Autocross/Street Handling '72 510 Wagon

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

Got the car up in the air getting ready for the strut/brake swap. Decided that I should do some super amateur body work, starting with the fender. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hard to see but the bottom of the fender is bent back from smacking the spook against too many parking bumpers. As much as I like to think I'm a perfect driver shit still happens. 

 

There is also a fist sized punch in the fender right in front of the side marker, as seen in the last shitty pic (don't know what was up with my terrible picture taking today). I parked on the street at school and I'm convinced some kid was walking by and smacked the car with his backpack. Pisses me off but can't really do anything about it except fix it. 

 

 

again, hard to see exactly what happened, I originally thought that I could just palm press it out with a body dolly on the other side but no luck, had to take a hammer to it. Missed the dolly and ended up chipping the paint... damnit. but it's less annoying than a full dent so I'm happy. 

 

 

Fender and valence line up a bit better now. 

 

Turns out I've been doing some pretty serious rubbing at full wheel lock, the corner of the fiberglass duct on the spook is worn down and there's a polished spot on the inner fender well. 

 

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

So I'm still waiting on several parts before the brakes can go in, car will be down for a while. 

 

So I decided to clean up the hatch. The paint on it was flaking and terrible looking, with lots of surface rust and rough patches. 

 

 

Girlfriend came over to help. She's catching on to cars fast, faster than I did at first. 

 

 

Then my brother came out to help too. 

 

 

Bonding over bondo. 

 

There were two problem spots, banged them both out, couldn't get bondo on with any sort of good result on one so I just tried to get it as straight as possible. 

 

Dent 1

 

 

 

 

Dent 2 (no bondo), someone either pushed on the license plate light or tapped with their car, made all kinds of nice ripples and deformations,

 

 

Hatch stripped as far as I cared to take it and sanded smooth for priming. 

 

 

 

I got a coat of etching primer on it and a coat of general primer as well as the first coat of black, got too dark to get a good picture by the time I was done so I'll snag one tomorrow. 

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

Brakes in and connected. 

 

 

 

 

 

Master Cylinder is in too. 

 

 

Sneak Peak 

 

 

 

Stickers

 

[Just Joel]

Sweet

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

Sweet

 

Yes they are. 

 

Bled all of the brakes today and it's ready to get on the beat as soon as I get the spacers in the mail, hopefully after Labor Day. 

 

Started rebuilding the SUs, pictures tomorrow. If I'm speedy they'll even be on the car tomorrow for testing. 

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

Got the carbs completely rebuilt today and on the car. 

 

 

Goodbye hold Hitachi

 

 

 

 

Hello new Hitachi Twins

 

 

Pics are kinda bad there at the end, it started raining was in a hurry. 

 

Also pics of the hatch I forgot to post. 

 

 

You can see some ripples from me taking the dents out and then my crap bondo job on the left hand side. 

 

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

Well, carbs ran on the first time when I put them on. 

 

 

 

Also tested the EL distributor, but I managed to mess up the wiring, so I called it a day. Going to grab a new coil for it and make it a better harness tomorrow. 

 

Then the whole engine is coming out and the new LZ 2.1 is going in with the carbs and new dizzy. 

[KyushaKai]

Everything looks awesome dude!  Love your wagon.  'Specially those taillights.

[Just Joel]

^^^^ B)

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

Everything looks awesome dude!  Love your wagon.  'Specially those taillights.

 

Thanks!

 

I've been following your thread for a while... the photoshoot pics are much appreciated. Love the stance you're getting on your wagon, especially with your wheel choice. 

 

 

Unfortunately I'm still chasing down some wiring issues with the tail lights. I don't have the actual euro buckets.... never even seen pair, maybe they don't exist, and I haven't yet been able to separate the brake light completely from the turn signal, thus, both the amber and red show up on braking and when the lights are on. Makes for an interesting look, but in my opinion they still look unfinished and amateurish like that. 

[KyushaKai]

That's what Ray from Autohero told me as his lights do the same. You'd have to run a separate relay. So yours are euro lenses in USDM housings?

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

Exactly, been pouring over wiring charts for a couple hours now trying to figure it out since I mentioned it hahaha. 

[Just Joel]

As far as I can tell the euro lenses were an option and the buckets were all the same? The wires at the taillights already combine brake and turn signals to one wire in the harness and I've traced the origin to somewhere behind the cluster in the dash. I plan to take it apart and see where the module is so I can eliminate and run a separate wire for the brake lights. Logic says that there is dedicated blinker only signal somewhere as the front indicators don't come on with the brake lights (obviously).

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

I figured the wire would be somewhere where it was a pain in the ass to work on... at least it doesn't connect in the channels that run to the back of the car through the pillars though. 

 

I finally figured out what was wrong with my matchbox dizzy. I'm stupid and managed to completely screw over the wiring between the dizzy and the coil. After three days of trouble shooting and diagnostic work resulting in plenty of cursing and frustration I scrapped the original T connector and the wires I spliced off of it. 

 

Boom that fixed the whole problem. 

 

So tear down begins tomorrow, everything in the bay is coming out for cleaning and prep for the 2.1

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

Got the engine disconnected from everything and ready to go for being pulled.

 

 

 

 

Also got my custom 16mm billet spacers 

 

 

 

Put a wheel on and put the car on the ground. I clear the fender with even more space than I had before and I'm about 5mm away from the strut tube. Success. 

 

Then discovered there's a problem with the exhaust. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mocked it up on the new motor and it's not going to clear because the block is taller. I'm going to get it pie cut so it comes out a little more to the Y pipe. I'm also going to have the Y-pipe redone since they cam from the factory with a section of them punched in to clear the tranny. Going 2 1/4 in exhaust... might have it done with mandrel bends if I can get it for a reasonable price.

[KyushaKai]

As far as I can tell the euro lenses were an option and the buckets were all the same? The wires at the taillights already combine brake and turn signals to one wire in the harness and I've traced the origin to somewhere behind the cluster in the dash. I plan to take it apart and see where the module is so I can eliminate and run a separate wire for the brake lights. Logic says that there is dedicated blinker only signal somewhere as the front indicators don't come on with the brake lights (obviously).

 

If either of you guys figure it out, post up a DIY since I'm gonna have to go through the same thing.

[Just Joel]

Lucky you :)

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

Pulled the motor today. 

 

 

 

 

Problem spots in the engine bay I'd like to clean up and possibly spray over some surface rust before the new motor goes in. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There will also be a wiring inquisition to remove anything no longer in use. 

 

Resurfaced flywheel, and custom built clutch, pressure plate, and disk made by Superior Clutch. Took my weight, gear ratios, power, and purpose and he built me a custom clutch set up. Great guy, would recommend him to anyone in the Bay Area looking for a good clutch set up. 

 

 

 

[Laecaon]

To make the Euro lights work correctly:

 

Under the dash disconnect the wire from the brake switch that is not 12V+ at all times.  This will make it so the brake lights dont come on with the same wire as the turn signal.

 

From this now open terminal on the brake switch, run a wire to your tail lights.

 

Stock setup in the US tails is to have the upper 2 bulbs turn on brightly for both Brake and Turn. you need to disconnect the Lg/R (left side) and Lg/B(right side) wires from the middle bulb.

 

And finally the wire you ran to the back of the car, you need to attach to where you just removed wires from on the middle bulb.

 

Now your top bulb should light up with turnsignal/hazards, middle bulb with running lights and Brake lights, and bottom bulb reverse lights.

 

 

This picture shows how the brake switch and turnsignal switch interface.

 

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

Going to have to get on that one as soon as the engine is finished. Thanks Laecon!

 

Unfortunately this will be the last update for a while, probably a couple weeks. I'm leaving for college on Sunday and I'm going to be unable to get the wagon running myself. My dad is going to take over the last few odds and ends like the exhaust and carb tuning for me over the next week or so. Then he's going to get it aligned and it'll be all set for me to pick up... hopefully. 

 

Best. Dad. Ever.

 

Everything put together. 

 

Going in

 

 

 

 

 

Aaaaaand we're in. 

 

 

Tach and coil wiring still needs to get wrapped up nice, but other than most of my engine bay cleaning is done. 

 

 

 

surface rust removal from a bad overflow can habit. 

 

 

Turns out you can take all this wiring off and stuff down on the frame rail when you no longer need an external voltage regulator... makes for a clean tower. 

 

 

 

Also ordered in some really cool cap screws for the carbs (fuel bowl lid, dash pot) and a matching set of caps for the valve cover. Also got some good manifold lock nuts. The kind that lock from a triangular top as opposed to nylon. Cad for the intake and copper for the exhaust. 

This engine is going to look clean if it kills me.

[troyt]

I'm glad to see this project making good progress, the new motor will certainly add to your enjoyment (and drop your track times...)

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

So I'm back from college for a weekend to see my family... and do some car work!

 

Ceramic coated manifold.

 

 

 

Sexy hardware. 

 

 

 

More sexy hardware

 

 

 

sexy heat shield and insulators

 

 

Some sexy carbs

 

 

 

 

With sexy matching cap screws

 

 

 

Sexy banjo bolt for the fuel bowl overflow 

 

 

Did some more shaping and bracketing for the spark plug wires in the cleaned up engine bay. 

 

 

 

And that's where I left it today. 

 

[Bearded One]

Love all the new hardware. Makes for a really nice install. Good job on all the attention to details. You have one very clean engine bay.

[datzenmike]

So I got a motor.

 

 

Big thanks to Troy Ermish for all his help in planning and building this motor. Looks great, no doubt it will run great too. 

 

 

Final details are: Z22 block and front cover with a refinished Z22 crank. Z20S rods with stock KA pistons. U67 head with a DAM cam (big lift, this things going to be nice and lumpy sounding. So excited  :hyper: ). Total comes out to a 2150cc motor that will be reliable, make about 130 at the wheels (both torque and hp) with my SUs, and will run smoothly (no shaking like the big LZ23).

 

Hmmm maybe you got the wrong specs. 89mm bore and (Z22 crank) 92mm stroke is 2288cc. You probably meant an L20B crank, fully counter weighted and will rev smoothly.

 

 

I presume that this intake does not have coolant lines in it?

[Son_of_a_Datsun_Guy]

Not sure what you mean by cooling lines. It's the 220 manifold and it does have the water passages. I've just plugged up the hot water feed that comes off the side of the manifold but there are still water passages flowing between it and the head.