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Maritime 510 - SR20/RHD swap


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Well, I just picked up my first 510 today, and I figured I'd join the forums to gain some knowledge(so expect me to creep every nook and cranny on here haha)

The guy I bought the car from, owned the car for the past 20 years, and hoarded a massive collection of spare parts. I emptied out an entire shed he had built, part of his garage, and I still have to go back for more(only so much you can fit in the back of a truck + inside the car itself)

 

A little about me before I get into the 510 though,

I've been into cars all my life and currently own a V8/RWD cavalier, and a 260z project. I just sold my 89 240sx in order to pick up the 510.

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^^what I sold to get the 510

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^^my current baby,

and

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my other project that's off to the side.

 

 

I ended up getting two 510's tonight, but one's only good for storing more 510 parts as it's rotten into the ground(minus the fact I have a rollcage I can cut out of it).

My plans for the car are to go full nostalgia on it, with my own personal taste worked into it.(that includes a motor-swap)

It currently has a partially built 2.0 in it, with 5-speed. The car is 95% rust free(VERY RARE for Nova Scotia). The only rust on it, being the taillight panel. Luckily for me, buddy collected up a original complete taillight panel for the car. The seams are already mostly welded up, and was looks to be like it used to be well taken care of. With a look on the sticker, it was last drove in '97.
 

As for some pictures finally-

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I need to take some more pictures, and clean and organise to see what I actually have, but it ended up being 11 at night very fast so as soon as we unloaded we called it a night and left.

My first order of business when I get time to get out to the garage(military kinda dawns on how much free time I have), is to empty out the inside of the car, and organise everything to see what all I have.

then it's to see if I can get the thing running. He had a few things torn apart in the engine bay, just gotta figure out what's what and clean the carbs out. He threw in a rebuilt starter(on top of the 5 junk starters), so that's kinda nice.
The project is probably going to go slowly, but then pick up once the summer's done with as I'll get more free time.

 

I'm looking forward to learning a lot from the forums. I may be a noob to these, but I learn quick.
and expect me to be a picture whore lol.

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Thanks for the welcome guys,

 

So I've been doing some creeping and figured I'm just going to get this legal for the road right away, then tear it apart this winter and do a motor swap/bodyjob.

To get this drivable/legal, it actually isn't going to take too much. The car is 99% rust free(which is rare for Nova Scotia), so that saves a lot of work.

I took the gas tank out(full of crap), and I'm probably going to have to buy a new one as a flush probably isn't going to work. I also tore off the gas line since I misawell replace it while I'm at it with the tank. I tore off the carb's so I can clean them properly, so I'm hoping maybe next weekend I'll hear this thing run. Going to change all the fluids and put the new starter in. While everything's torn apart, I think I'll shove one of the headers I got given on the thing too.

The next thing on my to-do list is to re-do the brakes as they're completely seized/shot. Like I said before though, I'm a noob and still learning,so I don't really know but did a 71 come with front drum brakes? If so, buddy must of swapped mine because they're disc now aha.

Next weekend when I see if the car'll run, I'll also be testing out to see how the electronics held up, such as the lights when I hook up the battery.

 

I spent all day today organising the parts I got the other day, putting the front together, and just a bunch of small touches to the car.

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^^ Notice the oldschool supertrap haha

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https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/t1.0-9/10478240_10203360930718553_2102243496632518670_n.jpg

 

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Only the very early 510s had front drums if at all. The '71 definitely has front disc brakes.

 

Gas tank can be easily cleaned by carefully removing the sender and adding several double handfuls of clean gravel. Swish it around well to loosen the rusty scale and crap. Pour out and rinse with garden hose. If not clean enough repeat.

 

Tank can sun dry, it will get quite hot in the sun. Be sure to instal a new fuel filter and check and replace regularly.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, I've used clean gravel, and chains to try and get rid of the rust, and tried my best to clean it out. Took it to a shop and they're going to finish it and seal it so hopefully I can get it back soon and put back in. I blew out all the lines of old gas for now. I was going to replace all the gas lines but I figured I would when I eventually put a fuel cell in(I did replace all the rubber though.)

 

I ordered all new brakes for the car, but everything I bought for the front wouldn't fit. so instead, I'm getting the front rotors planed, and i sent off the old calipers to get rebuilt, and get new pads. However, all of the rear brake parts were correct.

I've been replacing all the hoses under the hood, and trying to prepare the car to be able to run.

I rebuilt the carbs as well, but I heard the dual SU's are hard to tune properly, so this may be interesting haha

The floors are rust-free, so to help keep it that way, I wire brushed, and painted the entire inside of the floor/trunk area with tremclad to try and protect them a little bit.

 

I picked up from old 13x7 minilites which unfortantely are just a tad too wide for the car in it's current state, but I may still run them until I find something that's 6 wide.

I also picked up a rearend out of a subaru yesterday when I got back home, but I was in such a hurry to get it after I heard it was LSD, that I forgot to check if it was an r180, and turned out to be a r160, but I can't complain for $75 haha.

 

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my co-pilot haha

 

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my interior also cleaned up well for only using spray-nine to get all the dirt and mould off haha

My buddy and I decided since we're both doing bodyjobs in the winter, that we'd be different and mangabomb our fenders. I know not many people are going to like this but just remember I'll be putting on my flared fenders when I do the body haha.

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For an added bonus, here's my 71 510 parts car that I'm cutting the rollcage out of for my main one haha.

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Tomorrow, I'm heading over to the garage again and hopefully going to get this thing running, and more back together. I got leave coming up at the end of the month, and I'm aiming to get the car legal + drivable at that time(what a longshot,eh? haha).

I hate only being able to work on this at the weekends, but I wouldn't have my own garage to work on it at base.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well this weekend I've gotten a lot done.
I've gravel guarded rear wheel-wells, painted hood flat black, replace quite a few rotten wires, new coil, tinkered with the points, painted inside rear floors, put gas tank in, cleaned up new non-amber taillights, polished up some trim, tow-hook + pikachu, brakes are all done, new clutch master cylinder + slave cylinder, and tons of other small things.

to say the least, we've been pretty busy.

As of tonight as well, we got the car running... (although very briefly)

Tore the bowls apart and realised we don't have floats or anything else, and the SU's are missing a few other odds + ends...

Because the dual SU's may be a problem (because chances are we don't have the missing pieces on hand), I might unfortanately use the dual weber set-up I have.

Video of it running for a few seconds, and fuel squirting through the air is here:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10203603939073610&l=3456504835180561942

 

Well, I was hoping to get the car drivable so I could bring it up to base to see how it holds up, but I guess that'll have to wait until maybe next weekend.

 

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The car's going to be a blast to drive as is, until it's torn apart this winter and restored haha.

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  • 1 month later...

Well, It's been a while since I've posted in this haha.
A lot of things have changed.
Tore out the L20b, and sold it to Canadian510 along with a bunch of other spare parts of mine.

...In order to fund a new SR20det swap ;)

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I've started to tear the car apart so I can get a lot done to it this winter.

Currently has no motor/tranny, gas tank, fenders tore off, hood off, bumpers off, and starting to tear apart the interior.

 

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I ordered a tranny crossmember, top-mount manifold + downpipe so far. As budget permits, I'll be ordering more but I should have more than enough stuff as it is now to keep myself busy.

I sent the car off to my dad's buddy to get new taillight panel welded in, crossmember cut + reversed, seams stitchwelded for strength, and a few other misc things done, all for the cost of two antique collectable toy trucks haha.

When I get the car back, I'm going to start doing bodywork, and cleaning up/shaving under the hood, so I can get the entire car covered with primer.

I still need to decide on a colour, and decide if I'm going to use flares yet.

I also need to order a front air-dam right away.

 

 

Here's a picture of it leaving saturday, and my puppy zelda not wanting it to go haha

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Just got the car back today.

 

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Going to start grinding down the welds and smoothing everything over with bodyfill then block the crap out of it.

Also going to tear apart most of the suspension so everything can be properly cleaned + prepped for paint.

The holes for the side mirrors on the doors are even welded up too, so I can order some fender mirrors right away and get fenders ready for them(just dont know wheither to use flared, or stock metal ones).

I'm glad the car came with a new taillight panel when I bought it, because it looks amazing welded in there.

I would of taken a picture of it but I ran outta time before I had to leave

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, I figured something out. I'm going to make this car a little bit more different haha.
I'm also throwing in a RHD conversion while I'm at it.

I'm going to cut the dash up in multiple spots, and weld it together and make it work since the car's not factory anyway and the end product probably won't look bad anyway.

I really don't want to pay the cash to order a JDM dash in.

as for purchasing parts, the only thing im going to need to purchase is a RHD power steering box haha. Going to fabricate and modify everything else to work.

 

Parts keep rolling in as I have received top-mount manifold, downpipe, tranny crossmember, motor mounts and a few other odds + ends.

 

I've also started bodywork as I'm going to get the car painted soon and get that over with. I just need to wait to modify for what needs to be cut for the intercooler piping, airdam, and a few other things.

As I said I'm going to be painting this soon, and I figured I'm going to be painting it a nice, metallic copper, with a nostalgic surprise.

 

As of tonight, me and one of my good buddies(whos probably going to be painting it), tore the car to it's shell and got a lot of work done.

 

Heres some pictures haha.

 

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I also found out that my struts were cut + welded, which confuses me. It's the 510 bottoms(I know because of the brakes), but did they possibly change the top? I have camberplates and I don't know if it's the stock tops of the struts haha. any info on this would be appreciated

It doesn't really matter though because eventually I'll be buying T3 coilovers, unless I can get my 240sx coilovers to work.

I'll be bringing the s13 coilovers home that I have in the garage, to see if I can mock them in place and make them work without too much effort.

Something else I finally decided on too, is that I'll be using the subaru R160 rearend I previously bought as it'll take the power of a stock SR20 according to a few JDM buddies of mine. It just means it'll give me some more time until I save up enough for a R180 in the future haha

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  • 2 weeks later...
Well, we got some progress done on the 510!
The car is now RHD.
The only thing I need to order now, is a RHD steering box. (If anyone knows of a better place than datsport, I'd be very much appreciative haha)
The firewall is 90% done (welder crapped out so couldn't finish it tonight), but everything is welded in for steering column, and brake/clutch box.
Measured it twice(maybe 10) times and cut and welded and turned out good.
Still have to cut the neck off the pedal brace and re-weld it moved over, and cut up the dash, but it's coming along haha.
 
Started stripping the car down to bare metal, as bodywork is going to be taking full-priority coming up.
 
I also got my intercooler today, and I'll be mocking that up right away so I can figure what all I need to cut up.
It's a universal kit, but I got it for dirt cheap so I can't complain really.
 
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before:
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a little after
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I'll be starting to grind/smooth out, and fill the bay tomorrow, now that 90% of it's welded.
It looks like crap, but it'll be pretty eventually haha
 
Also started making this while I was bored for some of my gauges.
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I also found out that my struts were cut + welded, which confuses me. It's the 510 bottoms(I know because of the brakes), but did they possibly change the top? I have camberplates and I don't know if it's the stock tops of the struts haha. any info on this would be appreciated

 

It doesn't really matter though because eventually I'll be buying T3 coilovers, unless I can get my 240sx coilovers to work.

 

I'll be bringing the s13 coilovers home that I have in the garage, to see if I can mock them in place and make them work without too much effort.

 

Something else I finally decided on too, is that I'll be using the subaru R160 rearend I previously bought as it'll take the power of a stock SR20 according to a few JDM buddies of mine. It just means it'll give me some more time until I save up enough for a R180 in the future haha

 

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I don't know why the stock struts were trimmed... maybe to put shorter inserts in them so they can be lowered??? I would throw them away.

 

When an architect designs a tall building he starts at the top and works down. Each floor he adds must be strong enough to support the weight above it. When he runs out of materials that will handle the load... it's finished. First thing is getting your car to stop and handle. The stock brakes are scary and built to stop a 45 year old, 2100 pound car going 70 MPH on shitty nylon ply 5.60 X13 tires. Zx struts are shorter and can be shortened further but not necessary. In addition they have monster calipers and a large vented rotor. This is probably one of the most documented up grades there is on the 510. Springs, sway bar, rear disc brakes, slotting the rear crossmember to control rear camber when lowered... all need to be addressed when tripping the horse power.

 

Shiny manifolds, turbos and inter coolers are nice but I hope to see the same attention given the suspension and brakes. Guess I sound like your mom but that car will be insane fast. The handling and brakes should support the performance of the engine.

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Yes Mike, I figured I'd be throwing them away as soon as the body's done and car is running. I realized it wasn't worth trying to get the 240sx gear to work and I'll just buy T3 coilovers with 280zx struts after body and everything is done. I misawell put the money in to make it better and safe, than trying to be cheap and kill myself lol.

 

Been out in the garage for a little bit lately, and got most of the RHD stuff done!, Pedal box is cut + welded/braced properly, dash is cut + tacked together awaiting to be fully welded, firewall just needs a tad bit more done but it sure is coming together.

It's amazing that you can do all this by just modifying the LHD parts haha.

 

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Cut + boxed in the pedal box, and reversed the bends on the arms that are the supports.

 

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My pup really wants to go out for a drive haha

 

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I made a list tonight of what needs to be welded, and that's: Finish up dash, Pass quarter, Driver quarter, holes for bluebird trim in taillight panel, antenna, finish piece on firewall, seams for front frame bracing,both fenders(unfortanately) and just a couple other small odds + ends.

Thats not including when I mock the motor up, and get everything cut out for the intercooler piping, and will have to weld + brace that up.

Once the dash is welded up, I'm going to do some fiberglass work and piece it all together and try and make it look correct. I'm probably going to end up doing something custom however since it'd be difficult to make it look stock with how its cut aha.

 

I'm still looking for a RHD steering box though, and having quite a bit of difficulty. I've been talking with datsport with no luck so far,watching the japanese auctions everyday with nothing to show for it, and also messaged tokyo2u with no reponse any of the times I've sent messages. If anyone has any suggestions where i can get one, or at least look, I'd be very much appreciative!

Does it have to be a datsun 1600, or would another datsun steering box work easily?

 

Progress may be slow, but at least it's still progress eh?

 

 

 

 

 

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I'm still looking for a RHD steering box incase anyone knows of any parts cars or anything that has one that I can buy. Any help would be appreciated!

 

 

I've just been tinkering away in the garage past little bit and finally got the steering box as sturdy as could be. Brackets correctly bolted on, and it's as stiff as a rock.

Threw the rollcage out of my parts car in too just for fun friday night! It's a cheap little four-point but it'll work for now, as it was free and anythings better than nothing haha.

Also managed to throw the sr20 in finally! Welded up the firewall + seamsealed and primered. I ran out of time to work in the garage after we threw the motor in, but next I plan to mock the intercooler + piping up so we can cut that out, and look at any other modifications that need to be done under the hood, before I finish up the bodywork and throw some high build primer on and possibly even paint under the hood

 

The dash is also finished(metal portion), I just need to finish up the plasticwork, but all seems to fit well! Welded correct tabs + everything in places they'd work. 

My fenders were full of surprises when I stripped them down to bare metal but they're still fixable. The right side is the worst, and I have a few fiberglass fenders, but you know how fiberglass body panels usually mount up... so I'll probably end up fixing the metal ones.

Tomorrow the plan is to do the quarter's and everything else in the rear but I figured I'd do an update as I'm excited to see the motor sitting in there. Still need to bolt the transmission up as we didn't put them in as one piece.

 

My god my struts are ugly though. I keep looking at the car and realising how much I can't wait to buy coilovers for it. But that'll be after the cars painted.

 

The dash

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All bolted in + solid!

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Take a look at the non power steering 720 box. It's mounted outside the frame on the driver's (left) side so just imagine it transferred over to the right side and back behind the wheels on the 510.

 

Yes, I know the pitman arm is facing forward.... just remove and rotate it 180.  You probably would want to use your 510 arm and it probably would be the wrong spline... something to check out. The D21 also has non power steering and is similar.

 

 

This is by no means a bolt in and will require some fabrication but I put a 280zx power steering box in my 620 truck. But I see you are used to this....

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FYI, if you can get a 240Z/280Z rack, it's made for front steer in LHD form. So if you flip it around to the back it will work for a RHD car. 

 

 

I'm still looking for a RHD steering box though, and having quite a bit of difficulty. I've been talking with datsport with no luck so far,watching the japanese auctions everyday with nothing to show for it, and also messaged tokyo2u with no reponse any of the times I've sent messages. 

 

I've been messaging tokyo2u (on both facebook and ebay) for about a year now trying to get one. I wouldn't waste your time with him. 

 

If anyone has any suggestions where i can get one, or at least look, I'd be very much appreciative!

Does it have to be a datsun 1600, or would another datsun steering box work easily?

 

B210 and B310 will also work. 

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