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We see posts here just about every week where someone wants to build to most potent Datsun powerplant ever unleashed on the planet, & I guess that's a good enough exercise by itself, but the old hands know that flashy performance doesn't win at the end of the year. CONCISTANCY does.

The car that circulates every lap, on every race day, with no dramas, regularly geting some nice placings, & with a mechanical reliability that matches Big Ben, now that's the car that wories the flashy drivers. It's also the sort of car that many people don't notice, so the run to the championchip can slip under their radar. Stealth is good.

I wish you good fortune Converted, thats the kind of plan I like best.

Its good to here whoes racing. I drive a falcon every day & race a 1200 on the weekends when theres an event on. I have only just started so i have a bit of learning to do yet. I am racing club sprints with the marques sports car assoiation at athe moment but woul like to get into improved production one day. I will have to buy a hous first. I have started biuilding a 1200 coupe but i have to hurry up now because the sedan is starting to crack up through the tunnel so its nearly time for the crusher with her.

COUP1200 - that's one nice looking sedan...I've always thought Coupes make the best race cars...but that sedan looks pretty impressive.

Very cool wheels too

I would love to race the coupe but I definateley do not have enough spare time, cash or racecar know how to be in the top 10 consistently so instead I will settle for the cheap fuel consumption, fun to drive, reliability and retro styling of the coupe! I did however dabble in motorcycle road racing and began to get consistently faster lap times on my road bike but unfortunateley I lost a close mate in a motorcycle T-bone accident after spending 5 hours riding with him the same day. Now I know that I could never get on a bike and ride the way I could before, be it a road bike or race bike but any way heres a couple of pics for old time sake

blofly in my 4 seasons of motorcycle road racing there was usaully about 2 fatalities a year , one of which I witnessed........not fun. SO I switched to cars for good in 1990.
At the various track days I instruct at (instructing=free entry) I always take students for rides in the Pokey (the nickname for my 1200). Without fail everyone who goes for a ride in it remarks on how well it corners and how much fun the liitle car is. Even one intermediate student who was driving a 400HP 300ZX thought it was a blast , although he admitted the lack of power would be tough to get used to. So one of these days I'll upgrade the 85HP engine to something with a whooping 95-100HP. I'm also putting the car back on the street so I can use it a lead car at our gravel/tarmac Rally. As for race budget I spend about $1200 US per year. Pretty cheap but the car even at Vintage will never place higher than 3rd. After 16 seasons I have enough trophies and a couple of lap record certificates from other classes that I'm just looking for fun with my Datsun. At this point I'd even take a stock 1200 to a track day. When we went to the first Autocross with it I won H-stock with it but more important than where the car finished is 1200's are just a blast to drive , you can beat on them and they always finish.

Tom

I like driving cars with little power, you really have to handle them well to get going fast!

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You guys must've been asleep when I posted and reposted my glorious exploits.

Recent Track Day Pics here.

Recent AutoX Pics here.

Despite the exceptional handling, 78hp doesn't get you into the winner's circle ...

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ , huh what

I think it was more an ADD moment for me.

A big yes on underpowered cars are fun , when you have 78hp or 85HP on hand you have to drive the hell out of the corners.......besides it is fun when somebody in a Lotus Elise catches up at the end of a straght section then slowly falls back in the twisty bits then when they do pass down the next straight they end up with you glued to their bumper for the next set of corners. I recently passed a friend in his boxster.......he didn't like that at all.

Tom

I agree This is really obvious when supersprinting against road registered cars - they cast a sideways look at the little Datto and dismiss it because they are in the worlds best streetcar and you are in a poxy 4 cylinder. Nothing better than towelling them up around the back of the circuit !!! Another fun activity is to pressure big $$$ cars and watch them try to drive with one eye in the mirror Have had more than one wave me past 'cause of concern that I may rub some paint off !! YEEEEE HAAAAA !
Notwithstanding the above - another 20 HP would be sooooooo good
Cheers

Yes the under powerd cars just a bit more interesting to drive & it makes it all fun.
I overtook a porche 944 turbo under brakes around MG at philip island then missed 3rd, & still beat him to the finish.
But its even better when you catch up with a car with simalar power then the real fun begins