AlliedPerformance Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 So I had been looking for a pick up to haul parts, motorcycles, etc. About a month ago a friend e-mailed me a picture of this Datsun for sale and I knew she was "the one"! Was advertised as running and driving, turned out it didn't drive, and would only run off a gas can. Was a little disappointed but the thing was too cool to pass up so I took it home the next day. Was a farm truck for 40+ years, no bad rust, totally complete. Started work on it immediately! My plan is to build it into something that is a blast to drive, totally unique, and to highlight the capabilities of my shop. I'll apologize in advance for taking most of my pics on my iPhone.. Had a pretty good body but the drivers front fender and door were beat Tackled the fender first, pulled the inner support hammered the skin back into shape Next was the door, again separated the inner from the skin and went to work with hammers and dollies. Just holding it in place for the picture. I do not do body work. There are plenty of guys who are talented and way faster than me who would be happy to do it for money! Next step I cleaned out the gas tank and lines. They were totally solid with junk! Got the little J13 running good on the truck's fuel system, and pulled it out. 67hp was never going to work in a Hot Rod shop truck, this little truck needs something more. First I thought small block Ford, but thats been done. I really dig four bangers especially when you smoke a v8 with one. So I picked up a Ford 2.3 Turbo from an 80's Mustang and matching 4-speed. I set it in and started planning how to make it fit right Realized it was going to be a lot more work than I had anticipated. The 2.3 is extremely tall, not much shorter than a SBF V8, and quite heavy (304lbs for longblock). On the flip side, I have all the pieces to build a 450hp monster and the sky is the limit on these old 2.3 Fords. It was late and I decided to head home before I started cutting the firewall out. No joke, that night I had a dream about driving my Datsun with the motor turning 12k rpm and banging gears with a sequential shifter.. You know where this is going? The next evening I went to my storage area and dug out a new motor for the truck and set it in. Like a glove! I decided to go with it. It's a 2001 Yamaha R1 engine. I have a Hilborn mechanical injection system for the motor. It's set up for methanol but I'll rejet for E85. I have a couple motors, one of which is quite built and shouldn't have any trouble pushing 190hp on E85 with a smart exhaust system. I went ahead and built the mounts for the engine and modified the lower crossmember to allow it to set as low as possible. I have since gotten too busy with customer work but will hopefully get back at it when I finish that car. Not bad progress for the first four weeks. For now here are some pics of the motor sitting on the mounts and the Hilborn injection mocked up. It will use the bike transmission. The next step is the custom driveshaft and electric reverse setup. 4 Quote Link to comment
zed1 Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Very cool. Please save the old parts you remove from the truck. There are always people like me looking to parts to help members finish their projects. Here are photos of my project: http://www.flickr.com/photos/53116286@N07/6176206389/in/set-72157627613948205 Keith Quote Link to comment
AlliedPerformance Posted October 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Keith that looks really good! I will eventually be getting mine painted but I will do all the fabrication and have a runner before it gets stripped back down for prep and paint. I'll post any unused stock pieces in the classifieds, posting the motor/trans now. Quote Link to comment
DatWifey Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Nice to see this truck! I saw it when it was initially posted for sale and almost had a momentary lapse in judgement and asked a buddy down there to go take a look at it so we could possibly drag it back up here to WA :blush: Great progress on it thus far! Can't wait to see where you take it from here :thumbup: Quote Link to comment
AlliedPerformance Posted October 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 The gears are pretty stout, straight cut. Hopefully with a 4.88ish rear they'll last. I have three gearsets, if I do get to the third set I'll be looking for a better solution. BTW I corner scaled the truck with the mock-up motor in, it was well under 1700lbs. I think there is more to lose. :devil: Quote Link to comment
Hooligan Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 Watchin this one... truck has a cool look just sitting on the trailer Quote Link to comment
WICKED JESTER Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 this is going to be one sick build i cant wait to see how it turns out Quote Link to comment
Phixius Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 So I had been looking for a pick up to haul parts, motorcycles, etc. About a month ago a friend e-mailed me a picture of this Datsun for sale and I knew she was "the one"! Was advertised as running and driving, turned out it didn't drive, and would only run off a gas can. Was a little disappointed but the thing was too cool to pass up so I took it home the next day. Was a farm truck for 40+ years, no bad rust, totally complete. Started work on it immediately! My plan is to build it into something that is a blast to drive, totally unique, and to highlight the capabilities of my shop. I'll apologize in advance for taking most of my pics on my iPhone.. Had a pretty good body but the drivers front fender and door were beat Tackled the fender first, pulled the inner support hammered the skin back into shape Next was the door, again separated the inner from the skin and went to work with hammers and dollies. Just holding it in place for the picture. I do not do body work. There are plenty of guys who are talented and way faster than me who would be happy to do it for money! Next step I cleaned out the gas tank and lines. They were totally solid with junk! Got the little J13 running good on the truck's fuel system, and pulled it out. Way better than most of us. I would of said, "fuck it, buy new doors." good work. Single headlight 520's are growing on my...alot. I am curios about the transmission and drive line and other drive train variant you might go... willl the R1 engine make enough TQ for the trucks weight? need 6k rpms just to get it going? You should ckeck out Bob3's builds, also in Colorado. Great work so far. Looks tits! :thumbup: Quote Link to comment
Connisuer311 Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 Awesome. That paint is gorgeous! Wish she was straight enough so that you may have considered keeping that petina. Can't wai to see how this will turn out. I wanna hear her start! Haha Quote Link to comment
AlliedPerformance Posted October 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Thanks fellas! You all bring up good points. It's not going to be a stump puller thats for sure! It'll make more peak torque than the J13 but at more than double the rpm. Bikes have a primary gear reduction between the crank and clutch which helps by making a reasonably short 1st gear. If you plot the ratios as speed vs. rpm it does look very odd in car terms. This is not a swap I would consider "practical" for a street pick-up. However, I have a good amount of experience with bike engined cars from dirt-track racing and I'll tell you a 1000lb car with an R1 motor needs very little rpm to get rolling with a ~3.75:1 rear gear. Im looking for 1600lbs and a 4.88:1 in the 520. I'll get some progress this week after hours hopefully. For now, here's a shot of one of my R1 gear sets And the 520 sitting on the bump stops Quote Link to comment
Connisuer311 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Would you consider putting a motor like this in a small datsun for customers? 510s, Zs, Roadsters? Edit: Asked too soon in all of the excitement. Wiser to wait and see how this turns out haha Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Sitting on the bump stops looks real good just sitting there, but they ride like crap. What's your plan? This is what mine looks like at the moment. And this is where I want the back to be, and I eventually will get there. This is what I did in the rear, notched frame and 4X4 leafs with 2 1/2 inch blocks. And this is what I did in the front, mine is on a 720 frame/chassis. Eventually I am going to have to remove the cab one more time to clean the frame up and paint it, or it will rust. Quote Link to comment
AlliedPerformance Posted October 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Connisuer311 - Of course, the more the merrier! I would for sure need to have finished one before I could recommend it to a customer though. PM me if you would like to discuss further. Wayno - Agreed! My plan is to focus on getting the motor and driveline completely done first. The second phase will likely involve a entirely new front end design with a rack and pinion using readily available circle track hubs, spindles, shocks, and coils with custom arms. The small motor gives a lot of freedom for good geometry. I'll likely keep the rear simple. Leafs and a c-notch. It's too easy to dream up something beyond what my time and finances will allow! 1 Quote Link to comment
mrbigtanker Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Thanks fellas! You all bring up good points. It's not going to be a stump puller thats for sure! It'll make more peak torque than the J13 but at more than double the rpm. Bikes have a primary gear reduction between the crank and clutch which helps by making a reasonably short 1st gear. If you plot the ratios as speed vs. rpm it does look very odd in car terms. This is not a swap I would consider "practical" for a street pick-up. However, I have a good amount of experience with bike engined cars from dirt-track racing and I'll tell you a 1000lb car with an R1 motor needs very little rpm to get rolling with a ~3.75:1 rear gear. Im looking for 1600lbs and a 4.88:1 in the 520. I'll get some progress this week after hours hopefully. For now, here's a shot of one of my R1 gear sets And the 520 sitting on the bump stops This will be something to see,are you going to run paddle shifters? :thumbup: 1 Quote Link to comment
Connisuer311 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 This will be something to see,are you going to run paddle shifters? :thumbup: Hooooooooo lol that would be sick Quote Link to comment
Goldfish101 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Can't wait to see how this turns out, I'm not a petina guy but I would rock that petina Quote Link to comment
finney Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 how will the reverse drive work? So cool. Quote Link to comment
pope_face Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 I'll definitely be watching this thread to see how the drivetrain works out... I'm in need of a new engine and transmission for my truck, and a motorcycle engine is certainly something I've considered more than once. 1700 lbs is pretty light... Lighter than I would've expected. I've got a 521 with the same 4.88 gears (it's got a J13 too), so if it works for you, then it might be an option for me. Keep up the good work! Oh, and welcome to the forums (although you're already receiving a warm welcome from everyone else :D). Quote Link to comment
Bob3 Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 I almost bought that truck. Cool build. Where in Colorado is your shop? I'd like to cruz by sometime. I'm in Monument, Colo. Here is my '66 520 Quote Link to comment
finney Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 how will the reverse drive work? So cool. It will use the bike transmission. The next step is the custom driveshaft and electric reverse setup. I saw that, Just wondering what a electric reverse setup entails. Quote Link to comment
AlliedPerformance Posted October 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 1700lbs is pretty light but I'd like it to be less. The actual number was more like 1630lbs but the motor is not 100% complete, no fuel. Had all the parts I took off in the bed, was about 60% rear weight! Im thinking I can lose some weight when I go to the r&p steering and new front suspension. The Datsun engineers were obviously paying attention to weight when they designed it. I love the hole-punched body mounts. The reverse setup is basically a starter motor with a ring gear attached to the three-piece driveshaft at the carrier bearing. Still working out the details on the gear reduction. I need something with good power and I don't want a 20lb starter and 1ft diameter ring gear. I have yet to hear a good thing about the Quaife reverser box, never really considered it an option. Should have all the pieces for the driveshaft and reverse by next week. Bob3, that's one sweet truck! A customer was raving about your miata/truck the other day when he saw my 520. I'm in Colorado Springs, in Motor City. Call me whenever you want to cruise by. I am typically there 10am-8pm. Brandon (719)641-9976 BTW - For any Colorado guys the U Pull and Pay in Colorado Springs has a 76 pickup that just came in. Also have a 510 wagon thats almost 100% complete. 1 Quote Link to comment
BlackBird620 Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 I'd love to see more on this beast will probably need the knowledge for a latter project Quote Link to comment
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