VH45DE 510!!!

[co.dime]

dont know how to get this post moved over to the project page, when it was started i was asking if it had been done. Now it is more than on its way to finished. more pics to come this week.

 

http://community.rat...10-vh45de-swap/

 

 

[WAGON JON]

link isn't working.

[ninjabortion]

link isn't working.

 

here you go(i'm assuming)

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/29434-510-vh45de-swap/page__st__40

[DRIVEN]

ah geez...

[Project Bandwagon]

we've got a local guy with a vh45de 240..... it SOUNDS incredible

[AgentOrange]

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[co.dime]

(Disclaimer: This posting to be read semi "tongue in cheek" humor- not meant to be hostile)

 

Dear Maj. Overkill (couldnt resist the military pun...sorry),

Am I the only one that is wondering why (yet another) well prepped L-series is being stripped from a 510 to have an enormous swap attempted? If I could suggest anything at this point it would be to STOP!!! quit while you are ahead and the shell can still be saved. How much money have you dedicated to this endeavor? Have you address ANY of the countless suspension gremlins that are necessary to make these cars handle AT ALL, much less with 5 times the horsepower?

 

Please tell me you are a mechanical engineer who designs for the military, with copious amounts of money, and that you are not using a 510 to make your first attempt at a major driveline swap on a vintage japanese car. Hacking these cars apart without skill and a plan should be a crime.

 

 

What led you to pick a VH45 anyhow? Convince me that this motor is worth sacrificing a 510 to.... What are you going to do with it? do you care if it handles at all? Did you get a baseline of capability from the L-motor before pulling it? What made you decide that a $2000 Lmotor with the most desirable carb setup was less than you needed? Did you do any research about the potential of that motor? Do you care about their durability and relative simplicity? Please help me understand the mindset behind quitting on the L motor... I have genuine curiosity about how the choice to swap ends up being made.

 

 

What are you going to do for swaybars? Springs and shocks? Transmission, Rear Differential? Are you going to take the time to reinforce a 40 year old frame designed for 60 wheel horse power? What about a rollcage? How are you going to transfer all the power to the ground effectively? (or did you just want to do donuts and sound cool?)

 

 

 

I auto-x regularly and have yet to lose to a swapped car...this is not to brag about how fantastic I am, but to say it seems like ALL of the swappers ignore the suspension or have some bass-ackwards setup that does not work. VG30's pegleg hard and lift inside tires and you will be at least that poorly distributed -weight wise. My L20b is being rebuilt, and with a STOCK L-16 I have held off : KA, Supercharged KA, SR, Turbo SR, VG, and even CA18. All due to to lack of foresight on the part of the builder on all matters suspension and driveline related.

 

To be fair...I do ALWAYS lose to a home-built datsun 1200 with a rotary mazda RX3 motor. (but so do 98% of the cars at the events) It comes fully prepped, fully adjustable, and on 8" hoosiers.

 

If you are dying to swap a v8 into a sub compact why not stuff a LS into a Miata or 240sx, even an rx7?. Easier, faster, cheaper, more power easier, better balancing, and you dont have to sacrifice a SCARCE car to the process. They are not making cross members anymore - every time one gets hacked apart there is one less left in the world that works like it was meant to. Heck - if you MUST use a Datsun, why not a Z car ? - better length and weight distribution for a larger motor anyhow. ...

 

Have you considered the possibility that you could quite possibly have a better car with less money invested by simply Sticking with an L motor? Go for fuel injection, crank triggered, Individual throttle bodies, and have a wicked redline! Or bore and stroke the shit out of a z block and have a 2.4l torque monster! Either way you will go fast and still have a car that can be passed on and brought back to original someday.

 

I know the owners of a HIGHLY modified 510 with a buic aluminum v8 mounted midship. ALL MOUNTS CUSTOM, endless amounts of Fab time and money invested over years....The car sits in the garage and gathers dust, almost impossible to turn it without spinning (too much mass inside wheelbase), and every time they fire the thing up some sort of catastrophic high-dollar detonation occurs. Owned by a couple with dozens of datuns, who will tell you it was a mistake.

 

Ok, enough....sorry for the rant, its just that swapping motors has become such a trendy thing for these cars that I have become VERY tired of seeing the large number of hack jobs and poorly thought out projects. So please - just think it all the way through before going past the point of no return.

 

I wish you the best and sincerely hope you have the money, time, skill, and dedication to make the most of your project.

 

Cheers!

 

Dan (AgentOrange)

 

 

 

 

ok got to the post in the engine page and most of your questions will be answered. if not break the questions down by number so i can answer all of them for you. and the only thing being cut on the car is the battery tray removed and the trans tunnel made slightly larger( well it may fit with out cutting be we have planed to chop it if needed.