26th-Z

My apologies, Alan. After I wrote the first bit, I went back to look at some of the great pictures you and Eric have posted and realized that nothing would have precluded an entry in the Group C class for a car of that design during those racing years. Those were the transition years and it does get confusing when you consider the introduction of Group C rules. IMSA introduced the GTP rules about the same time. I know how confusing it is between Porsche 956s and 962s. Here is a photo of the 1992 Daytona 24 winner. R91CP (Lola) V8 turbo - entered by Nissan Motorsports International I wish I knew the chassis number.

Just like buying a used car, Ed. Sounds like you are doing the right thing by looking at it first. Try testing the brakes if you can and, if possible, run a hose over it to check for weather leaks. Do a standard lights and safety check - about all you can do.

The Mitty is the same weekend. We can swap pictures Monday, eh? Won't THAT be overload!!!

Wait a minute... Wasn't the Super Silhouette a seperate class from Group C? Of the three March 85G chassis purchased by Nissan (08, 09, and 10), two of them were equipped with the new V6 and one was equipped with the LZ20 engine? I don't see how you are making the comparison. By engine? Are you including Group A and B? There is nothing Super Silhouette about that March chassis, Alan, and nothing Group C about the SSR30 chassis. (Edit) Ok, I see where you are going with this. Never mind my comments. Eric, If I had to answer your question about the picture of the model car you posted, I would say the car is a March with a Nissan engine and big bold SKYLINE written all over it so that you would know what race team it is. These were the days when Nissan was developing their own chassis and "borrowing" from the technology of experienced car builders.

Yup... yup... yup; those are all early ash trays. Nice pictures! I never got that detailed, but a whole bunch of time ago, I wrote a thread on this site about early ash trays. Those pictures ended up on a wep page of picture collections. http://www.pape.ws/allan_and_rosanne/Z-Car_Stuff/ Surf to the ash tray directory and you will find some of mine. Will is getting much more involved! When I started clowning around with my restoration several years ago, ash trays were around $15 to $25 and the hard part was finding one that didn't have any burns. Now they seem to go in the $75 to $100 range in any condition. Still, when you compare that price to what BMW wants for my four year-old 330, Datsuns still rule in cheapness and economy. I don't want to hear NO bitching about how expensive they are. Repairs to this type of plastic work best with "super glue". Just about everything else won't stick. The plastic seems to brittle with age and that is probably why you can't sit on them any more. Now, for plugs in the console...I need a plug for the hatch glass defroster switch. The twins have clear hatch glass and the console has a plug. I am willing to pay dearly.

Sure, Will. The very first ashtrays were dark grey plastic painted black. Later variations are black plastic. I have two or three, perhaps, lid designs. The handles are hollow and solid and either glue on or are integral with the lid. But they are like blue-eyed blondes, Will. Once to put them in the car, they all look the same! You have to take them out and turn them upside down to tell the difference!

Well, I'm just now starting to sober up!

One of the best things I like about this site is that if you make a mistake or post something erroneous, somebody will jump down your throat, slam you to the mat, and make you feel like an idiot. With that in mind, I would like to post some pictures of the the 1935 Datsun Road Star, and the 1952 Datsun DC3; both sport roadsters. There is also the SP211 from 1959. Typically, cars from that vintage had seating for four. There was no such thing as 2+2 lingo in those days. In any case, the SP213 was not the first Datsun roadster.

Is that Sebering or Sobering?

Nissan lost the champoinship to Porsche in the last race at ?Del Mar I think, in 1988. There is a "premature" commemorative pin for the Nissan IMSA champoinship in 1988, but they didn't win. Nissan won the IMSA GTP championship in 1989 and 1990.

I think this is the car you are talking about. It's a GTS car, not a GTP. This is the Cunningham car that won the Daytona 24 in 1994, chassis number 005.

906 Carrera - yes.

Eric, To download the video, do I have to have the Google video player software? Is that what the first download choice is? Is there another way to save this in another format? Cool video - keeper.

Jmark, I'll bring some of my collection up to the Mitty with me. Or should I say; "selected exhibits from the archives of Her Majesty the 26th". Chris

Welcome to the club, Wingnut! Finally found a picture of how I'm doing my Watanabes, Ben. Dark grey spokes to match the grill and tail light valance - polished rim. You know the post EricB put up with the picture of the latest issue of Nostalgic Hero magazine? Every Z car featured in the issue is fitted with Wats.

I got a little carried away. At first I was going to block sand the letters after painting, but it was suggested that the crap from block sanding would get in the wrinkles and never come out. Then it was suggested that powder coating would fill the imperfections, but powder coating can not be removed easily and I didn't want to completely ruin the valve cover. So I decided to sand out the imperfections and scratches, polish the letters before painting and either mask them or clean them off with lacquer thinner. Then I got carried away and polished the whole cover. Yes, non-factory finish. Hey, my cars are restored! I get to dress up the gals in all sorts of various outfits!

The letters look either painted or polished. To get that uniform of a texture for the rest of the cover, it would either have to be painted, brand new, or blasted. Frankly, like all eBay pictures IMO, it's hard to tell what's up with the finish. I looks odd. That's all. If you paid the starting price and the shipping to America, it would be the all time record price for one of these that I have heard of. I have seen them go to $200 and believe that they are very popular in Japan. I think the most I ever paid for one was $25. The "OIL" cap as well as the "710" cap are correct for this valve cover. Watch out mixing caps and valve covers. The O-rings are different. Any used valve cover is going to show mechanics marks and scratches from use. They are cast aluminum and quite soft. They typically have odd casting marks and flash, and the aluminum is not uniform in color. The original grind marks from removing mold flash are rough. In other words, they were never uniform and perfect like you would get from a nice walnut shell blasting. Blasting your valve cover is not a good idea for your engine because dust gets inside the baffel. To properly clean a valve cover, take it down to your local machine shop and have them dip it. Tell them it's aluminum and they should know what to do. It will come back in a lovely natural buff. I polished the one in my avatar. Block sanded to get the casting ripples out the surfaces smooth. It's perfect and I'm going to paint it wrinkle black with polished lettering and accents.

I saw Mike's build card. Yes, build sheets did / do exist, but talk about rare! That's the stuff that should be preserved under glass! Some day, some where, all us collectors need to meet and hold a big exhibition of all the stuff we have collected, eh?

Yes...he is wondering if the owner of the car would like the literature. He already has two interested buyers.

What are you talking about! You got your Watanabes. You got your fancy racing gear shift knob. You got your autographed sun visor. Dude! You are Mr. Modified!

From the morning e-mail; fellow in the Washington DC area looking for S/N HLS30-01316; Engine L24-4415; Color 907. He has the original owner's manual and invoice. PM me if you have the car and I'll you put you in contact. Chris

Here are a couple of blurbs I got from The Georgia Z Club in the morning e-mail: ...wanted to foward you some information I got from the Georgia Z Club President (Henry) regarding the Walter Mitty event that will be held at Road Atlanta on April 28th - 30th. The Georgia club will have a big tent up at the event - where Z folks can congrigate. The Georgia club is extending an invitation for all Datsun/Nissan folks to come out and enjoy the festivities ... Georgia Z Club will have a large tent where Z, 510, and Roadster owners cna meet. As a special treat, Hector Cademarton will be at our tent autographing and selling his poster.... Thanks to Classic Motorsports magazine, all sports car owners purchasing their tickets on-line and noting what club they are a member of, will have the opportunity to have touring laps on the famous Road Atlanta during lunch breaks. Information and a complete schedule can be found at Classic Motorsports Magazine web site www.classicmotorsports.net/mitty.php . Tickets may be purchased a number of different ways: Online: TheMitty.com or HSRrace.com Call HSR at 404-298-5616 Prices go up April 14th, so get your tickets now. We are looking to have 1000 Z’s, Roadsters, and 510’s in the infield for this historic event. As more details become available regarding the Georgia Z Club, Roadster Club, and 510 Club activities, visit www.GeorgiaZClub.com to see the latest information.

The Sports Car Club of America (in Florida) requires at least a Snell 90 certification for their autocross / solo events. This should tell you all about the Snell Foundation and what the differences are. http://www.smf.org/faqs.html The best advice I would give anyone who is considering buying a helmet (or for that matter, any protective gear) is this; protect yourself with the best equipment you can buy. Protect your head for every possible scenario - even fire. Last year at the ZCCA convention track day, a gas tank (full of gas) fell out of the back of a Z car and I use it as an example of all the crazy things that could possibly happen. Lets face it. Cars are dangerous and even though you may think an autocross is reasonably safe, that doesn't mean you can't get hurt. Helmets are very personal items. They shoud fit properly and be cared for properly. They shoud have the features you will need for the specific purpose you are using it for. Have fun shopping for helmets. I love shopping for helmets.

Ferrari Case Takes New Twist w/Possible Tie to Bus Agency The trail leads to a nonprofit operating out of a Monrovia repair shop. More puzzling is its police force and 'anti-terrorism' unit. March 3, 2006 As sheriff's detectives investigate last week's crash that destroyed a $1-million Ferrari, they are now looking into an obscure nonprofit organization that provides disabled people w/transit in the San Gabriel Valley. The car's owner, a former video game executive from Sweden, told L.A. County sheriff's deputies at the scene of the Feb. 21 accident in Malibu that he was deputy commissioner of the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority's police anti-terrorism unit, detectives said Thursday. A few minutes after the crash, two unidentified men arrived at the scene, flashing badges & saying they were from "homeland security," according to Sheriff's Department officials. Deputies allowed the men into the accident scene, where they spoke to Stefan Eriksson before leaving, Sgt. Phil Brooks said. Sheriff's officials on Thursday said they now want to question them. "We would like the public's help w/any information about these men or the crash," Brooks said. They are also looking into the transit organization to see what connection, if any, it has to the case. Brooks said detectives believe the two men from "homeland security" rec'd their badges from the transit authority. No one was injured when the rare Ferrari Enzo traveling 162 mph smashed into a power pole on Pacific Coast Highway. But the case continues to generate interest because the Ferrari is one of only 400 built, & detectives have struggled to understand what happened. Eriksson told investigators he was a passenger in the Ferrari & that the driver was a man named Dietrich, who fled from the scene. But officials have been skeptical, noting that Eriksson had a bloody lip & the only blood found was on the driver's side airbag. On Thursday, Brooks said detectives now doubt initial reports that the Ferrari was racing a Mercedes SLR. Detectives had interviewed a 2nd man who said he was a passenger in a Mercedes SLR that he said was racing the Ferrari at the time. "There was no Mercedes SLR," Brooks said. "Simply, there was a Ferrari w/two people in it. One of these men was driving." Just as murky is Eriksson's connection to the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority. The organization is a privately run nonprofit that has agreements w/Monrovia & Sierra Madre to provide bus rides for disabled residents. On its website, the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority lists its address as 148 E. Lemon Ave. in Monrovia. The location is Homer's Auto Service, an auto repair shop. A transit authority bus was parked in one of its driveways, but nothing on the storefront indicated it was a HQ for the agency. Inside, a young woman, who declined to give her name, said she was a dispatcher for the transit authority. She telephoned someone she said was an agency official, who declined to be interviewed. According to the website, the organization also has its own police department w/a chief, detectives & marked police cruisers. Sheriff's investigators said Eriksson told deputies that he was deputy commissioner of the department's anti-terrorism unit. But Monrovia Police Chief Roger Johnson said he found that the department is less than meets the eye. "I don't know if they have a police department to go w/the website," he said. In a brief interview, transit authority board member Yosuf Maiwandi said Eriksson had helped the police department's anti-terrorism unit w/camera technology for the paratransit vehicles. Eriksson's civil attorney, Ashley Posner, is chairman of the transit authority board. Posner declined to comment; Eriksson's criminal attorney did not return calls seeking comment. Officials in cities where the agency does business said they didn't know why a small transit authority needs a police department. "We do not see the need for a ground transportation system for handicapped & disabled folks to have a police agency," Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa said. "We warned them that if the police agency operated w/them in the city of Monrovia, it would jeopardize their [transit] agreement w/us." It remains unclear how Eriksson, who lives in a gated Bel-Air estate, came to work w/the transit agency. Alan Deal, spokesman for the Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training, said he has never heard of the transit authority's police department. Most police agencies are part of the commission, which governs training standards for officers in the state. But Deal said some specialized departments are not members, & there are provisions in state public utilities law that allow for transit police agencies to be run by private transit providers. Sheriff's Sgt. Brooks said Eriksson voluntarily gave a DNA swab, which will be used to determine whether his blood was on the driver's side airbag. Eriksson had a blood-alcohol level of 0.09% — just over the 0.08% limit — & could face drunk driving charges if he was the driver, Brooks said. Another mystery is the Glock ammunition magazine found near the crash. Brooks said detectives believe it's connected to the crash but don't know how.