Home-market S30 Factory Options

[HS30-H]

Alan, I'm not to clear on whether you believe the passing light was standard or an option in RHD cars? Mike

Hi Mike,

I understand the situation with regard to the Japanese home market cars; it makes sense and everything matches up with documented specs and Nissan's info. The Passing Light function was standard equipment in just about everything except the S30-S Fairlady Z and HS30-S Fairlady 240Z ( the two 'base spec' models ). No problem there.

Most of the UK-market RHD Export cars were fitted with the Passing Lamp switch, as far as I know. Certainly the UK cars that I have owned, and all the ones I have liberated of parts and given a decent burial have had them too.

As far as the Australian / NZ market RHD Export cars go, I'm not so sure. But that's not unusual; those market have their own anomalies and can be much more confusing / interesting than other markets. A look through a Nissan "R DRIVE" parts book for the RHD Export models will show anybody that the Australian market spec was riddled with special parts, exceptions and options that are very complicated and confusing!

The big surprise for me was that the USA market LHD Export cars did not have the Passing Light. I did not know that. It's one of those things I either never looked into or just never noticed. I've driven a few USA market LHD cars, but obviously never had call to use the Passing Light function - otherwise I should have noticed.......

Alan T.

[HS30-H]

Enrique,

If you are feeling *lucky* with regard to those Fog Lamp Switch enquiries, then these numbers might also be worth enquiring about :

*25540-E4300 COMB-SWITCH TURN SIGNAL DIMMER

*25540-E4301 COMB-SWITCH TURN SIGNAL DIMMER

( Option )

*25230-89903 ASSY-RELAY TYPE K3 ( PASSING )

( Option )

*25230-N3000 ASSY-RELAY PASSING - EUROPE

from 07-72

I've got a Nissan drawing of that K3 relay, but I'll have to scan it later.

Cheers,

Alan T.

[kyteler]

Hey Alan, and others watching this thread.

My brother's 1973 from Australia is also missing the Passing lamp option, he did however manage to pick up an switch/lever cluster?? off a local auction site which DOES have it, also a NZ '72 I checked out recently didn't have any Passing Lamp option and as far as I know, neither have any of the other ones I've come across, but I might have to get back to you on that, it wasn't something I was looking out for, I will be now though!

[EScanlon]

Actually, that the US cars did NOT have the Passing Light feature is not surprising.

In the 60's and well into the 70's, American cars had the high beam switch on the floor, where the Z's have the Foot Support. While the majority of cars sold were Automatic, there were a few sold with manual transmissions. But it wasn't until the gas crunch of the 70's that people started looking at Manual Transmissions as more efficient than their Automatic contender. As a result, the LEFT foot (in the US) was not used (except for those brave individuals who claimed that braking with the left foot was "faster reaction" than with the right), EXCEPT for the High/Low Beam switch.

The location of the switch, probably goes back to when we still had a starter button that had to be pushed to actuate the starter motor. Remember in those days, the size of the switches to handle that much voltage was huge in contrast to what was used later. Both the starter and the headlight switches were on the left hand side of the car, until some manufacturers relocated the starter switch to the dash, and eventually the keyed ignition lock. The headlight switch was not addressed until much later, even though many vehicles in those days were Manual transmission.

Unfortunately, this is the same group of people that had a difficult time understanding the Hand Throttle on the console. Making such a "radical" change as moving the switch to the turn signal stalk was controversial. There were many stories written up in car magazine's of the day with folks complaining about it. Those vehicles that DID have the Passing Light feature, no doubt further confused their owners into believing they had to continually hold the switch in order to use their high beams. So, no doubt Datsun decided to save a couple of bucks and omitted that feature.

In the aftermath of the gas crunch of the 70's, many manufacturers imported vehicles from their own marque from Europe. In Europe as mentioned before, in many countries, it is a requirement that you must flash your headlights as you overtake a vehicle. Rather than change the wiring to put a floor switch on, it was introduced to the American public.

Nowdays, I would be hard pressed to find ANY US made vehicle with the old foot switch.

Unfortunately, the American public still hasn't caught on to the "language" of the Passing Light. To the majority of Americans, the high beams are only to illuminate long stretches of back roads, or to frantically signal some fool in front of you that he has done something idiotic.

If you DO look around, you will note that there is a systematic and logical use of the high beam by those people that have gleamed an understanding of the "language". Tractor trailer drivers use it to advise another trucker that the rear end of the trailer he's towing has cleared the vehicle who was being overtaken. A flash of high beam headlights also warns people on side streets that you are approaching the intersection and are moving fast enough that they shouldn't enter the intersection. A quick double flash when you approach a slower moving vehicle from behind, alerts the driver of your request that he move over to another lane rather than block the "higher" speed lane. These are just some of the ones that I've observed over the years, but I'm sure that our European community members can divulge many more.

2¢

Enrique

[EScanlon]

Andrew:

Thanks for the tip! I'll have to check my book and see what I find. If I do need you to scan it I'll post back.

Alan:

Great info mate! I'm going to give my contact in Canada a holler and see what I can find.

Enrique

[Zedrally]

Not seeing the trees because of the forest! Up to 73...

RHD Euro: Passing switch.

RHD JDM: Passing Switch.

RHD Aust: No Passing.

LHD US: No Passing.

Anyone have any other markets to add?

MOM

[mdbrandy]

In the 60's and well into the 70's, American cars had the high beam switch on the floor, where the Z's have the Foot Support.

I started driving in 1977, driving my parent's 1971 Monte Carlo. High beam switch on the floor. After I bought my first car - 1971 240Z, I drove it for a while thinking it didn't even have high beams. I was driving along a dark rural highway one night when I accidently pulled in on the turn signal - imagine my surprize when the high beams came on! I had never seen that before :cross-eye .

[Alfadog]

but I'm sure that our European community members can divulge many more.

Just to add one more, here in Australia a very common thing to do is flash your highbeams at the cars coming in the opposite direction to let them know they are approaching an automotive photoshoot... (police)

(P.S. My 71 had no passing light - Mike seems to be on the money. My 1973 240K does - pull the lever towards you)

[EScanlon]

Just to add one more, here in Australia a very common thing to do is flash your highbeams at the cars coming in the opposite direction to let them know they are approaching an automotive photoshoot... (police)

(P.S. My 71 had no passing light - Mike seems to be on the money. My 1973 240K does - pull the lever towards you)

We also do that in the Mid-West and I've seen it once or twice here in the Pacific NW. However, instead of flashing the brights, the action is to turn your Headlights OFF, ON, OFF, ON, OFF, ON while sounding out the words while the action is going on. Simply put, off for the amount of time it takes you to SAY off, and again for the word ON.

A trucker at a rest stop told me that one, and maybe he was just feeding a young turkey like me a line of cockamanie BS, but I HAVE seen it being done, and always in response to a "trap" up ahead on the road, on MY side of the road.

Enrique

[Bambikiller240]

It was common here in SF Bay area when I was growing up. No one (well very few) seem to bother "warning a brother" any more.

[Go240Zags]

Thanks for that!! So the vinyl only went up half the roof.... like those old Oldsmobiles and Caddies... No wonder it is rare.

That half-vinyl roof must be aftermarket, as the Nissan one covered the whole roof.

All right, I'll try again, there is a US market 240Z on eBay right now with a full vinyl top, altho it is so peeled off that it's starting to look like the half-vinyl roof I posted before. This car is pretty ugly, whether with or without the vinyl/leather top. Looks like the top is a big rust promoter.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2489272974&category=10076

[Bambikiller240]

Definitely a rust promoter. Always has been, probably always will be.

It's too bad though, cause if it weren't for the rust issue vinyl would be really cool on a Z :stupid: