MUCC News

Despite the several weeks of work preparing the "new" Datsun 180B SSS for Peter Otzen and Paul Franklins assault on the Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial, the first outing for the new vehicle showed a distinct lack of pace at it's first outing, Rally Bonnie Doon, Round 1 of the Victorian Club Rally Series.

The SSS gets prepared for rallying over Easter in the new workshop

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The SSS, purchased late last year from the Sichlau clan, was already prepared for rallying, but the last few months have seen a lot of the car stripped down and rebuilt in the new secret facility in the Mornington Penninsula. The car has undergone some major surgery already, including the entire front end, brakes, hydraulics and shocks. None of this helped at Bonnie Doon though, with the severely underpowered car struggling with even the smallest hill.
Provisional results show the SSS almost acheiving the wooden spoon for the event, coming home 3rd last with a time of 76+ minutes, almost 14 minutes behind fellow club-member Nat Presutto's WRX.
At the end of the event, Peter commented:
"76" is a significant number for this car. It's exactly DOUBLE the horsepower this engine has!
Other members fared slighty better, with the following provisional results.

O/R Crew			  Car		Points	
1   Derek Reynolds/David Kelly	  Lancer Evo 5	58:38	
2   Carl Stewart/Dean Price	  Datsun 1600	58:40	
3   Darryn Snooks/Matt de Vaus	  Stanza	59:19	
...
15  Nat Presutto/Lucas Zinsstag	  WRX Sti	62:30
51  David Fanning/Marcus Shirrefs Commodore VH	72:26
56  Peter Otzen/Paul Franklin	  180B SSS	76:25	

Of course everyone has their excuse for not winning.
For Nat it was his navigators first event, and they were penalised for arriving 5 minutes late to the first competitive.
David Fanning's throttle cable came loose meaning no throttle and an un-planned stop mid-stage.
Apart from the lack of power, Peter's engine suffered mysterious ignition dramas, also stopping them on stage for 4 minutes while the distributor had a little rest.

Fortunately for Peter, the replacement engine (and distributor) is on it's way, as it is about to be extracted from Graham Pates 180B sedan, to make way for his new motor.
Items still not checked on Peters big list of things to do include rebuilding the rear suspension, with the possible addition of a WRX limited slip differential, fitting the UHF radio and second terratrip (in case one dies) and re-wiring all the lighting circuits. Let's hope the new motor and the additon of the big Weber carbies give the SSS a fighting chance at it's next outing.