So a guy at work bought a very nice 1970s 2 door 510. Adult owned. Appropriate wheels, seats and well maintained. I'm a bit jealous. He's talking about modernizing it with a more current Nissan engine, converting drum to disks, bigger wheels. I'm an old guy, I'd rather keep it the best it can be for a 70s car, give it the BRE treatment, sidedraft webers then buy an SER if that's what he really wants. No, he doesn't race. I know it's not my money, business or car. Vintage or Modern?
It's his car, but I'd vote to keep it period correct. We have chopped up enough 510s.
Whatever he wants to enjoy it.
Says the guy gearing up for putting a mid-'90s M42 into his '70 2002, along with a host of other mods I need to shut up about 'til my talking:doing ratio improves.
If it were mine, I'd update the running gear as well.
It's his car but I'd update it. Maybe he could sell his and buy a "modernized" one, he could make money that way. When I saw the list of mods I thought he was going to turn it into a track car.
Ask him what would make him use it more?
If the update was reasonable, I'd be leaning toward that. Just don't know how hard it is.
While unmolested cheap old cars are cool I would update it as well. There are cars like early Pinto, Gremlins, 510, etc. that are now rare but not all that valuable and never will be, or at least compared to more desirable cars like 911's, Mustangs, of that same era.
I'd probably 'Day 2' it and put on the Webers and period correct wheels.
I vote for the update and pray that it is done capably.
I advocate for classic engines in classic cars so as to keep the cars relevant for many years to come. This means that SBC and Ford 302s are acceptable because I am pretty sure that they will be around for 100 years. Very few if any Japanese engines have passed this test.
I'd love to have a clean 510 and drop my entire s13 driveline in to it. Old stuff is cool, but I don't think stuff is cool only because it's old. I'll take modern power/efficiency over classic any day. Best of both worlds in my eyes.
Just no stretched tires and stance on the 510.
Are "classic" chassis flexibility and suspension geometry up to modern components without major upgrades? I always wonder a about that when I see high HP M3 stuff in a 2002....beautiful fabrication, but do you have to upgrade EVERYTHING to keep up?
David S. Wallens wrote: It's his car, but I'd vote to keep it period correct. We have chopped up enough 510s.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In reply to qdseeker:
I also agree.
David S. Wallens wrote: It's his car, but I'd vote to keep it period correct. We have chopped up enough 510s.
agreed... but not all updated 510s are "chopped up"
A LOT can be done to a vintage 510 to make it very capable, very comfortable, and very fast.
I could go both ways on this topic all evening.....
become this guy - find another 510.....
His car and his money. But I'm of the school of whatever will let him use it more. Admittedly I put myself in the old school group for period mods but some tasteful modernization will make it more fun to drive. Like converting to disk brakes. Modern engine, meh. Can't use a lot more power without tracking it and beefing up other parts. Like trans, dif and brakes. 510 engines are easy to maintain and get more power from.
Although the pic above is the ultimate. I'd like to do similar w/Opel GT. One stock (already have) and one modified......a lot. 
Some upgrades, but nothing that can't be changed back. Suspension, wheels/tires, etc., but keep them old school and just restore the rest. A stock 510 is always worth money to someone, and they are only going to go up in value, I think. Just my .02.
This.
qdseeker wrote:David S. Wallens wrote: It's his car, but I'd vote to keep it period correct. We have chopped up enough 510s.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My thoughts are:
If it's original, close to original, can be easily returned to original, or even remotely "period correct" then please let it be.
If it's been modified to the point that doesn't stand much chance of being the above, then consider it a clean slate for which you may practice your artistic freedom.
Anyone who thinks it should have been kept original should have bought it themselves to preserve. It's up to the owner. I say, make it interesting and fun. If every 510 had been kept stock, they'd just be another generic Japanese sedan. Modification is what gave them the reputation they have.
I'd keep the appearance of period correct, with some modern bits.
15" Minilites are era correct, yet enough of an upsize to increase brakes a bit. There are 15" rotors and calipers capable of stopping a 3400 NASCAR Cup car at Watkins Glen, just saying. Get the best bolt-on bits for a 510 front to rear, and there's lots of stuff for a 510.
The stock engine has proven very capable over the decades, and over the decades there's been lots of track proven pieces developed for it. Why drop in a modern piece when you can rebuild the original engine to better specs?
The car for unicorns around here.
Keith Tanner wrote: Anyone who thinks it should have been kept original should have bought it themselves to preserve. It's up to the owner. I say, make it interesting and fun. If every 510 had been kept stock, they'd just be another generic Japanese sedan. Modification is what gave them the reputation they have.
Anyone that thinks it should be modified should have bought it themselves.
By your logic, nobody can have any opinion about a car they don't own. I guess that's the end of this forum...
I've seen lots of cars updated, engine swapped etc in ways that can be easily put back to stock. Often the engine and others parts are neatly crated in the corner ready to put back on. When was the last time anyone put a properly modified car "back to stock"?
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