350 in a 620

[pandabear56]

hey guys im new to this sight I have a blown up Datsun 620 and me and my buddy want to drop a 350 motor in it instead of supercharging a new L18 motor any sugestions?

[datzenmike]

It doesn't even come close to a fit. Firewall and trans tunnel needs to be cut so goodbye heater, or run a rad in the back. Neither are, in my opinion, an option. The 350 weighs over 550 pounds the L18 is about 260.  The last thing you want is to double your engine weight in a truck that is already front heavy, as it will handle like shit. Doesn't matter.. you say? Well other than straight roads a stock 620 would out maneuver you on tight corners.

 

Biggest objection is starting this and then giving up because too hard to do. Lack of spills, lack of money, lack of time and space. I didn't know this would take 6 months! I didn't know that I would have to custom make EVERYTHING. Truck ends up all cut up and destroyed, no one wants it except maybe for parts and it ends up as scrap.

 

 

If I was doing one I'd get a V6. Maybe a Vortec 4.3? Four barrel, five speed Still a bit heavy but it fits, and good power.? 

 

 

On the upper right of every page is the white rectangle box for the search function. Type 620 with V8 or V8 in 620 and start reading. There may be some good ideas there.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Red flag here!

 

I don't know you or your buddy, but two words here raise those red flags. "Drop" and "350" are sure signs that if this project ever gets started, it will never see the light of day again as a running driving vehicle.

 

If you're serious, go for it. Properly dressed, a 350 isn't the worst motor you could put in there. Certainly not my first choice though.

 

Don't head down that path blindly thinking it will be done in a weekend. I do motor swaps all the time and the little things make up 90% of the work. The Toyota FJ60 LS swap I'm just finishing up is bumping against the $30K barrier.

[Dolomite]

Hate to be that guy, but.....GLWS.

[flatcat19]

If you have the ability to supercharge an L motor, why would you NOT do that?

 

Seems like a way smarter, fun, choice.

[flatcat19]

But...if you're just talking out of your ass...you won't get either finished.

 

 

You'd be better off just posting the thing on CL as is.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

But...if you're just talking out of your ass...you won't get either finished.

 

 

You'd be better off just posting the thing on CL as is.

That's about what it boils down to. Almost all of the time.

 

It would be interesting to do a count of all the "finished" build threads vs the "started and not complete" build threads. I bet more than 50% of them never get finished or even running/driving.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Hate to be that guy, but.....GLWS.

Customer's truck. That's the total parts and labor. He already had a nice truck with super nice paint. (I hate having nicely painted vehicles here in the shop)

[Dolomite]

Customer's truck. That's the total parts and labor. He already had a nice truck with super nice paint. (I hate having nicely painted vehicles here in the shop)

I was talking about OP. I've heard from Cody Mould about the epicness that goes on at your shop.

[DaBlist]

hey guys im new to this sight I have a blown up Datsun 620 and me and my buddy want to drop a 350 motor in it instead of supercharging a new L18 motor any sugestions?

Makes perfect sense

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Perfect display of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should".

[racerx]

a lot of times people will learn better if you just let them. So I say let him do it but pls. post us pics.

[flatcat19]

Another 620 in the yard...the value of all others just went up.

[hobospyder]

If you do this, take lots of pictures and save as much of what you remove frim the truck for others please.

[datzenmike]

Practice on a chevy Luv first and save the 620.

[DaBlist]

Practice on a chevy Luv first and save the 620.

Some where in Arkansas or Louisiana there is a guy that put a Luv body on a Dodge 4x4 chassis and has Luv Ram painted on his tailgate and he doesn't have a clue how many times a picture of it has been shared and liked in San Fransisco

[cr83]

hey guys im new to this sight I have a blown up Datsun 620 and me and my buddy want to drop a 350 motor in it instead of supercharging a new L18 motor any sugestions?

you have angered the vultures

[wayno]

Good job guys, nice Welcome.

[cr83]

Good job guys, nice Welcome.

i agree

[cr83]

if you ever get your courage back to try and build something again, here is a link for power by ace, they have motor mounts and headers for a v8 swap, still requires fabrication and modification of some components but its a good start. http://www.powerbyace.com/

[distributorguy]

Since I basically have a full truck here, in pieces, leftover from the Bonneville build, I'm thinking about using the 327 hidden under the workbench and de-stroking it to a 302 with a 350 auto that's also lying here.  Its going to suck to fit it into the truck, but since the cab has been patched together several times, I won't feel bad cutting up the firewall for clearance.   I'm thinking 325 hp, 300 tq could be kind of fun.  I have a disc brake conversion already, and most of the other goodies needed.  Plus a full fabrication shop to play in.   $150 wiring kit and I'll be up and running.  Well, and 300+ hours of screwing around with modifying one of the header sets I have, making mounts, custom driveshaft, running new brake and fuel lines, etc...   Might make a good Spring project.  

[racerx]

if it's an SBC, then the distributor will not be accessible?

[wayno]

Since I basically have a full truck here, in pieces, leftover from the Bonneville build, I'm thinking about using the 327 hidden under the workbench and de-stroking it to a 302 with a 350 auto that's also lying here.  Its going to suck to fit it into the truck, but since the cab has been patched together several times, I won't feel bad cutting up the firewall for clearance.   I'm thinking 325 hp, 300 tq could be kind of fun.  I have a disc brake conversion already, and most of the other goodies needed.  Plus a full fabrication shop to play in.   $150 wiring kit and I'll be up and running.  Well, and 300+ hours of screwing around with modifying one of the header sets I have, making mounts, custom driveshaft, running new brake and fuel lines, etc...   Might make a good Spring project.  

 

You do what your going to do, don't listen to these guys, as they are going to try and bring you down, look what they did to the author of this thread, they ran him off.

I have seen photos of lots of Chevy small blocks in 521s, 620s and 720s, sure they had to either modify the firewall or put the radiator in the box behind the cab, but they didn't complain about the handling of the vehicle, not one of them ever complained about the handling that I can recall.

[datzenmike]

They might have if they had driven it before and then did the swap. If they have a V8 laying around they probably were chevy owners first and were looking for a small light truck to put it in. Datsun owners don't tend to have this 'got to put a V8 in everything' mind set. Performance aside, doubling a 620/521 engine weight over the front axle just has to affect the handling and not too much for the better either.

 

Maybe someone should add 250 pounds of mass to the front of a 521 and take for a drive?

[2wheel-lee]

Some people do things just because they want to. It's their money and time. As long as it doesn't affect me, all I have to say is "Have at it!"

 

Not everything needs to be logical. Heck, my 620 purchase was not logical whatsoever. The truck serves no real function or benefit other than a time and money suck. But that's ok. 

 

I appreciate all custom work people do to their rides, even if I don't particularly agree to it for my interests. But it's certainly not my place to criticize their desires. Others do.