SR20DE '68 SPL311. "The Old Mercedes"

[that_rat_bastid]

I originally purchased my 68 SPL311 Roadster as a summer project, but I lacked the space to do the work in. She was a very clean specimin, who's major defects were a sad excuse for a paintjob covered up by a decent enough paint-job in Jaguar Racing Green. I love the color, but close examination will show bubbling on the hood and "kermit green" over-spray in the engine area and some bondo work here and there that could be cleaned up. The previous owner had installed magna flow mufflers, and she sounds throaty and mean when you're giving her juice. I bought her without even knowing how to drive stick yet, so I had to enlist the aid of my brother to drive it home with me following behind in my Yaris.

 

 

After a hard week's use however, she started to lose oil pressure at idle and was jerky and rough. I parked her for a while, researching the costs of fixing the old motor online. It was then that I stumbled across Spriso and decided to go for a conversion to make her a fast, reliable car and started planning the conversion with my buddy who's a fellow enthusiast.

 

When I first got her, I didn't have a garage to keep her in. My mom gave me her Mercedes SLK car cover and I've used that while she sat in my parking spot because I didn't want to blow up the motor. It's given the roadster the nickname "The Old Mercedes" ever since. After spending a month or so looking into motors, I secured a 240sx with an SR20det swap who's previous owner had drifted into a wall at a race track and the rear end was pretty FUBAR. It wasn't street legal by any means, but me and my friend still thrashed it back home while I followed as close behind as possible to keep any nosey cops from pulling in behind it (or atleast, that was the plan.)

 

After that, I left for a long vacation and the project languished without a space. My friend fixed the problem with the oil pressure and had the 240sx dyno'd with the last of his paycheck because he "had to know". The car was had lost its tune because of a battery that had died and was pretty hacked up but it still came in with 340whp @ 6900 and 286 ft lbs @ 5700. Tuned properly, it'll be absolutely insane. Too insane for the 240sx it's in right now, judging by the rear end. The roadster would be turned into a ball-to-the-wall death-sled. I had the motor and the kit from spriso, but I've since decided to go for something a little more controllable and go for a SR20de engine swap. The project's still on hiatus, I've been trying to decide on what to do with the Awesome Turbo Motor of Doom and the mashed up 240sx. I'm probably going to just keep it and part out the rest of what I don't need, that motor could easily go into my next project.

 

I found some slick panasport rims but until I redo the suspension, they aren't really roadable without rubbing. Next step is to snag a suspension kit off datsunparts and order a sr20de engine. I'll be moving this coming month, and will finally have some space to get started. I can do the suspension in the mean-time, I'm just gonna have to wait for it to get here. In the mean time, the Old Mercedes lies in wait.

[mrmark]

nice rims! I would think 400 hp in that little thing would rip rather well!

[Tristin]

Oh man, this is going to be good. I'm a closet roadster fan and with the DE thrown in there, should be a sweet car. Can't wait for updates.

[that_rat_bastid]

Yeah, I cannot wait to get cracking and start doing Datsun heart surgery I could honestly go either way, the major benefit of the turbo motor is the money's already spent and I know it works. The turbo would be a challenging build, but I really want go non-turbo and convert my SR20de motor to a ve setup on the Roadster. That would be tight. Or I could put the ve head conversion on this here ol' turbo.

 

[Tristin]

I always said that if I SR swapped anything it would be an NA VE. Check out a members 510 running a VE. His name is Syck... Pretty good setup.

[that_rat_bastid]

I love the NA engine and the VE is just icing on the cake. Thanks, I'll have to check out his setup.

[Ranman72]

put that sr turbo in there

it was once said

TO MUCH POWER IS ALMOST ENOUGH

[72240z]

I had a 2k roadster for a while. The next one I get is def going to go DE VE.

[SakuraGarage]

Do a miata BP swap and then you don't have to cut up your poor old roadster.

[that_rat_bastid]

Started her up and drove her down the street, she still runs strong and loud. I plan on taking her to the upcoming Bay Area swap-meet in Livermore and wanted to try and get the new rims to fit one more time but to limited success. She doesn't rub too bad with one person, but 2 is a nightmare. I'll just have to drive there with stock rims instead. The thought of cutting the roadster for the swap terrifies me, but sacrifices must be made in the Name of Science. I don't want a Miatsun, even though I wouldn't have to cut. I'd sooner secure some mikuni 44's and stay with a stock restore.

 

I kind of dig the one fog-light, actually. But I plan on replacing it.