Re: Z equals Zero

Troy wrote:

Phil has certainly said he'd like to see a V8 Z in this post and others.

A guy in the Carolinas offered me an LS V8 too.

Maybe I should do the 5.0 after all.

If the trend will be a shift to running full courses w/o chicanes,..... then top speed will now be the new premium.

I felt bad at times, but being just fast enough in the corners and walking by folks on the straight was an easy way to advance through the field.  You have to drive the Z hard to do match lap times of a 302 'stang that is being run gently,.....

plenty of food for thought there.

Re: Z equals Zero

Evil Genius wrote:

So, Murilee and Johnny both know that I have a 240Z sitting here at the shop and I'm not afraid of LSX swaps...  seems to me  Z equals Zero is an invitation to extend my Lemons car fleet.

   Let me get this straight:

       Closed hood
       No Questions
       You will not look under the car
       Zero penalty laps.
       No Quesitons

     This is a loophole I can drive through with tires spinning....  Sweet

   Where's Clint, we've got to start building!

getting to AVOID BS inspection........................................I'm in........

Richard Doty
1984 Porsche 928 "Estate"
Porsche- "there is A substitute" Racing
Dirt Poorsche Racing #2

Re: Z equals Zero

if you're doing a V8 in a Z, better stack the deck. 302 + C6 or a 318. hell, you know what would be COOL? Slant-6 in a Z. the car of the Apocalypse with an Apocalypse-proof engine. maybe they'll neutralize each other.

54 (edited by jimeditorial 2009-10-28 08:10 PM)

Re: Z equals Zero

Fish wrote:

Its very possible for a Z to do well. We will prove this. I know its "what if" but at Reno this year we finished day 1 in 7th place and were upto 5th place with an HOUR to go in the race only 5 laps off the lead, then the Z curse hit decided it didnt like its rods anymore.

Houston we had 0 major engine problems and had downtime with a stupid problem that should have been fixed before the race, a driveshaft u-joint cost us 3 hours.

We will be back in January in Phoenix to prove that a Z can win.

Oh ya did I mention that we are racing with an AUTOMATIC lol. I guess we are crazy!

I recall getting passed by you guys in our Fiero. Often. In a four-wheel-drift. You the guys with the ringer in the Stand 21 suit worth more than the entire field?

Jim "Endo" Anderton
30 years of racing and still not Brambilla.....

Re: Z equals Zero

jimeditorial wrote:

I recall getting passed by you guys in our Fiero. Often. In a four-wheel-drift. You the guys with the ringer in the Stand 21 suit worth more than the entire field?

A couple of us have some experience racing but we did have 4 newbies on the team this time too that got a couple black flags for us after some spin outs lol

The suits were from RG for us to use lol.
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff42/flyhiflylo/Lemons/DSC00569.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff42/flyhiflylo/Lemons/DSC00574.jpg

Re: Z equals Zero

yamato wrote:

You have to drive the Z hard to do match lap times of a 302 'stang that is being run gently,.....

What were some of the lap times for the stangs? I did a 2:05.335 in our Z driving it at about 80% of its "good" running capacity.

I know the stangs are fast as hell on the straights because I was wide open down the back straight and the black stang came flying by me like I was standing still!!

Re: Z equals Zero

Fish wrote:
yamato wrote:

You have to drive the Z hard to do match lap times of a 302 'stang that is being run gently,.....

What were some of the lap times for the stangs? I did a 2:05.335 in our Z driving it at about 80% of its "good" running capacity.

I know the stangs are fast as hell on the straights because I was wide open down the back straight and the black stang came flying by me like I was standing still!!

Our Z is plenty fast in the turns as well as the straights.  It can outrun most 5.0s. 

Maybe I should go to a V8 while my friend runs a 6.

Anyway, we break it or visit the penalty bow.  Welcome to Lemons.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z

Re: Z equals Zero

Troy wrote:
Fish wrote:
yamato wrote:

You have to drive the Z hard to do match lap times of a 302 'stang that is being run gently,.....

What were some of the lap times for the stangs? I did a 2:05.335 in our Z driving it at about 80% of its "good" running capacity.

I know the stangs are fast as hell on the straights because I was wide open down the back straight and the black stang came flying by me like I was standing still!!

Our Z is plenty fast in the turns as well as the straights.  It can outrun most 5.0s. 

Maybe I should go to a V8 while my friend runs a 6.

Anyway, we break it or visit the penalty bow.  Welcome to Lemons.

The more you talk the more you damn yourself...

Jonny... what if our car "looks" like a z?

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"

Re: Z equals Zero

Fish wrote:
yamato wrote:

You have to drive the Z hard to do match lap times of a 302 'stang that is being run gently,.....

What were some of the lap times for the stangs? I did a 2:05.335 in our Z driving it at about 80% of its "good" running capacity.

I know the stangs are fast as hell on the straights because I was wide open down the back straight and the black stang came flying by me like I was standing still!!

I was in the Property Devaluation pink stang and really taking it pretty easy.  We should have bled the brakes after the first day, becuase any time you really tried to use them the rears would lock.

My best was a 2:04.955, but when I think about how little that I pushed the car in the turns (not to mention that the box had no fifth in it,... so I would top out on the back straight at about 110 about 100 yards before the flag stand and then just have to go neutral throttle the rest of the way), I think that there was easily a couple of more seconds in the car,..... hell, if the brakes were working right it might have been a lot faster!

The problem that you will begin to encounter is that even though you can do a good lap time in something that does not have the big V8 straight speed, you will always be doomed by the traffic.  There were a couple of cars that got by me during my 4 or so hours in the car, but I always repassed them.  They get held up by some traffic and then I walk by on the straight.

I started to feel bad, because I could not get the car to slow down the way I wanted, nor could I get it to go through the turns as fast as I would have liked.  I had some great battles with some cars, everyone was very courteous (except the guy that moved over on me on the front straight on the way to the carousel and put me into a 100mph grassy spin).  I remember battling with the dragon Z,.... he would eat me up through the turns, but just could not get around.  I finally made a mistake by not braking enough through the diamond's edge complex, and slid wide.  He got underneath me, but as we entered the straight to the carousel, I just had too much power.  We looked over at eachother as I went by, and I gave him the big "thumbs up" to say "great racing", but still; I felt a little bad that he really had no chance to stay in front of me.  We were both busting our asses in our own way behind the wheel, but heavy traffic plus long straights is going to equal a big advantage for the top speed gurus.

oh, BTW - big thanks to the cornerworkers and whoever decides on black flags, both of the 2009 Houston races have been great in that if they see you get forced off, or you go off to avoid someone else who is out of control and about to hit you, they would let you go.  Thus, a 100mph grass cutting experiment went w/o consequence on my end other than a few dropped spots.

Re: Z equals Zero

Riktor wrote:

...The more you talk the more you damn yourself...

Ha!  Excellent point.  I have typed several post and then deleted them for this exact reason.  I want to defend my choice of racing a Z but then it seems like I am asking for penalty laps. 

I think I would rather have the stigma of driving a POS Z than to get the stink eye from the judges.

Re: Z equals Zero

yamato wrote:
Fish wrote:
yamato wrote:

You have to drive the Z hard to do match lap times of a 302 'stang that is being run gently,.....

What were some of the lap times for the stangs? I did a 2:05.335 in our Z driving it at about 80% of its "good" running capacity.

I know the stangs are fast as hell on the straights because I was wide open down the back straight and the black stang came flying by me like I was standing still!!

I was in the Property Devaluation pink stang and really taking it pretty easy.  We should have bled the brakes after the first day, becuase any time you really tried to use them the rears would lock.

My best was a 2:04.955, but when I think about how little that I pushed the car in the turns (not to mention that the box had no fifth in it,... so I would top out on the back straight at about 110 about 100 yards before the flag stand and then just have to go neutral throttle the rest of the way), I think that there was easily a couple of more seconds in the car,..... hell, if the brakes were working right it might have been a lot faster!

The problem that you will begin to encounter is that even though you can do a good lap time in something that does not have the big V8 straight speed, you will always be doomed by the traffic.  There were a couple of cars that got by me during my 4 or so hours in the car, but I always repassed them.  They get held up by some traffic and then I walk by on the straight.

I started to feel bad, because I could not get the car to slow down the way I wanted, nor could I get it to go through the turns as fast as I would have liked.  I had some great battles with some cars, everyone was very courteous (except the guy that moved over on me on the front straight on the way to the carousel and put me into a 100mph grassy spin).  I remember battling with the dragon Z,.... he would eat me up through the turns, but just could not get around.  I finally made a mistake by not braking enough through the diamond's edge complex, and slid wide.  He got underneath me, but as we entered the straight to the carousel, I just had too much power.  We looked over at eachother as I went by, and I gave him the big "thumbs up" to say "great racing", but still; I felt a little bad that he really had no chance to stay in front of me.  We were both busting our asses in our own way behind the wheel, but heavy traffic plus long straights is going to equal a big advantage for the top speed gurus.

oh, BTW - big thanks to the cornerworkers and whoever decides on black flags, both of the 2009 Houston races have been great in that if they see you get forced off, or you go off to avoid someone else who is out of control and about to hit you, they would let you go.  Thus, a 100mph grass cutting experiment went w/o consequence on my end other than a few dropped spots.

I recall the Pink Mustang trying to stay in front of our Z, almost ate it on the turn along pit wall.  Ya, we passed the Pink Stang on the other straight with no problem. 

Unfortunately, we were fighting high engine temps all of Saturday and it finally got the us.

My friend ran the car on a Member day at MSR and turned 2:00 minute laps with me riding shot gun.  Traffic will get you for a few seconds a lap easy.  I think our best lap while racing was a 2:05.

A 5.0 in the Z would be great but we already have more power than grip anyway.  A limited slip would probably help us more than added power.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z

Re: Z equals Zero

Your best defense of your chosen steed is to win the race, my friend.  Even then, the judges aren't going to respect you, as a Z won't qualify for IOE without a 3-cylinder Metro engine under the hood.  (btw, have you considered that?)

Lemons South 2008 - Fail, Lemons South Spring 2009 - Fail, Lemons Detroit(ish) 2008 - Fail, Lemons South Fall 2009 - Fail, Lamest Day 2009 - Fail, Miami 2010 (Chump) - 2nd!, Sebring 2010 (Chump) - Fail, Cuba 2010 - Crew Chief, Roebling 2011 (Chump) - 8th!, Sebring 2011(Chump) - 19th!

Re: Z equals Zero

PUT THIS IN YOUR Z!!!

http://www.tractorparts.com/images/ih/DT466ENG.JPG

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"

Re: Z equals Zero

Much as I approve of the pointless Mustang-versus-Z rivalry taking shape here, I think you should take note that a Saturn blew away every single Mustang and every single Z in the race. Again.

Oh yeah, a Pontiac Grand Prix also beat all the Zs and Mustangs. A VW Rabbit, a Ford Escort, an Audi 90, and an Infiniti J30 beat all the Zs and all but one of the Mustangs.

Re: Z equals Zero

He said 'Escort'....



KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
Follow Filthy on Facebook: Flailing Lizard Motorsports

Re: Z equals Zero

MurileeMartin wrote:

Much as I approve of the pointless Mustang-versus-Z rivalry taking shape here, I think you should take note that a Saturn blew away every single Mustang and every single Z in the race. Again.

Oh yeah, a Pontiac Grand Prix also beat all the Zs and Mustangs. A VW Rabbit, a Ford Escort, an Audi 90, and an Infiniti J30 beat all the Zs and all but one of the Mustangs.

I don't think that we started a big debate.  I have driven both in Lemons, and they both have their own strengths and weaknesses. 

The bottom line remains,...... prep your car well, and get drivers that don't suck!!!!!

If you can't stay out of the pits (for whatever reason,... mechanical or penalty) you have no chance.  If the pink stang had run a clean error free race, we would have won!  guess what,.... so would Troy's Z, as well as more than half the field!  Winning this race is never about going fast,... it's about going just fast enough.

Re: Z equals Zero

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/12/2009/10/500x_TLX09F-FestivaOnTrack-500px.jpg

Congratulations, Z racers! Team Flying Wrench's 300ZX managed- just barely- to beat out a Ford Festiva! Can we look forward to a relentless Z-versus-Festiva rivalry in future races?

Re: Z equals Zero

But don't feel bad, Z racers- at least you're not driving Taurus SHOs! We may have to start handing out a SHO Is Terrible trophy for the least broken SHO at each race.

Re: Z equals Zero

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/1442439350.html

Re: Z equals Zero

MurileeMartin wrote:

But don't feel bad, Z racers- at least you're not driving Taurus SHOs! We may have to start handing out a SHO Is Terrible trophy for the least broken SHO at each race.

The SHOs are fast and blow up about twice as fast as Zs + MR2s.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z

Re: Z equals Zero

Troy wrote:
MurileeMartin wrote:

But don't feel bad, Z racers- at least you're not driving Taurus SHOs! We may have to start handing out a SHO Is Terrible trophy for the least broken SHO at each race.

The SHOs are fast and blow up about twice as fast as Zs + MR2s.

We didn't blow up. Just had too many black flags, 3. Finished 25th.

Re: Z equals Zero

Sergio,

You guys did a good job. 

Something about 1/2 the SHOs dying.

Plenty of Zs took a beating this last race, mine included.]

The MR2s also took a licken' and are barely tickin.'

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z

Re: Z equals Zero

Good boat anchor...

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"

74 (edited by sergio 2009-10-30 07:47 AM)

Re: Z equals Zero

Troy wrote:

Sergio,

You guys did a good job. 

Something about 1/2 the SHOs dying.

Plenty of Zs took a beating this last race, mine included.]

The MR2s also took a licken' and are barely tickin.'

We did OK. Our other 2 SHO team friends are starting to get pissed at us for not breaking. I'm sure our engine clock is running out......and when it does it will be spectacular! Bring your Kodaks.

Re: Z equals Zero

sergio wrote:
Troy wrote:

Sergio,

You guys did a good job. 

Something about 1/2 the SHOs dying.

Plenty of Zs took a beating this last race, mine included.]

The MR2s also took a licken' and are barely tickin.'

We did OK. Our other 2 SHO team friends are starting to get pissed at us for not breaking. I'm sure our engine clock is running out......and when it does it will be spectacular! Bring your Kodaks.

Use gunpowder as anti-sieze on your spark plugs...

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"