Cheers, I will try to contact him and I'll let you know what the results are. I'm planning to be producing 210 - 230kw so responsive steering and good feel would be nice... (plus if you wanted to get REAL picky a rack and pinion setup will reduce a bit of weight and drop it lower helping centre of gravity and weight reduction wouldn't it?...)

bob cooper was on this site, has/had his own webiste and was on the now defunct nz datsun site. he rallies a 1200 coupe with 4age. google him. and let us know how you get on.

that's all well and good for low power 1200's - I didn't find the steering a problem even with the 146rwbhp L18 I had in my previous 1200. But with 300bhp at the wheels you quickly find the slow steering ratio is not your friend!

Been offline for a few days but wanted to comment:

On track I don't think I ever use more than a 1/4 turn on the wheel maybe 1/2 turn in reeeeally slow hairpins. As for feel, yeah a rack would probably offer some better feedback but on "dreaded treadeds" you're drifting the car pretty heavily to fast........so we concentrated on chassis rigidity. Besides that 70's box is part of the fun.

Fro Rally: well having driven a stock 1200 about 75-80 mph down gravel roads....umm yeah a 90" wheelbase tippy econo box starts to get floaty, so faster steering might help OR just encourage you to have a bigger crash.

Tom

just using different tie rod lengths to make up for rack width = bump steer!

the shortened steering arms is common thing in rallying. But it messes with ackerman alot! not such a problem when the car is always sliding whenever you're turning as the instananeous ackerman is largely irrelevant because of the sideways movement of the rear, but on a gripy track with soft race rubber it can have a large effect on the car's handling

different tie rod lengths can be used also screw them in and out to get length for setting toe

Yea but if it fits a 240z wont it be to wide for a 1200?

another idea is the rack out of a suburu forester we have been playing with one in a 240z custom brace has been already made for it

Hey nzdatman,
Cheers for the info. Who is Bob Cooper? (feel like I should know somehow...) and how do I get in contact with him? At the moment I am in Germany but I will be back in a few months and the steering is one of the first things I want to tackle...

G'day Morgan, Rallying going great, 1st in two classes in '07 in the QRC. (2wd and under 1600cc) Currently building a Sunny coupe rallycar, won't highjack thread will PM you.