260DET

I love snow, but only on a casual basis Call me disturbed but without a hot chick I see problems with a snowy winter

Makes sense but each engine would be different so...........

Americans eat out a lot more and spend more on entertainment? As for paying more for stuff outside the US, Courtesy Nissan sell valve lifters for the single cam VG motor for $18.76 each, my local Nissan dealer wants $46.20 each with a car club discount, both $ being similar at the moment.

My present Z has power steering, after getting used to it and some lack of feeling its the only way to go in my opinion. For a track car you want fast steering particularly in an impending emergency situation, fractions of seconds count and power steering can gain those fractions.

The rain stopped yesterday which meant the flooding around Brisbane was not as bad as it could have been, weird having flood water everywhere with the sun shining. Warning: annoying commentry in the vid.

Hundreds of square miles flooded, its been raining mostly non stop for weeks and lives are being lost NWS sound at the end of the second video.

Ran across this discussion on Ackerman, may be of interest http://forums.corner-carvers.com/showthread.php?t=3846

This resolved yet

A rust free original 240Z sells for ~A$15000, a really nice one for ~A$20000 in AU, at the moment thats the same in US$. Not a big market but its there, while a lot of Datsun owners are still cheaparses there are those prepared to spend a bit. We drive on the right side of the road so no left hand jivers for us but that makes us sooooo JDM

Actually they hold up in the sun pretty well, if you value your car don't leave it out

My car is up on stands at present with the wheels off and the engine out so, for once, I got off my bum and actually checked something Jon. Actually checked the monoball for steering rotation, both with the suspension loaded and unloaded. It does not rotate and as you can see from the pic it would not be a good idea if it did.

As I said Jon, "mine are a similar design from memory", similar in that there is a proper sealed thrust bearing in them to take the steering load. Its several years ago that the design of mine was discussed with the custom builder, at the time it was difficult to get my head around the design, sorry I can't now recall exactly how it was done so I can't say for sure that the thrust bearing does not sit up against the monoball. But what I can say for sure is that on mine the monoball does not rotate with steering input. Which is a good thing.

This is the sort of setup incorporating a thrust bearing I was talking about http://www.datsport.com/suspension-front-camber-plates-thrustbearings.html Mine are a similar design from memory but anyway there is no side load or angularity on my springs at all. I personally would not have the 'monoball only' type on my car, its second rate engineering in my opinion.

Concerned about bits falling down inside when removing the plenum or else when cleaning off conventional engine sealant. So something that would stay in place when parted and then be easily cleaned off or else be resusable as is. Its important because the (V6) plenum is a fair reach away with the engine in the car so its not the easiest to get at and see properly.

As well as a monoball there it should have a thrust bearing for the vertical load which should not be carried by the monoball. Some cheap aftermarket strut tops don't have that, see an OE setup as to how it goes together.

"Optimumise the end of the car that slides first, then move to the opposite end of the car. For example, if the car understeers when cornering, optimumise the front susprension alignment, wheel width, tire size and tire pressure". Tire Rack expert advice, posted because I agree and the words of an expert carry more weight Ackermann. There are more geometry changes involved I believe than just plain simple slip angle changes, where modern cars with say ~9 degrees caster are involved anyway. Actually I ran this this question here a while ago and got no response but from my observations there is a lot going on when when you turn the steering wheel of a good handling strut suspended modern car. Strut suspension is open to all sorts of design tweaks, make a good 'ask the expert' topic.

Good tough car those, made before the euros went soft later on Fairly sure the front ventilated brake rotors off them fit a 260Z using Hilux calipers with just a little machining. Or was it a later model, not sure.

Sharp!

Supra is a great handler in stock form, better than most around a circuit despite the weight. Of course its a Toyota and does not have the badge appeal to some.

'Interesting' comments about L6 engines compared with V6's With the same specs I can't see how one will produce more or less power or torque than the other, L6's need more main caps because their cranks are longer and therefore tend to twist more. For the same capacity a V6 will tend to be lighter too. The main difficulty with a V6 for HybridZ purposes is packaging, particularly if its a turbo. A single is really the only practical way to go.

In AU the alcohol limit is .05 which still allows you to have a couple of social drinks and drive home. Cops can pull anyone over at any time and have a 'booze bus' mobile HQ when they decide to stop traffic on a road and do breath tests. None of which I have a problem with, its the stupid open road speed limits that really get to you on a long trip.

Turn right here......left here... That would have been a great vid with the camera mounted just a bit higher, there is a winter job for you.

We get that 'speed is a factor' crap, as far as I can tell speed is a grossly exaggerated factor most times. Obviously if you drive at a suicidal speed then it is a factor but very few people drive like that, most people make a mistake by misjudging road conditions, losing concentration or similar when speed is alleged to have been a factor. But of course speed can be measured and the excess can be converted into dollars so............