modified: "2016-01-26"
authors:
  - name: "David Traver Adolphus"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/david-traver-adolphus"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/vintage/1859/super-samuri-english-for-the-ultimate-z-car"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "News"
  - "People"
tags:
  - "datsun"
---

# Super Samuri: English for the Ultimate Z-Car

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/012616_datsun-super-samuri_hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Spike Anderson grew up as a tuner in England in the 1960s with Broadspeed, whose [10,000- rpm Minis](<https://www.macearchive.org/Archive/Title/atv-today-17011966-modified-mini/MediaEntry/30648.html>) were unbeatable in their day. When he went solo in 1973 to start Race Head Services, Anderson ended up with a new Datsun 240Z. But having built Chevy V8-powered Austin-Healeys at Broadspeed, he thought the Z was a little down on power. A cylinder head specialist, Anderson performed his magic on the Z’s inline-6 head, then developed his own exhaust manifold. Next came triple Weber carburetors and tuned suspension. *Voila*, Super Samuri was born (he had to leave out the second “a” in Samurai because the *Super Samurai* name was already trademarked).

With his street cred, Anderson had his 240Z road tested in *Motor Sport*, where Clive Richardson took it to 140 mph. That put the 250-hp coupe in direct competition with a Porsche 911S at a fraction of the cost and Spike Anderson became a Datsun tuner. “Big Sam,” as his original car was called, launched an assault on the 1974 Modsports Championship that had Porsche of Great Britain bring a full works Carrera 2.7 RS over from Germany to fight him off. When the Porsche broke in the final race, driver Win Percy and Big Sam won the championship by a point, setting four lap records over the season and becoming the first Z car to win any championship outside Japan and the U.S.

![012616\_datsun-super-samuri\_art\_1.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/012616_datsun-super-samuri_art_1.jpg>)

Anderson launched Samuri Motor Company to build 240Zs for the street and made around 75 190-hp cars, many of which were raced. These were followed by production of only two 200-hp 260Z Super Samuris, before Spike and company ran out of resources in 1976.

For all that, they don’t bring huge money. Silverstone Auctions is hoping for an optimistic £35,000-£45,000 ($50,241-$64,596) [at Race Retro](<https://www.silverstoneauctions.com/race-retro-classic-car-sale-2016>) on February 28. For the record, 200hp is an immense improvement over the poky 260Z’s stock 139hp; plus, you’ve got four four-piston vented disc brakes, the body kit, the suspension and the crazy great Super Samuri two-tone. This one was even raced and personally verified by Spike Anderson.

A Porsche Carrera 2.7 RS with race history will run you a million dollars, so ask yourself: Is it worth 20 Super Samuris? Hint: No.

![012616\_datsun-super-samuri\_art\_2.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/012616_datsun-super-samuri_art_2.jpg>)

![012616\_datsun-super-samuri\_art\_3.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/012616_datsun-super-samuri_art_3.jpg>)

![012616\_datsun-super-samuri\_art\_4.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/012616_datsun-super-samuri_art_4.jpg>)

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