I was running 165s but had troubles getting them spinning without massive dumping it style in third due to taking out bulk timing. I doubt it would have spat 100rwkw. I did get some video from our old cam recorder but unfortunatelly cant get that format to computer. I did notice that i was heaps slower than most people even on my fastest runs, i was in third doing 4000+rpm entry to corner, so fourth may be neaded as i get braver, not for a while . Pritty scarey when you leave the track going that fast.
Ange i have invested well over 10g into the 1200 and its reaching the point were its too much of a compromise to keep it on the street. Its massivelly illegal, too fast for my own good and i need to keep my lisence. Im not that stressed if it gets a few extra dents etc, its a bogmobile, not to mension its had a dodgy rear cut arc welded on at some stage, not like its a original, my white resto project will be my cruiser. Plus driving it out there leaves you praying you can drive it home.
Anyone have any thoughts on camber, im thinking now that im running too much, helping understeer. I have stanza struts (destined for the bin) and strut tops adjusted all the way in. It was getting entry understeer also helped by not enough grunt to light up, just push through.
Also 185*60*14 peeled of the rim twice in spins, maybe too tall a profile, or 30psi pressure to low.
Anyone setup or been involved in setting up a drift setup car, Im thinking if i get maybe 120y struts so i have full travell and maybe convert to coilover style with good shockies and stiffer springs. Stiffen the rear heaps (diff was hitting floor and im not that low, also new shockies, aim for conservative 2degree camber as no body roll and bit of caster? Would like to get the thing as smooth as possible, very twitchy and hard to catch atm. Also i will keep posted here with updates, haha just need some big dish rims now!

Well i managed to get everything back together to take the datto out to mallala for the satarday drift practise. Managed to get out there no worries. I was in the first of two groups which alternated every half hour ish from 5-9pm. The first two laps i did i was hearing severe detonation under full load high revs so i brang it back in and backed the timing out a fair bit. This reduced it substantially but slight pinging was still present, it did however drop so much power 3rd was near impossible to spin up. The next few runs resulted in me spinning it on the high speed corner off the end of the straight after getting some massive tank slapping going on, managed to rip the tyre off the front beed twice. And that was about it really.
Ive decided that this is something i really want to get into so when my rego runs out next month im not re-regoing it and instead im turning it into a drift only car ill trailer to events.

Firstly, i needed way more power, enough to spin 3rd at least as the corners are so long second runs out leaving you straight again. Also im going to change from xf throttle body down to 50mm or similar to gain throttle response, the rest of my piping/cooler is 2".

Secondly, my suspension is as hard as i like for street/hills driving but way soft for drifting. Ive also decided that cut springs are ####house for this as when you spin and the car goes all over the place the springs fall out. currently running gemini front springs and extra leaf rears. Would like to go lower too.

Thirdly, i was still getting dodgy understeer, i will try and run 205s on the front add a bit of caster and get rid of my adjustable neg camber plates as they move on a spin. A single hole for the strut top to go through will solve this.

Ive also have to fix some chassis damage i got. The front left wheel was pushed into the inner gaurd were passengers feet go if that makes sense. The damage is clearly visable, im thinking may have to get strut bend or similar?

I fixed the cam timing and power is up a heap, im hoping that a retune will give me enough power so long as pinging goes away, might have to lash out and buy a water injection kit.

On a bright note, i brang out a spare centre and 2 axles but neither were needed, suprising as i was dumping 3rd to try and get it spinning.

Any one have any thoughts on this, i want to keep the budget reasonably low too. I will be selling all my interior, sound system etc too as no longer needed.

I was chatting to a bloke with a ca18det bluebird, he was smoking 4th no worries running 14psi through a gt28 seemed nice and responsive too! Anyway enough rambling, big thanks to RPM and DATSPORT for getting me thus far.

My original l20b na from bluebird into 1200 sedan cost roughly.....

L20b+box/clutch+clutch slave/master+tailshaft etc (bought complete car) $50+$100 car trailer hire
New engine mounts x2 $50ish (bad memory)
Tailshaft modded to use 1200 diff flange and shortened/balanced $130
Camry radiator new $235
Manifold flange back exhaust 2" $220
Webber 38adm from xf falcon and adapter plate $100
Vl commodore throttle cable $30
Electric fuel pump from forklift from work $0
Add extra $200 for fuel line, steel for fabricating parts, rad hoses, clamps etc etc

Comes to TOTAL: $1100 ish

This ran a 16.7 at 79mph on a compressionless engine. Got another good engine for $250 from complete smashed car and sold the rest for $100. A $1500 dollar budget is doable if you can do the work. I estimate it took me 100 hrs to do the conversion (was my first one), its the labour that will kill you. Maybe 50-60 rwkw with fresh engine, webber exhaust, mild regrind etc.

were abouts are you, would have thought a 120y or the like carby would be similar if not the same?

ndiggles thanks that was a really helpfull post. I am running an l20b yes, with a tdo4 wrx turbo, slightly smaller than a t28 more a t25 id say. The ecu does run a map sensor and i think the cac at idle was around 20 ish maybe a bit less, didnt pay much attention. When the cam lobe is pushing all the way down, the outer spring is not binding but would be getting close maybe 0.5 -1mm clearance so im assuming the inner spring would to be ok. Yea it runs a tps 0-5v and im positive that the cam chain is on the right gear teeth! The problem would be that since i dont have an adjustable cam gear the cam positioning would be as they ground it sinse the cam locks in to the gear pin etc. Do most regrinds grind them so you can just put them in (assuming you set up lash pads, coil binding etc) or is it expected to use adjustable cam gear and cam dial gauge etc? Thanks fellas, its in the w/shop atm for a retune so ill see how it goes and recheck everything when i get it back. So a more wild turbo grind would leave the exhaust and up a few inlet grinds?

thanks dude ill look for one

yea will do, do you have a pic of the long hand sander you are talking about, sounds good but i cant picture what i looks like so i can find one. How long is it? Im just using a sanding block maybe 100mm*50mm*20mm ish. I will keep updating as i go

topgear is getting 100rwkw from standard a12 with draw through turbo, simple and impressive, good power can definatelly be had!

Got a little bit more done today, its really slow work with the welder as to avoid warping the panels. I need a automatic welding mask.... that would make it a lot easier and quicker! Might think about buying an air sander too, has anyone used the round orbital type for sanding car filler on larger panels or would the old style vibrating ones that you atach normal sandpaper be ok? Heres some pics, its getting there slowly/

Started with the boot seal area and added filler, sanded it back to smooth it out and fill some weld spots etc.





Then, sanded it back with wet and dry 400 with water and primed it so i dont come back and find it rusty.




Then i finished sanding the c pillar and primed it, still needs a couple of hours extra sanding etc to be perfect, ill do that a bit later.




Rear quarter welded in, took bloody ages but didnt warp much so im happy! Blew heaps of holes i had to patch, took at least an hour





Then i had to grind all the welds back




And finally add a couple of coats of filler which i can see will take me ages to sand and get the panel correct shape as the replacement 1/4 was not the correct shape/curve.




Thats it for now, depending on the blue 1200 i may do a bit more next weekend.