260DET

There is a limit to the number of car events people can and will attend as the ZCCQ has found out over many years, particularly when it tried to get involved in too many. Geez from memory there was a car display a couple of weeks ago, sprints at Morgan Park involving quite a few Z cars just last weekend. Which was pretty good by the way, not much following the leader at all but then there rarely is. To each their own of course but I'd rather get excited about events involving Z cars

So the shifter was thought to be sorted but it's not but one from a Pontiac G8 is on it's way and hopefully that will do the job. It's impossible to get continuity with a job like this which is why very few will tackle them I suppose. Mech thinks he has everything to do a job but then finds out not. Part ordered, job put aside while others are done and so on. Anyway the tech bit is this auto needs a PRN function plus a sequential function, typically the + and - part of your usual road car auto shifter. With a LHD G8 shifter the + and - part will be on the right side which is where it should be on a race car. The upside is I've bought a new tow car, a Jeep Cherokee Limited diesel so i'm getting some time to run it in before towing the Z home. Book says towing before x km have been done is bad, some good 'running in' roads around here

Great video Gordo, liked it so nice I played it twice. You have a similar problem with the top of the door that I had at PI, mine was almost flapping so I had to limit top speed. Have since added a little spoiler at the front of the top door corner but the car has not be raced since to see if it works.

What's the blue bit in the last pic Grae?

that is he alright.

Latest news is that the auto is in and all hooked up, new tailshaft, redone headers in so except for the shifter and fitting a bigger battery the mechanical stuff is pretty well done. But these days things are not quite that simple, particularly when some get a bit carried away and seduced by all the new fancy electronic stuff available Anyway the gurus have come up with the idea of using a tunnel mounted Subaru sequential shifter which sounds good, I'm not stuck on using paddle shifters so that sounds sorted, all that will then be left then is the dreaded software and the persuasion of same to do what should be done when it should be done. But hey, that's why the experts get the big bucks although here the bucks may be more moderate, geez, it's only an old unfashionable Datsun mate, fair go

Such a tidy fit that engine, with the auto the car should be lots of fun everywhere. Anything going to be done to the auto? I was going to comment positively on that cradle as working as a chassis brace too but then you go and cut a big chunk out of it

This thread needs an update

Slack, you have a track car and are not using it, get out there man and have some fun and maybe scare yourself a little

Those wrap over wing supports are the go, apparently the disturbance they cause on top is not as degrading as if they were underneath.

You go pretty good, you did post your times once I remember, around 63's? Brad's best at Lakeside is around 65 on shitty street tyres but he has a go. Some video of him from my incar near the end here

Seeing that I don't own a S30 my opinion is completely objective But it's interesting to read about the S30 experience in the US as written by those who prepared and raced them, basically the 240Z was ready to race off the showroom floor which was exceptional even back then. The important thing is that their opinions and experiences were comparative with other cars of the day, they knew nothing else and therefore could not be influenced by later model cars. I know someone who spent a lot of money on a 370Z as a track car and eventually turned it into something reasonable. But for the money there are several better modern choices which is why we see very few 350 and 360 track cars. One bloke in our club does track his fairly standard 350Z, it's endearing tendency is to lose the back end decisively when pushed too hard, he has incar video to prove it. As for BMW drivers, let's face it, not all of them are as good as their cars

The 350 and 370 Zeds are competent in their way but there is nothing exceptional about them as there was with with the S30, they are a very middle of the road type vehicle. I recall driving a new 350 around Queensland raceway just after they were released and being very disappointed with it's front heavy handling characteristics, compared with say a BMW. I am thinking of a future new project and while the 350 is within the donor budget range and while I would much prefer to have a Nissan, the 350 just does not do it for me.

From what I see Nissan have lost the plot generally, just look at their range of vehicles now to see what I mean. They seem to be blundering around hitting and missing, mainly missing, with seemingly no idea of what the public really want. As I indicated before that Nissan designer just seems indicative of the problem.

Bloody H pattern gearboxes Haven't looked here a while, car looks great, be interesting to see what your PI times are. There are some damm fast S30's in Vic, maybe it's something to do with that great fast and open circuit you all have down there

Jason Have the 2-3 May program in my hand, let's have a look here. Hmmm, it says that the over 1600 Sc record is held by Geoffrey Morgan in a P car of course, K circuit, 1:26.7. Now let's look at the over 1600 Group T lot, here we are, Jason Lea, Datsun Sports 2000, 1:30. Errr, that's over three seconds slower than the P car and no doubt a few other Sc cars too. I am less than impressed, sorry. Now to all this claimed reverse grid and other shenanagins. How strange, no mention of reverse grids at all. Ah, what's this, three races will have rolling starts, wow, and one will be a handicap, outstanding

A reverse grid with places based on the previous normal grid's lap times would be an idea, the real racers should welcome that too. Because at present it looks like there are a couple out front who are really trying while the rest fill in the numbers.

The problem at Morgan Park is that the long circuit is always used and for a spectator it's rubbish, you can only see a small portion of the track no matter where you spectate. There are alternative circuits which offer much better viewing but for whatever reason they are not used. I went last time, the most interesting part was walking around the pits where you can look at the cars close up because during the time I was there from the grandstand there was no passing at all. In contrast to the sprints.

Back on again this weekend, they are out there practicing now. Only one 240Z in Sc, Chris Gray. Jon Siddins will be there with both the green Zed and the Pintara TRX. I'm not familiar with the classes he is in, would go out for a look but the $20 admission fee puts me off because most of it is pretty 'follow the leader' boring stuff.

Stripping weight out of a car is not rocket science and as for the Nissan S chassis it has all been done before many times. Besides the aftermarket for the S is one of the most comprehensive around. But what Gordo is doing, and Sinisha has done, is something else again so obviously there has to be a development stage before the final version, if development ever stops of course I just think it's great that there are two S30's which are doing exceptional lap times at the fastest permanent track in AU. And are doing so as a direct result of their own development work.

Be interesting to see what the final version of my 280ZX shorty weighs, I'm guessing under 1200kg with the heavy steel doors replaced with f'glass ones but with a heavy lump auto transmission.

Interesting comment about your big front brakes Gordo. Mine has a big (heavy) front brake kit too and I reckon it's more of a hindrance than an advantage, particularly considering it's unsprung weight. PI is not demanding on brakes as well. Interesting that two 'heavy' Zeds easily do the fastest lap times at PI too

Weight is not everything and if there is a more than compensating benefit then that's good eg like aero devices. Then there is chassis rigidity, a little bit of extra weight in the right places can again be worth it. Where do you reckon your extra weight is Gordo?

First Aussie S30 I've seen with a letter box slot for the radiator air intake, that should reduce drag and lift. More good thinking there Gordo

Am looking but can't see any plates at all