Datsun 280ZX IMSA GTU race car build...

gaijin · Post by **gaijin** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:30 am

Very cool project!
How much height difference (with the drivetrain install) did you acheive with the dry sumpin'?

What are those wheels?

Grunzter · Post by **Grunzter** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 7:26 pm

With the dry sump pan the engine is still at standard height as one of the pick-ups is just over the front cross member/steering rack so no reduction in height.
Though the engine has been moved about 20~25mm to the right to accomodate the custom inlet manifold and induction system, even so I still had to cut a bit out of the LH strut tower to get it all to fit.

Wheels are Simmons OM style 3-piece from Australia. Sizes are 18x11 at the rear and 18x9 at the front.
They were purchased direct from the NZ importer.

Cheers Grant

PS. If you can get any more old GT3 slicks I would be keen for a set...
(I am running Front 235/40-18 & Rear 295/30-18)

gaijin · Post by **gaijin** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 8:49 pm

Grant,

re. the slicks.

These Porsche cup tires are plentyful. they spec them in diameter, ie. mine say 24/64/18. so, 240mm wide, 640mm diam, in 18".
download a tire program off google, will show what a 240 wide with 640mm diam will be in profile. Ones on my zed work out to just a b it over 40 series. Sweet.
Some of the newer GT3 cup cars, run the larger rear tires to suit 295. keep eyes out on trademe, otherwise International motorsport in auckland have so many, they even store them outside. they have new to very hard and old. old hard tires are almost worthless to a race team. offer cash to the boss he'd probably oblige. otherwise id recomend a balaclava....

what was the $ damage for the wheels?

Grunzter · Post by **Grunzter** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:19 am

Thanks for the heads up on the slicks, I see what I can find...
240/640's on the front will be fine, though need the 295's on the rear...

I bought the wheels about 1.5~2 years ago for $7500 (2 sets) from BG Marketing. Normally they will recomend you to a dealer, but for custom wheels like simmons they may miss out the middle man...

I enjoy your thread on your car build, dont think mine will make it to Taupo though...

Grunzter · Post by **Grunzter** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:48 pm

Roll cage finished!
Pictures taken at night so not the best...
We had to move the pedal box further forward by ~1.5" and readjust the seat position again as the cage was built around them... the seats that is.

Body work is taped on to see what it would look like.

Next job is to fit the carbon dash and digital & analogue gauges, and start on the electrical wiring...

Still some other jobs but the worst awaits, that being the fitting of all the fibreglass and panel & paint.

Regards
Grant

nzeder · Post by **nzeder** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:07 pm

Grant,

I see on your cage you don't have any bars that go from the door bar/main hoop back to the strut towers see this as an example

You can see a bar that goes from the join of the door bar to main hoop then up to the rear strut towers. This is to stop/limit your belts from moving in the event of major rear end shunt.

Grunzter · Post by **Grunzter** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 8:52 am

Hi Mike,
Yeh I asked about that and most seemed to say it was not necessary?
To me it would look cool as well and not add much extra weight, it is all chromolly steel... (I'll ask again)

As for the seat belts they get looped over the horizontal bar that is in the main hoop just a few inches behind the seats, not the actual bar (strut brace) at the back. The strut brace is officially not part of the roll cage as for an FIA approved cage it cannot extend past the center line of the rear axle, and the 280zx struct is slightly rearward inclined, even called MANZ to double check... so if the strut brace was to be part of the cage it would of had to be attached between the rear diagonals.
Apparently this is what they recommend now, it keeps the belts shorter. Location of this bar is to also accomodate a hans device in relation to seat belt angles etc...

Cage is built with full FIA compliance in mind.
Cheers Grant

nzeder · Post by **nzeder** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:40 am

Makes sense I thought the belts would go on that bar in the main hoop. Looking good by the way.

Grunzter · Post by **Grunzter** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 9:46 pm

...finally an update, though not much done in the last year...
But now into the new year, I would like to think that the count down is on for completion at last, assuming the funds are available...

Whats done that I can think of:
- Fire extinguisher mounted, including cabling and nozzels.

- Fuel cell finished off, including vent lines.

- Dummy dash done for basic shape and layout, a few things to move around before conclusion of the carbon mould...
(alternatively I could go for the natural wood grain look?)
LED gear change light to be fitted, fuse box to be moved and 'Oil-pressure' light to be changed & relocated.

- Motec ECU mounted.
- Wiring done, including fitting sensors etc. Cable protection and making it pretty still to do.

- Engine being prepared for final assembly.
- Exhaust manifold done, and headers being made, all parts are from Burns Stainless...

Body work, with luck, should start in a month or so...

Regards Grant.

PS. Will post pictures if someone can advise on how to attach them. the normal link to attach is gone and cannot see any replacement...

BRONZEE · Post by **BRONZEE** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 8:57 am

Upload your pics to somewhere like www.photobucket.com then once uploaded there, cut & paste the IMG code (one at the bottom of each images drop down), into your post here on the forum.

Grunzter · Post by **Grunzter** » Sun Jan 03, 2010 2:06 pm

Thanks Bronze,
...more chanllenging than before...

side view, on the ground. final ride height nearly, front will be fdropped about ~25mm, rear may be lifted ~10mm...

front view with spoiler tapped on. will be cut about ~75mm fron base and then extended 75~100mm lower. Then a splitter will be added to the bottom...

interior, not much change besides fire extinguisher mounted, and winring in place.

fuel cell area all complete, again besides wiring finish off, and a good tidy up. An aluminium/polycarbonate barrier plate will be fitted behind (and attached to) the strut towers to isolate the fuel cell area from the cabin area to meet MANZ safety rules.
The fuel cell complies, with all the check valves etc, but the actual filler line needs to be covered, even though both ends have check valves...

dash mockup for carbon fibre layout. fuses to be moved, as low oil pressure light. Also need to mount the cable brake bias dial somewhere...
Motec ECU mounted just behind dash on top of tunnel (with clearance...)

all for now...

BRONZEE · Post by **BRONZEE** » Sun Jan 03, 2010 8:44 pm

Coming along nicely Grant. Will it purely be for the track, or a bit of street too?

Grunzter · Post by **Grunzter** » Sun Jan 03, 2010 9:11 pm

...just for the track... and with Hampton downs, Pukekohe, Taupo & Manfield all within reach should be fun...

Attached the pictues of the new AP Pro 5000+ brake calipers, 6 pot on the front & 4 pot on the rear... disks to be AP slotted ~330mm rear, and 356mm front x 32mm wide...

front CP-5060

rear CP-5040

Will keep the Wilwood pedal box and bias assemblies, but calipers & rotors up for sale soon...

Baker93 · Post by **Baker93** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:10 am

Hi
Looks great Grant cant wait to see it run. Just a couple of questions. If you intend to run a Motec dash, what are the analoque gauges for ? From my experience a Motec dash will cater for just about any function ever required in car and some besides. Before you build dash ensure you can reach that fire extinguisher actuator whilst belted in, it looks a long way away !. Im sorry i hate those fuse boxes they are cheap, low quality, look like an after thought and it will not be big enough. It is definity not in keeping with the rest of the car. Get on down to BEP Marine and have a look at their awesome MCB panels (forget the surrounds just mount breakers direct in dash). These are fantastic, designed for a marine environment, cope with vibrations etc, mount close to driver for easy resetting. Nothing worse than having a fuel pump trip in the middle of a race and not being able to resett it or switch to another. Fuses are so hard to change whilst driving ! Greg and I have run these units for about 11 years without problems. I have a seven way unit. Get a larger unit you will need more !
With regard to the fuel cell issues give me a call 0274976951 or come round and checkout/discuss various solutions it can be easily achieved.
Please dont take any of this as criticism, your car is looking fantastic and is a credit to you. These suggestions are just my five cents worth gained through experiences building and working on a number of different competition cars.
Keep up the good work.
Anthony.

Grunzter · Post by **Grunzter** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 1:50 pm

Hi Antony,
No criticism taken, the good thing about posting here is to get good feedback especially from people like yourself who have more experience than me, and can then steer me in the correct direction...

- Dash is a AIM MXL Strada, Motec was a bit pricey at the time.
As for the gauges, I had bought a complete set of Autometer from Jegs in the USA (<1/3 the price than if bought in NZ), but then I found I could not fit them into the dash because they interferred with the peddal box behind, so I choose to get a digital dash.
The two big gauges are Oil Temp & Oil Pressure, Reg said it would be good to keep these since I had them...
The two smaller grey gauges are Diff Oil Temp & Trans Oil Temp. The black gauge is the fuel level in the Fuel cell.
The three squares that are marked on the dash are no-go areas because of the remote reserviors fitted behind, I would have liked them to be in the engine compartment but on the 280zx it just was not going to work, at least not with the peddle box I had.

- Fire extinguisher knob.
Yeh I had better do that, same for the peddle box bias adjuster & engine kill switch.
I may need to box out and angle the centre console bit to get better ergonomics as you mention.

- Fuse box.
I have heard the same from another friend of mine, I will have a look at what you are suggesting (BEP Marine), sounds better!!!

Unfortunately my trip was just a few days, I am back in NZ for good in March (In China at the moment working...) so the car sits up at Reg's enjoying the country life...

Cheers Grant