Hub280ZX

Hellow Andrew! I was in Spa mid May for Spa Classic 2017 and the track sessions: Nice break again before summer time! The white caged Boomin 300ZXTT is the one I take for this event, and it runs fine. Very effective AP Racing brakes for late action, and enough power to get exhausted after two track sessions: I had two immediate successive sessions on Sunday, each 25 minutes: I drove the first without problems. But then, after 10 minutes on the second, I had to slow down for two laps as the shirt was wet and the attention was suddenly vanishing away!! Maybe I get too old? You need a lot of practice on track to keep the high performance for long (more than 45 minutes...) Safe finish and nice drive back home: This is the main point. Just for fun, this my latest acquisition from the US side: Manta Mirage 1982 kit car. One of the approx 150 units still alive from 450 manufactured. 1900 Lbs and center V8 350 Bhp 331ci Inspired from Mc Laren M8b Canam model Manta was the manufacturer of the Coyote model wellknown from the TV series in the US That car is stopping anyone on the road for pictures (the only disadvantage) but I like to drive cars that are different!

Bon anniversaire Monsieur Simon! :happybday:

Thanks for the comments, my friends! Even not covering all opportunities this year, I had a very nice time all year long. The trip through the Alps was absolutely wonderfull, with the chance of 100% sunshine all along. These are really making our passion the right way to enjoy, and we will; plan other trips for next year. One of them is the classic meeting in Albi / June 2017... with a similar drive back through the Massif central. I have done it some 40 years ago on a bicycle, with 800 Km in 10 days! The physical condition was somehow better than today, without that tire that sticks now since quite a number of years... I enjoy very much your reports on trips around and the pictures covering the events. This is my small contribution to the dreams that we all have, trying to turn some of them to reality. And wether it is with driving a 300 ZX TT, or a 240Z, the pleasure is there without equivalent to any of those modern actual cars! We have to keep them alive, for the pleasure of answering questions from people on the roads as most of them do not know much about those cars! Enjoy Sylvain's video! [video=youtube_share;I9sNKPw-i5g]

Finally, we drove down to Paul Ricard Track near Aubagne to attend the 10 000 tours event. We decided to do it with the mammies 240Z, Sylvain from Paris, and me from Reims. Very nice meeting with the south Datsun/Nissan guys end of september! And then, finishing the meeting on Sunday afternoon, we had decided to extend our nice time for three more days... to drive back through the Alps! Gap and Serre Ponçon lake on Sunday Briançon, Lautaret Pass, Galibier Pass, Telegraphe Pass, Madeleine Pass, Albertville, Megeve and Sallanches on Monday Annemasse, Saint Claude, Faucille Pass down to Gex and back, Les Rousses, Morbier, Poligny and Dole on Tuesday Dole, Dijon, Troyes, and respectively back to Paris for Sylvain and back to Reims for me on Wednesday. 2950 Km total, without a cough of the 45 years old engines! What a wonderfull drive! This was a fantastic trip, and I hope to do something similar next year! Now, as a conclusion, I am supposed to retire and take more free time for the pmeasure of driving around... In reality, the business is doing well, and I do not imagine yet to have a stop with it! I will try to lower the pressure and take more time aside... If possible!! And remember: You are wellcome to join any time if you can!!

Hello everybody! I was just thinking about Nec Last year where we had a visit with Christophe on our trip to UK... One year already, and months running faster year after year! I will not have a visit this year, but I am still having a look here occasionally for my pleasure to see that the club is so active! We had Spa Classic in Belgium as planned mid May: Very nice meeting and track sessions that I ran with the white caged 300TT. This winter, we had a work session with specialists from the french 300 ZX TT group, and I fitted the new clutch to hold the 500 Bhp. Perfect job that achieved the target, and I also implemented an aluminium transmission arm as a complement. All lubricants new in the manual gearbox and rear transmission. The friends doing the work are experts, and we do not have any Nissan garage that still knows the car enough to touch it! I drove to Spa, ran three sessions, and drove back to Reims: Very nice break, and a lot of UK fans loving the Spa track! I missed Le Mans Classic this year, but the french clubs had a serious attendance with some 35 to 40 cars! I could not do it, and it was a real miss for me!

Réservations are opened through Datsun-France club since beginning of December.... Confirmation to organizers is going to be made quicly now. If you want to park your car Inside the circuit on the Datsun-France area, please just confirm your presence and book your entry ticket from us. We have already 30+ cars confirmed, and you are wellcome to enlarge the presence of 300 ZX on the stand! Our location is very close to the village and paddocks. This makes the visit so easy, having a chat on the stand, and avoid walking for an hour from outside parking area. It is time to move for those who intend to come! Any questions, please ask or send MP!

Just a reminder for the possible visitors.................. It is time to move forward with tickets and track sessions réservations! I do not want you to cry as the places are already booked and none left... Any questions, please ask or send me MP. If everything clear (as I hope), please confirm!

OK! Now it is time to confirm your reservation for tickets and track sessions! SpaClassic_2016.pdf Please read the above enclosed PDF, and open the "club entry form" link on page 2. Just care about the page 2 to confirm your tickets and sessions. When this is filled and totalized, print and scan or copy this page and send it to: sylvain@datsun-france.fr by mail with your coordinates. Payment can be done with Paypal (+3.5%) or bank transfer according to instructions. All orders will be grouped upon Datsun-France club, allowing to park on the common area for the club cars inside the track area. If any question, please ask. Send the mail to Sylvain before payment, and he will confirm your order. Generally, no payment is taken for the tickets deliveries at your adress. We choose the local place or hand to hand entry distribution as the timing is too short to get them in due time! Wellcome to Spa!

Thanks Richard! Merry Christmas from Reims, and happy new year to all of you ZFans! Thanks for meeting some of you this year, and hoping to meet many more next year with Spa Classics and Le Mans Classics!

Thanks Takemetothepub! I hope we can have a chat on this occasion! I will be on Datsun-France area. Si, are you coming to Le Mans Classic? Or was this a mix with Spa Classic as was asking Joely P? I will be on both events... if the business programs are making it possible.

No information yet for the club entries and sessions on track... this should come soon. Have you booked the Val d'Arimont for the accomodation? It looks like it is now fully booked, and no place left!

We are starting the registration for access to the Datsun-France club area! You make your choice for the accomodation: This is not organized by the club. For the entry on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we offer tickets at reduced price WITH THE PARKING ON THE DATSUN-FRANCE CLUB AREA This is the best solution to avoid parking out and far away from the visitors entrance. This gives you the chance to show your car with the other Datsun-France participants on a parking dedicated inside the visitors area. When your car is parked there, you will access all areas from the inside of the track... being quite close!! The pricing is defined by Peter Auto, and we just offer the tickets registration at their price (club price). The choices are the following: RESERVATION BILLETTERIE / ADVANCE TICKET BOOKING Billet : Enceinte Générale / Ticket: General Admission € 49 x ______ = €_________________ Package 1 : Enceinte Générale + Paddocks / General Admission + Paddocks € 64 x ______ = €_________________ Package 2 : Enceinte Générale + Paddocks + Tribune (selon disponibilité) General Admission + Paddocks + Grandstand (upon availability) Wollek (non couverte / not covered) € 90 x ______ = €_________________ Stand € 100 x ______ = €_________________ Chinetti € 120 x _____ = €_________________ Dunlop € 120 x _____ = €_________________ Panorama € 120 x _____ = €_________________ La Chapelle € 120 x _____ = €_________________ Accès voiture Espace Club - Clubs de Marque & Multimarques Car access to the Club Enclosure - Make & Multi-make Clubs Voitures pré-66 + Liste "Happy Few" / Pre-66 cars + "Happy Few" list Do not be afraid about your car, providing you come with a DATSUN or a NISSAN, ALL are accepted on our stand, from Datsun roadster 1968 to the most modern GT-R! If you have a doubt about your car, please advise and we will confirm! GRATUIT / FREE Tours de piste / Track Laps Datsun-France is choosing the track laps on FRIDAY, for more quiet session compared with Saturday!! Vendredi 8 juillet / Friday 8 July € 160 x _____ Please advise your needs here as we are the only Datsun-Nissan club to allow parking and show of Datsun/Nissan cars inside the entrance doors. Payment will have to be made to our club that groups all participants. A presend of tickets will be possible if Peter Auto send them in due time. We had to give a location on previous years to pick the tickets for entry due to late sending. This will be organised accordingly! Decisions are in your hands now. We insist on the facility to drive to the club parking location, and visit the whole event from there. For those who take the track session, the organizers are coming to pick us in due time on our location. Well come to this event that is held every two years! The track is exceptionnally opened with the full track that is used for the 24H of Le Mans Race! Make it once in your life with the Hunaudières long straight!! We expect minimum of 50 cars next year on the club area: Come with yours and enjoy!! Any question? ---> MP!

Sorry for late reply, Simon... it's the pre Christmas rush for business!! No problem for the Paris friends joining with S14 or 350Z. Club official entry is not yet procssed with Peter Auto. I 'll post as soon as avaliable for entry and club parking tickets inside the track! Looks like we are going to have a nioce time together! Thanks!

You're faster than I can be, Andrew: This is exactly the place!:thumbup1:

This is the sort of meetings that take place at Toffcaff place called "Pont Caffino" south of Nantes! Anyone driving on the west of France will be wellcome. The place is opened from Spring to Automn... and on special occasions. Last time I was there in August, I was having holidays in Vendée, and drove my Ginetta G27 (only 650Kg and 180Bhp with the Zetec 2.0L). Imagine the faces of locals when 5 x 300ZX and one Ginetta drive in the Muscadet vineyards! :whistling:

I am so bad at names, and I feel sorry not to have memorised you Groover and Craig... Now i will have faces to put on names, Thanks!

I had a chat with the owners at Val d'Arimont, and their site is not yet ready for reservation on the web for 2016. They gave me the avaliabilities for arrival Friday 13 and leave Sunday or Monday morning 16: The cottages or rooms are following two reservation periods every week: Friday to Sunday morning as the "week-end" and arrival Monday leaving friday morning as the "week". So if you plan to come to Spa on Thursday evening, the best will be a hotel on the way before Spa, or a hotel in Reims as discussed on Thursday evening and then have the nice ardennes drive on the Friday morning (drive is 3 hours from Reims). The most urgent for Spa Classic is the accomodation as when it will be possible for reservation on the net, all possibilities will dissapear in a few days! Cottage "Charme" is 458 Euro for the three nights. There is one independant bedroom for 2 and one bed in the lounge (4 persons max). Cottages are described on the website. There are 8 Charme cottages free at this date. Cottage "family" is 526 Euro for the three nights. You have two independant bedrooms for 2 and one bed in the lounge (12 persons max). There are 4 cottages family free at this date. You can choose a flat in the hotel side for 550 Euro for the three nights. This includes 3 bedrooms with 2 beds.. One flat is free at this date. Villa is 969 euro for three nights, and there you have 4 bedrooms, so 8 persons minimum. One villa is free at this time. Restaurant, bar, swimming pool, etc... are avaliable as résidents. You have to call on the phone: 00 32 80 33 07 61 and make your reservation with credit card number (and this will be cheaper than with booking.com when avaliable) They will ask for a mail adress for your written confirmation. The Datsun-France club is having quite a number of places for the event. You can easily have extra guys in a cottage if they bring necessary camping stuff. Some are taking a cottage with the wife and children. Some others are just grouping up to 12 in a family cottage for the lowest price. You can have your breakfast in the cottage as there is a kitchen, and you bring what is necessary (cups, glasses, heating and cooking Tools are there.) We even had barbecue for dinner together, if the restaurant is not the wish for one evening. When you make the reservation, you can tell you are from the Datsun-France group, and they try to organise cottages side by side. I will come back with entry tickets with the stand parking, paddocks, and track sessions as soon as we have the official Datsun-France file opened. Please confirm your attendance on this subject with nb of persons and nb of cars.

Salut Toff! c'est parti pour te retrouver ici aussi! :tt2: .... and the pictures of your car(s)?? Everybody is waiting for them!

Following my visit to NEC Classic last week, it looks like some 300ZX fans are wishing to put their tires on the Spa Francorchamps Track! Fantastic idea, that probably will stay as a must for future years... I cannot argue on how right they are with this idea, as I did it since 2012, every year, without a possible exception. The event is starting on Friday morning and finishing on Sunday afternoon. This meeting is big, but the feeling is more like a "fans" meeting compared with Le Mans Classic which is just huge. The idea with AndrewG and Funkysi was a meeting for all interested members around 12h00 in Folkestone (tunnel) or Dover (boat crossing) on Thursday, drive to Reims (2 hours on motorway), and then drive to Spa through the Ardennes with nice roads on the way. As Friday morning is race training and installation, we could also plan for the Ardennes driving on Friday morning, after a stay for the night in Reims, and leave some members driving early morning to Reims on Friday if they cannot make the Thursday free. The first "training" session for clubs is around 13-14h00, and there is another one around 16h30 for " more experienced" drivers. Both are 25 minutes, and if you do not know the Spa track, I would consider the training first one a good choice. There are 4 sessions on Saturday, and 3 or 4 sessions on Sunday. Friday sessions are "quiet" as the number of cars is lower. Saturday and Sunday morning sessions are the most busy ones. If you decide to come, the most important is to get the accomodation, as it turns very busy at those dates. The Datsun-France club had 35 cars on the club stand last year, all Datsun and Nissan accepted, including 350Z, 370Z and GTR's. Some are choosing camping, others are going to hôtels or B&B. Most of the Datsun-France guys are staying at Val d'Arimont with small housing. I am checking the avaliability and I should have data to complete on here tomorrow or Friday. You can have a look at the website: (in English) http://www.val-arimont.be/en/?gclid=CImL_M-7mskCFQX3wgod-F0JeA#.VkyxJ5WFNhF Datsun-France have a stand to park the cars on show, Inside the track area. This is a must to get together, and be picked for the track sessions by the organisers. The entry with parking on the club place, and total access to paddocks and track is around 30 Euro for the three days. The track sessions 25 minutes duration are approx 100 Euro per session. Prices are to be confirmed when the club registration will be effective (we had the club registration 001 last year!) So, think about the opportunity, and the fantastic track of Spa Francorchamps! I cannot guarantee the sunshine, but over 4 years, we had one day rain... and one Sunday morning with thick mist! (May in the Ardennes!)

Thanks to all of the 300ZX members on the NEC Classic stand as we visited on Saturday! We started a trip meeting with Mike and John at MJP Eastern Auto on Thursday evening, mainly talking 240Z and 350Z: Thanks to them and the company for dinner. We then drove to Nuneaton the next morning where I had a meeting with a supplier for my business. In the afternoon, we continued to Nottingham where we met Mark and his son at AutoModZ, and missed Noel from Turbonoz, but could see his future installations. Thanks for the 300ZX parts, and we pushed to Luk at ZCenter to get some more. Back to Leicester for the evening at the hotel, and dinner in town center. The drive to Birmingham was quick on Friday morning, and we immediately went to the 300ZX stand. It was very nice to have a talk with all of you, and admire your cars on exhibition! We then spent 5 hours more to visit the whole exhibition... and came back on the stand to have some rest!! Thanks for the dinner organisation and company. (and the learning about Dartford Toll for a poor tourist not finding the basket to put the coins as before...) The ferry was late on departure, probably due to the security checks induced by this terrible Paris evening on Friday night... We arrived back home safely, with many nice pictures in our eyes. Thanks again for your kind attention during our visit, and I will give you some more information about Spa Classic 2016 as promised, hoping to return some of your hospitality on this occasion! Christophe (ToffCaff) joins me for this very nice time with you.

Bad news, but he was Lucky to be out of the car! I understand that it is not easy to keep a smile on your face in such situation.... I hope to be able to shake a hand on Saturday at NEC.

Thanks for your answer Simon, It will be a pleasure after reading so many posts from you, and never having a chance to meet! I'll speak English, and you'll speak french! Spa Classic is 13,14 and 15 of May 2016. We will be there with Datsun-France club stand, grouping all Datsun-Nissan fans from Europe. We had 35 cars this year, with some special UK 240Z from ZCubNet, guys from Belgium and Netherlands, French of course, and even a guy from Poland! The track sessions are great, first because of Spa-Francorchamps mythic track, and also depending on days, more or less "quiet" drives, depending on the number of participants. Come on Friday to train and learn! I will start a separate subject, so that we can cover the accomodation, tickets, track sessions, and all the sides with evening and belgium beer! Le Mans Classic 8, 9 and 10 of July is different because of the enormous size of the event. Yes, accomodation has to be booked as early as possible. Track sessions are also possible on the long track used for 24Hours race. We will have a stand and parking area for all Datsun-Nissan cars wishing to come (easy and central compared with outside parkings far away and not grouped). I will be there too, so it means that we have at least two possibilities for meeting next year! Wellcome to all of you! I will try to make the NEC visit so that we can talk about those projects, and it will be a pleasure to meet again with Andrew! Not 100% sure yet, but I will do my best.

French Z lovers speak to Uk Z lovers... There is maybe a possibility for some of us to come to NEC! I was just wondering if you would accept a visit on your stand? A nice opportunity to have a chat... and maybe organize something next year aroud Le Mans Classic, so that you do not come without the pleasure to meet some of us on a possible occasion! The visit in Birmingham is still a project, but we will try to do it... Hope we shake a hand, Andrew! :thumbup:

I was only speaking about cars in France, Noz! :tongue: Now, wether they are 450, 500 or 550 bhp, after a few track sessions with both cars in Spa, I do not need more. I am not looking for quarter mile runs, and we are not organised here with locations like Santa Pod. Now, raising the question about tuning, I am sure that you could get another 100 bhp or more from them, considering the engine forged choices. I was ready to consider this when picking the Boomin33 caged TT as I sent you a set of questions about a possible visit with the car at your premises. 24 October 2013 + 2 November 2013 + 9 November 2013 = Never got an answer...:no: In fact, AndrewG gave me a hand to look at the Boomin33 car on my visit one month later (Thanks again Andrew!), but we could just not get the engine running on all legs. It took me a few winter months to get it sorted back in France, mainly around wiring and connectors. If I can plan for some time in 2016 in UK, I will let you know... and hope I will hear from you when asked :dots:

Thanks Gary! Considering the possibility is the start to take the steps and have the chance to reach it! It will cost you a beer... and I'll bring the champagne! :thumbup1: