New, Just wanted to introduce my self and the 510

[jonesmechanical]

Hi guys, I havent found a 510 forum I have liked, I met this site through bimmer forums where I spend a lot of time over there with my M coupe. I grew up with 510's, my dad purchased one in 1970. He owned it until he had too many kids to fit into it. I purchased my first one in 1994, a light yellow 1970 2 door. It was nice but after years daily driving it and rally crossing it here in Utah, it needed lots of love. I had an employee beg me to purchase it from me and ended up giving it away as a christmas bonus. He is currently restoring it and doing a KA swap.

 

I always knew that I wanted another one, but I wanted to buy one "done". Famous last words.......a few months after parting with my first love, I came across Kelvins Smurf for sale, then owned by Rick Pianelli. Rick and I got along well as owners of our own HVAC companies and he sold it to me. Its been a year and a half now. I have put about 4000 miles on it, just less than 10% of that on the track out at Miller Motorsports Park.

 

Here are some pics of recent updates that have happened in the last 2 weeks. Friday I had an event with the porsche club and had a great time chasing 911's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just before the event I ended a 2 month long project designing and fitting these wheels, ccw lm16's 16 x 8.5" and 16 x 7.5" with 245 35 and 215 40 toyo t1r's. The brakes proved to be a challenge to fit wheels around with 12.2" rotors and 6 piston calipers all around. Thanks from Dave at Arizona Z car and Dan at CCW wheels where were both amazing to work with on this project. Other small items that were added was a 15/16 Master Cylinder with a Willwood porportioning Valve and a rear 3/4 adjustable sway that ran on the inside of the LCA's instead of the between the wheel and the spring perch cup. To fit the wheels, all that backspacing got used up. The wheels and tires had no rubbing at all. The car looks amazing with the all the rubber back there.

 

I had the car previously at the track with the Porsche club and I cooked the brakes, tires, and brake fluid (even superblue) running the Toyota Calipers and 195 45 15 toyo t1s tires all around. After that event my goal was to have a 100% street setup that I could drive to the track, not touch it, and have a great time lap after lap. The tires did well, never got greasy, the brakes were stunning, stopping from 120MPH down to 40 on the front 3/4 mile straight without missing a beat. I don't own a porsche, but the local PCA runs a great event.

 

Now that I have it sorted and balanced, I may be doing a dual gt28rs turbo setup on it in conjunction with Jim Wolf. My M coupe has Race Logic Traction Control on it and that would definatly be part of the build. A new rear end would likely be needed, but for now, I am going to enjoy it as is. Hopefully I can get Kelvin down here in the spring so he can drive the car around the track and enjoy the great creation he built.

 

Hopefully this is my new 510 home. Looking forward to helping anyone out with wheel/tire fitments or anything else I can provide. I have been through 6 different setups to finally achieve what I would consider Non Flared Perfection.

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Beautifull 510 ! Well done & very clean all round. Where in San diego did you live ?

[jonesmechanical]

Grew up in Lakeside (east county). Went to El Capitan Highschool, graduated in 1991. Lots of great 510 roads up in Eucalyptus Hills where I grew up, then of course highway 67, backway to poway was awesome also, dang, I am kind of missing San Diego. No Track Though.

[thisisastickup]

Woah, I'm going to go change my pants.

 

Okay, I'm back. I have a new favorite 510.

[greengoon]

Welcome! This is a GREAT forum to be a part of in my opinion. Beautiful car and what a legacy. I was happy to see you're in Utah. I would love to see it in person sometime.

 

If I'm not mistaken you went to the JDM Legends grand opening in NSL? I showed up late that afternoon when most of the 510s were gone.

[yellowdatsun]

That's a beautiful car, one of the nicest out there. Seen it in person a few times at shows in California. This is a good group here, no snobs, and people are willing to share info. Very different than most forums. I too was on, cough, "other" forums, but have settled here because of the people. It's kinda nice because if your a typical forum a-hole, you simply just don't fit in with this group, and people will harass and heckle you until you've had enough and leave.

[jonesmechanical]

Tell me you guys already know this car, or am I just really that old. It was featured in Sport Compact Car (RIP) in July 2000 mechanically and outside cosmetics as it sits.

 

I subscribed to 510again, kelvin is responsible for the DAMB rear crossmember. And many other Junkyard performance conversions. I think this is likely one of the first 510's done to this quality.

 

Its got a custom cv axel setup, subie r160 lsd, 200sx vg30 with jim wolf cams and program. But its how everything was organized. The wiring is fully charted with all circuts labeled better that OEM. Full A/C. The choke handle controlls the Heater temp/core, inside levers for gas and trunk, center pull ebrake. Reinforced seam welded chassis, 1/2 cage integrated into the roof body and rear strut tops (converted to carrera coilovers). So much love. Then Rick got ahold of it, amazing interior and Hide away alpine system. The trunk detailing is amazing with the battery, sub and everything tucked away, but still able to get to the spare and everything.

 

Even has a great little 12V hookup under the glove box (for the v1 of course). I will post video at the track with my neighbor following (really chasing) in his 996 porsche turbo. Entering the track 3rd in line of 21 only staged seconds apart and only getting passed by 3 or 4 cars in a 30 minute session speaks for the car and the handling. It was an out of body experience to chase a 997 gT3rs for a full lap after he passed me on the 3/4 mile straight going about 155 MPH. I was able to hang with him for about 1/2 of the back section of the track. 510's rule. And to boot, guys wrenching professionally on a Patron sponsored 997 Factory GT3 ALMS race car dropped their tools and ran after my car yelling, hey stop, is that a 510 as I crossed the pits.

 

Nothing like these cars, nothing...If I ever had to choose between the M coupe, and the 510, no question. It would make my heart sink through to part with either one, the 510 would just break my heart, even if it has over 400 hp less.

 

Pics:

At the track this spring with the Bimmer:

The Thermonuclear Powerplant:

Other wheels I have had on the 510:

Rotas, 16 x 7/8's (have a new set never used available)

Panasport C8's, picture to sell, really didn't fit right:

Wheels that came on the car, Volk te37's 15 x 7 et15 running 195 45's:

Trunk and Branden, my middle boy:

Oh yea, track event after I sold the volks, running temporary cheapo xxr's, same spec:

[jonesmechanical]

Welcome! This is a GREAT forum to be a part of in my opinion. Beautiful car and what a legacy. I was happy to see you're in Utah. I would love to see it in person sometime.

 

If I'm not mistaken you went to the JDM Legends grand opening in NSL? I showed up late that afternoon when most of the 510s were gone.

 

Yes, I was there. Saw the VQ 510, and Carls white VG30 510 also. Trey has one of Kevin Neely's sr20 cars (I almost bought his "burple" 510). Trey is one of those cool true car guys, even as successful as he has been with all the insane cars he has, it hasn't gone to his head.

 

I already feel way more at home here than on the other forum. My previous other cars are 3 roadsters (a 1966 converted to a 2000 1967.5 lookalike, and two 1969's). 2 FD rx7's, and now on my 2nd M coupe. But always had a 510:).

[Icehouse]

The car looks SO much better with those rims!!!!!!!!!! The stance is awesome!

[cjr198car]

Awesome car man. Love the whole thing (wheels, powerplant, interior, exterior). I would like to run the same size wheels, but in a cheaper option (diamond racing wheels). Would you mind sharing the offsets of the ccw's. Did you do anything to the rear or front to fit the 8.5/7.5? Thank you for the info!

 

-Colton

[jonesmechanical]

Yes. I am all about sharing. I hate it when wheel companies like HRE and Fikse wont even verify a build on a set of wheels that you have in your possesion.

 

The volks were 15 x 7's et15, possible because they were running a stretched 195 45 15. Remember, diameter is as important as stretch, offset, width when fitting.

 

What drove this whole setup was the t1r tire I ran accross by accident on a miata forum when a guy was looking to run max width. 245 35 16!!!! 22.7" diameter!!! I was stoked. Then I got 18 racing to build those Rota RB's, but I had to buy two sets to get them to bother.

 

The offsets on those rb's is 16 x 7 et 25 and 16 x 8 et 38. I had to notch the rear LCA's back to the spring cup (so you could actually run a rear spring....maybe). Since Kelvin converted the car properly to coilovers it was perfect I didn't have to worry about that.

 

The new build with ccw was my 3rd set of ccw's, first set on my FD, second set on my Coupe, and now these.

 

The panasport C8's inspired me to get closer to the strut (200sx) because they were a 16 x 7 30 offset and they cleared, so I knew I could back the rim up more in the front to the strut, and maybe go a 1/2 wider with a 215 40.

 

So, I commited to build a set of ccw's in 7.5 and 8.5 wide. Dan at CCW has a miata running the 245 35 16 toyo's all around on his own car, had a few of those tires sitting around and he actually sent out a mocked up set of wheels just to test fit for free!!! It cleared, and we went forward with the build.

 

The final specs on the ccw's are 16 x 7.5 et 22.2 (5 1/8" backspacing, 3 3/8" front spacing); 16 x 8.5 et 34.9 (6 1/8" backspacing, same 3 3/8" front spacing). So a full 3/8" of an inch closer to the lip than my rotas, which I had thought maxed it out.

 

Of course the fenders are rolled, and the inside secondary fender bump in the rear was also massaged. But nothing that made me nervous at all.

 

I have my own opinions about 510's and wheels. We won't all agree, but this information can be useful to everyone if taken in the right context. Styles I don't care much, they can all look good if they fit right. For me, the Volks just looked too modern, but wow, they fit tight with that 15 offset. The biggest thing it I personally think that diameters more than 23" just don't belong on 510's and they start looking goofy. That pretty much excludes 17" and above, because there just arent any tires that low in profile. If it werent for this tire size, I think I would be back to running 13's, going as wide as I could and as low profile as I could. That would have been a real challenge for Arizona Z Car and quality brakes under a 13!!! But, that is just my own opinion, and I respect when someone really tackles going to larger diameters properly, but its a ton of work to do correctly. (props to Mario and the Datsun boys and their 13" brembo brake packages).

 

In the end, Going to these brakes with these wheels and tires actually saved a bit of weight that the original setup with the Smaller 15" volks (one of the lightest wheels period) with the heavy cast iron s13 toyota 4 pot calipers. Billet hats also helped offset for the thick vented rotors that were 2" larger in diameter. Obviously rotational weight is more, but the weight distribution on the 3 piece wheel shells does help out some. I just really wanted to get this car to the point at which I could add more power and feel comfortable about doing it, have it all sorted out and ready to go for F/I if I ever thought to go there. Well, its there, and its so enjoyable It may be a while.

 

Running a staggered setup did not affect the balance of the car on the track. Having a suspension setup that is adjustable is key, staggered or not to achieve a neutral car. On my M coupe, stock it runs a 245 rear tire, now I am running a 315, the front from a 225 to a 265. Its all about doing things mythodically and with a purpose. I must admit, form followed function. I just wanted the rear width, and I worked around that. Its certainly not necessary....not yet at least:)

Edited October 1, 2009 by jonesmechanical

[jonesmechanical]

Welcome! This is a GREAT forum to be a part of in my opinion. Beautiful car and what a legacy. I was happy to see you're in Utah. I would love to see it in person sometime.

 

If I'm not mistaken you went to the JDM Legends grand opening in NSL? I showed up late that afternoon when most of the 510s were gone.

 

 

I just learned something today also. I had no Idea that wagons were "goons" I have even had a 72 wagon. Where did that come from?

[jefe de jefes]

Nice ride!

What are those mirrors off of?

[Cuts metal like mad]

I remember the car, I was reading 510 again when the first issue came out! :eek: I wasn't even old enough to drive. I don't think Kelvin was the first... I remember Michael Spreadbury building some NICE cars before even "the strutless wonder", which came before smurf II. Wheels make the car though, good job. Any future plans?

[inline4]

pics of integrated cage?

[chebetio510]

nice car.. welcome.. i seen it a couple of times before he sold it.. never saw him again cool guy.. i got his wheels before the volks.,,, then he got those.. loved ur car.. aways so much detail... the engine bay always clean..

[jonesmechanical]

Nice ride!

What are those mirrors off of?

 

I believe that they are off of a BMW 320i, circa mid eighties.

[cjr198car]

Thank you! Have you had your VG dynoed (what dyno)? Do you have headers? I read that you have cams and a tune. Any other modifications like a gutted intake or more compression. I have a VG and the nitrous bug bit me, but off the bottle I would like a bit more power. Im heavily debating a factory nissan supercharger off a vg33er (no hood, staggered black diamond racing wheels, a real mad max look), or just a mild bolt on build with the wider wheels and tires...any thoughts? Im keeping the spray with either build.

 

-Colton

[jonesmechanical]

Yes, it does have headers, JWT cam, tuning. I'm not sure what it puts down, I suspect 180 to 190 rwh, it that. Being at 4500 ft I wouldn't be suprised if it was much less than that.

 

My BMW put down 615 rwhp by the previous owner, never dyno'd it my self except on the street walking liter bikes. I don't car much about the #'s. For tuning, its a good tool, and it ran so good, I havent bothered.

 

Now, as for the cam, wow, what a difference. Before, the power just fell of at just over 5000 rpm's, now it keeps pulling till almost 7000. That unbelievable. gutting the intake manifold seems like a great idea, and going higher compression and 300 cc's bigger would likely keep me from adding turbos.

 

Are there any VG's out there that have documented the gutted intake plenum, and 33 upgrade? Do you really have to do head work also. Would it be crazy to do the 33 upgrade, leave the same heads and intake manifold on if the plenum was gutted. From what I understand the heads really are a weak link, which would make sense how the 4 valve vg30de.

[Bat Fastard]

Beautiful car! How much rear camber are you running with your current tire/wheel combo?

[1badsrd510]

Sick ride....I want ur center caps........haha

[datrod]

I remember that car from a couple years back at our Z club car show.

Freakin badass ride.:D

[jonesmechanical]

Thanks guys. I had plans to go down to JCCS this last weekend, but there was too many things going on with work and family to break away. Next year I will plan ahead. The pics looked amazing.

 

Love the Datrod.

[NKLDMR]

What paint did you use to black out all the chrome? That looks sweet.

[paradoxx]

love the ride.........xxr's are not cheap, they are unexpensive hehe, i am running a set of those :(

 

which struts are you running now?