Testing Spoiler in 1969

[240260280]

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The word 'Testing' might be doing quite a lot of heavy lifting in this context.

I would say it had already been 'tested' in Japan, approved for production, lined up to be fitted as standard equipment on the 432-R, and an extra-cost showroom option on the other Japanese market models.

With the initial batch(es?) of North American market models being somewhat de-contented to meet a low RRP, it seems unlikely that a rear spoiler would have made the cut in any case.

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Testing:

 

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So, here's the QED. Do we look solely at the 'Datsun 240Z' / HLS30U and its local sub-variants for our research and understanding of these cars, or do we look at the whole family?

I think the answer is obvious, but I find myself posting in another thread today where it seems, to some, not to be.    

[240260280]

I think they tested many parts in many places.  The spoiler in the photo I posted is not in others from North America in 69 so they were testing it somehow.

btw do you have photos of, or a link to, that 432 article in Oct or Nov 1969 that Kats posted?  I was wondering if a spoiler was in that piece. It was real track testing of the 432 by a Nissan factory racer if I recall.

btw II: I'm glad they did not try the spoiler in Canada in the snow at high speeds with no air dam... can you imagine the front end lifting in snow!!!

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1 hour ago, 240260280 said:

I think they tested many parts in many places.  The spoiler in the photo I posted is not in others from North America in 69 so they were testing it somehow.

I just think it would have been a little late to be developing parts like that. After all, this was taking place a matter of weeks before the 432-R would go on show as a finished product - available to buy - with the rear spoiler as standard equipment.

 

1 hour ago, 240260280 said:

btw do you have photos of, or a link to, that 432 article in Oct or Nov 1969 that Kats posted?  I was wondering if a spoiler was in that piece. It was real track testing of the 432 by a Nissan factory racer if I recall.

I think you're talking about the January 1970 issue of MOTOR FAN magazine, which featured a 432 in one of their comprehensive road tests. Being a stock 432, it didn't have a rear spoiler fitted as standard equipment (it was an extra cost showroom option, so the car had to be ordered with one) and was tested as such.

Here are a few pages from the article:

 

[240260280]

Many thanks.  That's the one. Nice to see what Nissan did in 69.  I was going to scrutinize the 432 pictures for a spoiler 🙂 Thanks for checking.  I was a bit surprised to see it in the USA too so I figured I'd look around to see if there were more examples of it in 69. 

 

The wind tunnel tests (full and small scale) show the direction of Nissan in (67/68)?  Wings on cars go back to ~1928 but they did not come back to racing until mid-late 60's (When Nissan was developing aero parts for the Z)... nice!

 

This  may be the blue one shown at the 69 Tokyo Motor Show.

 

 

Edited December 22, 2020 by 240260280

[240260280]

For completeness:

432R at 1969 Tokyo Motor Show.  I will guess it has spoiler.  It would be nice to see photos of this.

B

 

Blue LHD at Tokyo Motor Show 1969

 

 

Mid Jan (18) 1970 Suzuka shows the spoiler on this factory 432R.

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, 240260280 said:

432R at 1969 Tokyo Motor Show.  I will guess it has spoiler.  It would be nice to see photos of this.

432-R on October 18th 1969, at Nissan's Ginza, Tokyo head office for the 'Press Preview' event prior to the opening of the Tokyo Motor Show:

 

 

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I'm trying to find an earlier bolt-on spoiler but this may be the first application.

Shelby and Ferrari along with some USA cars had integrated spoilers and wings earlier but Nissan may have had a first bolt-on. 

Did the Skylines have spoiler accessories at this time?

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3 hours ago, 240260280 said:

I'm trying to find an earlier bolt-on spoiler but this may be the first application.

Shelby and Ferrari along with some USA cars had integrated spoilers and wings earlier but Nissan may have had a first bolt-on. 

Did the Skylines have spoiler accessories at this time?

KPGC10 Skyline GT-R had a homologated bolt-on rear spoiler/reverse wing, but it was a Sports/Race Option part and not standard equipment or a showroom order option. In any case, it was nearly a year later than the 432-R.

You'll end up chasing your tail looking for the 'first' rear spoiler, especially if you insist on it being 'bolt-on' rather than an intrinsic part of body design (Kamm tail et al), and Google searches in English will probably be dominated by USA Uber Alles effect, where people think that GTO means Pontiac product. Nevertheless, certain Shelby Mustangs, the aforementioned Goats and several other proto Muscle Cars will certainly be in with a shout. Mr B might even pipe up and cite something called a "Camero", whatever that is when it's got its hat on...

I reckon your time would be better spent trying to spread the word that the first S30-series Z rear spoiler wasn't a BRE design, which is something I've seen and read many times. I may even remember reading it on a now-deleted zhome.com page. 

GTO:

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KPGC10 (late 1970)