Among UK Datsun enthusiasts, particularly those with a fondness for the six-cylinder 'Z' series, there is no bigger name than that of Spike Anderson, legendary proprietor of Samuri Conversions and the man responsible for a succession of Z-based racers in the 1970s, most notably Win Percy's famous 'Big Sam'.

Very few cars are so famous that they are commonly referred to by their registration number but 'FFA 196L' is one such and rightly so, as it is the first Datsun 240Z to benefit from Spike's attention, going on to become a motorsport legend.

Spike Anderson had learned his trade at legendary BMC tuning firm Broadspeed in the 1960s, working mainly on Minis and the Big Healeys that were a personal favourite.

When Spike left to set up his own company, Race Head Services, one of the first cars to benefit from his experience was a humble Datsun 1200, from the engine of which he coaxed 105 horsepower.

This was the first car to carry the 'Samuri' name, a deliberate miss-pelling as the 'S...