240Z Luggage Strap Variations

[geezer]

I know it is preferable to deal in facts when it comes to the S30, but when an anomaly such as this is found I can’t help but try to find the reason for it. This is pure speculation on my part, but I would like to relay my theory. Please feel free to tell me what you think.

This theory is based on the premise that it was acceptable to upgrade a vehicle when a mistake had been made but not acceptable to downgrade when a mistake had been made. This is a practice that was in effect during this time period in the assembly plants I was involved with. It was just good economic sense. For example, if a wrong part was installed and the cost to change it was more than the difference of the upgraded part and estimated labor cost it was common practice to allow the upgrade. Everyone knew what upgrades were acceptable and what ones weren’t.

I think these longer luggage straps are the result of a mistake made during their assembly, but deemed to be acceptable for use. It could not have been a mistake that simply slipped by because the straps are used in pairs. Nobody has found a car with only 1 long strap.

I am visualizing the work station where these luggage straps were assembled. The operator would be seated at a sewing machine, a hot knife cutting fixture would be used and all needed parts would be at arms length. The parts would include:

2 – end brackets

1 – large buckle piece

1 – small buckle piece

1 – plastic sleeve

1 – length of banding (the reason for 1 piece of banding instead of two will become apparent)

The bench/work station must have had a method of measuring incorporated in the design to allow for consistency in the length of the straps. I am picturing a jig where after the strap end has been threaded through the end bracket and sewn, it is hooked by the screw holes in the end bracket and stretched out to the hot knife cutting fixture. After being cut this end would be folded over and sewn. After threading on the plastic sleeve this strap section is complete, ready to be threaded onto the buckle of the second piece after it is sewn onto the other end bracket and the two buckle pieces.

A seemingly simple operation, but with the boredom of these type of jobs, workers trying to meet a quota, the interruption of work because of scheduled breaks, shift changes, or any number of reasons, mistakes are made. In this case, it would be as easy as picking up the longer strap that has been cut to size and sewing the buckle pieces on by mistake. Whoops…put that one aside until we have a set, because it’s bound to happen again. It would have been a waste of man hours to interupt the work flow, correct the piece and dispose of the remmants.

This is why I don’t think you will find the longer straps in any manuals, brochures, or offered as an option. I think they are just simple mistakes that were allowed to be used early on in the S30 build.

Edit - One thing I forgot to mention is, if the length needed for a normal short piece is removed from the long one, the piece left over is exactly the length of one of these oddball long straps. Coincidence?

[kats]

Hi Mike, Chris and other members,

I said wrong.The picture is not in the service manual issued for exported car.

But I saw the picture which is showing the strap with the buckles mounted back wards in the Japanese service bulletin and Japanese sales brochure both are issued Nov 1969.

The 3rd picture is also from that Japanese service bulletin, this picture is the same one which is used in the exported service manual. The mounting style is normal, can I say this car is HLS30-0000X or HS30-0000X ?? Or it could be S30S (Fairlady Z; basic model) because seat reclining mechanism is same/rear deck rubber mat is same in this extremely early days for exported cars.

Is this mounting style only for Japanese?? Probably the manufacture was thinking westerners are tall and long reach but Japanese are short.Anyway my Z432 has the Japanese mounted style by me:) My 240Z has normal mounted style.

And I am always wondering why Japanese Z's seat has a seatbelt hanger at near the headrest while exported models have it on the middle of the seat back?

kats

[Mike B]

Hi Kats. I don't think what you said was wrong, I just assumed that you were referred to the US service manual, so that was a mistake on my part. Those are great pictures. I debated which way was easier to use, with the buckles closer to the hatch or towards the front. I guess it depends on how you store the excess strap material after the buckles have been latched. I like your solution. Japanese style for the Z432 and export style for the 240z.

-Mike

[26th-Z]

I'm really enjoying this thread. I have some questions, please.

What is the length of the long primary strap and what is the length of the tail?

I never realized that the primary strap could be mounted from the back. I always figured that placing luggage in a car and adjusting the straps would be done from the tail of the car and not inside. What a total surprise to see your pictures, Kats.

Ron, in your description, you mention using a jig to cut the strap length. If the longer strap is just a "mistake", how could the length always work out in equal length pairs?

But notice in the pictures that the longer strap is mounted from the luggage stop! What do you do with all that extra strap tail?

I have no idea why the seat belt hooks are mounted so high on the seat. They look like the correct small metal hooks, though.

[geezer]

Ron, in your description, you mention using a jig to cut the strap length. If the longer strap is just a "mistake", how could the length always work out in equal length pairs?

It's really quite simple and logical also Chris. If the length of strap needed to make 1 complete assembly for either the left or right side is rolled off of the spool and cut it would measure aproximately 77 1/4". A 20 1/2" piece for the short forward buckle assembly would be cut from this. This gives you the 2 pieces needed for the complete assembly of one strap. The two pieces would measure aproximately 56 3/4" & 20 1/2". Now...If another 20 1/2" piece was inadvertantly cut from the 56 3/4" piece, that leaves 36 1/4" of strap material. That is exactly what is needed to make one of these longer straps. These are as close as I could measure with a tape measure in inches, including the parts that are folded over and sewn.

The mistake would be noticed immediately and the long strap would be put aside until another mistake was made and then you have a pair of long straps.

At this point we could enter into a discussion to answer the question of..."why not just cut the strap again to achieve the proper length". This would be more speculation, but I believe the reasons can be explained.

In my mind, this mystery is solved.

[rdefabri]

I read that later 240Zs (with tool compartment behind the seats) had a different mounting location for the straps.

As I look at these pics, I can't tell how / where the straps mount. Do the straps wrap around the carpet and go underneath to the mount location? Or do the straps / brackets get screwed in over the carpet?

I have a '72 (with tool compartments) - I can see the mounting location, but I am guessing the strap brackets need to be OVER the carpet - is that right?

[Poindexter]

It's really quite simple and logical also Chris. If the length of strap needed to make 1 complete assembly for either the left or right side is rolled off of the spool and cut it would measure aproximately 77 1/4". A 20 1/2" piece for the short forward buckle assembly would be cut from this. This gives you the 2 pieces needed for the complete assembly of one strap. The two pieces would measure aproximately 56 3/4" & 20 1/2". Now...If another 20 1/2" piece was inadvertantly cut from the 56 3/4" piece, that leaves 36 1/4" of strap material. That is exactly what is needed to make one of these longer straps. These are as close as I could measure with a tape measure in inches, including the parts that are folded over and sewn.

The mistake would be noticed immediately and the long strap would be put aside until another mistake was made and then you have a pair of long straps.

At this point we could enter into a discussion to answer the question of..."why not just cut the strap again to achieve the proper length". This would be more speculation, but I believe the reasons can be explained.

In my mind, this mystery is solved.

Because that would leave a short piece as waste, which perhaps the workers were loathe to do. Hence waiting for another anomaly to pair it up with and simply give some owner a "long pair".

Just speculating. I'll just go look for my rumpled overcoat and cigar now.

Great detective work coming up with those numbers.

Edited August 22, 2008 by Poindexter

[geezer]

Because that would leave a short piece as waste, which perhaps the workers were loathe to do. Hence waiting for another anomaly to pair it up with and simply give some owner a "long pair".

Just speculating. I'll just go look for my rumpled overcoat and cigar now.

Great detective work coming up with those numbers.

That is exactly the conclusion I came up with, but I didn't want to go into it unless someone else was game. I do get carried away with assumptions and speculation when it comes to the methods used to construct these cars. You would have to understand a little of the Japanese mindset, especially during this period to come up with your answer. Waste of any kind was not acceptable and severely frowned upon. When almost everything that was manufactured was totally reliant on the importing of raw materials, it makes everything that much more of a valuable commodity.

If you want to understand and compare mindsets, the book Engineered in Japan is a compilation of many authors that touches on this subject and many others. It is a comprehensive cross section of Japanese technology and management practices in manufacturing. Interesting read but focused mainly in later years than our Zs were built.

Leaving the customer with an abnormally long set of straps, must have been something that was "nipped in the bud" though. It is awkward having too much strap to easily stow out of the way.

[woytovich]

I read that later 240Zs (with tool compartment behind the seats) had a different mounting location for the straps.

As I look at these pics, I can't tell how / where the straps mount. Do the straps wrap around the carpet and go underneath to the mount location? Or do the straps / brackets get screwed in over the carpet?

I have a '72 (with tool compartments) - I can see the mounting location, but I am guessing the strap brackets need to be OVER the carpet - is that right?

Bringing this thread back to life... I was about to ask just about this question and it was never answered...

I have a 71 240z with the tool boxes in the cargo floor. The straps are mounted to the floor rearward of the tool boxes. The carpet does not have holes for the straps to come through... Maybe I have a carpet from an earlier z where the straps were mounted at the front edge of the cargo floor?

Mark

[26th-Z]

I believe the correct carpeting would have a edge sewn slit, about 8" long, from the middle of the luggage stop to allow the carpet to fold back when opening the tool door. I don't have this set-up and I can't remember if the later carpeting had slits for the brackets or not.