Return of the Handbrake!!

[Alfadog]

Guys,

As most of you are aware, the handbrake on the S30 is on the right side of the centre console. This is generally seen as a sign that the S30 was designed first and foremost as a RHD car for the Japanese market - not that the LHD car was an afterthought, just that it wasn't designed specifically for the US market as some would like to think.

Anyway, that's been discussed many times and not the point of this post! My point is a picture I recently came across which I find interesting.

This is a Pontiac Trans Am. I don't think they sold in any country other than America... so why is the handbrake on the right side?

Some other cars:

Gen 1 & 2 Mazda RX7 - LEFT side

Gen 3 Mazda RX7 - RIGHT side

MKIV Toyota Supra - RHD cars - right side, LHD cars - left side

[Ed]

In the Trans Am the e-brake is on the right to give the passenger something to hold on to.

[sblake01]

It could just mean that the positioning of the handbrake doesn't proove or disproove anything. On my 320 pickup it's on the left side of the driver's seat, on my J30 it's on the left side of the driver's footwell. Both would be quite a reach if the vehicles were RHD!. These cars were designed and built in Japan (exc the J30-designed there, built here) and I don't feel that the positioning of the handbrake gives any real clue as to which market it was intended for. In the case of those cars that had the handbrke on the far right of the vehicle, it would make sense to move it to the left for a LHD car but there would be no real reason to move it from one side of the console to the other.

[Bambikiller240]

It could just mean that the positioning of the handbrake doesn't proove or disproove anything. On my 320 pickup it's on the left side of the driver's seat, on my J30 it's on the left side of the driver's footwell. Both would be quite a reach if the vehicles were RHD!. These cars were designed and built in Japan (exc the J30-designed there, built here) and I don't feel that the positioning of the handbrake gives any real clue as to which market it was intended for. In the case of those cars that had the handbrke on the far right of the vehicle, it would make sense to move it to the left for a LHD car but there would be no real reason to move it from one side of the console to the other.

Amen!

It is where it is because the designers wanted it there. Nuff said!

(anyway, this nit has been picked to DEATH!)

[Alan Pugh]

Well the latest Pontiac GTO which was designed for the Australian market (read, right hand drive) has the hand brake on the right hand side of the console. This would be because the normal position of the driver of this car would be on the right side.

Maybe the Trans Am in Lachlan's photo was designed OFF WORLD too, but no other country wanted them.

[Bambikiller240]

Well the latest Pontiac GTO which was designed for the Australian market (read, right hand drive) has the hand brake on the right hand side of the console. This would be because the normal position of the driver of this car would be on the right side.

Maybe the Trans Am in Lachlan's photo was designed OFF WORLD too, but no other country wanted them.

Alan: I think GM will sell far more of the GTO model in the USA (in a LHD version) than they will in OZ (in a RHD version). What leads you believe that it was "designed for the Australian market"? I think that all that can be said is that the hand brake is where the designers/builders wanted it. To state a "reason" for the placement would seem to me to be very presumptive, unless the designers have actually, publicly stated a reason for it's placement.

[Alan Pugh]

Carl, What makes me say that these cars were designed for the Australian market? Well to start with, they are manufactured in Australia at the Holden plant in Elizabeth, South Australia. We have been driving these cars since I believe it was 2002, in their original incarnation as a Holden Monaro.

Yes you are right you will sell more of these cars in the U.S. than we will here, but that is simply due to size of population and the love of a car that was designed and made in Australia. If you're still not sure, you've got the internet, do a search, but be prepared to be amazed that there are actually some car companies outside the U.S. that are successful.

And yes you are right that the hand brake is where the designers/builders wanted it. Australians don't want a hand brake on the left hand side of the console.

Alan P.

[HS30-H]

Final word on the Handbrake lever positioning of the S30-series Z cars has to go to Mr Yoshihiko Matsuo.

Matsuo san originally wanted to have TWO Handbrake lever positions; one for LHD configuration and one for RHD configuration. His original intention was for the Handbrake lever to be sited on the same side of the trans tunnel as the driver was sitting in both LHD and RHD configurations.

However, many of the design details and features that he originally intended for the cars had to be dropped or diluted due to costing limitations, and his ideal positioning of the Handbrake lever for LHD cars was one of them. Quite simply, the beancounters at Nissan insisted on a 'default' position. The ideal position for RHD was chosen.

As far as Matsuo san is concerned, his ideal position for the Handbrake lever was on the same side of the trans tunnel as the driver sits.

I would have thought that the words of the designer himself would be enough to convince anybody, but seemingly not.

Alan T.

[Alfadog]

In response to Alan's (Pugh!) posts - precisely. There's no question as to why the Monaro's handbrake is on the right. Thankyou for that very pertinent information! You can see similarities between this situation and Nissan's back in the day... same "more will be sold here, so therefore it's designed for us" attitude too.

Stephen, it is true that where the handbrake is does not prove or disprove anything. I think we all believe that, but I DO think it does give us clues. That's why I gave my examples. Most cars have the handbrake on the side closest to the driver, in the market they were destined/designed for. This is only logical! Which is why I posted this topic - the TransAm seems illogical (snigger) from that point of view.

edit: Alan beat me to a reply. Alan (T), thanks for clearing up (once again) the S30's handbrake position debate. Rather than not believing these things, I think sometimes people forget them.. it has been quite a while since the last handbrake debate . I wasn't doubting that if that's what you thought - just curious about the positioning on some other cars. Can you think of any reason why the Pontiac would have it's handbrake on the right??

[HS30-H]

Alan (T), can you think of any reason why the Pontiac would have it's handbrake on the right??

Fat Americans?

[Alan Pugh]

There is no doubt in anyones mind about the positioning of hand brakes except Carl's it seems.

Carl why are you so insular? Cars are designed for home markets and then converted for OTHER markets.

Australia has a huge muscle car following which includes many American cars, and these cars are restored or modified or whatever, but most of all they are enjoyed for what they are. With the changing laws here now in some states, collecter cars no longer have to be converted to right hand drive to be registered and driven.

Not everything is made by or for the U.S.of A., there's a whole world past the horizon.

Alan P.

[240znz]

Can you think of any reason why the Pontiac would have it's handbrake on the right??

If it were on the left, then wouldn't it be hidden by the coffee holder/oreo dispenser/BigMac/tissue box/dvd remote and Magnum! :classic:

Doesn't the designer point of view make perfect sense though.....if you have to cut things out to get the end-user price down, then keeping most things the same would benefit. As the "home market" is RHD then it hardly going to be on the left is it.