My new RL411

[sreams]

Hello all,

 

I've always been a vintage car fan... especially European cars from the 60s and early 70s. I've always liked the styling of the 410/411 cars, and I just found a nice '67 with the 1600 motor down in LA. I bought it last week and drove it back up to Sacramento.

 

I've had a lot of experience with MGs and Volvos that have SU carbs, so the Hitachis have been a breeze to tune. I also fixed the timing, which was retarded by about 8 degrees. The distributor mechanical advance was also gummed up a bit. Fixed that as well, and now the car runs beautifully and pulls nicely. I'm pretty sure the front suspension is in need of some fresh ball joints. It looks like these can be difficult to come by, so any advice is welcome. Also, the BW35 automatic works well, but it leaks. It appears to be losing fluid at the speedometer drive (easy fix once I find a seal), and probably at the torque converter (not so easy). Is this car like the roadsters in that you cannot remove just the transmission, but must remove the engine together with it?

 

Anyway... here are some shots. I really like the Datsun 210 alloys it came with. I think they work on the 411 better than they do on the 210:

 

[DatWifey]

Wow!! I'm envious beyond belief! Such a beauty, I can't believe how clean it is :cool:

[Lonestar]

Dude!!! What DatWifey said, That is sssoooo clean looking, sweet score man but you gotta tell us, how much you pick up for?

[sreams]

Dude!!! What DatWifey said, That is sssoooo clean looking, sweet score man but you gotta tell us, how much you pick up for?

 

$4800. I think I lucked out. The seller didn't have any pictures up, and the pictures he sent me were taken with a very low quality cellphone camera. I'm guessing this would have been gone well before I got to it if the ad had included decent pictures.

[MikeRL411]

Suspension Restoration Parts has 411 tie rod boots, 9-13103, and ball joint boots, 9-13119. Look below for a previous entry on new ball joints from Rare Parts.com. left lower 10211, right lower 10210, upper obviously 2 needed 10209. Looking good!!!!

[erichwaslike]

i know this car, its been on craigslist for about a year now. it started in the 8500 range and he slowly lowered it last time i saw it it was at 4900. good score. its a carbon copy of my car. although ive swapped mine to manual. it also has different seats out of idk what.

[sreams]

i know this car, its been on craigslist for about a year now. it started in the 8500 range and he slowly lowered it last time i saw it it was at 4900. good score. its a carbon copy of my car. although ive swapped mine to manual. it also has different seats out of idk what.

 

I'm definitely considering swapping to a 4-speed or a maybe a 5-speed from a 2000 roadster. Did you have to do anything with the crossmember or driveshaft? Can the transmission on this car be pulled/installed with the engine in place? What did you do with the shift lever and indicator on the steering column?

 

Thanks ahead.

 

-Scott

[MikeRL411]

Nissan recommends pulling the engine and transmission as a single unit. It will go easier if you remove the fan and its pulley, lots less things to snag. There's nothing wrong with the British Borg Warner automatic transmission unless you are into racing. There is a "socket" on the firewall corner of the engine block that supports the automatic transmission shift mechanism where it connects to the transmission body shift rod. Don't forget to carefully remove the boot and the mechanism or you may be searching for the parts that went "ping" in the corner. Good luck, a beautiful car!

[sreams]

Nissan recommends pulling the engine and transmission as a single unit. It will go easier if you remove the fan and its pulley, lots less things to snag. There's nothing wrong with the British Borg Warner automatic transmission unless you are into racing. There is a "socket" on the firewall corner of the engine block that supports the automatic transmission shift mechanism where it connects to the transmission body shift rod. Don't forget to carefully remove the boot and the mechanism or you may be searching for the parts that went "ping" in the corner. Good luck, a beautiful car!

 

The BW35 does shift well and seems to be a solid transmission. With only 3 speeds however, I was thinking mileage would suffer quite a bit on the highway compared with a 5-speed. The car gets up to 70-75mph quite easily, but revs are pretty high. I wouldn't want to alter the final drive ratio, as 1st would not be low enough.

 

BTW... I do attend track days when I can, but I won't be doing it in this car.

[erichwaslike]

the roadster 5 speed isnt right, too long. i built a 4 speed from a 510 and a roadster 4 speed. you use the 510 rear and roadster front case. 510 guts and cut half inch off the pilot. you have to make a crossmember cause the mount is actually a few inches in front of where it should be. it was pretty easy to do.

 

and why not track it, i took mine to local amatuer drift events, thats before i kicked a rod out of the block.

 

and i usually pull my motor without the trans, and the trans is an easy drop out the bottom, i had mine out, replaced the pilot and throwout and back in the car driving in 1.5 hours.

[sreams]

the roadster 5 speed isnt right, too long.

 

Is it too long just in terms of the driveshaft? I've had driveshafts shortened for other cars at a local driveline shop, so if that is the only obstacle, I'd expect it could be addressed. Does the length also affect fitment into the tunnel and/or shifter position?

 

I built a 4 speed from a 510 and a roadster 4 speed.

 

Wasn't the 411 offered as a 4-speed as well? Is there really a difference between the Roadster 4-speed and the 411 4-speed that would require you to graft two transmissions together?

[erichwaslike]

it affects the shifter position. puts it at your elbow more or less. and yes the 411 was offered as a 4 speed. but the non ss wont fit you car. its a dif bellhousing. good luck trying to find a correct 411sss 4 speed, i had one and some tweeker stole it and scraped it for aluminum, hence why i went thru the trouble of figuring out what trannys you can combine to make a suitable one.

[erichwaslike]

oh and the indicator and colum cover can be removed. i have a good manual column cover if you end up swaping it. ill trtade you straight across, my car didnt have a cover when i got it. its the only stock part i dont have one laying around of lol

[sreams]

it affects the shifter position. puts it at your elbow more or less. and yes the 411 was offered as a 4 speed. but the non ss wont fit you car. its a dif bellhousing. good luck trying to find a correct 411sss 4 speed, i had one and some tweeker stole it and scraped it for aluminum, hence why i went thru the trouble of figuring out what trannys you can combine to make a suitable one.

 

Ah... okay. I get it now. Thanks for all the good info. When/if I convert to manual I'll do the same thing you did, and I'll let you know at that point about swapping column covers.