School me on Datsun/Nissan S30's

[Jalves619]

Before I bought an e30 I drove my 280z and a 325is back to back. Like others are saying the e30 is going to be faster, but the s30s are amazingly fun cars to drive. You really don't need a lot of power in them to have fun, some mild lowering springs, decent shocks and good tires goes a looonng way, but the same could be said for an e30.

[BlackbirdM3]

Will,

I feel like you are sitting on some endless mother-load of Datsun pictures... Do you have a photobucket album or something that I can just browse and drool over?

I don't have that many really. These ones I shot on Saturday. Here is the link to the Saturday album. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=77a017da17
I just started in on editing the stuff from Sunday. The above album is a public album for now. There is some good stuff in there (not just Datsun stuff either.) I think I'm about 50 shots into the 500 that I shot on Sunday. Its going to be a little while.

Will

[IronFreak]

Thank you so much for sharing that!! What a treat it would have been to be there and see that!!

[Threehz]

Will,

You sir have outdone yourself once again! I'm going to have to get out to that event as soon as possible! Thank you.

Did you get the roadster out there?

(Sorry for the threadjack)

This is a great site to browse through some basic Z modding and performance information: http://datsunzgarage.com/

Also, if you have any doubts about the L-series engine performance just look at the history of Z racing both by pros and amateurs. Z's are known for putting Chevy, Ford, and Porsche owners in their place on the track.

[BlackbirdM3]

Will,

You sir have outdone yourself once again! I'm going to have to get out to that event as soon as possible! Thank you.

Did you get the roadster out there?

(Sorry for the threadjack)

This is a great site to browse through some basic Z modding and performance information: http://datsunzgarage.com/

Also, if you have any doubts about the L-series engine performance just look at the history of Z racing both by pros and amateurs. Z's are known for putting Chevy, Ford, and Porsche owners in their place on the track.

I knew I wasn't going to have the $ to even think about entering the race this year so I didn't even try. Still, even if I had the funds to think about trying to go run with these guys, its still up to the organizers to pick the car to run. As far as I know, a Datsun roadster has never run at the Sonoma Historics ever. I'm not sure if its due to no one trying to enter one, or if they just don't get picked to run. There are a total of about 8 racing roadsters in California that I know of, Adam Corolla has both the BRE cars as well as a factory lightweight that was built at BRE, but wasn't a BRE car. My friend Ron Carter from San Diego has one that has run at the Coronado Festival of Speed several times (I beat him at Laguna Seca a couple years ago , he was a bit ticked.) Tim Arnett has one in San Jose, he ran at Monterey last year, and there are another two cars in SoCal that I know of, one is a fast 2L the other is a 1600, and there is my car. On the whole west coast I'd guess there are about a dozen racing roadsters total. Not a car you see racing often despite them having won more SCCA titles (both regional and National) than most other cars (I think its something like 35 titles or so. A friend researched it and was blown away by the number.)

I think I would have done very well this year, the class I would have been racing was the class in the first bunch of my pics, with the MGBs, Alfas and 510. I think I would have been somewhere in the top 15 or so. I know I can't run with the Ginettas, or the Huffaker racing MGB (its only a former national championship winning car) but I think I could keep up with the 510. I have to admit, it would sort of be a dream come true to take the starting grid at any of the big historic races.

Getting back to the Z, in the 1970 SCCA runoffs. BRE campaigned the two roadsters (the 44, and 46 car, the 46 car being driven by John Morton) all year to gain enough points to qualify for the championships where they planned to put Morton in the Z since the Z wasn't completed until just before the runoffs. They showed up with both roadsters and the Z. The roadsters were leading the race till about 5 laps to go when both suffered race ending mechanical failures allowing Morton to win in the Z.

Its interesting comparing the Z to the E30. They both use very similar suspension designs, Mac Struts up front, and trailing arm IRS rear ends, as does the 510. A well built Z will give a well built E30 a run for its money. Zs are not slow.

Will

[freeride53]

Hey, what do you guys think of the 2+2's? I personally think they're pretty cool.
I would love a slammed, dished 2+2 S30. That's just me though. And my dad.

[freeride53]

[freeride53]

[kronus]

2+2s are ugly from almost every angle. this is the only one I like:



The m20 is a completely new design and is not based on the m10 or m30 in any way, shape or form. You can get M30s with single and dual-row chains, much like the L-block motor.

[IronFreak]

Quit posting pictures or i'll do something stupid........like sell my e30 and buy one!

[freeride53]

[nickflic3]

A neighbor down he street has an orange 260 2+2 that has been sitting for years. I am resisting ever so hard the temptation to pick up another project

A 2+2 with a zg front end is acceptable

[IronFreak]

Is the wheelbase on a 2+2 significantly longer?

[rturbo 930]

Is the wheelbase on a 2+2 significantly longer?

Yeah, about a foot longer.

[freeride53]

Yeah I think that the 2+2 would make a cool cruiser/slammed show car.
I saw a nice (albeit with rust) yellow '78 280z 2+2 parked on old hwy 101 in encinitas last night for sale $8k
...didn't know a rusty one could command so much!


My fave color for the S30 is Deeeeeep green.