A little something to offend everyone

[DRIVEN]

Love your little Datsun 510 wagon. I always thought those cars were cool.

Thanks alot.

I could only imagine what it must be like with the Ecotec 4 linked to a 5-spd. Great work man.
I've always envisioned doing an Ecotec swap into a Chevy Chevette. I'm sure it's been done, but I've never seen or heard of it done to Datsun 510...all I can say is sweeeet!

Um...it's not an Ecotec, it's his uncle the 2.4 TwinCam. You probably haven't seen it in any Datsun because I'm almost certain it's the only one on the planet. I agree that an Eco would be a sweet Chevette swap. Probably a bit easier too since there's actually a RWD transmission available. When I was in Jr. High there was a lowered early Chevette that ran around town with some nice wheels and deep metallic red paint. I've had a sick secret Chevette fetish ever since. Don't tell.

Incidently, I know a guy that has two of the Datsun roadsters. One is a 2000, the other I think is a 1600.

Roadsters are for rich kids. SR20det swaps have kind of become the standard swap in them. There's some really nice roadster pics here: http://www.bleachgarage.com/images/event/canby09/ . My gray/silver 1200 and my brother's green 521 are in there too. He won best early truck that year.

BTW, you have a good lookin' old lady.. :wink:

Thanks. It's her car so I figured she earned some screen time.

 

[pontiacgp]

I'm wondering if that's an unrelated wife shot how she can be your wife. My unrelated wife is my ex...

It's the 3rd page and I think you've failed in offending anyone but please continue trying.. 😀

 

[Longroof79]

Thanks for clearing that up concerning the Ecotec and 2.4 Twincam. I thought they were all referred to as Ecotecs. That's how much I know on the subject.. 😳
At any rate, the smaller 4's, like the 2.0 or 2.2 would be the Ecotecs and the 2.4 would be designated Twin Cam? Is that how it works?
By the way, the Datsun roadsters are pretty far and few between from what I can determine. The last one I've seen was in a body shop of I guy that I know, getting a full restoration.

Yeah, the Chevette thing has been bouncing around my brain for quite some time. What trans would be used in that swap, an S10? What's cool is that it is a RWD car. I have heard of them with a SBC or V-6. The V-8 would be way overkill and weigh too much, I feel. The Twin Cam 2.4 with a turbo would be an awesome performer.

 

[DRIVEN]

It's an easy mistake because there is a 2.4 Twin Cam and a 2.4 Ecotec. The original 2.3 Quad4 was produced from 1988 to 1995. It made more hp/liter than any 4cyl of the time. The '95 was kind of a one year transition engine that used a balance shaft assembly in the oil pan that the earlier engines didn't have. The 2.4 Twin Cam used a longer stroke and smaller bore but had the same general design. It carried over the balance shaft system from the '95. The result was a much smoother and quieter engine than the 2.3 was. It made a very broad, flat torque curve and peak horsepower was down from what the 2.3 had. By mixing and matching parts between the 2 it is possible to end up with a 2.6 stroker that makes 240hp...all motor. Jim Fueling played with them in the 80s and 90s and set some pretty impressive HP, MPG and land speed records. The Twin Cam was produced through 2002 when the Ecotec family took over. Neither were ever offered as RWD and have a unique bellhousing pattern.

The Ecotec has been around for longer in Europe before being standardized and brought to the US. It's now considered a "world engine" and used everywhere. In the US we got RWD versions in the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky so there are transmission options. There are a ton of similarities between the Twincam and the Ecotec. I look at the Twin Cam as the LT1 of 4cyls. It had a short run between the Gen1 and the LS series where refinements were made and new technologies were tried. It was a test engine of sorts.

 

[warmonga]

Yow datsun rock brother .. if you love Datsun you gotta know about my Rotary project here

 

[Chuck]

love datsuns. great job. i have been looking for a datsun pick up, had one in my grasps once and let it go for an el camino. i love the camino but it doesnt get the gas milage or the different kind of attitude like a datsun

 

[DRIVEN]

The pickups are fun. We're pretty spoiled on the west coast because they're still fairly plentiful. My brother and I did a couple over the last few years. The tan 520 was free and the green 521 cost a 12-pack. I did the mechanicals and he did the cosmetics. He's got the before pics of the 520 but it started out in similar condition to the 521.

 

[Ringers]

I DIG those trucks!

 

[mechanic58]

Neat project, the quad4 swap is slick. I have a cat that is most certainly a twin to your cat.

 

[Phoenyx]

I DIG those trucks!

x2