Zeds to be invited to Race at Queensland Raceway alongside other Historic cars!

[dat2kman]

Stan s a cagey old bgger.

Does just enough to stay just in front.

No need to wrench the Nth degree out f a $50,000 engine, f not needed.

 

The Bolwell is a Group T car, ie Production Based Sports, and is logbooked to run slicks.

Bill Blacks Porsche is definately no Group S car!

 

I was rather surprised that only eight entrants, only, f which four were Gp S!!

Bit sad.

Good to see you had fun, and it should give impetus to having your car rwady for the next years Historic meets at MP!

[260DET]

'Stan Adler's $50,000 Porsche engine', there is an example of why Sc may not be very popular, who wan't to build a specialised race car simply to be Porsche fodder? 

 

Hi Mike

[dat2kman]

Us,,,

Be-cos WE can build up an old shitter Datsun, for one fifth the total build cost of a Porky-pie, and go hammer them!

There is something intrinsically satisfying in doung that,,,,,

 

Ok, sure, when I was racing, there were three that ai could not catch,,,, but there was at least 12-15 of them that our old Japo tin could easily nail!

And, yep, on a few occaisions, I have nailed Stan, and sat alngside of Morgans car, for a corner or two, at leadt, in my old el-cheapo Japo Plastics!

[Mike260LW]

Yep, Stan told me he had also spent a significant amount on a recent suspension upgrade and had brought Rex Broadbent up to sort it. It is a beautiful car and I suspect is worth several hundreds of thousands because of the desirability of the base spec car. Bill Black's Porsche was running some pretty serious rubber and was geared very similar to the Zed.  Lap times and qualifying times between Bill and I were very close. I couldn't out brake him or out exhilarate him out of corners and just didn't quite have the legs on the straight to pass him.  I could catch him but needed another 200m of straight!  The Zed was winning through turns 1 and 2 and I could range up on them into 3, but then through the Clubman circuit dip and into 4 and 5 i couldn't get the car to settle quick enough through the right/left transition to get the power down without the arse stepping out.  Very frustrating but interesting to see the differences. On analysis, I think the bump setting on the dampeners should be stiffened (S Rhodes legacy). The rolling starts also take away an opportunity to gain some ground as Zeds generally hook-up pretty well.

 

Interesting comment of yours Jason about Stan being a cagey old bugger and just doing enough to stay in front because on the last run of the day Bill B  forced Stan to over-brake into turn 6, on the penultimate lap, and Bill was able to get under him an snatch the lead form corner exit to halfway up the straight where upon Stan pulled out and re-passed him with considerable ease and with hitherto previously unseen exhilaration!

 

As I said before, I was happy just to be there.  It is a shame there were not more genuine S and T cars there.  There were originally 20 cars entered but a big drop-out.  Seems odd as Group S competitors appear to be complaining of dwindling numbers and not enough events to run in.  Could have been the Muscle Car Masters coming up this weekend which detracted attention.

 

Agreed, if you were only interested in winning at all costs, you wouldn't start with a Datsun for Group S!  But I love the Zed, I understand them and, as Jason says, there is something very satisfying by taking it up to them in a dunga datto!

 

On another note, I was able to observe the Hyundai (Hoondie) category for the first time. Boy, do those guys play rough!  Also interesting, was the fact form the rolling start the front runners pulled a gap of about 100m on the rest of the field in one lap!  I know it is a very restricted spec one make class but me thinks some people are spending a lot of money on blue-printing!

[260DET]

Dave Gainer has a set of these Enkei Compe wheels http://enkei.com/product-category/wheels/classic/on his Peking adventure Z, look really period  plus they are a nice open design which should help brake cooling.

 

You need to open a build thread on your Sc Mike.

[Mike260LW]

Nice wheels.  Couldn't see any mention of weight. Unfortunately the rule book says 14" x 6" or 15" x 6" none of these sizes there. I'm initially going to run a set of Series 2, 280ZX rims (powder coated gloss black) which I have, they are pretty light and will do the trick initially.  I have had a change of philosophy on this build in that there is a real risk of "getting ready to get ready" and never actually finishing the job 'cos you're always fettling.  So I'm now building the car to get it on the track and then start refining and developing.  The Tarmac Zed needs a "makeover" too.  Its looking pretty tired from competition and needs a freshen-up. Aiming for the Sc car to be finished for start of next season.  The problem is I only get about one day a weekend to work on it and source parts.  Most specialty suppliers aren't open on the weekends.  Its really frustrating when you target a specific task like fitting up the rear suspension and you get into it to find the US supplier has sent you 40mm mustache bar bushings instead of 50mm and half of the inner control arm bushing bits are missing!  That delays it another week or so while you get the correct bits.

 

I was thinking about opening a build thread but it would just be a litany of eff-ups and re-works! Here is a teaser though:

 

[260DET]

Man, with that colour you are already half way there, nice  

 

The thing I learnt when building a car on the run was to either go with you have or else buy the best. Getting second best was a waste of money because eventually it would be replaced by the best.

[dat2kman]

It's a bog stock plain old Zed,,,, dont need no build thread!

It'd be like looking at the pictures in a Haynes manual!!

 

Yes, the s2 280zx rims are the go, for offsett and width, compared to other stock rims.

Good to hear it'll be ready for next year.

Shakedown at the HRCC Test Tune & Try weekend next February???

[hmd]

 

I was thinking about opening a build thread but it would just be a litany of eff-ups and re-works! Here is a teaser though:

 

IMG_0718.JPG

Concourse or Group S car?

 

Build thread or Journal a must.

[260DET]

C'mon Jason, it won't be a "bog stock plain old Zed" at all, there are plenty of mods allowed by the Sc rules which I assume Mike will take full advantage of.

[dat2kman]

No,,,, they are,,,,, honest,,,,,,

[260DET]

Camber is specifically limited but caster isn't, it's not necessary to cheat when the rules allow certain mods by default. Weld the back of the front axle/strut together, spacers between the front wheel bearings and so on.

[260DET]

Getting too technical am I   Droop limiters would be on my 'to check out' list too.

[1600dave]

 the rules allow certain mods by default. 

 

One comment - not sure exactly what you mean by "mods allowed by default", but with Group S - if its not specifically listed as being allowed, then its not allowed.

 

I wish something like this would happen down this way, might give me that added incentive to take the step into door-to-door racing, rather than just thinking about doing it.

Edited September 4, 2015 by 1600dave

[PZG302]

Dave, FOSC if it is still promoting meetings basically runs meetings like this, nice and casual and there for fun.

[1600dave]

Yep, I do regularity with them. Mine still has the same alloy cage from 20 years ago, unfortunately not logbooked, which means no door-to-door racing. I should just rip it out one day, get a Bond bolt-in cage and go racing. Or get my fairlady built up for Group S.

 

Just need to find my enthusiasm - pretty sure its in the shed somewhere - and have a crack before I get too old.....

Edited September 4, 2015 by 1600dave

[1600dave]

 

.

Edited September 4, 2015 by 1600dave

[260DET]

One comment - not sure exactly what you mean by "mods allowed by default", but with Group S - if its not specifically listed as being allowed, then its not allowed.

 

I wish something like this would happen down this way, might give me that added incentive to take the step into door-to-door racing, rather than just thinking about doing it.

 

The intent of the rules is confusing because on the one hand certain changes are specifically prohibited while on the other there is the catch all you mention. The general specs of each car are also set out so obviously they have to be adhered to. All the possible changes I've mentioned would be legal IMHO if they are done a certain way eg more caster by bending the struts, droop limitation by adjusting the strut internals but installing a dedicated external droop limiter would be illegal. So it's not so much as what is done but how it's done.

 

Morgan Park is not that far away from you is it, there is racing there this weekend. I can hear them now

[garvice]

Mike. What colour orange is that? Got any photos in the sunlight by any chance?

[Mike260LW]

1600dave, go the Fairlady Group S route. The more the merrier.

[1600dave]

That's the plan, I just need to get on with it. I've flag marshalled at quite a few historic meetings and Group S is (usually) good, close but clean racing. 

[ZED660]

Dave,

 

Another option you could consider are the MRA events at Wakefield Park.  http://www.wakefieldpark.com.au/events/mra-round.  There are usually 4 events a year and they are very well run, grassroots racing and regularity events run under AASA.  You could either run Regularity or their Super TT events which usually caters for a broad range of cars in door to door racing.  They also run races for Excels, MX5's, go karts and an all British event.  We had six Z's running in Regularity last weekend and everyone went home with a smile on their face:)

Edited September 8, 2015 by ZED660