jap.slapper wrote:Truth be told mate I'm just not a fan of the zed in general, I don't rate it that highly as a track car and don't see it as a serious contender when fielded alongside RWD cars that are much better suited to track work from the factory.
There are a multitude of better RWD platforms competing in TA but at the end of the day this is what I have and I suppose this is what I have to work with.
The VG is a nightmare as far as reliability is concerned, not necessarily because it's a bad engine but because there are literally a hundred or so vacuum hoses, brittle connectors, brittle plastic clips, bastard bolts etc. that should any one of them go wrong then it runs like a bag of shit or is a nightmare to replace
I just want an engine that if a manifold needs replacing or turbo/turbo's need replacing, I won't be faced with a full friggin' engine removal just to sort what should in essence be a relatively simple fix, and that is where the zed falls flat on it's face
*of course I could just be a bit bitter because I was initially shopping for a GTR, ended up buying an FD and eventually ended up with the runt of the litter!!!
I think V8 is a serious option for making this less shit...
I know you're feeling a bit anti Z32 chief after our convo the other day but I wouldnt agree with this. Actually the zed is a very good rwd set up,with the VG mounted behind the rear axle making a "mid front engine" layout as they now like to describe it with modern cars which are similar. This makes it handle much better than a fwd car with engine hanging out over the front - a la supra which i have first hand experience of comparing. My zed was bloody handy on track with the APs and Nitrons, and the VG was putting out 580bhp and 600lbft so it didn't hang around either. I never got to run toe to toe with either whifbitz supras but having driven/passengered in them I'm sure the zed would have at least held it's own with the supras quicker, zed better in the bends.
I agree that the VG could be the problem (mine blew up, with Stu in it haha) but if you are now binning the fooked one strapped to the car as we speak, whats to stop you replacing it with what you know is a good one - by which i mean no brittle hoses etc aswell as the lump itself. It would probably be a far cheaper and quicker way back on track.
I do agree that a v8 is appealing, but I also know how much time and effort you've thrown at this car (and feel your pain) so one eye must be kept on getting on circuit next year, rather than on axle stands making a v8 fit.
My 2ps worth
