Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Just wanted to share a few pics from this past weekend's 2nd Annual Spring Classic at newly re-named Weathertech Laguna Seca Raceway. (With pre-apologies for not knowing all the owner/drivers!! If your car is here, own up, please!!

Fresh from the win at the Mitty (covered in Alvin's thread here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=29614&hilit=mitty&s ... 30#p275614)


Top of T8 - "Obligatory" Corkscrew shots.






Roadsters live on at the Classic!


Racing doesn't get much better with a roadster chasing down a Porsche! Yes!




Here I am rubbing elbows with a TV celebrity! Laff!

Had to give Rob a rashing about his "Guest Starring Role" on last week's "JDM Legends". "Oh it's Rob, surprised you're still hangin' out with us regular folk, Mr. TV Star!" Hahahaha. Was sitting there on my couch watching them restore a Hakosuka GTR when suddenly, there's Rob on my big screen at JCCS last year with Eric and Josh from JDM Legends showing Gary Stephenson's OS Giken S30. ( http://www.zcarblog.com/2015/11/13/even ... -show.html ) Made my wife jump.... "HEY, THERE'S ROB!!"

Here's Rob on track with a pretty storied local Dime.

Not sure but I may or may not have supported this 510 back when I was with Datsun Competition - some 40 years ago. Whew....

Speaking of Hakosuka GTRs...

Alex McDowell's GTR from last year's Classic: http://www.zcarblog.com/2017/06/12/even ... assic.html

In addition to all of the vintage sports cars, the hot rod and drag racing crowds (new for this year) were there with some really cool iron. And there were cars and people there that were my idols and cars of my dreams from when I wasn't even yet a teenager!

The famous twin engine gas rail, John Peters' Freight Train (had this one plastered all over my wall, much to my parents' chagrin over all the pin holes!)

Got a signed copy of Big Daddy Don Garlits' book.

Last month with Peter Brock and this month Don Garlits?? Life is good!

You might say the sponsor of this car's got things covered...


Fun weekend!! But more proof that Alvin's avoiding me.... He goes to the events I don't (and vice versa) apparently. Hahahahahaha. No avoiding one another at RMMR though!!! Matter of fact, made the "executive decision" to bring my roadster! And trying to coordinate with Rob to get the car into ZCG for a full go-through and dyno.

Parting shots:

"So, if you buy the Golden Gate Bridge from me, I'll throw in this bonus gift!! Operators are standing by for your bid!" (Ehhhh, sales people.... Hahaha!)



Can you spot the appropriate-if-not-exactly-period-correct artifact in this L20 (or 16 or 18 or...) 510? Clue: catch can.

Nice pics and post. Thank you.

... haha is that a Sapporo beer can I see back there???

Mike this is great coverage! I was camping this weekend and I will see you at RMMR. Let’s do a fun run before then!

Great pictures! Wish we had talked this weekend!

Lifetime dream of mine to drop in the corkscrew in a fast little sports car..

Sadly, I got the roadster nightmare as well this weekend, when the rear axle snapped in turn 2. We have a LOT of work to be done to get the car ready for the historics. But midnight oil will be burned, and we plan to be there...

Thanks guys and you're welcome! Love being there and bringing the memories home in my cams then sharing to get people more involved!

So, Mike (RCMike), help me out here.... I know of Rock Vest from a ways back (like the crash at the Runoffs! Yikes!) Are you the present owner of that car? I took maybe 15-20 pics of it in the paddock and there was no one ever around (but for one time and he/you/someone was in a deep convo with someone else so not to be rude and intrude....) so never got a chance to talk to anyone.

Like this... strangely uninhabited...

...but there does seem to a second car missing? So that was YOU in the cars that I was snapping?? Cool! Sorry to hear about the axle at Andretti... ugh. When I raced at Laguna, that turn didn't exist; nor did the 3, 4, 5 infield turns. T2 didn't hairpin, it curved left and headed for T3 (which is now part of T5) or thereabouts. They extended the track to include the lakebed or infield turns to accommodate Indy cars when they ran there.

Probably why I was so interested in this poster next to an old GT1 Corvette...


OK, a few more sorta-Roadster-centric shots (well, Datsun at least):


I totally forgot to include this car!! This is Troy Ermish's car. For those that don't know, he specializes in super trick race shid for 510s but he dabbled/dabbles in roadsters (I'm positive he's on here.) I have a set of his headers on my SRL. Oh yes, he also won the Group G competition (morning session anyhow, I was away from the track for the PM session.) Here the car is wrenched on under the Z Car Garage banner.


I can hear the shouts reverberating inside the helmet of the roadster guys: "Inside line! Inside line!" Hahahaha.

Oddly, I never saw either of the white roadsters in the paddock else I'da been all over them!


The only place where a QR wheel is appropriate. Not to carry with you through the mall looking like a dork.





And last but not least...

Great pics. I grew up in San Jose and though I went many times as spectator. It will be a bucket list item when I finally drop down that corkscrew

2mAn wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 11:57 pm Great pics. I grew up in San Jose and though I went many times as spectator. It will be a bucket list item when I finally drop down that corkscrew

Do it!!! My first trip down the T8/8A (formerly 6/6A) Corkscrew was as a passenger. Unnerving to say the least. First time as a driver was pretty intimidating too.... "ACCELERATE??!! WHAT?? ARE YOU F'N CRAZY???" But after the first few times in the same car, you get used to it and learn exactly where to roll on the right pedal. And then, appreciating how much good brakes can mean to you approaching T9. Heh heh.

If you come to the RMMR, you can at least do the Nissan/Datsun parade lap to get a feel for it. At parade speed, it's not quite the same kind of fun as that roller coaster-leave your stomach at the top drop feeling but enthralling as well.

No other track I've ever been on (or at as a spectator) seems to have quite the feature turn as that. I went to D-school (both Bondurant and SCCA) at Sears (Sonoma) nearly 40 years ago; and while it can be a challenging track, nothing quite matches the sensation of the C'screw.

I plan to be there, so let’s hope it works out. I drove The Ridge in Washington at a slower speed and they have a Corkscrew also. It’s crazy taking the drop even at slow speeds

MicVelo wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 11:19 pm]So, Mike (RCMike), help me out here.... I know of Rock Vest from a ways back (like the crash at the Runoffs! Yikes!) Are you the present owner of that car? I took maybe 15-20 pics of it in the paddock and there was no one ever around (but for one time and he/you/someone was in a deep convo with someone else so not to be rude and intrude....) so never got a chance to talk to anyone.

Like this... strangely uninhabited...

...but there does seem to a second car missing? So that was YOU in the cars that I was snapping?? Cool! Sorry to hear about the axle at Andretti... ugh.

Yes, I was driving, and the current owner. That is my brother on the edge of your photo. I think this is early in the day? The chairs are still under the table where we put them overnight.

The snapping axle was not fun. Made for a ton of work over the next couple months.. Planning to make it happen, but we are not going to cut corners. The car will be fixed right.

RCMike wrote: Wed May 23, 2018 2:34 am

MicVelo wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 11:19 pm]So, Mike (RCMike), help me out here.... I know of Rock Vest from a ways back (like the crash at the Runoffs! Yikes!) Are you the present owner of that car? I took maybe 15-20 pics of it in the paddock and there was no one ever around (but for one time and he/you/someone was in a deep convo with someone else so not to be rude and intrude....) so never got a chance to talk to anyone.

Like this... strangely uninhabited...

...but there does seem to a second car missing? So that was YOU in the cars that I was snapping?? Cool! Sorry to hear about the axle at Andretti... ugh.

Yes, I was driving, and the current owner. That is my brother on the edge of your photo. I think this is early in the day? The chairs are still under the table where we put them overnight.

The snapping axle was not fun. Made for a ton of work over the next couple months.. Planning to make it happen, but we are not going to cut corners. The car will be fixed right.

Oh wow, missed ya! Well, for sure will be hunting for you at RMMR!! And yes, this was probably 9am-ish.

Again, sorry about the axle snap! Good luck gettin' it done!

Kind of a segue.... my first experience with a Datsun roadster occurred some years before I actually got into cars that also turn corners. (Was into hot rods and drag racing). Laff.

My friend owned a '66 SPL and we were coming down out of the Santa Cruz range on 84 (into RWC). Suddenly, the car went into a state of panic and decided it was going to be a no-go the rest of the way down. Long story short, got a tow down to a Woodside road service station where it sat for weeks while being repaired. Yup, angry axle madness causing it to throw in the towel.

Now, as to cause and effect, well, we know what the effect was but the cause? Possible contributing factor: There were three of us in the car... the driver plus me and my other pal with us, whose combined weight at the time was probably close to 700#. Hahahaha. Beefy. No, I don't really think it was us that caused the axle failure but I'm sure it didn't help.

The experience soured the owner's roadster experience and he sold the car and bought a 260Z - a decision which he regrets today, missing the roadster - and I was the beneficiary of his sour grapes.... he sold me the built U-20 that went into my D-Prod SRL (see how long ago this was....well before Denver - then SCCA HQ - moved the car to EP). Sold to me for pennies on the dollar! Feel guilty? Nope, not in the least. Hahaha.