Electric cars or hydrogen cars are most definitely the future.  We found this electric 1972 Datsun 1200, called the "White Zombie" car pushing 450hp / 772ft lbs torque, doing 1/4 mile times at around 10.258 seconds @ 123.79mph!  While this Datsun may not exactly be JDM, it surely is a blast from the past, yet the wave of the future.  Good-bye gasoline and hello to electric!

Owner:	John 'Plasma boy' Wayland
Location:	Portland, Oregon
Email:	This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Base Vehicle:	1972 Datsun 1200 coupe
Motor:	'Siamese 9' Dual armature series-wound. What used to be two separate 9 inch electric motors, is now one custom built motor. Thanks to 'Hi Torque Electric'.
Drivetrain:	Direct drive (no transmission, clutch, or flywheel). Electric reverse. Custom aluminum driveline by 'Inland Empire Drivelines', 'Dutchman Motorsports' heavy duty 'Street Strip' rear setup with Dutchman 31 spline racing axles, Aluminum 'Strange' Ford nine inch differential with Detroit Locker 'Strange' ring and pinion @ 3:50 ratio, CalTracs traction bars. Thanks to Dutchman Motorsports, Inland Empire Drivelines, and Calvert Racing for their support.
Controller:	2000 amp Zilla by 'Cafe Electric'. Thanks to Cafe Electric for their support.
Batteries:	192 Dow Kokam lithium polymer cells contained in 12, 29.6V clear Lexan modules. Battery pack at 355V, capable of 2,400 amps discharges, and stores 22.7 kWh of energy. Thanks to Dow Kokam, ChemWest, and Manazanita Micro for their support.
System Voltage:	355 Volts
Charger:	Manzanita Micro PFC 50, Rudman Regulators. At PIR (Portland International Raceway) where the Zombie usually does its thing, we get to plug into the 240V mains and charge air polution-free as the juice comes from Oregon's mighty Columbia River and its massive hydroelectric system. Away from home at other drag tracks where clean AC line power may not be available, a gasoline fueled 18 hp 2 cylinder Subaru generator makes 10 KW to feed the PFC50 and keep White Zombie's pack charged up. Thanks to Manzanita Micro for their support.
Heater:	none (The tires get pretty hot and smoke a lot!)
12V System:	Thunder Sky 13.4V, 40 ah lithium battery.
Instrumentation:	a) EVision battery computer. Thanks to Metric Mind for their support. b) 1000 amp E-meter
Top Speed:	129 mph with 3:50 gear set & rpm rev limit dialed in at 6600
Range:	90 miles urban, 110-120 miles highway
Seating Capacity:	Driver and one passenger...rubber underpants required!
Curb Weight:	2348 lbs.
Tires:	Rear....BF Goodrich DOT approved,  225/50/15 'G Force T/A Drag Radials' on American Racing 'Torque Thrust D' 15 X 8 two piece alloys custom sized for the Zombie. Front...Continental 'EcoContact' LRR 145/65/15 on American Racing 'Torque Thrust D' 15 X 4 two piece alloys alloys
Additional Features:	Electric line lock, 4/0 wiring, 3000 amp Kilovac Bubba main contactor,  ~400 horsepower w/ 1250 ft. lbs. torque Custom metal fab work by Marko Mongillo. Thanks to Northwest handling Systems for the use of their forklift service truck as our trackside base support vehicle. The following was written in 2006. After reading it, check out how close this predicted performance came to the below listed 'Best Lead Acid ET' results from the 2007 racing season: An all new battery pack is being readied for the 2007 racing season based on 60, 16 ahr Hawker Genesis batteries. This 360V pack will be 40% more powerful than the previous 360V pack, and will be capable of making 450 hp! The new pack will be 75 lbs. heavier, but the battery compartments will be far lighter, and other weight reducing mods should keep the car's curb weight close to the same. We expect ETs of 11.8 @ 110 mph, but with continued work, it's possible to see mid 11s for '07!
Best lead acid powered ET 11.882 @ 109.58 mph! (in the standing start NHRA timed 1/4 mile, per NEDRA) 0-60 in ~ 3.5 seconds!
Best lithium ion powered ET 10.258 @ 123.79 mph! World's Quickest 'Street Legal Electric Car' (in the standing start NHRA timed 1/4 mile, per NEDRA) 1.58 sec. 60 ft. time, 0-60 in ~ 1.8 seconds, 1/8 mile ET 6.443 @ 108.63 mph!   Highest 1/4 mile trap speed, 126.01 mph Highest 1/8 mile trap speed, 109.28 mph

July 30th 2010...Photographer, Carol Brown, captured the exciting race between a 485 hp Skyline GTR and White Zombie. (below left) The twin turbo GTR and the electric Zombie meet in the staging lanes. (below center) At the tree for the grudge match. (below right) The reader boards show the results!

Suspension Mods:

Datsun 280ZX front struts with larger spindles and brakes replace the stock 1200 struts. (below left) We found a recently acquired 280ZX being parted out to get the rare struts (all the other model Z Cars' struts do not bolt to the 1200 control arms - just the 280ZX). (below center) In the this photo you can see the stock 8" 1200 rotors on the right, the larger 10" 280ZX rotors in the middle, and the even larger 10.75" Brembo rotors on the left - these were later cross drilled. (below right) The 280ZX struts were modified by 'FabTek' to accept 'Eibach' coil-over adjustable racing springs.

Installed new KYB gas shocks

Machined custom aluminum front hubs to change from the stock 4 on 4.5 bolt pattern to the Nissan/Ford 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern. The hubs were designed with an increased backset of .5" to accomodate the positive offset of the 15 x 4 'Torque Thrust D' rims, and to give proper spacing for the custom made caliper brackets.

 

Each 'Brembo' ventilated rotor was cross-drilled to shave off 1.7 lbs., for almost 4 lbs. of the car's curb weight. Wilwood 4 piston calipers and hi pro brake pads do the clamping.

 

Rear Ford drums brakes replaced with 11.5 inch (huge for a 1200) Wilwood solid drag discs, 4 piston calipers, and hi pro brake pads. These rotors are nearly the same diameter as the car's original 12 inch wheels, and really help haul the car down from 120+ mph trap speeds. In addition to the increased stopping power, they also help the go power by reducing the car's curb weight by 25 lbs.

 

Stock 1200 master brake cylinder replaced with larger bore Datsun 240Z master brake cylinder.

THMotorsports looks forward to the future and whatever else it may bring!