Dadson Racing: 2010 Revival

[WA240Z]

What's the date of the Z Day?

 

20th of October.

 

I to have really enjoyed the build and would love to see the car, as I am sure the other guys would, even if it is by trailer.

[Whittie]

Thanks for the comments guys!

 

I'm looking forward to seeing a motor in this thing to. Should be tomorrow with any luck! Still quite a few 'littke' jobs to get done but she's almost there.

 

20th October is the same weekend as the WA 1/10 scale electric off road state championships, so I'm afraid I won't be able to make the zed day. Whilst you're at the sporting club, be sure to check out the back green with the astroturf rc track built on it! That's the one I'm assisting with running and a fun little track! The state titles is in bayswater, if anyone wants to come for a watch before or after the zed event. Www.wcmrc.asn.au

[Grandad]

Hi All

 

This thing has been up on jack stands so long I'd forgotten how low they sit and just how low the roof line is.

 

 

Here's a before and after pic I've been dying to post just had to wait for the car to be off the jack stands.  I know which one I like, what do you think?.

 

 

We've been here before, our regular towie does a lot of boring jobs but he looks forward to picking the Zed up and is getting a kick out of watching the car progress.

 

 

Tuss cast his critical eye over the Zed on the back of the truck and said "Jesus Christ this is better than I expected you're gonna be too scared to put it on the race track"

Somehow I don't think so.  :)

 

Not long to go now.

Cheers

Dad

[nizm0zed]

We've been here before, our regular towie does a lot of boring jobs but he looks forward to picking the Zed up and is getting a kick out of watching the car progress.

 

He's not the only one who enjoys the progress this beast is making, Personally i cant wait to see this finished and on the track!!!

[peter t]

Always good to see things happening with this car. A very good reference for anyone doing half the stuff to there cars. Well done guys. If this was my car there is no way this thing would ever see a race track.

[Grandad]

HI Pete,

 

Thanks for your interest in our build, forums such as this one truly are a great place to share information and we have certainly picked up some good tips.

 

After reading your build thread I can see that you have not only done an outstanding job but have actually done more yourself than we have because we had someone else do rust, panel and paint so all kudos to you.

 

In a previous life I owned an MGB that I turned into a concourse winner and although I did some track events in it, mainly at National Meets, out of respect for the effort I had put into that car I kept it stored under satin sheets and refused to drive it in the wet so I understand exactly where your coming from.

 

This Zed has been a competition car for many years that's why it was purchased and that was it's primary purpose when Whittie took it on as an "L" plater some ten years ago so in that regard nothing has changed just that the re-build has gone a bit beyond what was initially intended but in the end we will have a more structurally sound, safer, stiffer, better looking and hopefully faster vehicle than we had before the re-build.

 

Whittie can't wait to get out and set some hot lap times and neither can I.

 

Cheers

Dad

[Grandad]

Hi all

 

It's finally happening.

 

 

Doesn't this look sweet.

 

Cheers

Dad

[Grandad]

Hi All

 

Well the engine's finally in and the car will come home tomorrow so I can fit all the bolt on bits and get it going.

 

Here's what it look like from under the front, nice tricky balancer and baffled alloy sump.

 

Before anyone mentions it, yes I will paint the gearbox mount and remove the grubby hand prints.

 

Here it is from the back, I'm fairly happy with it but isn't it interesting how the little bits that have been missed stand out, I've just spotted another little job.

 

Tuss gets some interesting cars through his workshop here we're amongst good company, an immaculate original one owner 351 XC Coupe and Tuss's Torana drag car, he's just fitted a blown 1100 hp motor he imported complete from the US, it even comes with a certificate of HP and warranty.  The wheelie bars you can see at the back are even approved for street use.

 

Cheers

Dad

[Grandad]

Hi All

 

The up-dates are coming fast now, the engine and drive train are in but because the engine and assorted bits have been lying around workshops for several years and moved around over that time some bits have gone missing including the starter motor which is a bit odd but no biggie really.

 

Here's the car arriving at it's new home which is out of view to the street, with all the time and effort that is going into this car we want to store it somewhere secure.

 

 

We have been a bit concerned that the front will sit higher that we ideally want when the suspension is wound right down but from this pic I think once a radiator and fluids are in and the suspension has had a chance to settle it might just about be ok, the front rail currently has 130mm ground clearance, ideally I'd like to see it at 100mm.

 

 

Here it is ready for all the bolt on bits, I think I'll put it back up on stands to get it to a comfortable work height for my poor aging back.

 

 

The Zed's new home.

 

 

Cheers

Dad

[nizm0zed]

Damn, Those last 2 pics are hot!  8)

[Grandad]

Hi All

 

Being delivered new in the UK this car has a speedo and odo reading in MPH as did all cars delivered locally until about the mid 70's and as was common practice at the time this one has had a KPH speed sticker placed over the OEM dial however distance was still measured in miles.

 

This is seriously fun speedo particularly when we get the needle is pointing past the hand brake light :)

 

 

Because that's just how things were when Tommo got the car I hadn't realized quite how tacky it looks so I guess a new car really deserves a new speedo.

 

 

Here's the new one but I'm not sure I want to be driving next time the needle is pointing past the hand brake light

 

 

Cheers

Dad

[nizm0zed]

[peter t]

This build is pure Z porn. ;)

[dat240z]

Hi All

 

Being delivered new in the UK this car has a speedo and odo reading in MPH as did all cars delivered locally until about the mid 70's and as was common practice at the time this one has had a KPH speed sticker placed over the OEM dial however distance was still measured in miles.

 

This is seriously fun speedo particularly when we get the needle is pointing past the hand brake light :)

 

 

Because that's just how things were when Tommo got the car I hadn't realized quite how tacky it looks so I guess a new car really deserves a new speedo.

 

 

Here's the new one but I'm not sure I want to be driving next time the needle is pointing past the hand brake light

 

 

Cheers

Dad

 

Is that a z speedo  ?? Looks more like a 120Y style job

[Grandad]

Is that a z speedo  ?? Looks more like a 120Y style job

 

I have no reason to doubt that it is a Z speedo.

 

A quick google search shows them with a range of dials for different markets and the round gauges were used in other models as well.

 

http://www.whiteheadperformance.com/products/nissan-oem-fairlady-z-jdm-speedometer-gauge-datsun-260z-280z/

 

http://datsun1200.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=2148

 

Cheers

Dad

[luvemfast]

Is that a z speedo  ?? Looks more like a 120Y style job

Cos 120Y's are renowned for beefing 240kph speedo's 

[Grandad]

Hi All

 

While the speedo was out I decided it was a good opportunity to polish the plastic lens that is covered in fine scratches and grit from almost 40 years of dusting, wiping and taping also very slight discoloration due to aging.

 

 

So it was out with the Brasso and P21S once more.

 

 

Good to go.

 

 

Damn I've just created another job.

 

 

Cheers

Dad

[Grandad]

Hi All

 

When the decision was made to go with coil overs Whittie consulted widely and took advice from the best in the business locally but it appears something has been lost in translation, for a road car doing occasional competition work this set up is probably pretty good but for a track car doing occasional tarmac events, it's way less than good.

 

For road use experience has taught me that the drink can clearance test works pretty well, it's more or less legal height but more importantly gives clearance for most obstacles encountered on the road but the race track is a completely different environment that will accept and in fact demands a much lower ride height.

 

Here's how the car currently sits with the engine in and suspension fully unwound all round, the front should ideally be lower than the rear, somehow I don't think the added weight of a radiator, fluids and body panels is going to do it.

 

Here's our dilemma, we currently have our preferred mid range ride height at max unwind so I'm thinking we might have some unused King Springs for sale soon.

 

The rear's not as bad but it's certainly not ideal.

 

Cheers

Dad

[Grandad]

Hi All

 

While the dash is out I decided to pull the tacho apart to clean the lens which was actually in worse condition than the speedo possibly because it has been played with more, we had to have it modified to suit the MSD digital ignition when it was installed.

 

An interesting feature of the way Nissan wire the tacho is that all ignition power runs through it so insertion an isolation switch in the line creates a inexpensive and extremely efficient immobilizer.

 

Job done.

 

Cheers

Dad

[RB26DETT]

...you can't be reinstalling a cracked dash back into this car right? Love the detail that you are putting into this rebuild.

[Agno]

Not to mention mixing series 1 gauges with series 2 gauges!

[Whittie]

...you can't be reinstalling a cracked dash back into this car right? Love the detail that you are putting into this rebuild.

 

The dash is still being cut-up to fit everything in the cabin (such as brake bias adjusted and kill switch, etc), so like the carpet and trim will be the last thing to be done. It'll be getting a full re-skin tho, don't worry about that!

 

I'm not too fussed about the gauges tho, so long as they work I'm happy, in fact if it wasn't pointed out I wouldn't know there was a difference and we're not really going for 'original' quite so much here...

[RB26DETT]

I see, I didn't think something was right about those cracks. Keep up the great work and can't believe the progress that you guys are making.

[nizm0zed]

Not to mention mixing series 1 gauges with series 2 gauges!

 

the speedo was the right price and its an awesome racecar, I dont think Wittie will have an issue with it

soo looking forwards to seeing this up and running!!

[d3c0y]

For what it's worth the speedo and tacho have the wrong screws holding them in. They are supposed to have flat top counter-sunk machine screws so they don't protrude. I'm a stickler for that kinda stuff.

 

 

On the suspension thing, having my engine out makes a massive difference to the height of the front of my car. I don't think you can make any calls until it is installed (but you probably weren't anyway). Zeds tend not to be super low on the track because it gives them such bad geometry when they go to low. Have you moved the holes for the inner control arm bolt on the front? Much better than bump steer spacers. Also you need to check out the rear camber at that height, to ensure its not going to negative and further to that how bad it's getting under compression. Also did shorten the struts? You don't want to run out of travel lowering it too much. What size tyres are you running in the pic? To give you a comparison, my car with low king springs and stock struts has just a touch of tyre behind the top of the arch with 16x8 rotas running 225/50/16s.