Oil Change on early L24 a Joy - plug on side!

[DeesZ]

I just changed out the oil on an older L24 (car mfg. 02/1971). The engine has been sitting for the last 20 years, it's not frozen, and I've been going thru the process of putting MMO / Seafoam / ATF in the cylinders to free things up... now time for a change out of the old stuff.... (Whew, it was just plain nasty!)

Anyway, to the point.... It was a joy not having to crawl around on the ground; the drain plug is on the 'side' of the pan, just about immediately under the oil filter, but maybe a bit forward from that. I just put my catch pan under the filter as usual and dropped the filter drainage there, then pulled the plug and drained it into the pan where it was sitting - never had to take a step. Now this struck me when I was buttoning everything up.... I asked myself "Isn't the drain on the aft side of the sump?" I looked at my 05/72 and it was aft, as well as two NOS units that I have had sitting around for 25 years... all rear drains. I guess this prompts me to ask "Why did Nissan change the location of the drain?" I've searched the Forums for about two hours with no luck on this issue (found tons of other really good stuff!) There is likely some obvious reason that I am overlooking here, so please let me enlighten me about this. I just may want to find one of these pans for my 05/72.... anybody got one for sale? ..... Lord, here I go again, looking to spend even more money on my addiction. What is this power that this car has over me?