the Arcane Knowledge Thread
 

this can be an open thread to post any interesting facts that have gone largely unknown about skylines/ nissans:

*to begin*, i will start by saying that the lower control arm of the R32 skyline can be used on any S13 or S14, as it is the same length, allowing for the non-r32 balljoint to fit perfectly in the spindle.

i will post more factoids to this arcane knowledge thread as i discover more and more on my journey. feel free, anyone, to let the community know about any novel or interesting bits of information. :D

spt, maybe relocate this thread to general discussion?

evolutionary expose' --from HR30 to BNR32--
 

a brief way to trace lineage of skylines from early 80's, leading to the R32:

6th gen skyline:

R30

model and engine:
base: 1800 Ti --Z18 (I-4 )
2000GT --I-6
2800GT --I-6

DR30 --FJ20E (1981)

DR30 --FJ20ET (1983):

DR30-RS --FJ20E (145hp)
DR30-RS-X or "Turbo C" --FJ20ET (190hp)

HR30 GT-ES --L20ET
-------------------------

7th gen Skyline:

R31

model and engine:
base: 1800i --CA18DE (4 cyl - 1985)
GTS --RB20DET (1986)
GTS-R --RB20DET (1987, 210hp)
GTS-X --RB20DET (1988, 190hp, with HICAS)
-------------------------------------------------------

8th gen Skyline:

R32

*R31 GTS-R "became" the R32 GTS-t (RB20DET, 212hp)
(RB25DE, 180hp)

GT-R --RB26DETT (280hp); ATTESSA-ETS; Super HICAS
-------------------------------------------------------------------

(some models & engines have been omitted)

RB25 is a rounded numerical designation
 

-the RB25DET is actually 2498cc, close enough to 25 to merit the RB25 its name. :uppydown3

HP to kW and back
 

when reading casually about skyline power, americans are often confronted with foreign (metric) scales.

besides the easier japanese metric designation, PS, for HP, the euro-term "kW" never fails to get to me, as it is not the same as PS. so i offer this conversion:

-Horsepower to KiloWatts:
multiply Horsepower by 0.746 to get kW

-KiloWatts to Horsepower:
multiply Kw by 1.34 to get Horsepower


(and by the way, one kilometer is .6 of a mile)

:spit:

PS to HP and back
 

PS is the symbol for "pferdestärke," which is German for horsepower. the symbol PS is used in both the German and Japanese markets.

pferdestarke is the same as metric horsepower, ie, PS = metric horsepower.

to convert:

1 pferdestarke = 0.9863201 horsepower (international)

so, then, the "280ps" designation for the GTR is actually only 276.169628HP :smilie_th

first GT-Rs_the legend begins
 

the genesis of what we know today as the GT-R began decades ago, was manufactured for only 5 years, then discontinued:

between 1969 and 1973, 3 model types were offered:

--832 units of the PGC 10 4dr sedan --1969 and 1970
--1113 units of the KPGC 10 2dr --1971-72
--then, finally, only 197 units of the awesome looking KPGC 110, a new body style, emerged for 1973.

thereafter, a hiatus of nearly 16 years enused between the last incarnation of the supercar, and today's modern BNR32.

:D

the FICD solenoid increases idle when the air conditioner is turned on.

the coveted "z-32" brake swap (brakes from the 300zx), often done on S13-S14s (in conjunction with the 5-lug swap), is the same as the r32 gts-t brakes: the components are the same.

bear in mind, the z32/gts-t calipers are 4 x 30mm pots, while the r32 GTRs are 4 x 32mm pots. therefore, the z32s are NOT the same as r32 GT-R cals.

furthermore, the GT-R *v-spec* brakes are brembos.

Bathurst GT races and the R32 GT-R
 

let's go to australia:

--1990 and 1991---> jim richards won at bathurst, with mark skaife winning again in 1992; both in R32 GT-Rs. it was these victories that raised concern among the established V8 crowd:

the aussie produced V8 ford falcons and holden commodores were being beaten, perhaps embarrassingly so. apparently, this subverted any semblance of a "home-court advantage." times were changed ---- forever. additionally, the ford sierra RS500 was beating them, too. because of this, the GT-R was banned from ever competing again at bathurst.*
:smilie_th

for more on bathurst, go here:

http://uniquecars.carpoint.ninemsn.c...opDefault.aspx

R34 GT-R and S15 connection
 

parts sharing:

(many) suspension and braking systems used for the S15 came from the S14a and the R34 GT-R.

in australia, the HLSD of the R34 GT-R came fitted onto the 6-speed manual versions of the S15, as well.
:D

year Y2K and the GT-V
 

lets go to january y2k and take a look at a rare R34 -- the GT-V.

what is it? --a rare, RB25 (with VVT), 200PS, non-turbo model of R34 that is basically a GT-t, sans the forced induction plumbing.

called the 25GT-V, this R34 was available in 2 and 4dr versions, including HICAS, VLSD, GT-t suspension, 4pot front cals, 17" alloys. yet despite these excellent goodies, this special edition of skyline was not widely sold.

:smilie_th

And I used to have a bayside blue one ;) :D

Bayside Blue R34 25GT-V
 

...and that leads us to another point about the GT-V: the bayside blue color, previously available only to the GT-R, was sprayed onto later production runs of the GT-V, hoping to boost sales for that model. however, despite this wonderful color option, the GT-V never quite took off in the sales department, and was later dropped.

to have a bayside blue GT-V is definitely a rarity, and, regardless of it not being a turbo car, is collectible nonetheless.
:smilie_th

what is ATTESA E-TS PRO?
 

--it is:

everything that ATTESA E-TS is, with the V-Spec added feature of braking force being split, independently, to all four wheels, using ABS.*also included in this PRO package, is an "active" rear LSD that splits the torque between the right and left rear wheels, further enhancing the already savvy E-TS.
:)

what is a diffuser?
 

in the lore of downforce, a diffuser is a necessary rear element at the rear of the car; a part of the underbody's aero package:

the sceario goes that air hitting the front, and traveling under the car, is accelerated, creating a low-pressure zone. this low pressure area literally sucks the car's body towards the pavemment. this is called downforce. some cars' designs are better at doing this than others, but that is another story.

so rather than having this accelerated air flow out the rear of the car unabated, thus creating drag, a rear diffuser is installed to "break up," literally diffuse and/ or blend, the air back into the atmosphere at "normal" speed.

the resulting effect is a "sealed" pocket of low pressure under the car only, reducing drag and increasing downforce.
:smilie_th

Dallara's LMP chassis powered by VQ30DETT -- Sebring 2005
 

in an unlikely union of italian chassis engineering, japanese horsepower, and british racing heritage, 2 famed Dallara LMP chassis were purchased and developed by the british Rollcentre Racing team for the Sebring 2004-05 12 hours race (aka "petit LeMans").

finishing "only" 5th in '04, the Judd powered Dallara LMP900 was revamped for '05 with the swapping in of the JGTC class 3.0 liter VQ30DETT. of note, as well, that marked a return to american soil (non JGTC) racing for nissan --renown "back in the day" of the IMSA GTP.

despite impressive mechanical performance from the VQ, problems with the ecu, and gearbox issues, took the car out of the running for '05.:(

genesis of genius: Datsun begins
 

tokyo, japan:

an american trained engineer, masujiro hashimoto, founded the "kwaishinsha jidosha kojo" company back in 1911, in the azaboo-hiroo district of tokyo, japan. hashimoto sought three business partners to front cash and mass-produce a prototype he had created, the 2000cc four-banger "type 31," in 1914.

the three were: kenjiro den: helped hashimoto to start the company, rokuro aoyama: a childhood friend; meitaro takeuchi: cousin to the former prime minister, yoshida --all contributed money; all became the name: den, aoyama, takeuchi = DAT.

the new company, literally called "DAT," began producing the "type 41" (production version of the prototype) in 1916.

written and spoken as "datto", this monkier, meaning "running hare" or "a hare in flight," stuck with the company (as it merged with others, creating, as well, the type 51 and 91) through the late teens and twenties, up to 1930.

in1931, DAT merged with the "tobata imono company," creating the "type 10." at this time, chief-engineering and designer/founder hashimoto was succeeded by takashi doto. the new type 10, and the event, was called "son of DAT" = DATSON.

however, the name was soon revised to DATSUN, as "son" sounded like the japanese word for "ruin" or "loss" --a bad way to designate a new direction. mass-production of the type 10 began in 1932.
:smilie_th

Le Mans classes
 

24 hrs, le mans, france:

prototype - LM P1
prototype - LM P2
grand tourisme - LM GT1
grand tourisme - LM GT2

------------------

12 hrs, sebring, florida:

prototype - LM P1
prototype - LM P2
GTS
GT

HICAS stuff
 

a grand tourer takes shape -High Capacity Active Steering:

the early generation HICAS 4WS first appeared on the R31 GTS-X in 1986. ultimately, as ambitious as that option was, proved too "active."

to explain, the electrohydraulic HICAS slightly moved the rear wheels either counter to, or with, the front wheels to aid in cornering: the car's speed sensor and steering angle sensor sent signals to the ecu to determine a rear-steering angle/direction from 0 to 1 degree of arc.

a subsequent R31, the GTS-R, was given a HICAS controller, improving the
steering a bit.

however, it was not until the emergence of the R32 did the system become the more refined Super HICAS. this option was available to the S13 and S14, as well.

despite this, many owners still felt it to be invasive and unpredictable. currently, there are kits available to disable the system on cars that have it.

GT-R is a homologated race car
 

winning over selling:

homolagation occurs when an auto maker creates a specific number (which varies with the different class requirements) of "identical" cars and records that "event" with the FIA (a large sanctioning entity) in order to legally compete in a given class (like Group A).

typically, a car must exist as a "normal" production car, for sale to the public, before it may be eligible for competition; all of the cars are then inspected, and must be fully functional.

there are exceptions to this, as in the case of LMP1, LMP2 (le mans purpose-built one-off classes may only require one or two prototypes be built), but often 500-5000 units of a car must be homologated for GT types. this requirement intentionally poses challenges to any given auto maker as to the cost-effectiveness of homologation, and to the extent of modifications these special cars may feature.

often, homologated cars for production will offer unique features, some of which that cannot be legally sold or "benchmarked," but can be attained with very minor tweaks that a racing entity will allow for the track. a classic example of this is the GT-R: in japan exists/existed a rule that a car cannot exceed "280ps," despite the fact that the GT-R is cabable of far more than that.

most racing regulations allow for some minimal changes to the cars for competition. so with some simple actions taken (like adding a modified downpipe, porting and/or upgrading the turbo, reprogramming the ecu, etc), the GT-R is capable of 400-500ps --barely modified from stock; ready for LM GT1 or Group A. :D

Formula Nippon to F1 and back
 

known as "F3000" (after the engine displacement limit of 3000cc) until 1995, in 1996 Formula Nippon became the only version of Formula car racing in japan. but unlike F1, Formula Nippon exists only in japan. and owing to it's intensity, many japanese Formula Nippon/F3000 drivers have advanced to F1.

ironically, Ralf Schumacher, a german, became the first Formula Nippon champion.:uppydown3

JGTC was Group A, sort of
 

japan:

the R32 GT-R emerges, homologated for japanese Group A racing. it races. it races 29 times in Group A. it wins every race. it is abolished. Group A is abolished.

in 1993, JGTC is created: it offers a variety of car classes, similar to le mans, within one race. the GT-R wins the first two seasons of that. :D

N2 in tires
 

N2 has almost no water vapor. as water vapor is heated, it expands, and tire pressure increases. therefore, most race teams use nitrogen to fill their tires.

tires inflated with regular air may see a 10-25 psi of pressure rise under racing conditions. this can greatly alter tire performance, as even slight changes in tire shape can throw off a dialed-in car.

with N2, inflation changes only 2-5 PSI throughout a race.

rear wing/ spoiler invented by americans, GM
 

remote desert, the 1960s --Rattlesnake Raceway, Texas:

2 men, Jim Hall and Hap Sharp, legendary developers of the Chaparral cars, began winning over and over again in FIA, Can Am, and USRRC competitions. as timing would have it, Frank Winchell, chief of engineering r&d at GM, noticed this, and made a deal:

Frank at GM said to Jim in 1963: "test our Corvairs at Rattlesnake Raceway to prove the worthiness of Corvair handling --we're being sued."

Jim and Hap said: "ok. but what do we get?"

Frank said: "i'll engineer your idea of the rear deck spoiler and make it actually work."

the results: Jim and Hap proved that ANY production car, not just the Corvair, could be made "unsafe" enough to flip over. Chaparral Cars then received preferential treatment from Chevrolet until 1970; the rear wing became perfected, setting a standard for performance car aerodynamics that we take for granted today.:smilie_th

Mr. K and the merits of non-conformity:
 

you cannot hold back genius:

Yutaka Katayama, “Mr. K,” founded nissan motor’s U.S. subsidiary in 1960. he is considered the “father” of the z-car.

Katayama could afford to not give a sh!t: he was rich, politically incorrect, raced in rallies, was pulled over by the cops regularly, and worshiped American culture.

with his worldliness, and because of his acute awareness of american car culture, he knew the moniker "fairlady z" would not fly with stars-and-stripes consumers. soon, widespread disagreement among his stiff corporate japanese peers, insisting "fairlady" remain, spread like wild fire.

so, then, not to be swayed, Katayama, and a few of his loyalists, removed the "fairlady" badges from the first U.S.-bound z-cars, replacing them all with "240 Z," the cars' internal code name.

by the mid-1970s, nissan retired Katayama. then, finally, on October 13, 1998, he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame. :D

math fun with spring rates
 

how to rate coil springs mathematically:

Spring Rate = GD^4/8ND^3

G = Torsional Modulus for Steel = 11.25 x 10^6 (ie, 10 raised to the "6th power")
D = Wire Diameter in Inches
N = Number of Active Coils
D = Mean Coil Diameter in Inches.
(Mean Diameter is:
I.D. = 1 Wire plus inside Diameter
O.D. = 1 Wire minus outside Diameter)
8 = A Constant for all Coil Springs

*the constant "G" is the same for all coils made of steel: 11.25 x 10^6
is the same as 11,250,000.

example: 10 active coils and a mean coil diameter of 5.0", wire
size of .625" (see equation below):

11,250,000 x .625 x .625 x .625 x .625 = 171,661,370/10,000
------------------------------------------------
8 x 10 x 5.0 x 5.0 x 5.0

where in the denominator, "8" is the constant, "10" is the number of active coils,
"5.0" is the mean diameter.

therefore: spring rate = 171,661,370 or 171.66 lbs./inch

_________________________________
How to determine active coils in a coil spring:

Count total number of coils, subtract a coil for each coil that touches, these are dead coils. Ground flat ends are a dead coil. Start count with cut-off end facing you directly above would be one and so on. Not all coil springs are even coiled. You can have 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4 or 1/8 of a coil (Example 10 1/8 coils).

1. If you cut one coil from a spring, the rate will increase.
2. Increasing wire diameter, will cause a great increase in rate.
3. Nothing in spring rate calculation indicates that a coil spring ever changes rate. The rate is determined by material and dimension of the spring. Coil springs don't wear out or lose their rate.
4. Spring load determines how much load a spring can support at a given height. The rate only tells how much height will change as load is changed. A spring can lose its load height over time if steel is not heat treated properly. When a spring sags, its rate is still the same as when it was new.

Lotus Suspension Analysis (LSA)
 

a PC-based application, Lotus Engineering incorporates its Suspension Analysis (LSA) software to keep current with trends in suspension setups, design approaches and trouble-shooting.

Lotus' ride-and-handling team played a pivotal role in the creation of the LSA software, using the package for in-house use, as well as for the r & d of other companies' projects (Nissan's '07 GT-R --to name one of many clients).

Nurburgring
 

-in 1991, at the Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race in Germany, the Skyline GT-R won the Group N class.

-at the Spa Francorchamps 24-hour endurance race, 1991, the GT-R won overall --beating Group A, and Group N1 cars.

-from 1991 to 1997, the Skyline was undefeated in N1 endurance racing in Japan, winning 50 times.

Nurburgring Nordschleife lap times:

Japanese cars:

7:59 --- 154.822 kph -- Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R, Dirk Schoymans (Autocar magazine 1997)
8:09 --- 151.656 kph -- Honda NSX-R, 320 hp/1467 kg (sport auto 08/2002)
8:24 --- 147.143 kph -- Subaru Impreza WRX STi (company test driver in 2004)
8:25 --- 146.851 kph – Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo VI, 300 hp/1466 kg (sport auto 11/1999)
8:25 --- 146.851 kph – Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo VII (11/2002)
8:26 --- 146.561 kph -- Nissan 350Z, 280 hp/1526 kg (sport auto 10/2003)
8:28 --- 145.984 kph -- Nissan Skyline GTR, 277hp
8:33.80 144.336 kph -- Honda NSX (6-speed) Coupe, 276hp (Top Gear magazine)
8:37 --- 143.443 kph -- Nissan Skyline GTR V-Spec, 350 PS
8:37 --- 143.443 kph -- Subaru Impreza GT Turbo, 218 hp/1290 kg (sport auto 03/2000)
8:37 --- 143.443 kph -- Honda NSX 3.0 (sport auto 07/1991)
8:37.10 143.415 kph -- Nissan GTR V, 350hp (Top Gear maagzine)
8:39 --- 142.890 kph -- Honda S2000, 240 hp/1275 kg (sport auto 01/2000)
8:43 --- 141.797 kph -- Honda Integra Type R (sport auto 12/2000)
8:47 --- 140.721 kph -- Honda Civic Type-R, 200 hp/1246 kg (sport auto 11/2001)

American cars:

8:10 --- 151.114 kph -- Chrysler Viper GTS, 411 hp/1567 kg (sport auto 10/1997)
8:18 --- 149.916 kph -- Chevrolet Corvette Z05 Commemorative Edition, 344hp (sport auto 09/2003)

SR20DET generations
 

SR20DET profiles:

listed in order are:
source
stock output
stock turbo
features
identification

here we go:

1991-1993
202 hp@6000 rpm
Garrett T25, 0.64A/R exhaust
high-port head, 370cc/min injectors
red valve cover

S13 Silvia & 180SX
203 lb-ft@4000rpm
0.80A/R Compressor
--------------------------

1994-1998 S13 180SX
202 hp@6000 rpm
Garrett T25, 0.64A/R exhaust
high-port head, 370cc/min injectors
black valve cover, flat on top


203 lb-ft@4000 rpm
0.80A/R Compressor
---------------------------

1994-1998 S14 Silvia
217 hp@6000 rpm
Garrett T28, ball bearing 0.64A/R
low-port head, VTC variable intake
black valve cover with a hump


203 lb-ft@4800 rpm
exhaust 0.60A/R, T04B compressor
cam timing 370cc/min injectors
(that peaks at cylinder No. 3)
----------------------------

1999-2001 S15 Silvia
247 hp@6400 rpm
Garrett T28 ball bearing, 0.64A/R
low-port head, VTC variable intake
black valve cover with a hump

(manual trans only)
202 lb-ft@4800 rpm
exhaust 0.60A/R, T04B compressor
cam timing 444cc/min injectors; better materials in turbo,
and better wastegate flow design (that peaks at cylinder No. 3)
:)

one foot-pound of work
 

on our way to torque and horsepower:

when an object is moved one foot (12 inches) of distance, by applying a force of one
pound (16 ounces), one foot-pound of work has happened.

torque is force, applied over a distance --the "moment-arm"-- to create a rotary motion. so, then, a 1 lb force, on a 1' moment-arm, produces 1 ft-lb of torque.

"work" and "torque" are equivalent.

therefore, a 1 lb object, moving over a 1' distance, in 1 sec, requires 1ft-lb/sec of power --one horsepower is arbitrarily defined as 550 ft-lbs/sec.

in automotive terms, horsepower is the rate of producing torque.
to convert between these two quantities, given the RPM:

HP = (TQ*2.0*PI*RPM)/33000.0
TQ = (33000.0*HP)/(2.0*PI*RPM)

where:

TQ = torque in ft-lbs
HP = power in horsepower
RPM = engine speed in revolutions per minute
PI = the mathematical constant PI (approximately 3.141592654)
note: 33000 = conversion factor (550 ft-lbs/sec * 60 sec/min)

maximum torque and power peaks will not necessarily occur at the same time;
they may occur at different rpm's. generally, any engine will have a maximum HP
at a given RPM.
:D

how long it takes ATTESA to react
 

as is widely known, the GT-R uses a computer-controlled AWD traction system called ATTESA-ETS.and as mentioned earlier, the V-spec version uses a more advanced version called ATTESA-ETS Pro:both systems transfer maximum power to the ground in any given situation.*normally, the GT-R is 100% RWD.

however, when ATTESA detects traction loss at the rear wheels, it will send power to the front wheels, locking progressively up to a full 50:50 split within 200 milliseconds (within 2/10 sec). :eyemouth:

wheel specs and weights
 

Datsun 200SX 80-83 (16-spoke) Cast 14x5.5 15.0lbs
Datsun 200SX 80-83 (32-spoke) Cast 14x5.5 16.0
Datsun 200SX 80-83 (disk) Cast 14x5.5 14.0
Datsun 280Z 79-80 Cast 14x6 18.0
Datsun 280ZX 81-83 Cast 14x6 13.0
Datsun 280ZX Turbo 81 Cast 15x6 17.0
Datsun 280ZX Turbo 82-83 Cast 15x6 14.0
Datsun 810/Maxima 81-84 Cast 14x5.5 15.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Nismo LM GT Magnesium Forged Mg 18x10 17.1lbs
-------------------------------------------------------
Nissan 200SX 84 Cast 14x5.5 15.0lbs
Nissan 200SX 84-87 Cast 15x6 19.0
Nissan 200SX Turbo 85-86 Cast 15x6 19.0
Nissan 240SX 89-90 Cast 15x6 16.0
Nissan 240SX 91-94 Cast 15x6 18.0
Nissan 240SX 95-96 Cast 15x6 15.0
Nissan 240SX 95-98 LE and SE Cast 16x6.5 18.5
Nissan 300ZX 84-85 Cast 15x6.5 19.0
Nissan 300ZX NA and TT front Cast 16x7.5 16.0
Nissan Altima 93-97 Cast 15x6 17.0
Nissan Altima 98-01 Cast 16x6 18.0
Nissan Maxima 85-86 Cast 15x6 20.0
Nissan Maxima 87-88 Cast 15x6 17.0
Nissan Maxima 95-99 GLE Cast 15x6.5 16.5
Nissan Maxima 95-99 SE Cast 16x6.5 19.6
Nissan Sentra SE + SE-R 01-02 Cast 16x6 18.0
Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V 02 Cast 17x7 24.0
Nissan Stanza 90-92 Cast 14x6 15.0

full listing:
http://www.superhonda.com/tech/wheel_weights.html
and
http://www.wheelweights.net/

Kazutoshi Mizuno -GT-R vehicle engineer
 

KAZUTOSHI MIZUNO
Chief Vehicle Engineer, Vehicle Design Engineering Department No. 1, Vehicle Reliability Engineering Group
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Kazutoshi Mizuno is the chief vehicle engineer at Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.’s Vehicle Design Engineering Department Number 1, Vehicle Reliability Engineering Group in Japan.

Mizuno joined Nissan’s Vehicle Design Department after graduating from the Nagano Technical Junior College in 1972. He has held a variety of positions within the company, including working in the Vehicle Body Design Engineering Department on the Maxima and Sentra, as well as the Body Design Department for the Primera and Skyline. He has also worked as the chief of vehicle planning on the Skyline GT-R and Silvia and chief vehicle engineer on the Z®, Skyline, Stagia and Infiniti FX45.

Racing has also played a big part in Mizuno’s career at Nissan. From 1987 to 1993, he participated in the development of Nissan’s Japan and international Group C vehicles and held several positions, including chief of the technical department, within Nissan Motor Sports International (NISMO). Mizuno was team director for Nissan’s R90/R92 LeMans programs from 1989-92 and director of Nissan’s Japan Domestic Championship R33 team in 1994-95.

more nissan bios at:
http://www.nissannews.com/nissan/200...graphies.shtml

for current-arcana, visit the Nissan Infiniti News Bureau
 

this trove of breaking news articles will keep you current:
http://www.nissannews.com/

a rather significant recent report (at the time of this posting):

Nissan Announces Best April Sales Ever [May. 3, 05]
NNA Achieves a 27% Increase in April Sales Over 2004

GARDENA, Calif. (May 3, 2005) – Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) reported 91,621 total sales in April, an increase of 27% over last year.* This month marks the best April sales in the history of Nissan North America, as well as the Nissan and Infiniti divisions.* In addition, Nissan models Altima, Murano, Armada and Titan and Infiniti models G35 Coupe, M and FX achieved their best ever April sales.** The Infiniti M has achieved its best sales month to date.

motion parallax
 

motion parallax - cue to distance in visual perception, which depends upon the fact that when the perceiver is in motion, objects which are at a greater distance appear to move more slowly than objects that are more nearby.

this becomes increasingly relevant when larger objects in the distance appear to be moving slower, giving the illusion that they are crawling along. this failure in perception is what so often kills people at railroad crossings, as they think the train is moving far slower than it really is. recent installations of flashing lights to the fronts of trains has aided, yet has not fully remedied, this vexing and sometimes fatal situation.

i would imagine that owning a GT-R would help to outrun any train, or anything in general, on the ground, further negating the ill effects of motion parallax. :smilie_th

Chevrolet -Chaparral created sideskirts
 

back at the ranch, remote texas desert, 1970:

at a time after their corvair tests, jim hall, hap sharp, and GM engineer frank winchell (developers/inventors of the rear deck spoiler in 1966), began experimenting with low pressure zones under the length of the car. they found that by adding, laterally, devices to the sides of the body near the ground, a reduction in air pressure under the car was generated enough to literally suck the car to the pavement.

their "sucker car" (model Chaparral 2J) reached cornering speeds of up to 1.7 g, was soon considered too dangerous, and was eventually banned from racing. however this innovation in automotive downforce technology became known as "sideskirts."

wet-sump, dry-sump
 

wet vs. dry:

we've all heard it: wet and dry-sump. in our case, the sump is the collector at the bottom of the engine that collects lubricants for redistribution: the oil pan. this is the sump.

the wet setup is used in passenger cars, and mostly in lower levels of racing. "wet- sump" means engine oil is collected and stored in the oil pan until it is pumped back through the engine.

a dry-sump immediately sucks, scavenges, the oil that is collected in the pan to an external tank before being recirculated. because this sump does not actually store the oil, it is referred to as “dry.”

a dry-sump has several advantages over wet, the main one being additional power: because there is only very little oil actually in the pan, friction or "windage" --oil sticking or splashing against the rotating crank --is greatly reduced. with a reduction in this friction, less horsepower is lost in the drivetrain.

also, as oil in the dry setup is sucked out of the pan, this process creates a vacuum effect inside the pan that "seals" the crankcase --further increasing horsepower by improving ring seal, raising compression.

other perks of a dry system are: greater oil capacity because most of the lubricant is stored in an external tank, away from the sump; the ability to easily add remote oil coolers (once in a while, you will run across a photo of a GT-R with a mini radiator-looking thing mounted into the grille area --this is an oil cooler, and, more than likely, is part of a dry-sump system on that car).

also, because a dry-sump pan does not store oil, it can be quite shallow to allow for lower engine placement, lowering the center of gravity and improving handling balance. :smilie_th

brake fluid and moisture and destruction
 

the brakes have been hot all day, and again the spirited driver accelerates aggressively, perhaps, then throws the car into a turn. unexpectedly, a lumbering SUV with the driver on the cell phone appears from nowhere, and the brakes slam: the fluid in the lines and master cylinder immediately boil: air bubbles form, rise to the top, burst, and air is cycled through the fluid again and again. all in nanoseconds.

with accelerated heart-rates, the drivers realize there was no accident, recover themselves from the incident, and go about their seperate ways. no harm done.

but not exactly: not only are there air pockets in the lines, there is moisture as well, as brake fluid is hydroscopic (glycol-based, similar to ethylene glycol, ie, anti-freeze). that is, it takes on moisture anyway, over time. this moisture in the fluid will boil as heat is transferred from the hot brakes to the brake lines. the more moisture that the fluid takes on from the air, the more moisture there is to potentially boil again. and the fluid degrades over time.

because you are reading this on a GT-R forum, you are likely more apt to boil brake fluid than most drivers, as you probably push the envelope of your brakes' threshold of pain more frequently. so instead of once a year, change the OEM brake fluid (most likely a "DOT 3" 401F-boiling, glycol fluid) every six months. like once at thanksgiving, and again on memorial day.

or, to ensure safe-stopping, put in a DOT 4 (glycol 446F-rated), or a silicone-based, "non-boiling" DOT 5 fluid (500F boiling point if small amounts of moisture enter the system).

however, DOT 5 is not water-soluable. and if significant amounts of water do manage to invade the brake system for any reason, it will not mix into the synthetic suspension of the DOT 5, will collect at the lowest point, and will boil at 212F --far lower than DOT 3-4 (even with a 3% moisture saturation, DOT 3-4 will still hold up until 300F). if this water glob boils at or near the caliper, that device will fail, and there will be "vapor lock;" zero braking ability at that location. so much for DOT 5.

DOT 5 is good, however, for -40F.

if you change to DOT 5, don't change back to DOT 3-4: you will never get all of the silicon out of the lines, and it will glob up, leading to system failure.

DOT 5 is mostly used by the military, and largely not taken into account by current automotive engineers.

also, avoid petrolium-based products in the brake lines: motor oil, power steering fluid, mineral oil. these will destroy rubber seals. :uppydown3

double-clutching
 

to use the engine's compression to slow the car instead of the brakes:

1. disengage the clutch (push the pedal down): this disengages the gear box from the driveshaft (the engine).

2. put the tranny into neutral

3. engage the clutch briefly: this doesn't transfer any power to the wheels, but merely gets the gears up to wheel speed. you may also have to "blip" the gas a bit, depending on the situation.

4. throw the shifter into whatever gear you want: since the gears are now moving at approximately the same rpms as the wheels, there's only going to be a little grind as the two spinning gears meet and mesh.

5. re-engage the clutch and go.

do all of this very quickly.