1970 Datsun 521 Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 As some of you may know i have a 1970 Datsun 521 that i really wanted to do a Z24 swap in, we picked the truck up for free with the motor in it. It was a rushed project for school so it wasn't built the way i wanted it to be built. Now, we are thinking about picking it up again, there are many options that are accessible to me for an engine choice. My first option is the Z24 currently in the truck all Sketchy like with shitty spacers for motor mounts( those are being taken out and new ACTUAL motor mounts will be built if i use the Z24). My second is the L16 which needs a rebuild but its a little low on the power band for me. i like to go real fast real quick. My third option is to buy a new motor and use the two i have plus another i buy to make a "Frankenstein motor". I havent looked into the Frankenstein Motors too awful much, but have heard good reviews on them. I know there is a lot of other options that arent exactly diificult to make work in a datsun 521, so my question is what would be my best choice to go with? i would really like to stick with an Inline four and make it the cleanest looking with the most power potential. 1. Z24 2. L16 3. Frankenstein Motor 4. SR20DE 5. KA24DE So the one thing i liked about the KA's is the amount of power and torque output as well as the diversity in parts to them but i also know that the SR20DE's are quite easy to come across parts for and they still make quite a bit of power stock. I plan on putting money into this build and not screwing off with stupid useless motors for this truck. I want to be able to find parts for it with ease and have the power output of at last 200 hp, but nothing too extreme such as 500+hp. i wanna be able to leave my brothers 22r in his toyota behind me with no problem. Thaks for any guidance and any suggestions help! Quote Link to comment
bonvo Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Make an lz22 it will literally bolt in Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 LZ22/LZ23. KA. I prefer the E. L16. In that order. Quote Link to comment
1970 Datsun 521 Posted March 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Make an lz22 it will literally bolt in Thats what they said about the Z24 and those mounts DO NOT line up right away. Haha, got a build thread for the LZ22? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 If the Z24 is in then the transmission is too and it's a runner as is. Just make it better. The 521 is lighter than a 720 plus the gearing is a lot lower so it should easily spank an r22. Just get a weber 38/38 for it to be sure. LZ22... you will need everything below the head from a Z22. Then you will need an L20B engine for the oil pan, manifolds, head and everything forward of the block. (timing chain and cover, sprockets, tensioner etc.) Now you will need an L series transmission for it. L16/18... too lightweight for what you want. KA24E or DE ... good choice. You can use your Z24 transmission on either. Have to convert to EFI. 2 Quote Link to comment
mrbigtanker Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Mike is right except for one thing, you could make a carbbed mani for the KA24. Although fuel injection would be the way to go.I did the Frankenstein motor and it had good power but I would never do it again with me either building one or like I did the last time by paying for one which turned out to be a big pile of shit.. And from what I understand the KA 24 just about lines up perfect with motor mounts. 1 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 If you have the Z24 in the truck, just make it better, and build another truck on the side. I just recently put a 1970 Datsun 521 cab/box onto a 1985 Nissan regular cab/short box frame, the truck has lots of torque, but is lacking at the hiway speeds, it has a 32/36 weber. I also have a LZ23 in my work truck with dual SUs, if I were to guess, right at this moment I would say that the Z24 has it off the line barely, but the LZ23 kicks the Z24s ass on the hiway. I realize this might be hard to believe, even though the Z24 has 370 gears, the LZ23 with 437 gears does kick the Z24s ass on the hiway, the Z24 kinda runs into a wall where I have to start putting my foot into it deep to keep it accelerating, while the LZ23 just keeps on picking up speed till the needle is buried. Here is the 1970 521 with the Z24 engine, I started with this. Cab dropped on the frame. Engine Almost done Basically done It's a driver, it still has a couple issues that I need to take care of before I sell it, but it goes real good. 1 Quote Link to comment
1970 Datsun 521 Posted March 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Well, alright guys thanks for the input, and Wayno How did you run your motor mounts in that Z24 swap? we had too many problems getting it all lined up properly, and addded ghetto spacers to one side of the engine mount so it sits way to high and the transmission is hitting the tunnel, so we cut some of it out for now but we eventually want to lower the transmission down enough to be able to not hit the tunnel at all, and bend some sheet metal to lay over the tunnel again and make it look clean. 1 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 I didn't do any of that, I just bought a running wrecked 1985 Nissan 720 with no frame damage for $500.00, pulled the cab and box off and scrapped them, then I dropped the 1970 521 cab onto the 720 frame, I never removed any of the drive train from the frame. I also used the 720 wiring harness complete, here is a link to the thread, it only took me a couple weeks to do. http://www.nwdatsuns.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=1168 I didn't use that transmission either, 521 frames are hard to deal with, that transmission mount cross member is a pain. Well, alright guys thanks for the input, and Wayno How did you run your motor mounts in that Z24 swap? we had too many problems getting it all lined up properly, and addded ghetto spacers to one side of the engine mount so it sits way to high and the transmission is hitting the tunnel, so we cut some of it out for now but we eventually want to lower the transmission down enough to be able to not hit the tunnel at all, and bend some sheet metal to lay over the tunnel again and make it look clean. 1 Quote Link to comment
datson4life Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 I killed a built 22r old school celica in my ka 521, go ka, plenty of power 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 The Z24 is a full inch and a half taller than the L16 that was in it. 1 Quote Link to comment
1970 Datsun 521 Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 The Z24 is a full inch and a half taller than the L16 that was in it. Okay, i thought they were taller, so i think my plan for the time being is to modify the motor mounts for the Z24 and make it work and reliable for now and save up money for when a wrecked 240Z with a KA comes into the wrecking yard and buy the whole car for 500 bucks rob anything useful off of it and make me a monster! Thank you guys for your help, i know it probably gets annoying hearing from me all the time on stuff. But, thanks anyway guys! Another thing, Has anyone ever dropped a 510's coilovers into the front of a 521? Its some Fab work i know that but how hard do you guys think it would be? I think it would compliment my 521 really well! Let me know what y'all think! Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 AFCO or QA1 makes coilovers you can put on your 521. Beebani makes brackets to mount the coilovers to the frame. Too much work to allow your truck to accept McPhereson struts. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Actually it's a 240sx that has the KA engines. It's the block that is 1.5" taller. I don't think the Z head is as tall as the L head so you might gain some of that back. Quote Link to comment
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