DAZDA

As the economists would say, it's all about supply and demand. If there is limited supply AND the demand exceeds the supply, then prices will rise. Without both elements, there is no inherent value. With cars, obviously time will slowly reduce the supply. If the item was in limited numbers to begin with then that is even more of a factor. Demand - well this is much more subjective. What makes one person (like Lurch ) want a pink Mazda 121 and someone else want a Holden Commodore? Like the old 'saying', "There is no accounting for taste". Therefore it is much harder to pick which item (or 'old school' car) will be the focus of reasonable demand.

Is there any indication which Vehicle Eligibility Rules will be used for the SuperSprint? For the 2011 Datsun Nationals I believe the NSW SuperSprint Championship (NSWSSC) ones were used. Now I'm sure everyone will shout at me saying the Victorian ones since it's being held in Victoria in 2013. The thing is, the VSSC Vehicle Eligibility Rules are very different to the NSWSSC ones. NSW: http://www.supersprints.com.au/rules-and-regulations/ - Website http://www.supersprints.com.au/rules-and-regulations/2012/2012%20Vehicle%20Regs%20Provisional.pdf - Vehicle Regs VIC: http://www.vssc.com.au/entry_forms.htm - Website http://www.vssc.com.au/Microsoft_Word__VSSC_Technical_Regulations_2012.pdf - Vehicle Regs For example; the brakes are 'free' for Category/Type 2 in VIC but only the brake linings and rotors are free (provided that the diameters of the rotors are not increased) in NSW... With the Datsun Nationals obviously NOT being a round of any State SuperSprint Championship, I don't believe there is a requirement to follow any specific State SuperSprint Championship Vehicle Eligibility Rules. In other words, the organisers can choose. In theory they could pick QLD ones (I assume there is a set) if they wanted to...

So is this a cruise or drinks at the yacht club? I'm hoping to make it.

Awesome news Alan! Now I have something to aim for!! And thanks to NDSOC for their efforts.

Sorry, we have some friends visiting us from up your way this weekend and I need to be on-deck. Anyway, go the Datto!!!

Good luck Jason! I'm jealous, I'd like to be having a run. Last time I ran in the Classics at Bega/Eden (2007) they were at the front of the field too!! I wasn't car 1 though!! It was great to have more daylight to run the stages and less cut up roads. Although you'll be sweeping the roads...

Some pictures...

Yes, Sydney - http://www.thornleighcarclub.org/tcc.net/ I'm not a member of TCC, but I'm pretty sure they only do one Supersprint a year. They do run Motorkhanas and Khanacross events as well. See their website (I listed above) for deails. I'll try to post some once I get some... None yet, despite plenty of cameras on the day.

Sorry if someone has already posted this... Pretty nice 240Z racecar!! http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/1/k/240Z/id/326/Default.aspx

Isn't that the June long weekend? Not sure if I'll be able to make it, but Sunday would suit me better of the two.

Thanks Gordo! I guess I just have to accept that because the original L24 was substituted (by the previous owner) for a standard L28, I have to be in Type 2. I assume they (CAMS??) work on the theory that if you are going to substitute an engine you'd pick something with a much better Power/Litre figure... Anyway, much fun was had regardless.

Jason, How do they compare to the Yokohamas A048?

Had a run in the Thornleigh Car Club Supersprint at Wakefield Park on Sunday! Had a great time, managed to improve on my PB by 0.6s, so I'm now down to a 1m 15.1s for the Zed (standard L28 with round top SU copies, points ignition, and standard brakes). Didn't win my class though because standard EVOs, STis & WRXs get put in Type 2. 4WD, 200kW, & Brembo brakes, how the F*#k can I beat that! Nearly got the 2 WRXs though. Steve Goodwin was there with his Red 260Z, and set some very good times too. The LMP3 (Le Mans Prototype - category 3) was an awesome bit of gear. To run those times with only a 2L Honda VTEC engine is pretty impressive! http://www.natsoft.com.au/cgi-bin/results.cgi?27/05/2012.WAKE.SS

Managed a 1m15.1s yesterday at the TCC Supersprint.

I’m sure you would anyway, but make sure the cam face (where the cam gear slides on to the cam), the cam gear face, and the washer for the bolt are all clean, smooth, and flat. Anything that makes these faces not bolt up flat with each other could cause problems later.

I hope you have a great day, Captain Cranky!!

I should clarify, the bigger the mudflaps are and the stiffer the material the more they affect airflow. In the WRC the teams even started trying to use them to manipulate airflow out from under the car (since they have to have mudflaps), but I think the FIA may have stopped this practice... If you do decide to go with them, try to angle the section of mudflap under the sills so that it encourages the airflow out from underneath. From an aero point of view, you're actually better off having some kind of small flap in front of the wheels (a lot of new cars have this now) to help move the air before it reaches the swirling air around the wheels. At least this is my very basic understanding and I could easily be wrong.

Unless there is a requirement in the rules of your category, I wouldn't run the rally style mudflaps. They ruin airflow under the car, only stop some of the stones, and look terrible IMO. Instead you can buy clear sheets of plastic material to cover your paint. http://streetwrap.com.au/vehicle-paint-protection-for-4wd-classic-cars-new-cars-and-motocycles/1870 http://www.ozishield.com.au/

I would like to see mandatory retesting for your licence every 5 years. There is only two big problems with this; firstly it will only result in a whole lot more unlicenced drivers on the road, and secondly no government would be brave enough to try and introduce it since they would be voted out at the next election. As for the newer cars on the road, new cars result in more carbon emissions (it takes massive amounts of energy to make a new car, especially a hybrid), so doesn't this fly in the face of society's gradual environment preservation movement? Shouldn't they be encouraging everyone to make their current cars last as long as possible? Is Skaife a representative of the Australian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers??? Oh wait, for the V8 Supercars series to run they need backing from car manufacturers and the car manufacturers want everyone to buy new cars (mass consumerism)... No link there.

Without seeing and checking your Bilsteins for myself I can't be sure. The best advice I can give you is, if you aren't confident of diagnosing the shocks yourself then get more than one opinion (from a suspension shop or a couple of the Zed guys up there in sunny QLD by showing them the shocks) before making any more decisions. Or as Jason said, said them off to be tested on a shock dyno, but I'd only do this if they are for a race car. Also, you shouldn't need dust boots with the inverted Bilsteins on a road car.

I should also add, Bilsteins can be rebuilt which means you may not have to pay as much as the cost of replacing them. http://www.bilstein.com.au/ (Sydney) http://www.quadrantsuspensions.com.au/ (Melbourne)

Heat marks (hot spots) on the Bilstein shock tubes (silver) doesn't necessarily mean they are stuffed. The marks show up when the oil inside the shock tube gets hot (normal) and then the grease (from the slide bearings in the yellow tube) & the seal at the top of the yellow tube leave a mark on the outside shock tube. If the shock tube (silver) is still straight, AND there is still gas pressure, AND there is no sign of oil leaking from the shock tube, chances are the Bilsteins are fine. My old rally shocks (Bilsteins) have had these heat marks on them for years and they are still working fine.

Updated. Click on the link in the post above.

This time there is one on a weekend!! Fifth Gear Motoring have an Advanced Driver Training course/Track Day on Saturday 5th of May 2012, but places are filling fast!

I think the ‘complete strut’ type you have in the second picture are similar to having an ‘adjustable spacer’ as well as an adjustable spring seat. The lower threaded section controls the shock and spring position relative to the stub axle and the second threaded section controls the spring height. In theory this can mean you don’t lose any shock travel but the ‘total’ shock travel may be less to begin with for this type of coilover for a Zed, I don’t know...