AV1611

When you put it all back together, liberally coat the surfaces of the spindle pins with CopperCoat. If they did this in the factory when they made them, we wouldn't all have to suffer the grief of removing them. Oh well, it is sort of a rite of passage owning a Z car, isn't it?

Year was 1996. It was the International Rally of Canberra. It was NOT a tarmac, targa style rally. It was a proper forest rally. The bitumen road was part of a special stage that was both tarmac and dirt, held right in the centre of the city in Canberra, Australia. The stage was designated as a "Super Special Stage", meaning that its real purpose was for the spectators to get a good view of the cars. The stage was about 1.8km long. The previous year, I was Chief Spectator Marshall of this event. In 1996, one of my good mates was CSM, and I was working to him in an advisory role leading up to the event. That corner was one that I had specifically nominated as a high risk area. Originally, they had planned to have spectators there! Now THAT would have been MESSY. So they took my advice and it was designated as a no-go-zone for everyone, media included. The problem was, back in those days, the media were allowed to do whatever they wanted, so long as they weren't on the "course". You could advise them it was dangerous, but you had no authority to force them to move. The cameraman who was hit was advised - in no uncertain terms - on at least 3 occasions that it was unsafe. No one to blame but himself. The driver was Alan Laverick, who retired from rallying not long after. Hope someone finds the information interesting/useful.

Hi Alfadog I'm in Queanbeyan, New South Wales. Which, just in case you're not an Aussie and therefore not necessarily knowledgeable about these things, is right next door to Canberra, the capital city of Australia. I've got an acre of land in a little township (hardly even a town) called Hoskinstown. We (me and Mrs Wife) are about to start building our dream home, and the budget includes a 240Z. Bless my dear wife. Even if the budget for the house is some 50x more than the budget for the car, it is still a nice thought. My intentions is to build a 240Z that conforms to Australian regulations for rallying, although I probably wouldn't rally it. My goals would be a strong reliable engine rather than a mega-horsepower engine, but my real emphasis would be on a bullet-proof (figuratively speaking!) chassis. Strong, integrated roll cage, seam welded, and practical. Then, get the suspension and brakes right. That is the idea. Reality may be somewhat different. But I intend to "project manage" the whole deal, rather than make it up as I go along - I know a bit about scope creep!

Hi all Just discovered this web site. Fantastic work by all those who administer it (probably one person, overworked and underloved.) and those who contribute to its content. I'm an ex-Z car owner, wanting (soon) to become a current Z car owner again. I had a 240Z. I think it was a '72. Pretty much stock, but after I had the head serviced with a 3 cut valve job, it went really well. Best handling car I ever had. That's why I want another one. I love driving fast in the forests. Australia has a lot of dirt roads, so why not make the most of them! My current car is a Subaru (don't flame me!) Forester XT. As in, T for Turbo. It goes great. And is quite quick on dirt. But it doesn't handle. Grip is NOT handling so far as I am concerned... Me and my wife (who was originally an Idaho, USA girl) are about to start building our new dream house out in the country. And she has allocated a small budget for me to buy a new Z with. The sale of our existing house finalises on the 6th of January, so I'll be cashed up shortly thereafter. BTW, for what it is worth, I'm a Bible-believing Christian. Hence my username is AV1611 - as in the King James Version of the Bible, also known as the Authorised Version of 1611. Hope there are others out there who understand that loving Z cars is not incompatible with Christianity. So long as we try not to covet our neighbours Z! Won't keep you any longer - I can get long-winded on the old keyboard...