S15 suspension in a 240Z—good idea or nightmare?

Joel Dimmack’s 1971 Datsun 240Z is no ordinary drift car. Running a VR38DETT swap with Garrett GTX3071R mirrored turbos and making 600-700hp, this 1100kg wet monster blends old-school styling with modern competition-ready tech. But is an S15 suspension transplant really the best setup for drifting?

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We dive deep into the Parts Shop MAX kit, chassis stiffening by Pace Innovations, and the MoTeC M150 ECU tuned by Nick Ashvin at NA Motorsport to see what it takes to make this build work. Plus, we break down the Albins 6-speed sequential gearbox, R32 GTR diff & axles, and the challenges of running an S-chassis suspension on a shorter wheelbase.

Braking is handled by R33 GTST calipers with Project Mu pads and rotors, along with a twin-caliper rear handbrake setup—a must for a competition drift car.

This is one of the wildest Z builds around, and it has presented Joel with some lessons and aspects he would do differently the second time around, but that is precisely what a build like this is all about and how ideas are built into skills.