'72 510 Goon - Prova - because it will be a test

[rosso]

Okay, I have been asking enough questions here for long enough - time to start the wagon VG33 project.

 

Because this arrived today:

 

 

 

And here is what's in the car now:

 

 

Does anyone need an L16 block? There is also a 5-speed bolted to it.

 

The car had frozen brakes and was hard to move around so decided to go there first.

 

 

Wire brushed, cleaned, degreased, and two coats of Gempler's Rust Converter - first time trying it and probably could have put it on thicker.

 

 

Then two coats of VHT engine enamel Satin Black, but too glossy for me - fortunately I will never have to see it.

 

 

New Centric shoes installed.

 

 

And a new drum finished it up.

 

 

After bleeding the brakes and making sure all works, I'll pull the drum and put some anti-seize around the hub bore.

 

Making a long list of what I need - it's been twenty years since I wrenched on a car and am having to remember a lot about 510's. The car is in solid shape and since I do not do body work, that is a good thing. I will be trying the Gempler's Rust Converter on some body panels too. the interior is remarkable - all the original black stuff sound deadener is still there as is the jute padding with very little rust at all. Photos to follow when my wife joins me in there to do some scrubbing and  to put a few pieces of additional sound deadener.

 

Here is the car in the garage, which is going to get renovated into a studio apartment starting next week and the 510 will need to move to a much smaller space. (That's also why I am starting the project thread - since I have to get the car and stuff condensed.  ?

 

 

That's all for today, glad I found this great group of people who have been so helpful. I am semi-retired and finishing up the construction of my house so have limited time for the car. I will try to keep updates coming but so far this posting is taking too much time with uploading photos to a site (cause everyone loves photos) then linking them here and copy and paste and and and...

 

Prova is the license plates used by the test drivers in Italy back in the day, but it will be test of my patience and ability to build this car.

 

Cheers

 

 

[hobospyder]

if the motor and trans are free i'll snag them up. i got a couple blocks floating around my shop already anyways

[edekalil]

Sweet Goon, I love it. I could use the 5 speed.

Edited December 16, 2018 by edekalil

[hobospyder]

10 minutes ago, edekalil said:

Sweet Goon, I love it. I could use the 5 speed.

You go ahead and make the trip I'll have a room for you. Shit mom may even flirt with you

[edekalil]

3 minutes ago, hobospyder said:

You go ahead and make the trip I'll have a room for you. Shit mom may even flirt with you

Very tempting.

[banzai510(hainz)]

I got a spare L motor we can get that running in a week!

[rosso]

Got the motor and trans out.

 

 

This is not going to be full restoration or full paint job project. It's about getting a fun daily to knock about in and club events. So I am trying to halt any rust that is present from getting worse. That's why the rust converter trials on various parts.

 

There is no cancer rust - the paint is in remarkably good condition (I think for a D.D. ) So we will see how it goes.

 

I do know I hate the rusted horn screws. What a beech. WD40 wouldn't touch them, torch didn't help - finally bought some PB Blaster and got them out.

 

 

Going to replace with yellow zinc hex bolts.

 

 

[carterb]

Horn bolts are the worst!  I always drill them out.  Usually the horn just brakes off at the mounting flange anyway.

--carter

[rosso]

Trying to figure out the correct clutch and Pressure plate to order. I have the VG33 motor, serial # 223560 but the importer has no idea what it came out of.

 

Photo of the 5-speed transmission I have that came with the car. Supposed to be a match for the VG33 Input shaft has 24 splines. Is there a model number somewhere on the trans?

 

 

 

 

And I have a flywheel also from p.o. which does fit the back of the VG33, supposedly lightened, and it weighs 17 pounds after having the surface ground the minimum to get rid of some rust.

 

 

Is there any way to identify this stuff so I can order the correct clutch and PP? partsgeek.com has several different manufacturers clutches that fit a 1999 -2000 Pathfinder but with production date or midyear changeovers and different parts numbers.

 

Can anyone help steer me in the right direction - or as long as the spines on the clutch match up with the input shaft (24) everything else is fine?

Edited December 26, 2018 by rosso

[datzenmike]

Trans is a 71C and judging from the mount, probably from a 300zx non turbo VG30E, not that this has anything to do with the clutch. The spline fits the clutch disc spline and not the engine. Most Nissan clutch discs are the same spline. Do you have the clutch arm? Your release bearing also has to fit the clutch arm AND match the PP height. You are mixing PP and clutch arm/ release bearing collars.

 

 

Any chance you measured the diameter of the clutch contact patch before milling it off?

 

Looks like 9 bolt PP fits it. I can only find supercharged  VG33ER from an early 2000s WD22 Exterra and the D22 truck. I don't suppose yours is supercharged? The 90s 300zx turbo with VG30 engine also had 9 bolt PP.

[rosso]

Mike,

 

I do haz the clutch arm and release bearing that came along with the 5-speed tranny and car.

 

 

The flywheel had been surfaced by prev owner so no wear marks to measure - I just had the machine shop clean up the little bit of surface rust.

 

So I am not sure where that leaves me.

 

Transmission is 71C and the clutch fork and release bearing go with it.

I need a 24 spline clutch disc (to match trans input shaft) and 9 bolt pp to bolt to flywheel.

Flywheel mates to my VG33 of unknown model/year.

 

So it's up to me to figure out how to find this stuff. (?)

 

Thanks for your help, I am redoing my 2 car garage into a studio apartment and 1 car garage so have lots to do while trying to find these parts.

[rosso]

Took the seats out to look at what I have - since I am waiting for other parts and trying to figure out the trans, clutch/PP/engine combo (will post that in the drivetrain forum)

 

It's pretty amazing what I found. After gathering up all the candy wrappers and a big can of choke cleaner, I vacuumed, did a light brass wire brushing, and here's what they look like:

 

Rear passenger with padding

 

Rear passenger sound deadening and floorboards

 

Front passenger floorboards (no padding on this side except on the tunnel)

 

A very small amount of rust around the plugs and edges of sound deadening. Most of the spots are just where the paint has flaked off the sound deadening - not rust. I am going to put two coats of rust converter on the rust then spray body color top coat. That's all I am planning to do and we'll see how it lasts.

 

and found two coins

 

Honest.

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

On 12/26/2018 at 10:19 PM, rosso said:

Mike,

 

I do haz the clutch arm and release bearing that came along with the 5-speed tranny and car.

 

 

The flywheel had been surfaced by prev owner so no wear marks to measure - I just had the machine shop clean up the little bit of surface rust.

 

So I am not sure where that leaves me.

 

Transmission is 71C and the clutch fork and release bearing go with it.

I need a 24 spline clutch disc (to match trans input shaft) and 9 bolt pp to bolt to flywheel.

Flywheel mates to my VG33 of unknown model/year.

 

So it's up to me to figure out how to find this stuff. (?)

 

Thanks for your help, I am redoing my 2 car garage into a studio apartment and 1 car garage so have lots to do while trying to find these parts.

 

The release collar is matched to what ever clutch that transmission was used with previously. There's no way of knowing if it will work with your clutch. This would be OK if it was an easy to get at alternator, but it's not. It's buried between the engine and the transmission and very hard to get at and change if needed.

[rosso]

I am slowly circling in on figuring this out.

 

I have the clutch fork and throwout bearing that belong to the transmission which I am told is from a 200SX S12 V6 (VG30). Will post over in drivetrain section too.

 

So if I order a 200SX clutch kit with PP. clutch disc, & matched throwout bearing - the bearing should fit the fork I have and I should be okay.

 

What do you think of the idea of putting it all together and then sliding it under the car far enough to connect the clutch slave cylinder and test it works? Or is there a better way to test this out?

 

It would be a $100 experiment.

 

Here is the back of the VG33 with plate and then the transmission with plate. Other than a slight variation in the overall plate shape all bolts seem to line up. Green question marks for what might go in three holes (bolts to hold bottom of plate?) and 100 bonus points for the name of the missing piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

If too many posts on the same thing the information may get repeated and also spread out and lost.

 

 

The engine looks like from a truck or Pathfinder? The transmission is from a car? Yes, in theory a car PP, clutch, and release collar should mate perfectly. Only problem is the engine flywheel may be for a larger pressure plate bolt pattern. Trucks tend to be larger heavy duty than cars. If you have the flywheel and the PP bolts to it it should work. The release collar length is the key. It has to match the PP.

[rosso]

Had some time while trying to figure out trans/pp/clutch so went to work on the rusty battery tray.

 

I am trying rust converter rather than doing full grinding to bare metal and body shop work - which I am not good at. Here are the photos;

 

Starting point

 

Wire brushed:

 

Two coats of Gempler's Rust Converter, rust turns black:

 

Primered two coats (they say not required) lightly sanded by hand to smooth it all out:

 

First coat of color - my cheap spray gun does not work great, so I will try having the paint put in a rattle can. Overall so far I like the results and it is fine for in the engine bay if it stops the rust.

 

I will do the last coat after I get more of the spots to this stage of progress.

[rosso]

Updated image with additional info for locations of engine to transmission gussets.

 

I need those two pieces and all the trans to engine bolts (I posted a wanted to buy in the classifieds).

 

Edited January 8, 2019 by rosso
update photo labels

[mrbigtanker]

On 1/5/2019 at 4:39 PM, rosso said:

Had some time while trying to figure out trans/pp/clutch so went to work on the rusty battery tray.

 

I am trying rust converter rather than doing full grinding to bare metal and body shop work - which I am not good at. Here are the photos;

 

Starting point

 

Wire brushed:

 

Two coats of Gempler's Rust Converter, rust turns black:

 

Primered two coats (they say not required) lightly sanded by hand to smooth it all out:

 

First coat of color - my cheap spray gun does not work great, so I will try having the paint put in a rattle can. Overall so far I like the results and it is fine for in the engine bay if it stops the rust.

 

I will do the last coat after I get more of the spots to this stage of progress.

Did you measure to keep the battery tray. I don't think its going to clear but i could be wrong. Love the goon.

[rosso]

Yes, it fits - several other VG swaps have the battery tray. This photo from carterb:

 

 

 

Edited January 10, 2019 by rosso

[vetteguy22]

Nice post. Keep up the good work.

im in the process of putting a VG33 in my wife’s 4 door 510.

rob

[rosso]

Decided I better do a test fit of the new radiator.

 

 

Looks great, fits original bolt holes but needs a 5/8" spacer between rad mounting flange and front body. It also is too high so I need to lower it by 5/8" too.

 

So good thing I checked.

 

Now the question is whether to paint black or not.

 

 

Votes yes or no. I am leaning towards black so the grill will stand out better (and someone already painted the body)

[vetteguy22]

Staying aluminum will cool better.

what radiator is that and have you figured out a radiator hose setup that will work?

Rob

[rosso]

16 minutes ago, vetteguy22 said:

Staying aluminum will cool better.

what radiator is that and have you figured out a radiator hose setup that will work?

Rob

Hi Rob,

 

Ebay seller - Champion radiator - here is current listing for what they say is last one.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/112831067079

 

Fits pretty well with minor adjustment for hood clearance needed. Good seller, nice radiator.

 

Michael

Edited January 13, 2019 by rosso

[mrbigtanker]

On 1/9/2019 at 5:47 PM, rosso said:

Yes, it fits - several other VG swaps have the battery tray. This photo from carterb:

 

 

 

I’ll just go fuck myself in the corners here. Lol

[rosso]

2 hours ago, vetteguy22 said:

Staying aluminum will cool better.

what radiator is that and have you figured out a radiator hose setup that will work?

Rob

If I were to paint it, I would use some of the Eastman radiator paint and it would only be painted on the front in the holes of the core support. (so there is black behind the grille for visual looks)

 

I have not started on the hoses yet, that will have to wait until I get the motor in but several others here have done the VG swap and used various solutions. Also I have seen a few photos with hose configurations that look okay.

 

I will PM you and we can discuss solutions to that and other issues like exhausts, motor mounts, etc., and how far along you are.