Help me with my dreams.

[Brotato]

I am a new owner of a 79 b210 wagon. It's more rusty than I anticipated (duh), so I've decided to take a silly rally-style route with the build. I plan to lift it 3 inched with some more aggressive tires. Nothing crazy, just enough to satisfy my safari needs before I get antsy and lift my volvo wagon instead. 

 

Is there any aftermarket options before I go cutting and extending my strut tubes? And if I throw bigger springs in the rear, will I run into any driveshaft issues? And I'll have to make the rear trailing arms pr whatever they are called longer also, so it doesn't swing my axle top far forward.

 

Inquiry #2-- this is the sillier of the two questions. What are cheap, aftermarket options for a little more power out of my 1.5 auto setup? Are headers and all that worth the cost over power gain? I want to be able to daily drive this rig and also be able to hit the 70 speed limits surrounding my little town. 

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

Increasing tire diameter will lower your over all differential ratio. A 3" body lift will require a 6" taller tire. Your not so sporty automatic differential of 3.889 will be reduced to 3.07 and be impossibly low. I doubt a 28.6" tire will fit in the wells and will certainly rub in the front when turning. A two inch taller tire is still a 3.57 ratio and gives only 1 inch of lift.

 

Lengthening the strut tube will only allow the shorter length damper inside to bounce up and down in the increased space. If you can find a damper insert that is close to 3" longer that might work. Note: that this will raise the steering box and tie rods with the outer ends having to bend down more to the steering knuckle on the strut bottom. Lowering a vehicle's height will do the opposite with them having to have to bend upward. Both will increase bump steer, an annoying steering wheel input where one wheel travels through a bump. With lowering shims can be added to raise the steering knuckle/tie rod to the preferred horizontal position. Nothing can be done to a raised car.

 

What about a 2" rubber coil spring spacer either under or over the coil spring. This will push the body 2" higher. Three inches s crazy. The strut is very close to full extension.

 

 

The B-210 does not have or need trailing arms. The leaf spring supports the differential from moving both forward or back and laterally. This would be different if you had rear coil springs.

 

By 'larger springs' you mean leaf springs with more arch. Arch is the curve in a leaf spring. The more curve, the higher the body is supported. Spring shops can bend a leaf spring adding arch to it.

 

 

The B-210 exhaust manifold is good enough for most uses. A header can only improve where there is a severe deficiency. A header can make good improvements in conjunction to larger or multiple carburetors and a cam change. So a header by itself? not worth it. You would get as much from a larger exhaust pipe and turbo muffler. What's the B-210 exhaust pipe size? 1.5"  go to 1 3/4 or 1 7/8"

 

Myself, I would make a 1/2 aluminum skid plate to protect the oil pan and call it good as is.

[Dguy210]

Also, note you have a 210 not a B210. There are differences.

 

B210 last year was 1978 and NO wagons were sold in North America.

 

Check out Datsun1200.com for improvements on the platform for performance for A series engines.

 

210s are probably one of the easier to engine swap to L, Z or KA series of the A series engine platforms.

[Brotato]

My title and door cards say b210. Original engine trans and its a wagon. Bought in ohio new. BMW told me it's one of 35 still registered in the United States.  Once I figure out how to post pictures I'll share. Has manual everything and stock a/c. 

[datzenmike]

 Look just behind and above the valve cover on the body cowl sheet metal. If a B-210 it will be stamped HL B210 XXXXXX and painted but legible.

 

If 210 it will be stamped WHL B310 XXXXX and in addition a credit card tag with information above it. The W is for wagon.

[Dguy210]

1 hour ago, Brotato said:

My title and door cards say b210. Original engine trans and its a wagon. Bought in ohio new. BMW told me it's one of 35 still registered in the United States.  Once I figure out how to post pictures I'll share. Has manual everything and stock a/c. 

There are likely less than 2 to 3 B210/120Y wagons in the USA and I believe all RHD.

 

Does it look like this (210):

 

Or this (B210 or sold as a 120Y):

[Brotato]

I had deleted my social media last week so I've been trying to find a way to host an image to share. I'll snap a pic of the title too later and whatever. It may very well be a 78 and my brain is betraying me. This is the rust bucket herself.  https://www.instagram.com/p/CaF8bCjJfUA/?utm_medium=copy_link

[Brotato]

If that link didn't work, this may

 

https://imgur.com/gallery/KYIrx11

[datzenmike]

 

Says DATSUN 210 just above the red side marker. If it was a B-210 it would say that.  To November '79 the 210 had round head lamps and rectangular after.

 

 Check the cowl area above/behind the engine. It'll say B310 there

[Brotato]

The mystery deepens. Lol. 

 

https://imgur.com/a/qq6c866

[datzenmike]

 

This is not a Nissan production sticker so forget it. They (DOT) are idiots and fuck up all the time.

 

Look on the cowl area above and behind the engine. WHL B310 XXXXX

 

 

The first B310 or 210 model was February '78 a half year model year lumped in and called a '79.

 

The first 210 wagon rolled off the line July '78 about 6 months later making it a '79 model year. Car # 001001 and about 129 were made that month with A15s and 423 with A14 engines to start.

[Brotato]

The one under the hood only has the vin left

 

https://imgur.com/a/VO3CBmU

 

https://imgur.com/a/YKHycZ5

[datzenmike]

There ya go says WPL B310 009283 built 12 / '78 making it a '79 210

 

My info shows December '78 monthly production for the WPL B-310 starts with car # 009136 and ends car # 0010695 so you are right in there. You have a '79 model year B-310 AKA a 210 as per your emblem.

 

DOT or state whatever often  make clerical errors.

[Brotato]

Now that I know she's purebred, time to move on to the fixin and drivin part! 

 

I am in desperate need of a rear window as a passing train shattered this one. There's plexi and sealtape back there now and I hate it. I need to take a full assessment and see what it really needs, but it strangely has started and ran even when it was -10 out. 

[Brotato]

Really appriciate the info fellas. Coming from volvos I have a new set of info to learn. 

[Dguy210]

6 hours ago, datzenmike said:

There ya go says WPL B310 009283 built 12 / '78 making it a '79 210

 

My info shows December '78 monthly production for the WPL B-310 starts with car # 009136 and ends car # 0010695 so you are right in there. You have a '79 model year B-310 AKA a 210 as per your emblem.

 

DOT or state whatever often  make clerical errors.

 

That is a very low number 210 he has there too 009283 from 009136

[datzenmike]

Keep in mind the first WPL 310 was 001001 in July '78

[Brotato]

This came with two extra grills and two extra engines and a transmission. I have alot to dig through. My long term aspirations are to make it a fun rally car. But in the meantime I'll be making it run well. It starts and chugs along but feels slow. Slower than my stock air cooled 30hp beetle was. So ill be learning a new carb this weekend!  Along with all the wheel bearings. 

[datzenmike]

Wait wait wait. Wheel bearings??? carburetor???? why??? Learn this first.... Never Never Never fix what isn't broken.

 

 

[Brotato]

I am actually a part time mechanic. The wheel bearings are screaming as this car sat for a few years before I got it. It also sat with bad gas. I would my fix things that didn't require it. And by learning a new carb I mean I'm literally learning about the carb on the car as it is new to me. 

 

I get why you would assume I'm an idiot as my first post was about lifting a 210. 

[Brotato]

My experience with forums for the last 15 years was not to approach seriously. As forums can be a caustic environment for someone new to the brand or hobby. Glad to see there's some serious people to offer real help. 

[datzenmike]

I most certainly don't think you are an idiot. I have no idea of your capabilities is all. 

 

I've had a bad wheel bearing and it was a growl like a tire makes going from new to old pavement. Wheel bearings don't go bad from sitting and it could very well be something else like a U joint. N they can screech when dry.

[Brotato]

Thanks I'll have to check those too. I know at least one wheel bearing is bad. Gets way loud when I turn putting pressure on that side, and it's crunchy when spinning by hand. Noticed it when I took all the wheels off to get tires.  

 

Can I look for any grease zirks on this car or am I disassembling to grease by hand?

[datzenmike]

My 710 over time made growling sound on right hand turns. Does not take much. Right was the bad one, left was off another hub I had that I used to replace it. This is often caused by water getting into the grease, so replace the inner grease seal also. The old seal has to come off anyway to get the race out.

 

[Brotato]

Could you possibly tell me if this hub has a clip in the differential I need to pop off or am I crazy? It has access holes for the brake plate bolts. I'm afraid to dig deeper and I don't have a manual yet. And I'm wasting so much time googling in circles. Thanks in advance. 

 

https://imgur.com/a/SvEIndp