Hello 1200 Fanatics,

It's been a while since I've posted here. For those who follow my electric 1200, White Zombie, we are preparing a potent version, soon to hit the 1/4 mile drag track. Its new LiPol Kokam battery pack is half the weight of the old lead acid pack it replaces while it has double the power - generating 926 'battery' hp! The pack also quadruples the energy storage from 5.7 kWh to 22.6 kWh, upping the car's previous range per charge from 35 'city' miles, to 110-120 miles of highway speed driving. The Zombie will be 400 lbs. lighter than the 11 second lead acid version, with a whole lot more power to tap into!

The reason for this post...I am upgrading the Ford 9 inch axle in back to Wilwood disc brakes, and because BF Goodrich has released a 50 series 15 inch version of the 215/60/14 G Force Drag Radials we've been using, we are switching to 15 inch wheels all around. In back, they'll be 15 X 8 American Racing Torque Thrust D, and in front, 15 X 4.5 versions of the same wheel fitted with 165/50/15s. I want to install a Nissan based 5 on 4.5 bolt hub (same bolt pattern as the rear Ford setup) and bigger discs to my 1200, then upgrade the calipers to Wilwwood. Have any of my fellow 1200 enthusiasts done such a brake/hub change? What works? Altima? Z Car? What struts and so forth do I need to accomplish this? Is it doable? In addition to this front end upgrade, I will have to make room in back for the new 225/50/15 Drag Radials on the 15 X 8 wheels - the backset is nearly identical to the current 14 X 6 wheels, but the new wider wheels and tires will go past the fender lips by about and inch to an inch and a half. Can I cut-loose the metal at the fender lip, and bow out the quarter panel, or do I need to add flares? If I have to add flares, what tasteful type flares are made for the 1200 sedan? I know a long time ago, you could get flares through Nissan comp.

Anyway, I'd appreciate any feedback on this. To get up to speed on the car, there's a fun video at Youtube, if you use their search for 'Dow Kokam'. At my web page <www.plasmaboyracing.com> under 'Photos' I've got pictures of the new lithium modules up, and there's a 4 part story at 'Wayland's Words' all about what it took to get this incredibly powerful LiPol Kokam setup.

I am quite sure the car will run 10s at just half the available battery power dialed in. Once we conquer the 10s, the car will then be prepped to head toward the 9's with the addition of a second .6 megawatt Zilla Z2K controller and a bigger Siamese 9 motor replacing the current Siamese 8.

Looking forward to getting advice form all you 1200 experts!

See Ya...John 'Plasma Boy' Wayland

Hi John, the classic brake swap for 1200s is 280ZX ventilated disks. Get the 280ZX strut & brake assembly (not 280z). Cut the spring perch off and weld the 1200 small perch on. Use the 1200 springs and top hat. The 280ZX struts have shorter inserts for more shock travel, and the brakes fit over 14" wheels and even over some 13" wheels. But these are 4-on-4.5.

Or some guys have fitted wilwood disks. Would be easy to get 5-on-4.5

John you are an inspiration for the future of all Datsuns and cars in general.

From what I heard there are some people in this forum that use sylvia
setups as they are the smallest struts in diameter allowing plenty of clearance
for big wheels. Someone can clarify this maybe Nick (Pigdog).

Hi John

Look here..
http://datsun1200.com/modules/newbb/v ... =ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0

and here...

http://www.ozdat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=14801

Lots of options mate.

Cheers, Jon

D, people use silvia setups on stock 1200 struts mainly so they dont have to change struts, and get only a small track increase (which is almost the same as a larger srut swap anyway)

was just about to post that link aswell, most of the info on actual brakes wont be of that much use as i wrote it in regards to aussie assembled equiptment
but you can follow the list of stuff that allows you to bolt the large struts in

to get nissan 5 stud in aus we use ford falcon(aus only) front hub/disc on the large struts as they have the same stub axle dimentions so they bolt straight on. so you might be able to find something from a US ford model that will work

otherwise 240, 260 and 280c models have 5 stud and you might be able to use the hubs from one of them. been meaning to get my hands on some just to test that...but not really something i have needed to do

another nissan option is early z31 300zx 5 stud front hubs that may also work
and datsport in aus use r31 gts (i think) 5 stud hubs and these bolt straight onto the large datsun stub axle aswell

lots of people have had custom hubs machined up to be 5 stud and suit whatever discs they want to use also, this is obviously the most expensive option but can work better for wheel clearance as most of the nissan hubs are for a floating disc not the solid mounted one like in most of the early datsun stuff

so you then need to get a disc with a really big offset to get the caliper away from the mounting face of the wheel

Thanks Nick, so the strut doesnt help with clearance from the sylvias but apparantely the s13 brakes fit the standard 1200 struts as an fine upgrade.

yeah they fit fine as an upgrade...dont know if they are really 10 second car worthy though, bit small in diameter

but then i have seen an r100 wagon that ran bike brakes on the front of it. so for a drag car i'd say its the diameter you want, not as much need for them to be vented with only one big stop then a rest