The secret is out- inside David Patterson's datto

[fatbloke]

Very well presented ~ so much more professional than our dear Mr Malletts... :P

[Crash Test]

Here are some top secret pictures taken by our spy today at Lakeside. Somehow the spy got inside the high security pit bunker with a digital camera, and got this revealing photos of the car and (gasp) the engine.




I hope David doesn't sue...

[Crash Test]

David is very happy that i took the pics of that side of the car. Quote- "the paint job is a bodgee brothers back yard deal". No David, the speed of the thing pulled the stickers off it

And to report from today's racing, he had a really really huge spin, but survived and did pretty darn well. Kudos David

[marcus]

good photo's crash test..and well done on a rather good looking machine David

how many brake pedals do you have?

[Crash Test]

I'll post that pic tonite (of the inside of the car)

And D'oh, Paterson is spelt with only 1"T"

[This message has been edited by Crash Test (edited 07 March 2000).]

[Crash Test]

But wait, there's more!!



And here is my race report:

Historic Group N Race Report

Entry and Qualifying

An interesting field of cars gathered for the first Group N Championship round for the
new century at Lakeside on the 4th of March, with an interesting new trial format put
on by the Queensland Gemini Racing Association. Held over two days, with
scrutineering and qualifying on Saturday afternoon, and 3 races on Sunday.

13 cars were entered for the meeting, with 3 Holden Torana GTR XU-1s having the
most entries for any one car type, with entries from Kevin Heffernan in Anthony
Beehan’s car, Kerry Finn and Bruce Drummett, driving Rod Dawson’s brand new and
immaculate car. Gary Michael (Holden EH) and Gary Jackson (Monaro) also took the
fight up to the blue oval brigade, headed by the Falcon XT GTs of Allen Boughen and
Geoff McCrystal, and Lionel Ayres in a Lotus Cortina. There were 2 Morris Cooper S
entries for Rhonda Burrowes and Darren Borg. Gary Brown returned to Lakeside after
nearly stealing the Club Cars thunder at the previous wet State Championship
Meeting in his Chevy Nova. John English was back behind the wheel of the Charger,
while David Paterson returned in his Datsun 1600.

Qualifying was held in sunny conditions, after the early forecast of rain failed to
eventuate. Heffernan hit the track early, and made the most of the conditions and
within 2 laps set a time of 1:02.0349, which wasn’t to be beaten in the 20 minute
session. That was lucky for Heffernan, because on his third lap, an axel malfunction
at Hungry Corner set the car wildly spinning into the inside wall. Kevin emerged
unhurt, however the same could not be said for the car, but after a long night being
repaired, it was ready to roll once more on Sunday morning.

The other driver in the field with Bathurst 1000 experience, English, made 2nd spot
with a time of 1:08.8844. 3rd was taken by Gary Brown, who was followed by
Jackson, McCrystal, Boughen, Drummett, Michael, Finn, Ayres, Burrowes and
Paterson. Apart from the Heffernan incident, Drummett ended the session bogged in
the trap at the end of the straight, after a possible incident with McCrystal, who went
bush temporarily, but continued on.

Race 1 -8 Laps

Held in damp conditions with light rain falling, it was certain to be an interesting
race. Gary Jackson smoked up his tyres in an otherwise even start. English led into the
Karussel for the first time. Boughen in 4th wasn’t mucking around when he swooped
past the cautious Heffernan under the Bridge, then past Brown at Hungry Corner, and
onto the back of English. Brown however wasn’t having any of it, when it flew past
both Boughen and English down the straight the second time, and into the lead.
Drummett unfortunately didn’t make it past the first lap, after parking it in the Bus
Stop.

Boughen made it past English, and then Jackson made it past Heffernan in quick
succession. Coming onto the straight for the second time, Boughen gained
everybody’s attention with a massive power slide. A little down the order, Finn, Borg
and Paterson were having a close battle for 9th position. Jackson latched onto the tail
of Boughen, but was slowed by another trade mark Boughen slide, which let
Heffernan get back past into 3rd position.

Borg dropped out the race when he parked his car nest to Drummett’s in the Bus Stop.
However there was still a tight battle for 7th, with Burrowes now being caught by
Finn and Michael, with Paterson dropping off a little. McCrystal was having a lonely
race for 5th, now with English behind him. Heffernan was all over Boughen for 2nd
position, while Michael made it past Burrowes for 7th.

Out in the lead, Brown had made himself a reasonable gap. Heffernan finally made it
past Boughen on the 5th lap, while back in the pack, Paterson had caught Finn in the
worsening conditions, as light rain had started to fall. By this stage the Karussel had
become an ice rink, catching out McCrystal and Jackson. Burrowes remained in a
tight battle with Michael, while Paterson started his wet weather charge, by passing
Finn, then Michael at Hungry Corner, and then right onto the Mini of Burrowes.

At the front Heffernan was right onto Brown, with Boughen now a little way back,
and a gap to a lonesome English. Over the finish line it was Brown, Heffernan,
Boughen, English, McCrystal, Jackson, Burrowes, Paterson, who resisted a late
charge from Finn to get 8th by less than 1 hundredth of a second. In 10th position was
Michael.

Race 2 -5 Laps

The track was dry, but the skies were threatening to burst at any moment. Darren
Borg was a non-starter, but Drummett made it back on track. Brown made a good
start, but it was English who lead into the Karussel. A bad weekend for Drummett got
a whole heap worse under the Dunlop Bridge. After apparently being hit by another
competitor, he made very heavy contact with the outside wall, momentarily getting
airborne. He limped back to the pits, but with severe damage to the left hand side of
the car, was out for the day.

Heffernan made an attempt for the lead, going side by side with English down the
straight, but not succeeding in gaining the position until the run up to the Bridge.
English relinquished 2nd position when he went off at Hungry Corner, but sadly he
retired to the pit lane shortly after. Brown was being caught by Jackson, who in turn
was being caught by Boughen.

Boughen finally made it past Jackson, but then the paid thrilled the crowd by going
side by side up the Eastern Loop, however Boughen lost out when he ran wide on the
exit, and he manages to save a wild sideways moment re-entering the track. Paterson
meanwhile was catching Burrowes for 8th position, while Finn was on his own ahead
in 7th.

On the last lap, Brown ran wide at the Kink into the dirt, but saved the day and
finished 2nd. Heffernan won by a streak, with Jackson 3rd, followed by Boughen,
who was very crossed up coming off the final corner, McCrystal, Finn, Michael,
Burrowes and Paterson.

Race 3 -8 Laps

For the second Championship event for the day, the track was soaking wet after an
earlier downpour. Brown made the best of the start, and led by a fair margin. The
same however could not be said for Jackson, who battled the incredible power of the
Monaro, and was basically left sitting on the start line. Once going, he was a long last.

Even on the first lap, the field was spread out, as the competitors respected the horrid
conditions. English, who started last on the grid, made quick progress to be up to 6th,
and was followed by another quick started in Paterson. English continued on, passing
Finn down the straight on the 2nd lap, however Paterson dropped down the order after
a wild spin over the crest exiting the Karussel. The car wound up in the Bus Stop, but
with the engine still running, he wasn’t there for long.

The next victim on English’s hit list was McCrystal, while at the other end of the
field, the now cautious Paterson was passed by Jackson. Boughen was all over
Heffernan, and finally got past on the exit of the Karussel. Paterson caught back up to
Jackson, and in a David (pardon the pun) versus Goliath battle, he made it past.
Brown took out the race by 7 seconds, from Boughen, who put on one final effort for
the crowd with yet another side out of the final corner, from Heffernan, McCrystal,
Finn, Burrowes, Michael, Paterson, Jackson, and English a non-finisher.

By Mark Walker -mark @qrda.asn.au

[DAVID PATERSON]

They're good shots Mark, rather flattering I think and Marcus I have just one brake pedal, the one on the left is called a clutch We don't have anyone willing to lift the back wheels off the ground to get the same effect.

[Crash Test]

David Paterson’s Historic Group N Datsun 1600

Driver: David Paterson
Car: Datsun 1600
Year: 1972
Weight: 960kg
Horse Power: 75HP at the wheels
Transmission: Original standard Datsun 4 speed.
Differential: R180 3.9 locker
Wheels: 13X7 inch
Tyres: 205 60/13 Yokohamas
Top Speed: 185km/h
Best Times: Lakeside 67 seconds, Willowbank 1:36.
Suspension: Koni adjustables front, Koni Shocks rear, King Springs, lowered 2.5
inches.
Brakes: Standard Datsun
Car History: “It was originally my grandmother’s car and she drove it for about 20
years. When she stopped driving, she sold it to my sister who was a uni student as a
run around car. When she finished uni and bought a new car, I got it for $1000.”
“You’re driving your grandmas car?” “Absolutely, and she isn’t happy about it!”
Fuel: Avgas
Special Things: “It’s the cheapest car in the field, and now I have it on paper that it is
the least powerful, but it is not the slowest!” (Also the car is road registered.)
Approximate Value: “To me it’s worth a fortune, but to the general public about
$3000.”
Strong Points: “It handles brilliantly, it does exactly as you want it to. It is also
incredibly reliable; we’ve done 24 race meetings with only 2 DNFs.”
Weak Points: “75 horse power, and the brakes aren’t the best.”


[This message has been edited by DAVID PATERSON (edited 06 April 2000).]

[DAVID PATERSON]

Crash, next time you see it, it will still look the same under the bonnet, though hopefully it sound and go better. Also, the interior will look better without all that insulation/tar on the floor and firewall, also we might do the floor and boot in body colour instead of stark white. Also considering Group N style racing stripes over the top, any suggestions?

[Crash Test]

White stripes on Monza red?
Yellow?
even a light blue?

[Marshal]

Cerise Pink? Lavender?



(It'd make it easier for us flag marshal's to spot! Even from the UK )

[DAVID PATERSON]

I'm ythinking white and blue.

[DAVID PATERSON]

Got the head back last week, all nicley ported and polished. Big valves and bigger cam too! We really better fix those brakes.

[Airhead]

David,

A friend down the road has a Datsun 1200 Coupe with an over bored 1450cc push rod motor and the usual 45mm twin choke Webber with cam, exhaust ect. And a Lancer front end and Diff.

It reminds me of the 1600. I'll try to post some photos

Steve

[DAVID PATERSON]

I'm waiting to see someone to run a Datsun 1200 in Historic Touring Cars, it would be as cheap as chips, very reliable, fun to drive and reasonably competitive in class too.