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My '69 Datsun 510 project

13840 Views 60 Replies 23 Participants Last post by  40MPGd15b7
A friend of mines family friend has a shop with two double bays he's renting out to a few of my friends for $300 a month. he also hauled it there for $50 and we're all splitting the rent 4 ways, so now i've got a place to keep the 510 and work on it. I also brought all my zc parts over to work on it there as well.

as for my plan for this car, ive been doing some research, and I came across a guy who specializes in vg swaps in 510's. he was referred to me from a friend swapping a vg into her s12. He has put a kit together that makes the vg30/33 pretty much a direct drop in swap. I would like to get the vg33 from the 96-99 pathfinder, but theyre a little more expensive, and a friend of mine has a pathfinder with a rusted out frame with a vg30 that he is going to sell me quite cheap.

the car needs a lot of body work, i have panels that my dads friend fabbed up for it, i still need dog legs and rocker panels. my plan is to get a motor built for it first then start at the body work.

so here it is last time in my garage




in the new shop




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Wow! Thats awesome!

But why the pathfinder version? I would think the maxima would have better flowing for such a light car. Theres gotta be a crashed maxima near you.
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oh man i love those 510s.
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Old school Datsun's are cool...I had a 77 Datsun 620 pickup I'm miss a lot...nice find

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Love any classic Japanese car, especially the old Datsun 510's and Roadsters.
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Opinion alert!!!!!

Why go with the vg? That car is stupid light weight. Putting that motor in is going to make it extremely front heavy( think j-swap in a hatch). If you stick with a 4 cyl(sr20, ka24, etc...) in it, it will be better balanced.

I don't know when it got cool to swap these motors in the 510's, but I have been seeing it a lot in the last year. With all this hype, the ka24's(cheap already) are going to be the best bang for the buck.

d series=ka
b series=sr
j series=vg

Think of it that way.










Bring on the flame-age!!!
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oh man i love those 510s.
x 27464638292564627284949
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I love the 510 wagons.. My aunt had one when i was a kid and I wish she still had it.
Opinion alert!!!!!

Why go with the vg? That car is stupid light weight. Putting that motor in is going to make it extremely front heavy( think j-swap in a hatch). If you stick with a 4 cyl(sr20, ka24, etc...) in it, it will be better balanced.

I don't know when it got cool to swap these motors in the 510's, but I have been seeing it a lot in the last year. With all this hype, the ka24's(cheap already) are going to be the best bang for the buck.

d series=ka
b series=sr
j series=vg

Think of it that way.


Bring on the flame-age!!!
NO FLAME
I see your opinion, but think of it this way this is a rear drive and inlike FWD that has the weight of engine + transmission + diff (inside the trans of course) all in the front. Transmission goes along under the car then driveshaft then rear diff.
How much more can the VG way then the KA? I dont know. KA also is an iron block keep that in mind. I dont know if the VG is an aluminum block, I do know that SR is aluminum block, but then thats $$$. The balance of the car most likely wont be effected to much and thats where choosing the correct suspension set up. I think he wont be able to get Egay coil-overs lol.
Just my opinion on your opinion.

I really cant understand why Civics have those V6's put in I think personally its a waste of $$, but to each is own and I will be more impressed with a built D-motor then a V6 civic. Shit even VW's have done a crazy swap google Cadillac northstar V8 in a golf. To each is own!!


Either way GLWB on this 510!!! This is a classic no matter how you build it.
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Small block V8
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Small block V8
+12345 I'd bet an LS1 weighs less than a VG30 does
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Another opinion is that much of what has been suggested here is WAAAAY too torque-y for that car, these cars were fast as fuck on the race track with their original motors being "breathed on" a bit.

I 2nd rico, I'd run the KA or SR motor, you can always add a turbo if it's not fast enough for you...the true payout of the 510 is when you spend money on suspension, they handle beautifully when set up correctly
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pulling out the engine of a maxima at the shop soon V6 motor doesn't turn completely, think it's a dropped valve due to the accident.
It makes me miss mine....


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Wow! Thats awesome!

But why the pathfinder version? I would think the maxima would have better flowing for such a light car. Theres gotta be a crashed maxima near you.
well, the guy im talking to says his carb'd converted vg33 is neck and neck with a fox body cobra..good enough for mee hhahaha.

oh man i love those 510s.
yup, me too, wicked cars!

Old school Datsun's are cool...I had a 77 Datsun 620 pickup I'm miss a lot...nice find

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maan, those are nice! post a picture! my dads shop has restored numerous datsun pickups! I love em! thanks, but i didnt find it! my dad gave it to my 2 years ago as a grad gift!

Love any classic Japanese car, especially the old Datsun 510's and Roadsters.
for sure! ive got the roadster wheels for this thing too!!!

Opinion alert!!!!!

Why go with the vg? That car is stupid light weight. Putting that motor in is going to make it extremely front heavy( think j-swap in a hatch). If you stick with a 4 cyl(sr20, ka24, etc...) in it, it will be better balanced.

I don't know when it got cool to swap these motors in the 510's, but I have been seeing it a lot in the last year. With all this hype, the ka24's(cheap already) are going to be the best bang for the buck.

d series=ka
b series=sr
j series=vg

Think of it that way.










Bring on the flame-age!!!
because torqueeeeeeee! the vg barely ways a noticeable difference more than the ka, it has a lower center of gravity, and a smaller moment of inertia than the ka, and come with forged internals stock!

im getting the vg for 200 bucks.. ka's are about that price, a sacked one is 50-100 but oh well...

sr20 is 2g..ka is cheaper, but ive seen the vg's and man, they sound wickeed, and i hear they can keep up neck and nekc with a fox body cobra so why the heck not!

i really dont think of them that way, they really dont compare that way.

also i hear the vg33 can be bored to a 3.8 with infinity pistons, but the head doesnt flow well enough for that displacement n/a, but boost it does!

x 27464638292564627284949
I love the 510 wagons.. My aunt had one when i was a kid and I wish she still had it.
ya man, i bet! I miss when my dad drove this thing!

NO FLAME
I see your opinion, but think of it this way this is a rear drive and inlike FWD that has the weight of engine + transmission + diff (inside the trans of course) all in the front. Transmission goes along under the car then driveshaft then rear diff.
How much more can the VG way then the KA? I dont know. KA also is an iron block keep that in mind. I dont know if the VG is an aluminum block, I do know that SR is aluminum block, but then thats $$$. The balance of the car most likely wont be effected to much and thats where choosing the correct suspension set up. I think he wont be able to get Egay coil-overs lol.
Just my opinion on your opinion.

I really cant understand why Civics have those V6's put in I think personally its a waste of $$, but to each is own and I will be more impressed with a built D-motor then a V6 civic. Shit even VW's have done a crazy swap google Cadillac northstar V8 in a golf. To each is own!!


Either way GLWB on this 510!!! This is a classic no matter how you build it.
yup, and the vg30 isnt a whole lot heavier than the ka, and has a smaller moment of inertia also, which is good torque=moment of intertia X angular acceleration

Small block V8
nah, I'm not down to cut out the firewall.

+12345 I'd bet an LS1 weighs less than a VG30 does
meh, either way im not really down with a v8 in this car.

very nice!

Another opinion is that much of what has been suggested here is WAAAAY too torque-y for that car, these cars were fast as fuck on the race track with their original motors being "breathed on" a bit.

I 2nd rico, I'd run the KA or SR motor, you can always add a turbo if it's not fast enough for you...the true payout of the 510 is when you spend money on suspension, they handle beautifully when set up correctly
i plan on boosting this beast which ever motor is in it!

suspension is fairly good already, suspension is gonna come last...i wanna get it driving. im probably gonna drive it lilke it is for a bit after i get it running...rat rod it for a bit LOL

pulling out the engine of a maxima at the shop soon V6 motor doesn't turn completely, think it's a dropped valve due to the accident.
nice! im pulling the motor from my friends pathy either tonight or tomorrow. were pulling it in the shop later tonight.

It makes me miss mine....


oh for sure man, nice car!
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I remember the light blue 510 wagon and yellow Datsun PU my family had while growing up. Oh the memories! Supposedly the 510 was purchased off the showroom floor. LOL!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TsdjySqKQ...AujzJOclA/s400/1980+Datsun+510+Wagon.+-+1.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bffx4TzjZ.../1976+Datsun+620+King+Cab+Deluxe+pickup+1.jpg
I remember the light blue 510 wagon and yellow Datsun PU my family had while growing up. Oh the memories! Supposedly the 510 was purchased off the showroom floor. LOL!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TsdjySqKQ...AujzJOclA/s400/1980+Datsun+510+Wagon.+-+1.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bffx4TzjZ.../1976+Datsun+620+King+Cab+Deluxe+pickup+1.jpg
i freaken love those datsun pickups. my dads shop has restored a few of 'em. beautiful trucks
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^I would love to do a RB-swap Datsun build; something ending up looking like this...minus the vinyl stickers :

http://www.d-series.org/forums/2034519-post10.html
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Got a vq35 at the shop that needs a new exhaust cam. Looks like a bolt came loose in an accident and got jammed in between the head and lobe.

You can see where the cam broke and the threads of the bolt embedded itself in the head, kinda hard to see but above the first cam lobe




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