Hello all,

Can I ask for opinions on the following?

Are you happy with the positioning of the Emergency Brake on your early Z car?

In the UK, we have traditionally called this the "Handbrake" ( is that true for Australia / New Zealand too? ) and I know in Japan it has mainly been known as the "Side Brake".

Some owners will realise that the positioning of the Emergency Brake on the right side of the trans tunnel ( from the viewpoint of the driver sitting in the car ) was the same for both Right Hand Drive and Left Hand Drive versions. As far as I am aware, the only time that the positioning was changed to the OTHER side of the tunnel was in Factory-built "Works" competition cars ( specifically, in SOME of the Works rally cars that were Left Hand Drive - but not all of them ). I think this was only performed on a handful of cars after the Works drivers complained.

As the owner of more than one RHD early Z car, I have always felt that the position of the handle on the right hand side of the tunnel was perfect. When I drove an LHD early Z car for the first time, I was shocked to find how awkwardly positioned the Emergency Brake seemed.

I have in the past owned a fair few non-Z LHD cars ( American, French, Italian, German ) and I think I remember that the handbrakes were usually centrally-mounted or were otherwise easy to get to and use effectively and sportingly ( especially for the odd handbrake-assisted turn ). The early Z cars seem to be unusual in the way that they kept the same position on both LHD and RHD cars.

What do you think?

Alan T.

ahh sweet payback now wait 30 year for the plastic to age and lean across when the powerlocks are broken .

ooo but notice the 3 instrument pods angled toward the driver? Presumeably that whole section of the console would be replaced for LHD cars.

Allan, Nissan did their homework... proff that you can learn from your own mistakes

ROFL

If alan had anything to do with the interior design...

EDIT : My host doesn't allow remote image linking ! d'oh !

.

You guys are much too clever with Photoshop. I'm too scared to even start that program up.............

Fred - I think your dual-brake design needs patenting straight away!

Alfadog - I like the handle in the middle of the driver's seat. I can imagine that there are people out there who would like to see me 'sit on it'.................

Seriously though, isn't it interesting how its now located on the left side of the tunnel on both LHD and RHD versions? OK - its not quite as far away as on the S30-series, but its still going to be easier to use for one version or the other. Just like on the S30, one of the versions must be 'wrong' ( or at least less 'right' than the other...... ).

Alan T.

Originally posted by Zvoiture

>>>>Yes that blue drawing is nice, however I prefer the rear end of the real Z. The <<<<

Sure...love the concept drawings...but the blue one is just a little too Opel Gt for me.

steve

Hi Steve,

It DOES look a little like the Opel GT doesn't it?

Mr Matsuo's styling sketch is attributed to the late 1965 to early 1966 period in the 1970 Japanese publication that I picked it up from ( a full report on the concept, design and productionising on the S30-series Z ). The Opel GT was put on sale in 1968.

I think it probably shows that Stylists and Car Designers were all pretty much thinking along the same lines in that period, rather than anything more sinister!

Alan T.

...or was that left ?

I think it's very interesting! What side is it on the 280ZX ? Z31 300ZX ? Z32 300ZX? When did they make the swap? More importantly, let's try to find out why...

Lachlan

wrong side on the 280zx, 300zx (z32) guess it's the same for the z31...

My LHD '86 Z31 has the brake lever where it belongs--in the passenger compartment.

I've never seen a RHD Z31, but a pic in a magazine of a 200ZR (home market ONLY, I believe) shows it on the right side of the tunnel too.

The Z32 was the first model where the brake position was 'integrated' into the console design. On LHD models, it is on the right.

steve

Nice pictures Alan - bravo ! Now if you just had them on video as I have... along with the '71 and '72 East African Safari rallys and some 240Z crash testing ! I'm also hoping to receive soon the RAC rally.

I will copy and send anyone these clips circa mins in exchange for film coverage of 240Zs that I haven't got.

Isn't it time that such coverage was pooled ?

I also figure that you left hookers have broken the choke handle whilst leaning for the handbrake ! And it is nice to have it to hand and not fumble under the dash !

I'm still trying to work out what carguyinok was doing in his Zs - surely it would have been easier for the pair of you to climb in through the hatch !

I vote with you guys and say that the LH and RH drive versions were decided at a certain point on the line and it was after the handbrake placement.

I'm still trying to work out what carguyinok was doing in his Zs - surely it would have been easier for the pair of you to climb in through the hatch !

Sure