260DET

With Project S130 it looks like front droop will work out around 10mm. The plan is to use a fairly big front ARB with none on the (Nissan multilink) rear, expected power output will be ~450 horses at the back so power down out of corners could be problematical. Anti squat has been reduced to assist. What else, Torsen type LSD, three way custom Proflex derived dampers, static roll centers fairly low at the front, higher at the rear. Car will be used mainly for circuit sprints (time attack) and a bit of road driving. Question is, what can be expected handling wise on the circuit and what may have to be done to improve it. Possible strengths and weaknesses.

So your question involves the use of a VG30DE/DET/DETT rotating mass in a late VG30E engine that has the same diameter crank snout. Oops, I was thinking about those VG30E engines that have the smaller crank snout. Anyway if its practical it sounds like a good idea. Z31.com may not like it though, they think the cast crank is indestructable

Yeh sorry, the dip at the back of the roof just before the hatch opening, it looks like an aero feature particularly given its location air separation wise. Lay off the beer and typing?

Did a lot of research on fitting the DE/DET/DETT forged crank to a VG30E block a couple of years ago, can't recall the detail but there was a lot of info here http://www.z31.com/

Standard hatch, the part where the glass mounts is recessed, presume this is an aero trick. But what, to facilitate a clean airflow separation? What implications for spoilers etc, I'm thinking that this feature makes the fitting of vortex generators pointless.

Did these years ago, you Yanks are w-a-y behind, sorry, couldn't resist, sorry, not Complimentary holes through the inner guards (fendus) of course.

Yeh, its a detent spring thing, not as good as the later 'spring each side' design. I used to stuff up shifts too, later design FTW

Looks good Oz boy, the important design thing to do is to work out the various loadings and then make sure they are incorporated into the design work. From what you have said it seems you have thought it all through, thats the secret. Pics when its all done eh.

Good car the R32, heaps of them in Oz, with a little bit of work they are a circuit weapon and Porsche nemesis. That one looks good, not enough gauges though Enjoy.

Thought that the Car & Driver rear spoiler lay @ 30 degrees from the horizontal and actually reduced drag, as well as giving down force. Maybe there was another one? EDIT: Reading back, there were several, shutup Richard

A book would be great Alan and you are the man to write it. Wonder why a history has not been written in Japan.

Sorry but S30's have been done to death. This does not make them any less than what they are and some of them are brilliant, it does not make them any less than a great car to mod, its just that they are a victim of their own popularity mod wise. Meanwhile the S130 and Z31 are neglected comparatively, particularly the race engineering aspect and serious performance potential of the two. With experience of both, the S130 is superior to the S30 in many ways, including rust potential It has a stronger chassis, better aero and heaps of room for big engines and transmissions. Plus more space to carry your race tyres in the back and more elbow room for the driver, what more could you want.

If it is the same as a 280ZX box then there are no self centering springs as such, the later version of that box which had the six bolt plate on top for the shifter did have those springs, one each side. Workshop manual should show the arrangement.

Very nice work, looks like it belongs there and thats the key. Got me thinking about something similar for the 280ZX's bum end

Liked the S14Z, needed some wider wheel attitude but it looks like it has some Z heritage. Maybe not as fat as the later Zeds, all it needed was a VG30DET for some real performance.

The long bonnet slimline shape is about right, some of the detail of that car is a bit off though.

Basically you run good ground clearance, make sure that things like the exhaust are strongly mounted and out of the way, protect things like the sump with guards, strengthen the body with a good cage. Suspension is more important than aything else, you need as much suspension travel as possible with good dampers like Bilsteins, springs must be heavy enough to prevent bottoming out yet soft enough to give a good ride, rally tyres of course which are relatively narrow in width. I'm not aware of any books specifically on building rally cars. They are sort of like circuit race cars but strong enough to put up with a battering and higher off the ground. Good luck and have fun.

Well you've done a very good job, thats one of the best modded S30 shapes around. Plus it looks like you put it to good use

This is such an informative thread that an update may be useful to someone, that is driving LS1 or 2 coils directly by an aftermarket ECU, in my case a MoTec M600. Apparently the LS1 and 2 coils are wired differently, I've found out that if LS2 coils were wired the same as LS1's then the coils would likely be destroyed. So at the moment I'm waiting for a LS2 diagram from MoTec. Incidentially, as my VG30DET engine will be used for motorsport I've gone for the individual LS2 coils in preference to the standard coil over plug setup. Simply because the LS2 coils can be mounted in a cooler place for better reliability.

Thanks for that, brilliant, a few ex AU cars there but no Godzilla Skylines

Yeh, as a road/circuit car the project S130 will wear the heaviest springs it can handle on the road, starting with 400F/300R, thats the wheel rate too. The bigger the ARB the more weight transfer to the outside wheel, not good in racing. From memory the road/circuit S30 ended up with 250F/275R springs, 25F/14R ARB's, somwhere around there anyway.

A page from the Nissan book illustrating one part of the body design process.

Here are a few of the collection lurking on the hard drive.

Nissan's own book Datsun 280ZX is worth reading in regard to any S30/S130 discussion, there is a lot on the design approach used, plus the problems faced with crash and anti pollution requirements. Dynamically the S130 was designed to be superior to the S30, there is info on that aspect as well. Currently the S130 compared with the S30 seems to suffer from a lack of restoration and modification input, there is just not the willingness by enthusiasts to put the effort and money into a S130, relatively speaking. Anyway my $ is where my mouth is, we'll see how a certain project turns out

Isn't the length of the tailshaft also relevant? The longer the shaft the more critical the angles are?