boyblunda

So if I can try to summarize and add to what has been contributed so far (please tell me if I amnot reading things as they are meant or intended to be): • There are points and personal preferences for posting to an old thread versus creating a new thread and vice versa plus there are some borderline areas. • It is good etiquette to search and read previous posts before posting new threads or adding to old or other threads • It is good value to post to an old thread when your post is adding information to that thread • If adding to an old thread, thoroughly and completely read the previous posts and consider starting your post with something like “"I know this is an old thread, but . . . " • Carefully choose the appropriate forum for posting a new thread • Carefully choose the title for a thread so that the contents may show up in a search There are additional points that could also be included in this topic and I remember individual comments from members about : • The size of pictures posted into signatures or within posts that can take up space and time particularly for those downloading on a dial up connection • Hijacking or off topic conversations within threads Any further comments on any etiquette related thoughts most welcome. EDIT: Okay I am a little embarrassed now that I have done a search and found this thread started by Arne only a little over 7 months ago. Sorry to you and others who posted Arne – no disrespect meant. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20936&highlight=etiquette. Quote from Arne 1.) Lighten up on the noobs and other mis-posters. Yes, maybe they don't know anything. Why? Probably because they're noobs! (We've all been there.) But they may have fresh ideas and info to offer, once they get rolling, so we don't want to chase them off after their first few posts. You can count on them continuing to ask about putting 240Z bumpers on their 280Z, and probably to ask that question in the Tech Articles forum. Oh well. It's going to happen, we need to accept it and move on. Assure them that it has been asked before, maybe link them to a simple search on their topic and let them learn from there. 2.) We need to think about how our replies to other folks' posts sound, before we hit submit. (I'm personally bad about this one.) Use the Preview button and read it through. If we don't agree, fine, but don't try to be sarcastic or 'cute' with your reply - sarcasm and such doesn't come across well in this medium because facial expressions and tone of voice are absent. It often just ends up sounding mean. EDIT 2: And a quote from AlanT HS30-H on Hanging Threads in http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4126&highlight=etiquette “So maybe a little guidance on posting etiquette from the powers that be is in order? I don't contribute or participate in any other sites like this one - so I'm sure that I for one could do with a little help on what to do and what not to do. I certainly do try to make sure that any threads or posts that I subscribe to are not left "hanging" wherever possible.” Regards Dave

THREAD SPLIT: Saw this strategy used effectively recently to avoid hijacking another valuable thread and hope it is okay here. The matter of when to post to an old thread or start a new thread is something that has been discussed before but I think that the discussion has occurred within individual threads (not specifically addressing ettiquette) and has not always been clear or consistent. I hope members who want to discuss the matters of site ettiquette might post in this new thread: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23716 Administrators / moderators - I sincerely hope that I am not stepping on anybody's toes here. If so please delete the above thread and this post. Dave

I am a novice compared to many of the members on this site and have often struggled with regard to issues of when to add to an old thread versus when to start a new thread. I do spend time in the archives and I am amazed by the wealth of quality information available from past contributions - most of which are from well before my time here. I was pleased to see Enrique's post with regard to adding to an old thread Versus starting a new thread and was concerned that this valuable kick start to a possible discussion might be lost in the other recent topic discussing "reputation". ENRIQUE'S POST READS IN PART: Some would have you post a completely new thread rather than post to an old thread, and others would have you post to the old thread to keep all the related questions / answers / variations of topic / related variations within the same thread(s). The common agreement however, is that EVERYONE (except for those that don't wish to be included) hates the person who drags up an old old post simply to post that they also had the same problem and agreed that the solution given was the one to use as that is what they did. That is, they added absolutely NOTHING to the thread, and essentially said "Me too!" this is the real waste of time for everyone. My opinion is that if in searching you find a post that answers your question / search, but you had different symptoms, or fix(es) then definitely add to the post as what you are positng ADDS to the post. However, DO read the post thoroughly and completely, there have been times when new members have begun to offer their 2 cents worth on how to trouble shoot a problem that, if they'd read to the end of the thread, they would have realized that that problem had already been solved. Also remember that you are posting to an old thread, so that posting a question to the ORIGINAL poster, may be useless. I think that adding to an old thread that is informative with NEW information ADDS to the value of the thread and the archives. It not only helps compact the archives, (instead of 30+ posts on the same subject, you only have a half dozen or so) it also allows future new people the opportunity to quickly review a LOT of knowledge without having to read the same replies over and over again. However, just because you're lazy and don't want to sift through the replies, or to do the basic search, well in my opinion, you should NOT start a new thread. That's what earns MY telling them...go search the archives. Thanks Enrique for that post - it helped me a great deal and if no one ever responds to this thread, I would read that post again as a personal guide of how I would like to operate on this site. I have seen many comments from members about the appropriate place or method involved with adding to or reviving old threads but I believe these comments have not been clear or consistent. Not much would be gained by mentioning examples of these comments and there is a risk of reviving old arguments so maybe we could address this issue in abstract ruffling feathers. There are other ettiquette issues that might be included in this thread such as : Off Topic Comments or Hijacking Searching before asking On a related topic, I would like to commend members on this site for the degree of tolerance generally shown to people who make dumb comments, newbies, those having a bad day etc etc. Sometimes there are reactions but I personally think that members and moderators do a great job of keeping a lid on things. Hoping for some discussion and consensus without trying to create offense. Dave

Ian If you decide to do only half a job you will likely regret it for as you long as you can bear it and then you may well end up ripping it all out and doing it over again. From what I think I have heard you saying about the way you want to attend to other matters on your vehicle you seem to be looking at doing a good job so do not short change yourself by doing anything less here. Having all those fiddly bits will only get in the way and cause frustration. Get a camera and take several shots before you remove anything, mark the locations of the pieces you remove on the photo and put the same mark in / on the plastic sealed bags you put the pieces into. My two bob's worth (= 20cents in Australia).

Mohamed I may not be reading this correctly and I am not sure about this in Zeds but al least some other early Datsuns did not have sealed shockabsorbers and were filled with oil. It is common for replacement shockabsorbers to come as a sealed cartridge but they may differ from the original. Differences between shockabsorbers and/or springs might also occur if people swap parts between vehicles. FWIW or might be worth. EDIT: THe FSM actually shows the outer casing being filled with oil.

Hi Mohamed Looks like your Dad was right. The front hub nut needs only to be tightened slightly in comparison to a wheel nut. From Haynes Automotive Repair Manual 206 Adjustment Of Front Hub Bearings 1. Adjustment of front hub bearings must be carried out if they develop excessive "play", whenever the hubs have been dismantled and reassembled or the bearings repacked with grease..... 2. Remove The road wheel and withdraw the disc pads. 3. Remove the dust cap from the end of the hub, using two srewdrivers as levers or or tapping it off with a small cold chisel and hammer. 4. Remove the split pin from the castellated nut. 5. Using a torque wrench, tighten the hub nut to 22lb/ft (3.0 kg/m) at the same time rotating the hub in its forward direction. 6. Unscrew the hub nut 60 degrees and then fit a new split pin and bend over the ends. If the split pin hole in the stub axle does not correspond with the hole in the castellated nut, move the nut in the loosening (anticlockwise direction). By comparison to the Haynes notes the FSM Datsun 260Z also advises or differs by saying : 1. Jack up the car first and place on jack stands 2. That the nut should be tightened to between 2.5 and 3.0 kg/m (18-22 ft/lb) torque. 3. Advises rotating the wheel hub a few turns in both directions to seat the wheel bearing correctly before retightening the spindle nut. 4. The hole and nut may be loosened out from 60 to as much as 75 degrees total to allow alignment. 5. It then recommends again spinning the bub in both directions to see if it rotates freely before measuring bearing preload using a spring balance.... procedure described More notes follow in both references but I think this sorts your immediate problem. The Factory Service Manual or the Hatnes manuals are among a number of good references to have on hand for moments such as this.

Agreed Rick and I am as guilty as anyone with regard to your post although I would add that Austen did search further and found some additional on topic advice which he posted in reply #17. Quote from Austen in #17 "Alright guys, check out this link, I'd like to hear what you have to say about these driving tips on how to drive your Z. http://www.zspecialties.com/drivingtips.htm I thought that these tips in the link were on topic, and a concise summary worthy of consideration.

Okay so in the driving techniques thread I was silly enough to mention the off topic technique known as the Scandinavian Flick and was then asked to describe it. A google search yields a number of results - two of which I have partly copied below into this post. What I think I have thought this technique to be does not exactly match up with either of the two sample descriptions. The latter example might be partly written tongue in cheek and describes an introductory move that I think would be more likely to induce the off road excursion that is being warned about as a danger. There is a lot of discussion and varied opinion about this technique which I seemed to remember being thought as having some value in the early rally days for Z drivers who wanted to get the rear of the car moving or avoiding problems with understeer on the approach to a corner. I am certainly no expert here and will not bore you with the terror and helpless laughter I have inflicted on spectators, officials and navigators in my rally experiences. I think the best I can offer for any contribution from myself on this topic is the Google search. SAMPLES Scandinavian flick The Scandinavian flick is a technique used in rallying. The technique involves the driver brielfly turning the other way to the corner ahead, for example: if your approaching a left hand corner you'd turn right, and then turning with the corner. This technique is used to help the driver get round corners that had an increasing radius, but it is also used a show off as the result of the flick involves the car oversteering quite heavily. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_flick" http://www.tcsracing.org/scandinavianflick.htm Scandinavian Flick This technique is only possible using a vehicle NOT equipped with ABS brakes and preferably with a manual transmission. It is best performed on a slippery surface such as gravel or snow. The general purpose of a Scandinavian Flick is to allow the vehicle to turn through very sharp corners without dropping off a great deal of speed. NOTE : This technique requires the largest combination of sheer stupidity and balls our team can imagine. If you can master it, we take our hats off to you. It's not so much the skill involved, or though that is part of it, it's more the fact that if it goes wrong it's likely to go wrong big time. This is definitely a try at your own risk procedure. The basic procedure for performing a Scandinavian Flick is to put your car into a four wheel drift with the nose of the car pointing in the opposite direction to the corner you wish to take. While continuing the slide select a new (usually lower gear) and turn the wheel in the opposite direction (usually full lock). At the point when you decide you need to turn, release the brakes to stop the slide, the back-end of the car should slingshot around and you should be pointing in the direction you want to travel, you then need to apply suitable amounts of clutch and throttle to regain traction and take off at speed in your new direction. The procedure can be broken down into the following steps : ........... MORE Information in link address above For good video footage I can recommend Hannu Mikkola in "The Flying Finns" driving a Mark I Escort??? http://www.dukevideo.com/Cars/DVD/Rallying/Rallying%20History/Flying%20Finns%20,-s-,%2012%20Hours%20in%20Argyll%20DVD.aspx and Ari Vaatanen in "In Car Manx" driving an Opel. I have seen instructional rally videos depicting this technique but cannot remember the titles.

Congratulations Kats and thanks for putting your post into this thread. Now that we know the identity of the winner it helps us to understand how valuable this item would be to you. Crazy price? I do not really think so as it was only $10 crazier than the second highest bidder was willing to pay. I personally like your bidding style and I would bet that the seller is very happy with the price. Fantastic to hear of your win and to know that the item would have struggled to have ended in the hands of a more appreciative new owner. Regards Dave

Gary, I think there could be a healthy debate about firstly, whether or not double clutching is a driving technique, and secondly, whether or not is is a technique suited to Zeds. Maybe we could agree that it is not unsuited to Zeds. A few other techniques that come to mind that I believe are relevant to S30's and to the initial question might include : 1. heel / toe driving so that a driver can downshift smoothly while braking - albeit a technique discouraged by some advanced driving courses who suggest that it is better to only use the brake and clutch at the same time when stopping. 2. a technique called the Scandinavian flick used to put the rear of the car out as you come to a tight corner so that you can get on the loud pedal a little sooner. Other drivers will talk about appropriate times to use left foot braking and additional techniques developed for all wheel drive and front while drive vehicles. I would still recommend that doing an advanced course or entering organised events on closed roads is the best way to learn lots in a hurry. Regards Dave

I completely agree with the above posts that have advised commonsense driving on the road when we have to share space with others (and god only knows what some people are thinking when they are driving), maintaining concentration and maximizing vision, and attending and participating in some properly organised motor sport events. There is a wealth of additional knoweledge that can be learnt from advanced or defensive driving courses even if you have been driving for a while. There are also additional driving courses taught on cloased roads or race circuits for those wanting higher speed experiences and skills. Anyone can drive fast in a straight line but what surprises many people who look at competitions such as autocross or motorkhana style events is that the people who record the fastest times seem to do it with a lot less fuss. One of my pet discussion topics is that many people these days are learning to drive and own modern cars that have features that compensate for the additional driving skills required in cars like a Zed which needs to be properly driven eg ABS brakes, traction control, automatic suspension compensation and others that do not come to mind at the moment. I believe that many new drivers have never learnt to drive a car properly because new technology does some of the more subtle things for them. The Zed is a drivers car and part of the pleasure for me is to try and drive it properly. However, all of the things that might be discussed as far as manual techniques that can be considered all count for very little if the driver lacks a responsible attitude, judgement and common sense on the road. Advanced skills driving should not mean that we can put our brain in the glove box when driving on shared roads, it is a set of skills that allow us to drive a car properly, make superior judgements quicker, and allow us a little more time and room to compensate for unexpected events. They are both mental and physical skills. Do not mean to sound like I am preaching but this is the point that I have arrived at after being one or more of those names that Enrique did not use in his post.

The above description of double clutching is essentially correct but I would add that - for the moment that the gear is in nuetral with the clutch out -that the driver should either : 1. Let the revs of the motor decrease to those required for the higher gear to be selected if changing up through the gears or 2. Increase the revs on the motor to those required for the lower gear if changing down. Double clutching will enable the gear change to be much smoother with less stress on all drive train components and will in particular decrease the amount of work required by the syncromesh components in the gearbox. With some practise and skill you can change gears without using a clutch and this is easier in some vehicles than in others. Those of us that have driven a crash box will know that you do not get a gear unless the engine revs are matched to the those required in the next gear selection. My old army driving instructor told me that syncromesh gear boxes are only there to help people learn how to drive properly or to assist those who cannot do so. I once saw a demonstration of driving up and down through all of the gears with half a glass of water mounted on the front of the car and the driver did not spill a drop. I thought that was a fairly good demonstration of skillful driving.

MikeB How and when did you come across your LHD edition? I do not remember seeing these come up too often - in fact I cannot specifically remember these being available at all in my very short history in Zeds although I do have a copy of the CD available from ClassicZ. I can understand someone wanting a hard copy of anything even if it is available electronically as, for me, there is something in being able to pick it up, carry it with you, and read it where and when you like. I am certainly not critical of anyone paying any amount at all for something they really want and it needs to be kept in mind that the winner of an ebay auction only pays a small increment more than the second highest bidder was willing to pay. However, this result in an auction is starting to make me think that collecting Zed memorabilia and publications will only get more expensive in the future and maybe I need to leap in and buy while I can still afford it.

This was just listed on ebay and sold for AUS$560 or approximately US$420!!! http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&item=190037738137&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1 Description reads : "DATSUN 240Z - Model S30 - Right hand Drive models - Parts Catalogue. For a restorer or an enthusiast this book would be the bible. The detail is superb. Over 100 pages of diagrams, exploded views and information for the enthusiast. The book is in as new condition. Revised Edition : December 1970" The winning bidder is listed as being located in Japan and was a very serious bidder with two substantial bids. There was also interest from the UK, Australia,Canada and New Zealand. This is the highest price I have seen paids for any Zed publication so I suppose this particular item in good condition must be relatively rare. Are these parts catalogues so much better a reference or is it just that they are highly collectable or both? I have also noticed advertising brochures making higher prices on ebay auctions in recent times and am beginning to think that prices are on the rise, even for the 260Z publications.

Hey Ian, really sorry to hear about your disappointment with regard to purchase of your pistons - I remember how excited you were at the news that you had made the purchase. It does cause hurt and frustration when something is not what is purported to be and you proceed with a purchase in good faith - it is even more frustrating when the money we spend on our Zed cars is relatively hard to come by as it represents the left over amounts we have at our disposal after we have paid our essential bills from what income or resources we have. Things like Ebay (I do not know if this was the source of your parts) are always going to be a bit of a risk but there has been some good advice on other threads about some safeguards you can take in those purchases eg looking at the quantity and quality of feedback records, communicating with the seller etc. Age might mean a little more than nothing but speaking as an old fart, I have no delusions about the fact that I will probably make mistakes and poor judgements again in the future. I hope this experience pans out without becoming too painful for you. To support what has been suggested above, objectively detailing and communicating your thoughts to the seller is probably the best first step towards resolution in this case. All the best with this matter and let us know how it pans out. Regards

#65950 here

Hi Rob & welcome to one of the best single sources of S30 information you could find. The knowledge and willingness to help that can be found on this site is quite exceptional. I cannot answer all of your questions but here are a few comments off the top of my head for what they are worth. Firstly, your specific location might make a difference to the information you are seeking as not only were there minor and bigger differences between some models but the information you are seeking might vary between countries or different markets. I note from this post that you are in Canada but this information will not carry to other threads you start or post in unless you update your personal profile. Additionally, there may well be people in your local area that might be more accessible. I thought that the 260Z had a few additional refinements and a few less bugs than the earlier models and am not aware of any peculiar bugs in the 260Z other than that the release of this model in some markets also coincided with the anti smog / pollution laws. Opinions vary about the flat topped Hitachi carbs which are described quite disparagingly by some and tolerantly by others. I have two registered 260Z's plus two other 260Z's with indeterminate futures at this point in time - one is a daily driver and I have a great day whenever I take it on a country run as I live in an area with some great touring roads well suited to the Zed. As far as differences between Zeds there are some significant differences between the 2 seaters (often called coupes) and the 2+2 models, and minor differences throughout the years. Some good advice here could be to get hold of the factory manuals and some parts references such as the parts CD if you end up with a 240Z. Finally, from me at least, the search engine here is an exceptionally valuable tool and will turn up some outstanding information on all kinds of topics including doing transmission swaps from auto to manual. If you cannot find it in a search then holler and you will be impressed at how helpful members can be. All the best in your search for a Zed - they are truly an outstanding touring machine, a great look, and simple to work on. Regards

I was sure that someone would have snapped this up given that I have seen them sold on ebay - rust free and yours for the cost of postage and handling is a deal that is hard to beat.

Hi Zack Just to clarify, VB may be in North America but both Budavid (Bahrain) and myself (Australia) are not - hence for us VB is overseas while for yourself it is not. I understand that a lot of car owners at some point in time may have had a thought the word "British" in the former name VB was potentially confusing as to the actual location of VB and that you may have thought I was having one of those moments. On the matter of the parts supplied to BuDavid I am not sure what parts he has been sent and I think he might be appreciative of hearing from anyone who can shed any further light on this matter. Regards

Bummer. The last thing you need when ordering from overseas is getting parts that are not correct. The thread below recently discussed steering rack boots and Enigma mentioned that he had a problem with ordering same from VB / Black Dragon. That might be a pointer towards the problem. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23138&highlight=steering+boot I think that contact Black Dragon could be a good strategy here. Hope you solve the problem easily and soon.

Nice job Luke and a great result for your car. Thanks for the description you have given - these notes will be valuable for someone like myself who needs this sort of "how to" instruction on such a job. I have heard that the MX5 seats go fairly nicely into a Zed but I was previously unaware that the RX7 would be such a good fit or look as well. Hope your recovery goes well - motorbikes are great until someone does not see you or if you come unstuck. All the best with the rest of the car.

Thankyou 26th - very nice of you to say so. I do suspect that there is much more that could be said here but this is a good example of many people being correct in what has been said in past given the country or location they live in, the particular year and model of their S30 plus some historical quirks that can throw a wild card into making absolute statements about anything to do with Zeds. This forum has taught me that verification is essential before making an absolute statement. The statements that Moonpup and yourself made in previous threads were quotes from authoritive sources that significantly helped me in my "research". I am sure that more information is to be found in this and other matters. Regards

I hesitated before posting this in an old thread or whether to start a new thread altogether as I am unclear on this point – if starting a new thread is not the go then perhaps it can be deleted and the post transferred to this thread http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20705&highlight=tow+hooks. I was looking at a friend’s 260Z 2 seater the other day which has been done up for a little club sport driving. There was a tow sticker indicating the tie down hook as being a tow hook for the vehicle. He was a little taken aback when I advised my recollection that the tie down hook was not a tow hook. This stuck in my mind and I went looking for verification on this matter and found the thread quoted above with some conflicting information and thoughts from those who posted. Moonpup quoted in the above thread: It may have had a dual purpose, but my 1972 Owners Manual states; "If you find it necessary to have yours towed, it is important that the towing rope be fastened only to hook that attach the frame, as illustrated. The rope must be routed under the bottom edge of the bumper. Admittable load of the hook is less than 2,200lb." On this thread http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17998&highlight=tow+hooks 26th-Z quotes “My chassis manual, page GI-11, Figure GI-11 says the tow ring has an "admittable load of less than 2,205 lbs. (1,000 kg)". I guess that means if it weighs more, don't admit it. This thread also goes into a discussion on the various shapes and deployment of these items for those that want information on that point. Hmmm. The 260Z 2 seater is 2393 lbs and the 2+2 is quoted as 2557lbs or 2612lbs (the latter for Australia) so I was still not sure of my thoughts here. I checked one reference for the weight of a 240Z and found that listed as 2230lbs. More information needed. I subsequently went to my own Datsun 260Z Owners Manual Issued December 1976(050070) and found on page 43 under Towing this : Warning: a) Only the front hooks at the right and left sides may be used for towing purposes. Do not use the rear hooks for towing as these have been designed as tie down hooks and are not strong enough to stand up to towing. Be sure to have the rear hooks removed at your NISSAN/DATSUN dealer if they have been left on the car. The towing hooks should be used only in an emergency situation eg to pull the car out of a ditch, a snow bank or mud. When towing do not take up the slack too quickly. Always pull the rope in a straight direction with respect to the hook. Do not apply force to the hook in side direction. c) It may be illegal to tow a car on the highway with a rope. However, I was certain that at some stage the front tie downs were not rated as tow hooks as apparently some other posters to the first above thread had been. I kept delving and then found this reference: Nissan Motor Co Ltd Tokyo Japan, Service Bulletin 215, Issued September 1974 (010245) Modification Of Datsun 260Z Model S30 Series. This publication aims at addressing the differences between the 240Z and the 260Z models in the introduction of the newer car. Page 15 BODY The body has been basically carried forward from the previous design. However, modifications have been made as follows: 1.Construction The front tie down hook has changed. The front tie down hook alone can be used for towing.And on pages 21 & 22 Section 8.1 Front Tie Down Hook A strengthened hook has been installed on each side front cross member. The hook has been moved outward due to the enlarged radiator, redesigned radiator core support and splash board. Section 8.2 Rear Tie Down Hook The rear tie down hook remains the same. It cannot be used for towing. The hook should be removed before the delivery of a new car. I do not pretend to have uncovered all of the relevant information in this matter and am sure that others will be able to chime in. But it would seem that at one point in production there was a change in the quality and placement of the tie down hook that accompanied a change in statements from the manufacturer with regard to the suitability of the feature for use as a tow hook (the picture in Bulletin 215 actually shows a ring). If members are thinking of using the tie down hook/ring for towing then they may be well advised to check the year of manufacture and their owner’s manual before doing so.

Many people outside Australia will not recognize the significance of the above title unless they have ever seen in car foootage of the Bathurst circuit which ascends and descends Mount Panorama - this circuit is THE circuit of Australian touring car racing and is an awesome place. For those who have never heard of or whom knew little about the Australian Peter Brock, The following is a quote from MSN news: Yet again Australia mourns the loss of an icon — this time motor sport legend Peter Brock who was killed in a rally accident north-east of Perth today. The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport confirmed that the 61-year-old died after colliding with a tree while competing in the Targa West '06 rally just before midday on Friday. Brock and his co-driver, who was taken to hospital in a stable condition, were in a 2001 Daytona Coupe. Brock was a dominant figure in Australian motor sport, his name synonymous with Holden racing cars. He first got behind the wheel of Holden Monaro GTS 350 in 1969. Three years later he won his first Bathurst title in a Torana XU1. Brock went on to win the Bathurst 1000 a total of nine times in the 1970s and 80s, and he won it a remarkable six times in seven years. His achievements earned him the nickname “King of the Mountain”, and he was also dubbed “Peter Perfect” for holding more pole positions and winning more races than anyone since the start of the Australian Touring Car Championship in1960. Brock retired from full-time V8 Supercar racing in 1997, having firmly established himself as an Australian sporting great. After his retirement, he made two return visits to Bathurst in 2002 and 2004 and returned to top-level touring car racing as a team owner of "Team Brock" in 2002 in the V8 Supercar category. Recently, he competed in various other motor sport events such as the Targa Tasmania. Brock spent his spare time charity fund-raising, working with the Peter Brock Foundation which focuses on helping disadvantaged youth, and supporting road safety initiatives. What people may not readily know is that Peter Brock also did very well in desert rallies and had a brief dabble in car rallying when he won the demanding 1979 Round Australia Repco Reliability Trial, and then later that year drove the same family sedan design car to a fifth outright in the Castrol International Rally around Canberra when he was competing against the (dominant at the time) BDA Escorts and Factory Datsuns - a truly outstanding performance. His work for charities is also largely unrecognised. I remember in one charity event his wife at the time, Bev Brock teamed with I think John Farnham's wife while competing against their respective husbands in the Bourke to Broome rally across the top of Australia - short story is that the ladies won. Bev Brock was (in)famous for saying in the victory speech that winning the event was "easier than childbirth". Brock also accompanied the Australian Olympic team to Athens in 2004 as a community member / advisor / consultant / motivator to team members. He thoroughly deserves the State funeral that is being arranged for him and will be very sadly missed. His passing is truly a terrible loss - particularly as he was still contributing so much to Australian life.