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.

good luck man. i wanna see some dam footage!

sounds like you had a heap of fun!

cant say i agree with retiring the datto from the road to make it a drift only vehicle.

maybe build a budget drifter if you must be involved with it, and keep the datto for cruising?

i have the same power and it will spin third easy. what tyres were you running? use 155/13 or 175/70/13

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!

Its good fun out there aint it, you'll probably find the suspension is the biggest issue you'll have out there.
Bin those stanza struts, I would go 280zx (need some guard work) as I find I have a lot of travel at the ride height my car is, you'll just have to use the stanza lower spring seat or a weld-on coilover kit.

When i saw your car last you had a fair bit of camber I reckon about -5

200b struts should have enough travel

1200 or 120y struts are just as bad as stanza ones when lowered

Fun would be an understatement! Yea i have been keeping an eye out for 280 struts and brakes but they seem rare and im not paying nissan wreckers prices lol, dont really need big brakes either now, gaurd work is fine, im planning on flaring both front and back as far as possible without bolt on flares. Weld on coil over kits seem to be good value, i guess i should be thinking of choosing a strut that has a good aftermarket support for shocks. Yea same camber and id agree too much, looks tough but what good is that if it dont work.
Unfortunatelly didnt get time so went out there as was just all thrown together. Did cam timing and added bits on sundy, made bulk difference and was really coming on strong when the limiter hits, still 5500rpm, will go to 6500+ depending on valve bounce. Before no power after 5000rpm, once everything sorted will get another tune. Do you run any castor in your car and how much camber?
As far as my damage is concerened, the chassis is squashed back just behind the crossmember and the castor rod bracket is pulled down. This will be near impossible to fix. Would it be ok to heat and bend the lower controll arm to bring the tyre foward again. Im supprised and pissed that nothing bent or broke except the chassis, oh well im the tool who hit the gutter

Heres a pic of the camber plate, under extreme stress the nut cant clamp down enough and it moves out of adjustment, never did this on the street thankfully. A single hole in the right place will be heaps safer.

ah thanks for that pigdog, can you get decent shockies for these?

We ripped the rod mount bracket from my coupe and bent the front rail, fixed and checked it on a laser aligner, everything can be fixed, just need time and patience, trees and well positioned block and tackle work well!

Im pretty sure theres a 280zx out at eliz u-pull at the moment, R31 would be good to use, things change quickly out there though. Dont get 240/260/280z as they use a different bolt pattern on the steering arm.