Newly Acquired 510, need insight.

[NicktheMillwright]

Good Afternoon

 

So a chance conversation with a friend has me purchasing a 510 from a buddy of his for a very good price. 84000km, 1 owner, no body rust, green on green, 4 door and an automatic my woman can drive.

 

It's a good deal. Now the part I'm here for, I know nearly nothing about the 510's. I have a picture of the chassis plate attached.

 

Main questions:

-Mechanical things I should look for

- Transmission gearing if at all possible. Haven't driven the thing just yet so I'm not sure how many gears it has.

- This car had the L20 in it. Does the L16 share parts? Rockauto only has the 1.6 listed to choose from

- Should I leave it green lol

 

Just looking for some advice. The plan is road worthiness first, restoration second.

 

Thanks

Nick

[iceman510]

On Rock auto you must be looking at the wrong vehicle or year.  This is an A10 510, not a PL510 510.  PL510s only had L16, the A10 (78-82?) had L20B and later a Z20.

 

Probably a 3 speed auto.

 

[datzenmike]

Call your car an A10, and no one will mistake what you mean. After '71 all 'Datsuns' used a 3N71B three speed automatic.

 

1st..... 2.458

2nd... 1.458

3rd... 1.000

Rev... 2.182

 

Differential.... 3.545

[vicdat]

They (Nis/Dat) should have never called that generation a 510 (just like there shouldn't be 4-door Mustangs....)

 

Vicdat

[edekalil]

Welcome to the forum.

[datzenmike]

I like the A10 more than the PL510.

[carterb]

This one?

 

[paradime]

Provide the model year and everybody will know your 510 is the A10 version. BTW, many L16 and L20b engine parts are interchangeable, but externals change quite a bit with modernization and more stringent smog regulations. The year tells most of the story under the hood. 

[datzenmike]

I would say little in interchangeable other than some fasteners. Crankshafts and flywheels do not interchange and although the L16 rods will fit the L20B crankshaft, there is no use for this. Likewise pistons are way too small or large a diameter. Heads are much different combustion chamber volume, affecting compression, way too low L16 with L20B head and although manageable having an L16 head on an L20B, the valve and port sizes are way too small*. L20B cams are a slight improvement over the stock L16 cam though timing chains, guides and timing covers are different valve springs retainers and rockers are the same. Peripherals such as manifolds, L16 intakes have smaller runner diameters than the L20B so may flow better having an L20B intake on an L16 but not the other way round..... all U67 head L20Bs have the intake and exhaust bolted together. A stock L16 cast iron 4 into 2 header is better on the L20B than a 4 into 1 L20B exhaust on an L16. Thermostat housings will swap and so will oil pumps, valve covers, water pumps, carburetors and oil pans. L16 distributors are all points so not any gain used on an L20B.   

 

* In a pinch, in the '70s, I put my 510's L16 head on my L20B while the head was out being milled. The compression would have been 9.23 but I noticed no difference at all driving it. The Nissan dealer where I got my HG said it wouldn't or couldn't be done so I showed it to them. They called the head mechanic out to look also. I drove it for maybe a week and noticed no pinging. Gas was better back then.    

[Markimusprime56]

Welcome fellow brother from I’m Millwright local # 1554. 

Goodluck on your build some very knowledgeable people here!

 

[NicktheMillwright]

7 hours ago, Markimusprime56 said:

Welcome fellow brother from I’m Millwright local # 1554. 

Goodluck on your build some very knowledgeable people here!

 

Greetings from Millwright Local #2736