1200 SS aka The Baby Nova

[DRIVEN]

It looks crooked.  Is it just the photo?

[jb1200]

It looks crooked.  Is it just the photo?

It's just the way I took the pic but to make sure I will double check Thursday after work.

[CGS1948]

 

It looks crooked.  Is it just the photo?

The car looks pretty straight in relationship to it's surroundings, but the engine looks crooked to the car.

[CGS1948]

 

It's just the way I took the pic but to make sure I will double check Thursday after work.

 

Did you use a level on the engine when you were positioning the mounts to weld them in? You might want to tack your mounts first (if you haven't already) just in case you goof up (it happens).

[jb1200]

  

Did you use a level on the engine when you were positioning the mounts to weld them in? You might want to tack your mounts first (if you haven't already) just in case you goof up (it happens).

Yeah the mounts are tacked...I will go back with a level on thursday

[DRIVEN]

There's actually more room next to the strut towers than I would have expected.  Is the steering linkage dropped on the passenger side?

[jb1200]

There's actually more room next to the strut towers than I would have expected.  Is the steering linkage dropped on the passenger side?

I yeah i took the whole linkage out and reversed the crossmember to clear the oil pan

[CGS1948]

 

I yeah i took the whole linkage out and reversed the crossmember to clear the oil pan

 

Are you saying that you unbolted the four bolts holding the crossmember to the body shell, and turned it 180 degrees? Did you hook up your steering linkage and turn the steering wheel from lock to lock? Do you think that your castor might be off, now that you reversed the whole crossmember?

[DRIVEN]

I think he dropped the linkage due to pan clearance.

[CGS1948]

 

I think he dropped the linkage due to pan clearance.

There is an indentation at the back of the crossmember to clear the linkage when it is mounted the proper way, with the little U shape at the front to clear the stock A12 sump. When the crossmember is reversed and the U shape is at the rear, the linkage will interfere unless clearance is made. The struts will also lean a different way because the crossmember has a built-in offset in it for correct camber when mounted in the factory position.  

[CGS1948]

 

I yeah i took the whole linkage out and reversed the crossmember to clear the oil pan

 

When DAT383 built his car, he ran into the same problems that you are now encountering with the oil pan. He didn't reverse the crossmember, he just cut out the center section and then built a dropped crossmember welded to the original non-reversed crossmember ends. As you might already know, he used a front mounted rack and pinion, as well as front mounted brake calipers. This will eliminate SOME of the headaches of your project. Just punch in DAT383 in the "Fast Search" on the Datsun 1200.com site. You might as well follow his build and save yourself some second-guessing. He lays it out pretty simply---could save you some time. M2CW

[CGS1948]

John, are there any more updates on your progress?

[831Sunny]

will the headers clear??

[Cmac]

look at the C5 oil pan I THINK that is the one the 240z guys use on there ls1 conversions. 

[CGS1948]

 

look at the C5 oil pan I THINK that is the one the 240z guys use on there ls1 conversions. 

 

He's not using an LSx engine on this build thread, he is using a gen I 307 SBC.

[jb1200]

John, are there any more updates on your progress?

No updates this past weekend. Ordered a lot of goodies tho, just waiting on the brown and FED guy to deliver them.

[jb1200]

will the headers clear??

I ordered a pair of "Block Hugger Headers" that should clear the frame rail. We shall see when they get here.

[jb1200]

  

He's not using an LSx engine on this build thread, he is using a gen I 307 SBC.

I order a front sump oil pan for a 62-67 nova.

http://www.classicindustries.com/nova/parts/n13004.html

[CGS1948]

 

I order a front sump oil pan for a 62-67 nova.

http://www.classicindustries.com/nova/parts/n13004.html

That is a sweet lookin' oil pan!!!

[jb1200]

That is a sweet lookin' oil pan!!!

Yeah I know right...can't wait to install it.

[CGS1948]

Did you get your engine mounts, and trans mount in yet? Any other updates?

[Bentaxlebob]

A rotary engine is the perfect engine for this car like it was said before. Rebuilding the rotary would had been enough. A V- in a 1200 is useless because you can not use it's power to it's fullest. Yes it may sound impressive, but no match for a street ported rotary engine sound.  A turbo rotary would had gone faster than the 307 and lighter at same time.

 

Too late perhaps, this thread looks like it has been going on for a while.

 

  I was going to buy that car, wrote to the owner and he never replied.  Hope he reads my comments, his rotary would had survived ( perhaps rebuilt and painted )...gone is the rotary 1200.

 

 Good luck

[CGS1948]

A rotary engine is the perfect engine for this car like it was said before. Rebuilding the rotary would had been enough. A V- in a 1200 is useless because you can not use it's power to it's fullest. Yes it may sound impressive, but no match for a street ported rotary engine sound.  A turbo rotary would had gone faster than the 307 and lighter at same time.

 

Too late perhaps, this thread looks like it has been going on for a while.

 

  I was going to buy that car, wrote to the owner and he never replied.  Hope he reads my comments, his rotary would had survived ( perhaps rebuilt and painted )...gone is the rotary 1200.

 

 Good luck

 

I think that John is after torque---low RPM cruising torque. I hear you about the rotary in the light Datto, makes a real neat lightweight car that you can throw around corners, as well as straight line drag performance.  The only drawbacks to the rotary are: They run hot, they are loud, they are not great on gas when carburated, and unless they have a turbo, have poor low RPM torque. My pick would have been a nice stock KA from a pickup, which has all the torque many would need. It is a moot point choosing an engine for this car, as it is coming along, and most likely will stay that way. I join you in wishing him luck. 

[Syncro]

gas mileage? is that Heavy v8 really gonna doing any better then the rotary would of mileage wise? His car is probably gonna be loud anyway, run hot? My 13b runs so cool I can rest my hand anywhere but the exhaust manifold after its warmed up and been running a while with out getting burned, same goes for my brother's 12a. also rotaries are bad on gas pretty much no matter what, weren't designed for fuel economy. I would of preferred he kept the rotary but its his car to build, If its a screamin running beast when he's done more power to him.

[CGS1948]

gas mileage? is that Heavy v8 really gonna doing any better then the rotary would of mileage wise? His car is probably gonna be loud anyway, run hot? My 13b runs so cool I can rest my hand anywhere but the exhaust manifold after its warmed up and been running a while with out getting burned, same goes for my brother's 12a. also rotaries are bad on gas pretty much no matter what, were designed for fuel economy. I would of preferred he kept the rotary but its his car to build, If its a screamin running beast when he's done more power to him.

 

If he hooks that 307 up to the T-56 like he says he is, yes, he will get better gas mileage. The stock rotary uses a special chambered muffler to quiet it. Any time we swapped a rotary into a smaller something, we always had to upgrade the radiator, and likewise when putting a larger piston engine like a 302 Ford in a Mazda Rotary pickup, we could use the stock radiator. :)