grimlynsan

Nah helps better to build it yourself than buy one. Just sayin...

+1 +1 + Step by step video diary please :-)

If you wouldn't miiiinnnnd...... That way I can avoid postage, AND I get to look at your Roadster again! Plus I'd like to have a proper one :-)

How'd you go smashing the discs off? Did they scrub up OK?

This bit

Wow that was quick. Yeah I am just after the metal pipe part. I'm going to run an adapter and hose from that to a catch can.

Hi guys, I went to Bunnings today and bought all manner of tubes, plumbing fittings, curtain rods, anything that looked roughly the right diameter (don't have verniers). Turns out a wardrobe rail (23.5mm) is too small, and a plumbing fitting is too big (25mm) so I am guessing it's a 24mm tube that I need. Does anyone have one of these, preferably in Brissy? I need this so that I can connect a catch-can... Thanks, Lee

Coupled with HOW MANY years of practice?!?! Yes this is all very good advice. I see "Nitto" also seem to offer a reasonably priced option in 15". Anyone used those? My next project is the catch can; I was getting a lot of dirty looks from people regarding the oil I was leaving in pit lane. I tried to explain that it was the Datsun factory engine-bay paint protection system kicking in but they were having none of it. I have the can, but having issues finding a breather tube as my soon to be written WTB post will attest.

Thanks Aubs and 260Det. And Jason and Jake, I am pretty sure you are bang on about the tyre pressures. I just wanted to not mess with them all day and learn for myself what it feels like. Next time I will be adjusting pressures for sure and hopefully I can feel the difference. And yes I heard about the supersprint meet to which you refer at the latest Z club get together at All Jap Day. I too had a brake issue with the rear left radiating a load of heat and the rear right normal temp. I am damn sure the handbrake wasn't on but if it was, at least I know I can go faster next time! It seems to still have plenty of meat on the pad but maybe they will need kitting? I took all my wheels off and gave them a proper scrub yesterday (yes, even the backs!) and they came up ok actually. I thought while I was at it I'd give them a weigh too and the Performance brand 'superlites' are more like 'mildly lights' in comparison to the Rotas (unless the tyres weigh a ton or something). Street Setup 20.6KG | Rear | Rota RBX | 17x9.5 | 255/40 | Federal Super Steel 595 19.4KG | Front | Rota RBX | 17x9 | 235/45 | Federal Super Steel 595 Track Setup 18.6KG | All 4 | Performance | 15x8 | 225/50 | Yokohama Advan A048 A couple month's back, Jason was explaining that you can have weight removed from the rims if the middle is sufficiently thick. One day, when I'm chasing 10ths, it looks like I have plenty of meat to take off if need be. For now, I'm happy with the extra strength as I do go off track every now and then! Oh and it turns out that those Federals a pretty decent - I'd been under the impression they were just cheapies but they seem to be their flagship performance street tyre so I shouldn't be too surprised they did so well at the Lakeside outing I suppose. Regarding the tyre softener, I know that it replaces the chemicals that evaporate out of the tyre when they dry out, that's why you wrap them at the same time. But I don't know if it will make a difference to tyres that are from 2008, that seem to have been sitting unwrapped and in well used state for quite some time. I've now freshened up the top layer... it would be intuitive to me that now would be a good time to apply and wrap but I don't want to part with $50 for a tin of it if I have missed the boat with this set... anyone had any experience reviving really old ones? Or can you only really use it to extend the life of new ones? Lee

Thank you all for this useful advice! The Yokis I ran on yesterday were manufactured in 2008, which would explain why they were so cheap, and also had considerably less grip than did my street tyres or so it seemed. They were quite skittish I thought. I reckon I have another couple of outings left on them; given their age, do you think it's worth applying softener and wrapping until next meet? I got some times I was happy with and people were generally complimentary about the car's abilities...I was fairly rubbish! I got a 107.3 on the Clubman which I was very happy with, despite being 2 seconds slower than d3c0y's 350Z. And I got a 103.8 on the Sprint Circuit. The track was wet in the morning which was quite unnerving going out but by late morning it was all dried out. We did all four options throughout the day and while I did enjoy some of the configurations with the left/right combinations which were more of a challenge, it doesn't compare to Lakeside which is up hill and down dale, off camber, bite-you-in-the-ar$e if you're not paying attention driving! Hopefully I am able to participate non-competitively in the final round of the Z competition at Morgan Park later this year so I can give that a go too, before committing to any series etc down the track. I have to say, my favourite thing about the day was overtaking Beemer after Beemer! Oh, and of course catching up with fellow forum members! Lee

I'd also be keen if postage cost is prohibitive for previous poster. Regards, Lee

"Sorting out the suspension" is something I cannot do. I don't have any adjustable bits other than the damping. Plus I don't know what I'm doing. I did take a look a them when I was weighing up options. But the consensus was that slicks are cheaper cause they don't have to conform to standards and are not road legal. Remember I am going for cheapness over grippiness in a sense, as silly as that sounds.

They are in my uncle's shed at the moment. I am sure these semis will wear down after tomorrow or maybe one more outing... we'll see. Then I'll be over to the shed reinspecting them or looking for more second hand stuff. I don't mind too much about the cycling because I am not competitive. The only reason I am on slicks/semis is cause I want to preserve my road tyres from these little escapades. Figure it will be cheaper in the long run. That's also why I got the 15x8 wheels. General advice from members of this forum is that there is a wide variety of cheap/second hand stuff in 15" from those who are more competitive and put on new tyres every outing. This remains to be proven (or does it? I just got these 4 semis off my uncle for $150, but he's sorting me out). Looks like it might rain tomorrow, so could be putting the road tyres back on anyway.

Interesting that we all have a soft spot for the 32. I do not care for the look of the 33 or 34 whereas most skyline fans would tell you the 32 is the ugliest (and slowest) of them. I want a gunmetal grey one with white wheels. I wish I had a double-garage!

They are Dunlops. Apparently pretty good ones, $420+ per corner new apparently. Anyway they are only just down to the wear indicator but they were wrapped when I bought them and didn't unwrap them and check for cracking (didn't know to, I am a n00b). They guy I got them off said they were in good nick and I believed him, he was a nice guy. I'm pretty sure he thought they were OK and it would be news to him about the cracking also. Some people say cracking is normal, some say not. Of course no one wants to say "yeah sure bung em on" and then have me die in a horrible incident :-) I'm not sure what I will do with them. The semi-slicks I have on there now are mostly used also, they are Yokos I think.

I am so looking forward to tomorrow's run at Willowbank! They will be doing 3 circuits throughout the day, which is now fully subscribed. Racing will go to 5pm cause there are less complaining residents than at Lakeside so I have had to buy a jerry can so I can keep going. It turns out the slicks I got had some cracks in the sidewalls and there were mixed opinions as to their usability. So I grabbed some second hand semis off my uncle and have put them on. They are 225s on 15x8s. The car looks so stupid with flares and tiny little wheels. The wheels are shorter too, by about 5cm so that should make me go faster :-) They were very slippery to drive on when I had them fitted but apparently they have been sitting for a wee while. Any last minute advice for this racetrack as compared to Willowbank? I watched a few youtube clips and it seems boring looking in comparison... Lee

My Rotas have also been great. But the sales guy told me they were from the Phillipines.

In order of preference: Classic: Datsun Roadster, SII RX7, TA22 Celica, TR4, MGB Modern: R32 GTR, S15, SVI RX7, Widebody Starion, Toyota 86 I think the next car I buy will be an R32 GTR or an S15. But I can never sell the Zed.

It ties in so nicely with the strut tops!

There were some great cars there covering the full range of automotive expressionism. The vibe was really cool too. And you can't beat the feeling of looking back at your own car from across the field and seeing a group of lads you've never met pointing in your engine bay and waiving their arms around enthusiastically!

etc

some more

Some other non Z talent

I always wanted a stable (like a proper horses stable!) with three cars, in it; a 70's Celica, a series I or II RX7, and a Z (with some JZ variant, 20b turbo and RB26DETT in each respectively). I always imagined each car, reversed in, with the keys all hanging on a hook by the door, and you just grabbed a random key and drove to work... Anyway, I drive a Z now because I test drove each of them before making my first purchase an I have to say, you got a lot more bang for buck with a Z (we're talking back in 2003). I could have spent more and got a clapped out RX7 with rust, or had no power and took the Celica option. I think there is something special about these three cars. I wasn't alive when they came out new, nor do I remember them on the streets growing up. But when I got my license and learned about cars (that were in my price range as a uni student) these three just stood out to me as being awesome! Each seems like the 'everyman's sportscar' of the brand at the time. And I never went the RB26DETT conversion; by the time I had the means to pay for one, everyone seemed to be doing an RB swap. Plus I learned about the sound of triples! Lee

I have a set of recovered seats (with rails) in black for $400 if you get stuck.