Has anyone ever mid engine swapped a Datsun)Nissan?

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

26 minutes ago, mojojojo78 said:

What about a Subaru setup? I saw a picture of someone stick a Subaru in the back of a 70's BMW. It didn't look bad. There are companies that make kits to remove the AWD differential from the transmission. Then you have a compact engine that puts out decent power. Just a thought.

I believe someone makes a rotary adapter for the Subaru transaxle.

 

I know I've seen a mid engined Datsun car before, but can't remember when or where.

 

Have you guys ever seen the twin engined Mini Cooper?

 

[builte]

I think I've only ever seen a twin engined school bus

[Ranman72]

you would want to have a transmission transaxle type like they use in sandrails 

engine and trans bolt together auto or manual cv joint shafts out the side of the trans axle 

your gears stick back behind the driveshafts 

no matter what motor you use this will make the shortest drive unit

the actual length to the axles would not be much longer then the motor

the axles are about 9" to maybe 1' behind the back of the motor 

 

Edited October 6, 2023 by Ranman72

[datzenmike]

The truck runs pretty well as is and being a truck is useful for carrying 'stuff'. Fitting another engine or the stock engine behind the cab seems like a lot of work to make if non useful as a truck and to what end? I don't see any advantage to off set all the work involved.  

[thisismatt]

3 hours ago, datzenmike said:

The truck runs pretty well as is and being a truck is useful for carrying 'stuff'. Fitting another engine or the stock engine behind the cab seems like a lot of work to make if non useful as a truck and to what end? I don't see any advantage to off set all the work involved.  

 

C'mon Mike, look at all the bagged/dropped trucks with the beds turned into swiss cheese. They're no longer trucks either 😆

[Lockleaf]

On 9/29/2023 at 10:16 AM, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

I believe someone makes a rotary adapter for the Subaru transaxle.

 

Kennedy engineering used to make one.  Thats the only one I have ever seen though.  I'd be interested if someone else is making one again.

I have this build in my head of a Mazda rotary powered, Subaru AWD, b13 sentra front knuckled, Datsun 1200 fastback.  Researching that nonsense is where I found those old kennedy engineering adapters.  I called this build the MazDatSubaruDaSun

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

3 minutes ago, Lockleaf said:

I called this build the MazDatSubaruDaSun

I call that confusing as hell.

[datzenmike]

1 hour ago, thisismatt said:

 

C'mon Mike, look at all the bagged/dropped trucks with the beds turned into swiss cheese. They're no longer trucks either 😆

 

Well they have slamming them as a reason.

[Jesse C.]

And there is always the Shogun way

 

 

[dew]

+ 1 on Kennedy Engineered Products. Also fairly straight forward if you can find a rear clip of Porsche 944/928. For a pickup then use minimal drive shaft. My 521 is front mount mid-engine. Moved cab back 24”, engine Aprox  18” shorten bed. Then any IRS will work. Early Subi works with Z diff. Was the way I was looking until  MX5 got plentiful. But I only expect 185hp.

[ratpatrol66]

I put a SBC (small block chevy) in the back of my Patrol no pictures to prove it? Also put a SBC in the trunk of my 94 Roadmaster. Yeah sure but WTH.

Edited October 12, 2023 by ratpatrol66

[Crashtd420]

9 hours ago, dew said:

+ 1 on Kennedy Engineered Products. Also fairly straight forward if you can find a rear clip of Porsche 944/928. For a pickup then use minimal drive shaft. My 521 is front mount mid-engine. Moved cab back 24”, engine Aprox  18” shorten bed. Then any IRS will work. Early Subi works with Z diff. Was the way I was looking until  MX5 got plentiful. But I only expect 185hp.

Any pics of the 521?

[dew]

Sorry guys. No pics worth seeing. Body up on blocks for 3.5” body drop & pulling doors in 2” each side. Then aged family need help and it’s been sitting 2yrs an hr away from me now. Cowl looked to be prewar (even has patches over where windshield pillars were). So when body measured close to a Ford Model A,  had to find out what what other stuff Datsun used, like MG Midget windshield bolts onto dash side bolts, susp is MGC modified. So everything went vintage ‘30s style street rod.

79 LCA D21 spindles ect. widen  frt track few inches to match 58” rear axel. Back to topic...

I used 1/4” angle to make bottom of motor mounts. Ran straight edge off OEM frame bracket for tops, filled sides with 1/8” sheet. Done! Mid engine, just like MG, and vintage rods built in ‘60’s, open engine, open wheel rat.  Late ‘60’s Mercedes grill shell mounted where old eng mounts used to be completes the look, and 11x27” tires, & 5.5” ground clearance.

Just wanted to see what Datsun COULD have built in late ‘60s. Became a project to find what Datsun did to make a ‘30s car into a ‘70’ pickup, then reverse it without molesting the firewall, tho I did remove the roof. Ok, I like roadsters !

[Stinky]

If Kennedy made an adapter, they still make it....all their adapters are made to order.

 

 

 

 

[Stinky]

You could do the above, w/most any FWD set-up.  It would be fairly easy to find a 250HP V6 in a FWD car....Honda Accord, Honda Odyssey, mini-vans.

[Fred Key]

Did this way back in the early 80's

Dual carbed tunnel rammed 350 chevy lt1 in a 78 620 long box.

Old school M50 15's on Cragar 5 spokes and a crappy fitting fiberglass flare kit. 

Mounted in the box with a turbo 400 mated to a 4x4 transfer case at the rear bumper.

The transfer case was a NP unit from an old ford if I remember right.

In low range it was a beast up to around 50 mph.

It drove a 3.73 geared 12 bolt posi mounted backwards and flipped.

Used to drive it daily and race it on Dixon road on the weekends. 

Had a old aluminum canopy and a canoe on top.

Would wheelstand  through second gear and pulled off a 10 58 @ 137 mph @ Ashcroft. 

Screwed the back of the canoe pretty good.

If anyone knows where it is now, let me know.

stoopidfast@hotmail.com 

I have pics somewhere, will try to find them.

Live like you mean it 

Fred