Datsun 510 v8 swap question

[Unknown007]

true but would both of those work ok with air ride?

[thisismatt]

They'll both work horrible with air ride, you need to put in a hayabusa motor for that use a chain drive system

[Byron510]

Unknown007,

Please don't take the comments personally.
I'd have say that you have not hung with a motor sport type crowd before.
Most guys/galls here own, have owned or want to own a 510 is for it's light weight, and great handling for a car of it's vintage (aside from it’s shoe box image). Therefore, anything that ads weight, or detracts from premium handling isn't taken too well by a huge majority here on this site.
Sounds like you want a mean looking pimped out cruiser... You just won't find too many like minded people here. Most of the posters/readers here are either motor sport orientated or driving enthusiasts. Often many of the cars posted here look like Mad Max machines - but they go like hell! This group does have a different mind set, and I love it. I've been part of this community for over 20 years, and I grew up in the back seat of a brand new 510 - on gravel roads at insane speeds!
Air bags mean bad handling - and you won't get any sympathy here! But build your ride how you want, so us that you can put down a mean boulevard cruiser with a V??? or inline rumble. From you posts so far, I can't offer any advice - you're building a ride that is in a different universe from my thinking. But don't let any comment detract you from doing it. Keep us posted, build you ride however you like - it's your ride! Who are we to tell you how it should be done.
Keep us posted, glad this thread cooled down. If you do build your ride, I'd love to see the photos – start a thread and keep us posted.
Byron

[Unknown007]

well eventually i have been around those type or people.im not going pimping style on this like i posted awhile ago i said i'll make it vip look at my photoshops.so instead of going srpings and camber i want to go air ride.with air ride i can just flip a switch and it's up plus it doesnt wear tire thread that quick in the inside.i dont know if you understand but so far you get what i mean?

[qwik510]

I had mentioned an article in the Dime quarterly comparing engine swaps. Well lucky for you they have it posted on their website. I encourage you to check it out.

Here is the link:

http://dimequarterly.tierranet.com/arti ... ept1.shtml

[goatee]

Anything ever become of this car? Was reading swap info and came across it.

[Camano510]

I was reading through this one. WOW. Sometimes it sucks being experienced, and having someone who SO BADLY needs some forced upon them be unable to absorb the super clear, thoughtful responses. He gave up. All the comments about his lack of knowledge and experience were correct. Actions ALWAY speak louder than words. ALWAYS.

My favorite- "My girlfriends dad has a paint gun so I'll just tell him to do it." I know I'm waiting with baited breath for my daughter's boyfriend to tell me to paint HIS car, because hey, I have a paint gun.

UGH. I hope someone rescued this poor car from this fate.

[okayfine]

I was reading through this one. WOW. Sometimes it sucks being experienced, and having someone who SO BADLY needs some forced upon them be unable to absorb the super clear, thoughtful responses. He gave up. All the comments about his lack of knowledge and experience were correct. Actions ALWAY speak louder than words. ALWAYS.

you just jealous because you had plans and fail hey check it just because you fail on your plans doesnt mean i do ight.you'll see.oh yea i rather be dark than bright yea thanks.
p.s. if you think i know nothing about cars trust me i know alot.just not the old kinds like the datsun tahts why they invented a forum to ask questions.but yours doesnt help so i wont let it put me down.my plans will come out rigth while you still become a low life.and this goes for the guy who called me not bright.

[goichi1]

julian....you are "off the chain".....ahahaha....

[Bubbamatt]

A V8 swap is not an easy thing to do and is not something recommended for someone with no experience in major modifications to a vehicle. When you add major weight and torque to the 510 structure, you need to add strength and stiffness to the car so you can actually use the extra hp. I spent about 6 years of working on my 510 on the back patio to get the job started. It took another 18 months to swap the stock V8 to the more potent 320 hp motor into the cars as all the detail work glossed over in the initial work got worked over so a good paint job could be applied. It took about 3 years of swapping springs and swaybars and changing ride height to get the beast working well at our local autocross scene in San Diego. The motor is back 9 inches from the stock location, so some of the seat to pedal location is changed and is a compromise to be able to use the HP in a controlled fashion. The Weight distribution is better than stock at 51% front and 49% rear, the weight is hefty at 2700 pounds, but with 311 ft.lbs of torque available, the car does scoot! The car has Wilwood brakes all around with 11.75 X 1.25 ventilated discs, the same as came on the Corvette rear end. The car has over 31,000 miles on it and gets driven to work every day, so it is a practical car, although it is not the car for cruising in the rain. It is possible to install a V8 into a 510 and still have a fun car to DRIVE, but it ain't easy and it ain't cheap, even if you do all the work yourself as I did. It is a bunch of fun to drive!

Motor Installation Ford 5.0 GT40-P heads, E-303 Ford cam, Edelbrock airgap manifold with 600 Carb, etc.

Corvette Rear end installation.

I bought the car new, here it is at Bonneville, 1970 with my 500cc Streamliner

Here is the car today, it pulls about 1.25 Gs with the Khumo V-710 autocross tires, great fun!

Enjoy!
Matt G.

[okayfine]

For more details about Matt's V8510 check out the Reader's Dime article in DQ 8.4.

Good to see it again, Matt!

[qwik510]

I got a chance to meet Matt and see his cool V8 dime a few years back when I was visiting San Diego. It is a well planned swap that works well. Not many people will be able to duplicate such a well balanced 510. Too bad it is a porkchop at 2700 pounds. Way too heavy for a 510 IMO. My LS1 powered 240Z weighs in at 2650 and that is heavy too.

[Bubbamatt]

David, I must agree with you, the 2700 lbs is a bunch. When I built it, it was just to make a car to piss off the odd BMW or Porsche driver on the road and to be a daily driver. When autocrossing the car to get the handling sorted out, I got hooked on the fun of driving the beast hard! If I was to start over, it would be with later Corvette aluminum suspension parts and thin wall tubing on the subframe stuff. It could be done at 2400 lbs or so. The subframe stuff is Bonneville tough, .090 wall 2inch tubing and the tranny is a Tremec which is about 50 lbs heavier than a T-5 and much stronger. I love the photos of your Z car, we have a neighbor doing a similar setup with a 350, tubular suspension parts, CV joints on the rear end etc. Really nice car. I love the "Z" cars, still a good looking beast, still showing up at our local autocross runs. We could use more of the local 510 guys to show up and actually run their cars. We have had some nice 510s show up on occasion, but we need to have them come down more often and have some fun!
Too many people talk about driving their cars hard, but you can spin out here with no car damage, not something that happens on the mountain roads..

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas to all the 510s out there!

Matt G.

[qwik510]

David, I must agree with you, the 2700 lbs is a bunch. When I built it, it was just to make a car to piss off the odd BMW or Porsche driver on the road and to be a daily driver. When autocrossing the car to get the handling sorted out, I got hooked on the fun of driving the beast hard! If I was to start over, it would be with later Corvette aluminum suspension parts and thin wall tubing on the subframe stuff. It could be done at 2400 lbs or so. The subframe stuff is Bonneville tough, .090 wall 2inch tubing and the tranny is a Tremec which is about 50 lbs heavier than a T-5 and much stronger. I love the photos of your Z car, we have a neighbor doing a similar setup with a 350, tubular suspension parts, CV joints on the rear end etc. Really nice car. I love the "Z" cars, still a good looking beast, still showing up at our local autocross runs. We could use more of the local 510 guys to show up and actually run their cars. We have had some nice 510s show up on occasion, but we need to have them come down more often and have some fun!
Too many people talk about driving their cars hard, but you can spin out here with no car damage, not something that happens on the mountain roads..

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas to all the 510s out there!

Matt G.

Matt,

I hear you on pushing the cars hard I do track days in my Z car and I never push it too hard. I drive the car to the track and intend to drive it home afterwards. I go to about 8/10th's max. With 340 RWHP and 365RWT, 8/10th's is plenty and lots of fun.

I need to look into my local autocross scene. It is almost as entertaining as a track day and cost a bunch less. Maybe I can try the VG 510 at an autocross this coming spring. If I can get it done by then.

Happy Holidays,

[Bubbamatt]

I need to look into my local autocross scene. It is almost as entertaining as a track day and cost a bunch less. Maybe I can try the VG 510 at an autocross this coming spring. If I can get it done by then.

You bet David! We are spoiled in San Diego as our Autocross season runs from the end of January to the first week in December and our venue at Qualcomm stadium is a huge undulating parking lot that allows an average course that is about 8/10 of a mile of great fun. Our football team is in their last year of their contract and we may not have this wonderful place in a couple of years, so we must enjoy it while we can.
Do take your VG 510 autocrossing and you will have a blast when you take it to 11/10 without harm! How else can you find out what the real limit is? We have a 1966 Camaro with a blown Chevy in it that autocrosses about 3-4 times a year and it is a treat to see it haul around the course.
We need more 510 owners to get into autocrossing as you get to really test the handling without harming your car, something that does not always work out so well on tracks.
Keep the info coming on your VG 510, it should be a great car!
Matt G.