Richard's 620ZX Coupe

[Sirpent]

 

Luckily I was born with a brain, and gross and fine motor skills, so I can do all that stuff already!

 

To each his own and I'm probably old fashioned but, I like to see more driver input, not less.

 

 

We could get really physical Peter and go back to walking, concerning the brain well there is plenty involved in setting this auto up I can tell you. As far as race driving goes all having a clutchless sequential shift transmission does is free a bit of the brain up from doing mundane things like manually pushing gears around. Some people like doing that, I don't and would rather use my limited abilities to manage the car better on the track. For me nothing beats the (rare) moment where the car is going faster than it should but is still nicely balanced, playing with a gear lever has nothing on that.

 

 

Peter. Richard

 

I honestly like both you blokes, and neither of you are wrong in the respect that while we are all here trying to massage these rides of ours into experiences we enjoy whether it be shifting cogs or not, if it was up to the likes of Google, or the Bavarian auto makers, we would only be passangers in a car and nothing more.

 

Can you imagine what the weekend tuner in 40 years time will be doing or pondering?

 

"Now how do I fit that coffee machine in the dash ?"

Edited March 6, 2016 by Sirpent

[PeterAllen]

Richard. By now it is obvious to members that the older I get the more an avowed Luddite I become. Like a faulty manual gearbox I'm afraid my mind is stuck in a lower gear. My comment was intended to be good-natured rib but realise it may not be seen as such.

 

I enjoy the modified build threads here more that others and I've been following the development of your car with great interest. I share your frustrations with the setbacks these builds create but also the satisfaction they create when one's ideas come to fruition. 

[260DET]

Don't give up Peter, I'm no youngster either

[260DET]

Another 'practice' day at Morgan Park tomorrow, this time the guru is coming out so we can hopefully and finally sort the auto out so it does what it's supposed to do. 

 

Given that Bathurst is on I've been looking at gearing, keeping the 3.9 diff or changing to a 3.69, keeping in mind that there is not much point in revving the V8 much past 6,200. The 3.69 looks to be a good option for Bathurst, at 6,200 revs 1st gives 79kph, 2 = 132, 3 = 196, 4 = 261 but I'm wondering if 196kph in 3rd would be OK for the front straight at MP. Must check on some incar videos to see what speed others reach there and also keep in mind that with an auto there will be speed reducing torque converter slip unless the lockup clutch is engaged. Maybe the lockup clutch can be switched on manually and automatically switched off via the brake light switch. Hmmm.

 

Gear calculator here http://www.apexgarage.com/tech/gear_ratios.shtml

[260DET]

Good news? Let's concentrate on that. Fitted a triangular engine bay brace, strut tower to strut tower and back to the middle of the firewall. Does it make a difference? Well yes it does, virtually no turn in at all on cold tyres but there were several cars on the long circuit so I wanted to race as you do. And what happened? Lost the front end completely and backed the Z at low speed into a wall. Superficial damage. The Z has a history of low speed bump adjustment sensitivity at the front so I'll wind it off a click or two for a start.

 

The auto? There is something basically wrong, bloke who installed it is going to come to Warwick from Brisbane to go right through it, that's what I call after sales service. Car is going to be brilliant when fixed so whatever it takes.

[Gordo]

Hi Richard, good to see you getting out there. Pitty about the front end, I'd be putting a bit of thought into fixing that under steer . You need to have confidence in you car before you can drive it properly. If the front end is not behaving as you want, you'll always be going into corners not knowing what to expect. Fix it now! Horse power can wait. Good luck mate.

[260DET]

Thanks Gordo, you know what's it like, as soon as you get onto a track and someone shows up in the mirrors........... If shock bump adjustment does not fix it then I guess spring rates are next. 

[Gordo]

I'm sure you'll get it sorted. Need to go a bit softer in the front for more grip. Or stiffer in the rear to make a bit looser and balance the car. Rear wing might be working to good. Maybe get some more down force at the front. Keep chasing it. That's what we do. Hahaha.

[260DET]

The bloke who originally set up the auto transmission control unit (TCU) came up from Brisbane yesterday to sort out why the sequential shift was not working. In the end the verdict was that a software glitch was causing the problem. So rather than spend hours on a search that may still not identify the glitch he started again using the factory supplied auto map. The good news is that full manual shifting is now working, the only automatic function is a block on downshifting when the revs are excessive. 

 

The next step is Morgan Park again (13 April), the local guru is keen to do the tuning that will be necessary to have race type shifts where speed is the priority. That will be done one step at a time so if the glitch appears we can take a step back although it's thought that will not be necessary.

 

Despite all this drama I'm sure that once sorted this will work great for me, these LS engines have unbelievable throttle response and torque spread out of the box and so are ideal for an auto where you can get on with actually driving the car rather than be interrupted all the time by having to shift gears. Incidentially the bloke from Brisbane would not accept any payment, well except that he did get to drive the Z around the block 

[Sirpent]

Congratulations, must feel good to have this gremlin finally sorted out

Edited April 4, 2016 by Sirpent

[260DET]

Another test day with more progress, the auto is now good enough to do the next sprint but not good enough for Bathurst yet. One strange thing that has to be fixed is that when coming onto the straight the manual shift seems to go up two gears instead of one and then seems to realise it's mistake and shifts back a gear and takes off. Strange because it's supposed to be set to full manual with a downshift over-rev block being the only automatic function.

 

Understeer is fixed, just a little softening of the front ARB did the trick, in fact it now wants to oversteer which is fun but can be problematical with a V8 calling the tune. Chased a 86 driven by Glenn Seaton's son and went alright until the back stepped out and persuaded the car to go grass cutting, maybe the three year old Hoosiers are stuffed a bit although Seaton was working the 86 hard. 

[260DET]

First run in anger in over two years yesterday, apparently the bloke in the 86 I was sort of following was not the son but the real Glen Seaton    One difference between a pro and an amateur, he was working that 86 consistently hard and stayed on the track. Still I'm rapt, great to experience the rush of lapping fast again. More please 

[d3c0y]

Seriously Richard, where the hell are the pictures???!!?!?

[PZG302]

Richard couldn't find a suitable mount for the box brownie camera.....

[d3c0y]

Maybe we are waiting for the film to develop from the kodak disposable?

[Sirpent]

Where is the Richard Zapruder film?

 

For those of you my age, it will make sense LMAO

[PB260Z]

Where is the Richard Zapruder film?

 

For those of you my age, it will make sense LMAO

Or the film from the grassy knoll ?

[260DET]

Bastards    Will see what can be done today, kicking myself that the video cam was not in use though.

[Sirpent]

Bastards    Will see what can be done today, kicking myself that the video cam was not in use though.

 

Get on with it Zapruder LOL

[260DET]

Here is one pic showing the engine bay brace, bloody rubbish Nikon editor has lost the rest.

Edited April 16, 2016 by 260DET

[Sirpent]

Here is one pic showing the engine bay brace, bloody rubbish Nikon editor has lost the rest.

 

Zapruder would be proud.

 

Am I reading the brace is "Bloody rubbish" or that the Nikon editor is?

 

It would be good if that brace could be incorporated into the Caster / Camber Tower Plates

[260DET]

A couple more, shifter bits will get a cover eventually, drivers footwell.

[260DET]

Zapruder would be proud.

 

Am I reading the brace is "Bloody rubbish" or that the Nikon editor is?

 

It would be good if that brace could be incorporated into the Caster / Camber Tower Plates

 

The Nikon editor POS and they want to charge for it!

 

Brace is fine, space limited on top and the front X brace had to go forward a bit to clear the engine without bowing the brace too much. The bracket goes down the side of the tower and is bolted there too. So bolted 90 degrees to each other, much stronger than the usual flat ones that only sit on top and even use rod ends which allow movement duh. Has a total of 8 bolts, was a nightmare to make due to it having to sit flush at all bolting points with zero clearance.

Edited April 16, 2016 by 260DET

[260DET]

Lots in the process of happening, it appears that the transmission that was supposed to be prepared for racing wasn't to put it simply. Basically the demands placed on an auto for racing purposes are quite different to those which apply to a normal street auto and here it's all about the valve body and the size of certain oil flow orifices, springs etc. Auto blokes will know what I'm talking about, manual blokes won't care.

 

While the guru has the valve body I'm been doing some upgrades like fitting a gear number indicator, manual torque converter clutch switch and a auto oil temp gauge the sensor to be located in the cooler out line. How to do that, nothing available off the shelf, hmmmm. So I got a -6 T shaped bulkhead fitting, cut drilled and tapped it to take the sensor and yay, a rare 'works first time' mod. Pic below.

[dat2kman]

You gettin to thinkin'

"Pharque ett, I is gonna go manwell geerbox now,,,"