#0001 is it RHD or LHD

[Zedrally]

I'm sure this will start some intense debate.

At the unveiling of the 350Z in Japan, the prototype car was RHD. (see news item posted by Z-point &

subsequent thread).

This implies that the pre-production mules would have been RHD and thus #0001 will be a RHD 350Z, not the

LHD 350Z that is being sold on e-bay.

When one thinks more about this, it becomes evident that #00001 240Z [or any of the Z series] would have

also been RHD and not LHD as has been suggested.

I'll now duck for cover, have a great weekend, look forward to some debate on Monday!

[Shiin]

Actually per-productions are given a different VIN# not beginning with the correct number.

For example the new 350Z located at Tracy Nissan has the VIN#1000177(I think, But im sure it ends with 10001XX)

Per-production models are labeled with the last 6 of the VIN with a number higher then the one production. Also the long numers on a vin each stand for something like the begining VIN on a Nissan that goes "JN3BC" example of a maxima

Lettering code:J= where it's made "Japan"

N= Make "Nissan

3= year "2003"

B+C= model type "GXE or GX"

I a Nissan parts book it statest the first 1 in "10001XX" is the beginning of the production make.

This might clear up why the 00001 will not be right hand drive

[HS30-H]

Hi Mike and Shiin,

Difficult to compare the original S30 with this "New" 350Z / Fairlady ( depending on what market version ) as we are living in different times...................

Back in the '60's while the S30-series Z was being designed, Nissan was very much centred in Japan - with the East and West Coast offices of Nissan USA concentrating on selling the cars and looking after all that goes with it. Here in Europe, we had stand-alone ( ie, not owned by Nissan ) companies acting as Importers. You would have to say that they did not have all that much input with the design process, but would make suggestions as to what they could best sell - and what to "tweak" to help the cars survive the needs of their particular market. All said, the design and development was happening in Japan.

Nowadays things are completely different, and auto makers are much more global in structure. Its difficult to see ANY new car these days as the product of any one company or country. There are honourable exceptions that prove this rule, though. The R32, R33 and R34 series Skyline GT-Rs were the babies of an intensely focused faction inside Nissan, a group who still feel their heritage and family tree come from the Prince regime of ex-aircraft engineers who were realy serious about racing and making great cars. Sadly, this group now seems to be feeling pressure to change..............

This "New Z" / "350Z" / "Fairlady" or whatever they have decided to call it, cannot really be seen as a pure product of Nissan Japan. I think I read somewhere ( and I have to admit it - I don't really care where it was designed ) that it was a product of some outpost design office somewhere ( probably in Calif. ) and that the process has been something of a global collaboration between all parts of the company. My eyes start to glaze over when I read the dull corporate-speak press releases, so forgive me for not knowing the details on who or where it was "designed".

Personally speaking, I have no idea how they think that they can link the "DNA" of this new car to the original S30-series Z. There are very few car manufacturers who have pulled this kind of stunt off, and any new car has to survive on its own merits. It seems from the good reviews that the new car has been receiving that it may well indeed be a good car. Again, personally speaking, I will not pay much more than passing attention to it - and I feel the same kind of ambivalence to it as I do an S130-series, Z31 series, or Z32 series car. Its something quite different to what I am into.

As Shiin suggests, things are a lot more organised these days in relation to VIN / Chassis numbers on new cars and on prototypes. We live in a different world to the one where the S30-series Z was the product of a small group of guys in Japan with a mission to build a sportscar at a good price and make their company successful by exporting them around the world. Those guys ( and I include the American branch of the operation in that ) did something that would be impossible to do these days, and I have no idea why anyone would think that the "new" Z could even come close to matching what they achieved.

The prototypes and styling studies for the S30-series Z were indeed RHD. However, there were also LHD versions being assessed for productionising at the same time, as they planned the LHD version from the very early days. The LHD version needed to work and work well, so they put just as much effort into it as any other of the versions. I don't think we can say for sure that any cars that were serious pre-prod. or sign-off mules ever received their hand-stamped numbers, so "00001" is a kind of fairy story anyway. There are only a few guys who know the truth, and they were the guys on the line who were responsible for this part of the Z story. I have met some S30-series Z production-line workers, but they were not the people that had the authority to put numbers on chassis - so I am still waiting to meet the relevant person to ask the questions to!

All the above aside, there seems no doubt that the RHD version of the car was what came first in the design process, and the LHD was a "version" of this. I don't think that this was something that they consciously decided on; it was just NATURAL. Even the engines and transmissions that they used were designed primarily for RHD cars; they just evolved from the previous designs of Nissan and Prince engines which came before them. I'm not trying to re-write history - its just that the English-language version of the story seems to have been misconstrued from way back when............

Surely anyone who looks under the bonnet ( sorry - "hood" ) of a Left Hand Drive S30-series Z would see that the layout of the components in the car does not make logical sense? There is a hell of a lot going on in the driver's side of the car isn't there? Now think of what a Right Hand Drive version looks like; the carbs and exhaust are on the opposite side to the driver ( hence out of the way of the steering column and the master cylinders ) and the balance makes a lot more sense. Looking inside the car, you can see the handbrake is on the RIGHT side of the tunnel, and even the clutch slave cylinder is on the right hand side of the transmission. They never moved them from the roiginal RHD site for the LHD version. I'm not saying that the LHD cars were any sort of "afterthought" - but they did need to compromise slightly to make the LHD version. And I have no idea how anyone could call the "HLS30" USA / North American version anything approaching a "definitive" version - especially with a four-speed, tall diff. ratio and no rear anti-roll bar.

We might end up chasing our tails if we start thinking along the lines of "Chassis no.1" - as there probably WAS no such thing. However, we should at least try to think of the RHD versions as being there at the beginning ( and I am NOT necessarily talking about the HS30 here; it is the S30 and PS30 that everybody seems to forget, and which need to be given their rightful place in English-language Z history, or any other non-Japanese language come to that ).

Its nice to have people like Mike ( zedrally ) and the other Australian guys sticking up for the "Right Hookers" out there. We can't let the "Lefties" think that they were first, if indeed either of them was "first". All you guys in the USA and North America might sometimes like to reflect on the fact that this is a now a globally subscribed website dedicated to a Japanese car. Naturally it will be biased towards the main percentage of its audience and participants, but we non-USA / North American members make a good contribution to the debates and help to give it some balance. I really wish that more Japanese S30 -series Z owners would feel confident enough in their English to participate and put across their side of the story. I suppose we will have to wait for the day when our computers can automatically translate everything for us without asking. Sometimes it would be useful to know what the hell some of you guys out there are actually talking about!.....................

Zedrally, would you like to join me for afternoon tea in my nuke-proof bomb shelter?!

Alan T.

[Zedrally]

Hi Mike and Shiin,

Zedrally, would you like to join me for afternoon tea in my nuke-proof bomb shelter?!

Alan T.

Only if you supply the tea & crumpets!

MN

[HS30-H]

Mike,

Naturally, its on me!

However, it looks like our posts just drop off the end of the Active Topics list without any of the Lefties taking the bait.............

Perhaps they have no idea what we are talking about, or they just don't notice it in amongst all those "How fast will my Z go if?...." and "Can I fit 19-inch wheels on my Z without widening the arches?..." type of posts...........

So perhaps we don't need the bomb shelter after all. That feels like being damned through faint praise!

More tea, vicar?

Alan T.

[Zedrally]

.

So perhaps we don't need the bomb shelter after all. That feels like being damned through faint praise!

More tea, vicar?

Alan T.

Alan,

There is that possibility that they are in agreement with us on this matter.

I know, its remote, but possible!

RHD rules!!!

[HS30-H]

Nah, either they don't get it or they don't care!

Somedays the fish just don't bite.

Alan T.

[2ManyZs]

As far as the 350 is concerned, does anyone really care?? I know I don't. No matter where the steering wheel is put, it won't help the looks of that! :sick:

[CoastGuardZ]

I feel like churnning up the waters a bit since I think I'm the only sailor here!!!

Where should I start?

Oh Yes!

American by birth, southern by the grace of god!

Americans are set in their ways. It's a known fact. We are proud, big headed, hard headed, and honestly believe we are the best country on Earth! Okay so maybe it's true.

But, lets get right down to it. Heres my standing on it. Where was the 240 designed? Japan. Where was the 240 built? Japan. And what side of the car do they drive on in Japan? The right side. Why? Cause the backwards! J/K!!! That's what I believe. Could be wrong, but I doubt it! HeHeHe!

The 350Z.

Having worked at a Nissan dealer for a little while I became privey to some info. The 350 was a combined effort between Nissan North America and Nissan Japan. The car was designed at Nissan Design International in Lojolla, California. Engineering took place in Michigan and Japan. And the preproductions were built in Japan. Some left, some right... What was first? Just as Alan says... It's busy under the drivers side of the bonnet on the lefties... Is it the same on the 350Z? Who knows? I just know they did some weird stuff under the hood. IE the battery placement.

And 2many... I happen to think the 350 looks pretty good considering whats out there. Have you seen any of the domestics lately? GAG!!!:sick:

That's my $.02

Hey Al... Did you know Your suppose to put Ice in Tea? And may I suggest some hush puppies instead of them 'ol stale crakers you're eatin'? HEHEHE...j/k...