260DET

We in Australia have sealed circuit track competition events called Supersprints. Basically they are not racing events where the winner is the first one across the line, rather around five cars start one after another and the winner is the one who does the best lap time. There may be several groups of say five cars in the competition but only one group at a time is on the track. The cars are usually road registered cars, not outright racing cars. The financial viability of such events is being crippled due to safety and control requirements like mechanical scrutineering, numbers of fire and flag marshalls, medical crew, etc. So I was wondering what the situation was in other countries for similar events in regard to any requirement for safety and control personnel. Do your cars have to be scrutineered for mechanical safety purposes? Do you have to have a fire extinguisher on board? Do you have flag and fire marshalls in groups around the track? What, if any, other officials do you have to have? Thanks in advance to anyone responding.

Don't know of any 260 shells but I have a bare '71 240 shell for $1800. Seems to be straight, only rust I know of, in the floors, has been cut out and new steel welded in. It is bare and undercoated, no attachments such as doors, etc., located in Brisbane. You could try Alan Stean of the Z Car Workshop, Brisbane phone 3808 2755, but I don't think he has any.

Check out www.zcarclubq.org.au for details. It is getting a bit late to enter but there are still some spare places available for the Supersprints to be held at Queensland Raceway. So be quick, it will be a great day, plenty of track time. MY '77 complete with FJ20DET engine and a few other tricky bits is entered. Pity that the driver is not as good as the car. See you there?

Boiling brake fluid usually reduces pressure in the brake lines. By all means insulate/protect as others have suggested but the real problem may be with your master cylinder itself or maladjustment of its actuating rod. Rather than recon your existing components you may wish to do a big brake upgrade using new or reconditioned parts. Yes I know it will cost, but having great stopping power is almost as good as having great go power.:classic:

Tricky question, but if you are serious about 'track' (drag racing?) work you amy wish to consider having two sets of wheels, one for the road, one for the track. Anyway, 15x7, or perhaps 15x8, will usually fit without modification, and allow you to use tyres with an aspect ratio of not less than 50. Less than 50 can make for a hard ride for no real advantage. Lots of things to consider - cost and availability of suitable tyres, car ride height, affect on gear ratios, speedo accuracy, wheel offset, etc. I have no knowledge of drag racing but have found tyre sizes around 205 to 225 X 55 to 60 X 15 to be good all round for street and race circuit work on my '77 model. Any wider than around 225 will usually require body modification, at least, particularly in the front.

The Brits got Kylie and Rolf Harris, we don't mind sharing our 'talent' around, even with the Yanks.:classic:

Fortuna supply an eccentric front camber adjuster kit which requires some welding of the Xmember but I strongly suggest that you have it installed by someone who knows how to locate it properly. See Ken at Accurate Suspension, Brisbane, for this work, tell him that Richard from the Z Car Club recommended him.