Datsun Roadster: 2020 Challenge Build

Modern 2 liter EFI Datsun (OK, Nissan) and 5 speed from a pickup. You even get a rear.

Indy-Guy said:

In reply to Robbie :

Realistically, you should go option #2.  Once it's up and driving  implement option #5

Agreed.

I think if you want to make the challenge in 2020, option 1 is the one that will get you there.

If you don't mind adding in a year, option 2 is next. Post challenge then opens doors for 5.

I agree with Option #1. That's the most viable way to the Challenge.

Option #2 is a TON of work. It took me 18 months to do that with my Datsun, and I work at an absurdly quick pace. 

maschinenbau said:

and I work at an absurdly quick pace. 

"that's what," she said.

I vote for the one that gets more stuff out of my garage, #4 is a close second.

So looking at the end result of the work...

1) there's not much real on the vintage autocrossing scene, so you should probably focus on the vintage racing scene.  Where a Datsun roadster would actually be a very cool oddity.  

2) while Miata sounds nice, I would honestly also try to find a Nissan powertrain to do that swap.  I've not studied the engine swap classes recently, but if you really think autocrossing is more your future than road racing, the whole "Street Mod" structure was around same OEM swaps.  While there's some idea of a CAM kind of class for non American cars, that's still theoretical, so look for a spot in the rule book to find a Nissan powertrain swap.  Then it's a matter of getting the rear to behave, and the front to work well with the revised rear.  It will be a very quick and very cool car at that point.

1.2) combine 1 and 2- as suggested before, if you can do a swap that is 'undoable'- you can get away with 1 AND 2 at the same time.

3) far more trouble than its worth.  You already have one bike project that it sounds like is going to change.  If you want that, I'd honesty do a Locost car.

4) sounds interesting.  But seeing what kind of power can be gotten out of a Nissan product, after modifications- it would be a lot more straight forward, and would be legal in a more broad set of classes.  With the GM swap, you are currently left with DM with the 2.0l and a restrictor or EM for anything else.  Then you are starting a path that Loosecannon went down.

5) just two with more mods- and for the long term, that's a good way to go.  

Keeping this for later:

https://www.datsun.org/fairlady/bsr1965article.htm

alfadriver said:

....the whole "Street Mod" structure was around same OEM swaps. 

The SM rules were revised a few years back and now allow for non-OEM swaps.  There's a weight penalty (150 lbs IIRC) plus more basis a displacement formula.  With this being the case, options 2/5 are more valid, as he'd just need to bolt in weight to be SCCA legal.

Stock engine make it run and look pretty. That's the best Datsun roadster. 

Andy Neuman said:

Stock engine make it run and look pretty. That's the best Datsun roadster. 

You're just saying that so I don't get a spoon motor and decimate all at racewars.

In reply to Robbie :

Better get your sr20 now because A couple of Nissan SR20's would pull a premium one week before race wars.

In reply to Robbie :

Number 1 all day. 

Lots of ways to "win" the challenge, and bringing a classic like this would be an instant crowd favorite.

If you want to get fancy, put MS on it and try to do some tuning. Dyno time isn't in the budget, and somebody probably knows how to warm the engine up until something else breaks...

CrustyRedXpress said:

In reply to Robbie :

Number 1 all day. 

Lots of ways to "win" the challenge, and bringing a classic like this would be an instant crowd favorite.

If you want to get fancy, put MS on it and try to do some tuning. Dyno time isn't in the budget, and somebody probably knows how to warm the engine up until something else breaks...

If you pay someone to tune your car on the dyno or just rent the dyno time, it's in the budget.

If you own your own dyno or are given the opportunity to use one for free, it's not in budget.

In reply to captainawesome :

Current rules under "Budget Exemptions"

Dyno time (however, tuning services are included in your budget. We recommend tuning your car yourself. “Canned” tunes are considered tuning services.)

In reply to Stampie :

Thanks for the clarification. I assumed that would carry over from previous years. That's a good reduction from budget if you can do your own tuning.

This seems like a proper inspirational video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSjnQFtAcUI

In reply to alfadriver :

Photos of that very car were texted to me during sema lol. I do love it!

In other news, body is as stripped as it will get for now. I'm about 14 hours in.

​​​​​​

I'm going to turn my attention to the frame next.

Robbie said:

​​​​​​

I'm going to turn my attention to the frame next.

Robbie, Do those windshield defrost vent tubes unbolt?  If so, could I get you to pull them off and hang on to them for me?  My TR4 didn't come with those and I think I might be able to cobble those onto my scuttle.  Let me know how much you want for them.

They do not unbolt, but I bet I can get em off for you (pull hard, haha).

Let me see what they look like if I get them off but you can have them for free.99

Robbie, you've got me thinking about this build again.  I'll take an update when you're ready to post something.

Indy-Guy said:

Robbie, you've got me thinking about this build again.  I'll take an update when you're ready to post something.

Well, you posted this before I landed at your house! But for everyone else, I did just pull hard to extract the cowl ducts:

dont know if you all can see it, but that is a really old pencil that was stuck in one of the cowls. I broke it while removing it.

I think it may have been used to kill the roach that was also dead in the duct, but then wasn't extractable haha.

Squirrel!

I took the wife out to dinner a few weeks ago and told her about my conundrum and outlined the options I had laid out. Her response? 

"If you're not trying to win the challenge, why are you going?" (I think she gets her competitive side from her mom)

So I made a decision. A vintage datsun isn't going to be fast. At all. A Miata datsun might be marginally faster. What's really fast then?

Last night I bolted the body back onto the chassis and pushed it outside for a bit so I could push my new aquisition into the work bay:

This is an old f440 racer that has been modified (questionably) with an engine too large for class. Hence the Amod markings. 

I just weighed it in at 770 lbs. (290 front, 230 left rear, 250 right rear). And I think the current engine is probably 200 lbs - it's from an 84 Honda vf750 interceptor.

Chain drive. Solid axle. Rubber puck suspension. Let's go.

The f440(750?) Also came with an impressive spares package, including:

And fresh wilwood calipers and pads for the f440. 

I cannot wait!