heavy85 Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 (edited) Not sure I have it in me to go through the effort but other than the upper coilover mount doesnt look too hard. FYI Z front suspension is 46 lb (big brakes) and the C5 is 52 lb with a shock but without a coilover. Think the strut is a limiting performance factor - lap times - and I need to replace (again ... worn out two sets now) Konis and other maintenance so it's tempting. So would it be worth it over a well set-up Z strut? It wouldnt be cheap but biggest fear is new learning curve setting it up. Edited November 15, 2015 by heavy85 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74_5.0L_Z Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 I have seriously been considering some sort of SLA front suspension. The C6 is a logical choice for a donor. One of the things that concerns me about the C6 set-up will be the necessity of using 18 inch wheels. I would love to be able to use 15 or 16 inch wheels with whatever SLA set-up that I go with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Oh, but there's so much good used race rubber out there in 18" sizes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74_5.0L_Z Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 I don't want to redo the bodywork to fit taller tires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 Already use 25" tires so that's not and issue for me. Yes lots of tire options in 18". However, more I look at it and to do it most efficiently one would want to cut out most of fhe front end. Moving the load path from the strut tower down lower to basically part way up the side of thd strut tower would need a lot of reinforcement. Not sure Im ready yet to lop off the front end and completely rebuild it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 At some point it may be time to park the Datsun and buy a nice used Z06. Likely cheaper too. What's the end game? I ask myself this question daily. Seen MiKelly try to sort this question out too, but we all keep crawling back like abused housewives still loving the abuser. Something wrong with us. Like a cancer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 Around 10 years ago, there was a fellow in the Northern Virginia area - a law-student at the time - who was grafting a C5 front-end onto his S30. I believe that welded together an entire tubular front clip, accommodating the C5 steering rack, K-member and front suspension. For the rear, he was using a C4 suspension and another custom tubular assembly. For the middle there were evidently some Datsun parts. I'm not aware of the disposition of this project, as he's been absent from this Forum for years. There is indeed an incisive philosophical point about a level of modification at which point one might as well start afresh with a brand new car. This is more about cost/effort than about "purism". Still, the enduring appeal of the S30 Datsun is the light weight, compact size and shortcuts in registering such an old car. A 500+ lb weight advantage over the C5 or C6 is not nugatory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74_5.0L_Z Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 For me the S30 is just a blank slate for whatever I want to try. The only impediments to my imagination are time and money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted November 18, 2015 Author Share Posted November 18, 2015 (edited) No desire for a vette. Its fun to be fast in a traditionally not that fast car. Its also fun to keep progressing and lowering lap times - something that I havent done in two years and why Im searching for a step change. Also fun to push others. Two best comments I ever received was a guy in an tube frame, lighter, higher power car come up and thank me for pushing him to go faster than he ever would have otherwise (we were in same class) and a guy in a high downforce formula car at a hillclimb say he put me on his dartboard as the target . You wont get those by getting good lap times in a vette. Edited November 18, 2015 by heavy85 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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