1970 510 Wagon: Chunk

[vanmansam]

Here is my build.  

 

Anyways here is my car.  Its a 1970. I call her Chunk. I bought her December 2012. Rust free now, semi-straight body, pretty complete.  Chunk was my daily driver until I decided to put in an l20b and 5spd for some more power, drivability ect, so she is currently under construction.  I joined the military and am currently living in South Carolina.  Pics do most of the talking.  Will update with progress.

 

List of things I have done so far:

-Brakes

  -280zx struts+rebuilt calipers (I rebuilt them)

  -Wagner "performance" ceramic pads

  -7/8" Master cylinder

  -Fresh shoes and wheel cylinders in back

-Ignition switch (no more hotwire)

-Fixed almost all the lights (still no reverse)

-Rust repair under battery tray and tray itself

-Kept l16 alive good enough for transportation before I put in my l20b

-Collected as many of the missing parts as possible (badges, knobs, handles ect) and interior parts

-New rear end and lowered in the back

-Fixed the windshield washer
-Different hood

-Carpet

 

 

 

First day of ownership

 

Old l16.  Was a good engine, but it had about 235k hard miles on it, and didnt make very good power.

 

Arizona desert for ya.  Thats 40 years of dirt that was hiding behind the dash.  Also check out ghetto ignition that I had to rock for a few months.

 

 

Does anyone have any info on this knob? It was on the car when I bought it.  I plan to run it with the dogleg I put in.

 

 

 

Datsun Play-date with a neighbor

 

Rust

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weatherstrip

 

Notice: Custom Cup-holder on my glove box. A buddy of mine that works at Target snagged for me off a busted shopping cart.  Works awesome

[vanmansam]

OOOh new Power plant

A87 head.  went with smaller ports for velocity/torque, and closed chamber for detonations resistance (very important in AZ) and small spike in CR 

Stock bottom end.  Didn't touch because it didn't need messing with IMO.  Was going to rebuild but opted not to.

 

 

 

Like I said I will update with more progress.  Just put the engine in yesterday, so bolting all the parts back on it next, along with rewapping wiring.  Plan to drive again within the week, but we will see. Also differential need rebuilt as soon as the motor project is finished.

 

Thanks for looking

Vanman

 

edit: BTW in case you didnt notice, Im not the kind of guy who is big into the whole SR20det, roll cage, super low, anodized billet, fender flare scene.  A little about me: I am 19 years old, Live in Tempe AZ, I love old imports.

[TENDRIL]

wow awesome first post!! nice goon man welcome !!

[Dirttrack510]

Great 1st post! You nailed it, you even have good pics. I like the car and it looks like you are doing some nice work. :)

Also... Welcome to Ratsun

[Duncan]

Very nice work!  Your goon is coming along nicely. 

[darc510]

As already stated by other members, excellent first post!!! Great job on getting the new engine in and making it so clean. I'll be following this one...

[h190]

I noticed the machine shop took your head to the belt sander.  Most machine shops are scared of L series heads because the are afraid they cant chuck it up in the mill because of the cam towers.  I hate when they belt sand them.

[vanmansam]

Thanks for the encouragement guys, I picked a good time to post this thread since I am in the middle of an engine swap, and since I already had a bunch of good pics waiting.

It will give the illusion that I am some kind of 510 freak who works like mad, but really progress is normal 

 

 

 

I noticed the machine shop took your head to the belt sander.  Most machine shops are scared of L series heads because the are afraid they cant chuck it up in the mill because of the cam towers.  I hate when they belt sand them.

 

I am cool with it. The head didn't actual need surfacing, so cleaning it up that way only really removes the old head gasket and barely skims the metal surface, better than doing it with a razor or scotch wheel myself.  I know its not *precise* but it's an efficient way to quickly clean. Plus if they take off to much then you have to shim the cam towers to account for the chain slack from the cut head.

 

Spec for my motor build:

'78 200sx l20b stock bottom end

Rebuilt a87 peanut with mild port work to match intake

Stock cam (for now)

Dual SSS SUs (slightly modified)

Stock exhaust manifold

EI

Paint (for extra HP) :P

200mm flywheel with new clutch

100amp alternator (if I can get the damn thing to fit)

 

I plan to run a wide-band to help tune the SUs

 

Things that I need to acquire before I can drive again:

-Clutch slave

-Air filter, I need to finish modifying my roaster unit to fit, then find a paper filter for it

-Lube

-Misc hardware 

-Misc wiring supplies.

-Oil cap

-Build an exhaust system. Not necessary to "drive" but needs to be done soon

 

 

Other than piddly stuff that will take a thousand trips the ACE hardware to resolve I pretty much have all the major pieces.

 

Heres some shots of the port work.  I used some porting epoxy (aka JB weld; I can say "I hope I dont blow the welds on my intake" and actually mean it) and closed up the SSS manifold to help match ports without hogging the head to much.  Not perfect but I hope it helps.

 

[vanmansam]

rewrapped harness

 

 

also got some more parts back in. Almost done putting everything back together, some stuff it just temporary like the voltage regulator ect.  

I need to do the brakes, but dont have a helper, so I have just been working on getting everything else back on.

I was getting close to having everything on, up until I couldn't get the alternator to fit. Seems like the adjuster "ear" is just too far to reach the curved adjuster arm.

Its an 03 Maxima/altima unit. Any help from my Canadian e-mentor, Datzenmike? I was using one of your write ups from one of these datsun sites as a guild and thought It was going to be super easy.  I think I may need to hack away some of the mount braket in order to get the alternator closer to the crankcase.

 

I tried to put on my old rinky-dink 35 amp unit as a temporary solution, but the bolts for the l20b braket are larger than the eyes on the 35a alternator.  The braket from the l16 didnt fit the l20 block so I couldnt switch.

 

 

 

 

[vanmansam]

Radio came in the mail today.

Booyah!!  Finally filled the hole in my dash...  :hairy:

 

 

Will keep updated about motor.  Its looking good to have it running tonight or tomorrow!

 

[vanmansam]

Well I got it running.  Video soon

[vanmansam]

I've got that special feeling you get when something works out perfectly as planned.  :cool:

[vanmansam]

Finished up most of the other odds and ends and got Chunk back on the road.

Only went around the block a couple times cause it still has no exhaust, but once I build one it should be completely roadworthy!

Thanks for looking

VanMan

[carterb]

Looking great!  I hope you enjoy your first drive with all the recent work!

--carter

[jrock4224]

nice i am so jealous ....

[vanmansam]

thanks man.  It feels good to have her back on the road. :)  Hopefully its inspirations for the guys whos cars have been off the road for 2years+ building and perfecting.  Its like, come on just get in and drive the dang thing already.

[jrock4224]

aww u know me well ... no seriously yours runs and close to driving ..... the work look fan freaking tastic....am jelly bro...and yes everytime i start something elseon my wagon .,.. i say i am baout to drive my goon doorless...

[jser12]

damn, them SUs :frantics:. Nice build

[vanmansam]

I was going to build some "twice pipe" style twin exhaust for Chunk but I decided to just keep my stock exhaust system and I just cut it to fit the motor based a few things.

 

-Budget

-Time and effort

-I was happy with the old sound of the exhaust. Not loud, not annoying, not silent either.

-Bigger is not always better.  As far as performance goes, everywhere I have read on the internet says 2" pipe is about perfect for an l20b extraction, especially on a street driven car.  My local guru Doc said 2.5 but I personally think thats too big and I am not a big fan of high RPM driving anyways so I dont know that all that flow would be to my benefit anyways.  The pipe i have is is already 1 7/8" so thats close enough to 2" for me.  

-Sleeper  8-)  :lol: 

 

 

Some Help Please:

Although I am not sure I can call it a "leak" yet, there is a coolant drip on the front of the drivers side frame rail.  I spilled some coolant in the engine bay and it was resting on the box frame rails under the radiator.  Is there any way that the spill could have just ran down the inside of the rail and out this little hole?  Radiator and hose connections are good and there are no signs of leakage.  Only worrying thing is that I spilled two days ago and its still dripping even though AZ humidity is about 0% right now so you think it would dry then.  Any other place it could have come from? Heater core connections are good.  

 

Pics. 

 

[jrock4224]

heater cores usually notify u form the inside through smell and a trail onthe floor boards .,...im guess itt he radiator.... maybe check the petcock for tightness... it might leak only under pressure....oth wise look at the bottom tank where the core goes into it ... mine leaks tere it gets the ole top of the bottom tank wet......looks damp between the veins....

 and that's a leak fer sure

[vanmansam]

Like i said, no signs of leak, just wondering if the spill could have migrated here.

[vanmansam]

Well I just keep fucking up tonight.  :poop:

 

-Turns out the coolant was a leak at one of the heater hoses on the firewall :blush:

-I spilled brake fluid near clutch cylinder and ruined a good portion of my fresh paint.  :blush:

-I got the exhaust finished up BUT I forgot to weld in my o2 bung for my wide-band and now its all back together.  :blush: I did get the "plugs" welded up for the air injectors on the manifold though.

-Drove around the neighborhood for fun but blew off one of the other heater hoses.  :blush: Was only 20ft from my house so I got it fixed and checked all connections; coolant system is good now.  :thumbup:  :blush:

-Need to plug vacuum leaks so I didnt drive long (pvc and vac advance) and I suspect I am way lean.  :blush:

 

 

Was pleased with power despite lack of good tune and amongst other issues.  I wasnt however so happy about some of the noises I heard.  Transmission seems to make a bit of a rumble on when the power is on.  I fill it with fluid up but I will double check. I have replaced sincros in a longtail z 5spd by I do not want to have to pull this trans so soon.  Hopefully its my imagination. Also rear end is howling like before but thats no surprise, it need pinion bearings.  Brakes need another bleed, need air cleaner, needs wire band installed, wiring finished, and a whole lot of other SHIT, but I am done for now.

Engine sounds MEAN.  Seriously the induction from the carbs sounds awesome, and its amazing the difference in exhaust tone compared to the l16, even using the old pipe.

 

/rant

[vanmansam]

Got some shit straightened this morning

 

 

 

 

Before and after video!  Lol crap quality, it was a lot better before it got uploaded to youtube.  Hear that differential whining??  

I need a real temp gauge too.

Just to give you a little taste of my life.

 

Got vacuum leaks plugged, double checked all connections and went for a little cruise!  

 

Will update with more progress.  I think I need to tear the transmission apart. :no:  Syncros all feel good but there is a whine when the stick is in 1st gear when ever the car is moving thats independent of load or clutch, and also a general rumble under load in all gears, so I probably need some new bearings.  I already have pinion bearings on hand for the diff, just need to find a day to do it.  

[jrock4224]

dude your video is set to private........i wanna watch with out signing in to u tube

[vanmansam]

dude your video is set to private........i wanna watch with out signing in to u tube

try now