NZeder's Datsun 260z Build Thread

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I had a set of those EFI Hardware ITB that I was going to install on my other Datsun 260z - they have since moved on (needed more $$ for this project) so now they are in the engine bay of a Targa Datsun 240z here in NZ - here is pic of them when I had them mounted up to my RB26 intake manifold via some custom adaptors made - these will now be used to run the road car on triple DCOE type carbs - well Mikuni 40phh as the road car does not need 44/45mm carbs.

Again click on the small image to see the larger image

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also here are some other pics of the Datsun 240z/260z/280z racing in period spec (a number are in FIA GTS Group 4 spec aka how they entered Le Mans) - all these are genuine cars from the period as build in period





So brakes - I said I was going to talk about brakes.....ok next post this time

[nzeder]

During my research I found that Nissan had 4 pot calipers approved/homologated both front and rear with vented rotors front and rear. They also had approved/homologated solid rotors on the rear, drums on the rear, solid rotors on the front. It appeared that all combinations of these was used in period depending on the class or teams or budgets.

Nissan had 4 different brake packages available to customers in the USA - here are number of combinations used in period
1. The standard 2 pot Sumitomo calipers on non vented rotors up front and finned drums in the rear
2. 4 pot Sumitomo calipers up front in either vented or non vented setup, sliding caliper with solid rotor on the rear
3. 4 pot Sumitomo calipers up front and in the rear with vented rotors front and vented or solid rotors rear.
4. Lockheed 4 pots on vented rotors up front and Lockheed 2 pots on the rear with vented rotors
5. AirHeart/Hurst 4pots on vented rotors up front and AirHeart/Hurst 2 pots on the rear with vented rotors.

The 4 pots sumitomo calipers were listed on the sports option list which could be ordered with the car or after the car from the dealer network world wide - along with the LY cross flow head, triple mikuni carbs, extractors, larger/wider rims, race seat, LSD diffs, close ratio gear sets, suspension upgrades for circuit or rally, rally lights, electronic ignition, CDI ignition, rally clocks, bolt in cage, steering wheel, engine internal upgrades the list was very extensive. All these parts OEM from the factory.

Research showed 15" were used in period - this was determined via the brake rotor sizes that were offered. Given T&C rules allows for 1" over the factory spec rim which was 14" 15" rims is what the car was going to run and as luck had it the car was already fitted with 15x8" rims

The car was fitted with 12.2" Wilwood rotors and 4pot Wilwood calipers up front and 12.2" solid Wilwoods with 4 pots Wilwoods on the rear- these could have stayed on the car and would have saved me some $$ and time - but I decided to change them for a number of reasons.

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I will now explain the reasons for the change.

1. The front setup required the use of small 4-5mm spacer for the rims to clear the calipers
2. The rears needed some locating rings to ID the rotors on to the zed axles correctly
3. The rears were using a modified Ford 9" drum in hat setup for the hand brake and it was very very cramped for space - so much so that rear of the wheel studs had been taken to with a grinder to clear the shoes.

None of this I liked - sure all was ok and within safe engineering tolerances - however I did not like the idea.

So at the time I had not yet sold the RB30DE engine - it was still sitting between the struts. So I thought if I have a modern engine why not run more modern Wilwood Radial mounted calipers. So that is what I did. I purchased some radial mounted Wilwood calipers for the front and the rear, some new 11.75" rotors that would give me a little more rim clearance (the 12.2" did fit but no wheel weights could go inside the rims infact the tape informing one of that was rubbing on the caliper - too tight for my liking) Also all my research showed 11.75 was the size that was used in period.

So a lot more time saving $$ and ordering parts from the USA as the calipers I required were a non stocked item here in NZ. I ordered the rotors and hats at the same time.

I think had a local fabricator assist with the mounting brackets and machining of the hats to ID onto the hubs up front and axles on the rear.

They looked great - clearance was no longer an issue and no drum in hat on the rear - a hydraulic handbrake is going to be used.

It was at this point that I decided that the grid I was going to run in, as they would allow such a hybrid of modern and oldschool parts, was not for me - the driving standard was not ideal and having a car that would cost me over 20K to reshell when it got hit by one of these modern Japanese (classic - yeah right) Honda Civic or Toyota Collora's.

So with the help of some friends Ray was kind enough to let me sign up for his grid (even though I still don't have running car - I will still be attending as pit bitch for others still ) however this meant I needed to make some changes - remove the RB30 - easy it was not too far down the track with the fuel system still original and not EFI ready and sell of the Radial Mounted Wilwoods and start on the brakes again. So that is the path I took and why I have decided to ensure the car is T&C compliant 100%.

Right engine was sold to another Datsun Z Club member and the new brakes (never had fluid in them) were again sold to another Datsun Z Club member - they are now on one of my old 240z so they went to a good home

[nzeder]

During all this Wilwood brake change I also arranged a group buy for a number of Datsun Z club members of some special order 15x8 rims with a more + offset from the default 0 that suit the standard body work of the Datsun Z cars. 15x8 with a 0 offset do fit but some rolling of the rear lip/arch is required - no flare is required just a roll of the lip to ensure no rubbing. However a 15x8 +10 offset works without this rolling if using a 225/50/15.

So 10 sets of rims were order with me only have to commit to selling 6 sets and the importer was happy to sell the remaining 4 sets. I managed to pre sell 7 sets and another set was sold not long after they arrived in the country - I believe all of these have now been sold.

These rims are replicas of the sports options rims and are minilite style - I am sure if you have seen Ricky Datsun 240z at the track then you have seen the rims I arranged. But here are some pics anyway
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Here are some pics of the Radial mounted Wilwood that are not on my old 240z that lives in Wellington now
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