v8 620

[drag racer]

alright guys, i tried searching this but couldnt come up with anything. im picking up a van in a few days with a running ford 460ci. any way i could fit this in my datsun, or is it just physically too big? i know it would take a lot of work, but i figured i would ask if anybody has put a big block in their datsun!

thanks

[ariascarlos1990]

.... its most likely been done already.

 

/end.

[drag racer]

Thanks for the enlightenment. Anybody actually done it before or have any advice?

[Cahoon520]

Anything is possible if you have the time, tools,money and most important a tape measure.

[Skib]

alright guys, i tried searching this but couldnt come up with anything.

 

 

 

then you didnt search hard enough. theres at least one active member with a V8 620.

 

 

yes it will fit. you will have to cut.

[datzenmike]

The 460 weight 650 lb (plus the auto) That's 2 1/2 times the stock weight on a vehicle that's front heavy to begin with. I can only assume this is for going fast in a straight line?

 

Have you done this before?

What are you fabrication skills, 'cause almost everything will require one offs and lots of mods.

Have you figured out what this is going to cost to do?? I mean realistically.

Do you have the money set aside to complete the project?

You realize that tripling the hp and torque and adding 400 lbs (min.) to the front is going to require brake and suspension up grades.

The fire wall will have to be cut out and the tunnel enlarged, do you have a welder?

 

I would hate to see a good 620 get cut up and the project get sold for scrap because someone got in over their head, and this will happen frightfully fast.

 

Good luck with 460 620.

[209-916]

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/20357-a-crazy-ass-620-i-know-of/

There's a 350 in this one I know of, with a 9" rearend to handle the power, etc. A LOT of chopping will be necessary.......

[drag racer]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm only a senior at highschool, but I've been welding and fabricating for about 7 years. I've got all the tools and equipment I think ill need, and I've got a steady job so money shouldn't be an issue. I've worked on a lot of different cars and projects so I do have experience. I realise that I will need brake and suspension upgrades, but as far as I know these aren't exactly off the shelf parts? Any input on what I should be looking at for that? Thanks again guys!

[209-916]

I honestly would only go with a v6 MAYBE at the most with stock axle and suspension, unless you're building a straight drag truck.....

[moparvwfreak]

all i have to say is, pretzel? a small block is one thing. a big block is something that shouldn't go into a datsun. WAY to much, but to each his own.

[Farmer Joe]

it wont fit without a lot of work. i barely fit a buick v6 in my last truck. your gonna have to redo the steering cuz the bigblock is way wide. plus theres gonna be probably a big exhaust manifold in there too. i forsee lots of uni joints...

 

from there, the torsions arent gonna be able to do with all that motor and trans. i mean, it will, but it will ride like a turd, no more taking corners without almost stopping.

 

speaking of stopping, if youve got a 78 like your deal says, than your gonna need to do some sort of upgrade. even if it was just to get '83 and after 720 vented rotor brakes, that would be a good start for cheap.

 

ive built numerous v8 luvs and other things, but a bigblock is gonnabe a royal pain in your ass to do...

[Steroid]

There have been 3 bigblock Datsun pickups built that I know of. All have been featured in magazines. All 3 definately have been in Truckin' years ago. There were two 521s and one 620. The 620 was called Bad Ju Ju and I saw it run at Pomona in about 1985. The other one was called American Rik Shaw. I cannot remember the name of the last one. Finding the magazines with those features shouldn't be too hard. I have them in My collection but it would take a little while for Me to get the exact month and year of each issue. Reading what was done on those trucks might help You. I have 9 photos of Bad Ju Ju in My collection. One was signed by the Owner/builder Gene Hyde and His driver. The truck might actually still be around. Gene told Me 6 years ago that it was sold to a guy in the Venice Beach area. I have not found any leads, though on the truck. I also remember two Chevy Luvs. One was yellow and had a polished aluminum wing on the rear. Hope that helps.

[datzenmike]

Mike I had a copy of Hot Rod or some such that featured the American Ric Shaw. I think it was a Chevy powered 521.

[DongTran]

It's almost easier to take the cab and bed, slap it on another frame with similar wheelbase.

 

edit: and those who took that seriously, I was just joking.

[Steroid]

I just looked at My Bad Ju Ju photos. A full tube frame. I would guess the 521s were tube frames also.

 

Yes, I also remember that being a 521. I don't think that is a magazine that i own. Can You scan and post the cover???

[BACARDI_DWB]

I was able to fit a 302 in my 521 but i also did ALOT of modifications to make it fit. in the end I tossed the idea because I didn't like the idea of that much weight over the front end. a big block will be VERY hard to fit in there and there will be alot of modifications to make it fit. Expect the project to take a while, as what is already said you are going to have to change ALOT, Suspension is going to be your first hurdle, if you going to upgrade the suspension you may as well do the steering also, which brakes will be required. For picking a huge V8, your costs can go up not in the V8 installation alone, but all the supporting hardware to make the build something worth driving.

 

What is it that you want out of your truck? torque, horsepower or the sound of a V8? Cause there are plenty of ways to accomplish the torque of a V8. get a KA24E turbo it with a quick spooling holeset and you can have 400hp and 450 lbs of tq. 400hp is a LOT of power in a light datsun truck and you are going to have a very hard time getting that power to the ground with no weight over the rear wheels. (believe me I am trying to combat that myself)

 

If you want the sound of a V8, look into a smaller v8 that is easier to toss in there like the Buick 215. Light small and packed a punch. there are lots of race cars that weigh 1500lbs with the 215 in there and the drivers love those little motors. I want to buy a car just to play with that motor.

 

There are various other options out there, do your research, we have a few guys here on the forums with v8's installed in datsuns and the guys right now that are running them are mostly small blocks and they say its too much power for the chasis and they ride around like its on ice all the time. The key with power in these trucks is the suspension setup. If you can find a good suspension, you can support higher horsepower.

 

Good luck and have fun

[datzenmike]

I just looked at My Bad Ju Ju photos. A full tube frame. I would guess the 521s were tube frames also.

 

Yes, I also remember that being a 521. I don't think that is a magazine that i own. Can You scan and post the cover???

 

Sorry it's all from memory about mid '70? Wasn't even my mag. Might have been a mini truck mag.

[drag racer]

I'm not really one for turbo setups, and I haven't been able to find any ka engines around here. It is basically going to be a drag truck so I thought a big block would be a lot of power for cheap (relatively speaking) I might try and find a small block for the right price

[BACARDI_DWB]

Just a tip,

 

keep in mind when choosing a motor where the distributor cap is (if you choose a motor with one) Chevy's have the worst spot to have a distributor for doing motor swaps, requires lots of firewall cutting to fit that distributor in there unless you fit the radiator in the bed, which you may want to do since its a drag only truck, get as much weight over the rear end as possible

[74datsun620]

Just for fun have you thought of using a toranado olds 455 front wheel drive and putting it in the back.

[Farmer Joe]

Just for fun have you thought of using a toranado olds 455 front wheel drive and putting it in the back.

 

ive actually seen that done! it was an 500cu caddy and transaxle from an eldarado. guy still had the stock running motor in the front too.

[datzenmike]

Years ago I saw an article with the 455 olds/trans axle in a Porsche. The back was hollowed out with several suitcases bolted together and lined with insulation to cover over and hide the motor. Looked just like someone was taking a trip. The car was way faster/quieter/easier on gas than the Porsche motor.

[pharouh]

I knew I had this somewhere.

 

 

 

Sorry for the crappy scan. I can send you a better one if you want one.

[74datsun620]

very cool datsun V8

 

 

[nismo dr]

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ctd/1694292546.html