Dumb question of the day
 

Why is the ignition for a 1965 Tempest (and, I assume, other models) on the left-hand side of the driver's seat?

By ignition I mean the place you stick your key into ...

(I'm just curious since every car I have owned has had it on the right side of the wheel)

The story goes that in the old days of racing at Le Mans, at the start drivers would sprint across the track to their cars positioned along a wall. They would jump in, start the car, and drive off. Safety concerns eventually eliminated the "Le Mans" start.

But Porsche supposedly positioned the ignition switch on the left hand side, so that the driver could hurdle into the car, start the car with the left hand, while engaging the shifter with his right hand, thus saving precious seconds. An important consideration in a 24 hour endurance race, LOL!

Delorean, ever the admirer of european sports cars, likely specified the left hand positioning of the ignition switch for the '64 A body to copy Porsche. I would claim Ferrari, but I do not know if Ferrari also employed the left hand positioning. Given the use of the name Lemans for the sporty model of Pontiac's A body line-up, it made some sense that Delorean added this touch in '64.

I know this isn't the reason why, but it does make it easier to reach in from outside the car to start it when you are working under the hood.

It also keeps it further from the kids.

I believe whoever had say as to location, was left handed.

Thanks! So it was on all 1964-74 GTO/LeMans/Tempest models? Was this done on any other models?

no, not all 64-74 A body models, only 64-65 ones.

Oh, so it's pretty rare?

Cool to know!

It remains left of the steering wheel on the Porsche 911, last I checked.

And it remains an anachronistic feature originally conceived for the old Le Mans type start.

Rare only if you think a few hundred thousand '64-'65 Pontiac A bodies constitutes rare, not to mention however many 911s built since it was introduced in '64 and any other racing Porsches with it that preceded that.

Would be interesting to know why it was changed for '66. Too quirky?

I'm left handed and I like it.

My first car, a 1950 Ford, had a key switch to the right of the column and a push button starter to the left. I suspect that if you looked back further in history you will find starter switches to the left of the steering column. Just to be different, my 1940 Dodge (and my '41) has the key switch to the right of the steering column on the dash and a floor mounted starter just above the gas pedal.

Phil

About all 69 Chrysler products had the key on the left.

50 pontiac had it on the left. not alot of them in nascar.