A Madmans B-210 Build

[SlammedSunny]

I'm not new to Ratsun, but I figure now is the best time to start a build thread. This First post will be missing Pictures because I'm writing it from work, but I will make a post later this evening including pictures. The Car in question, a 1976 B210 2dr sedan still powered by the A14 and automatic transmission.  I'm lucky enough to be working for a high performance tuning shop here in Victoria BC, and also home to Vancouver Islands only full chassis dyno.  My plans for this car since day one have always been to build something unique, something nobody else has done before.  Since turbo VG's are becoming a more popular swap, i wanted to take it one step further and swap the car from a Solid rear axle over to Independent rear suspension, to manage this, i've pulled the entire rear end from a 280zx and will be fabricating all my own swap parts to fit it into the car.

 

The Car:

 

1976 Datsun B210

2dr Sedan

Automatic

 

The Parts list thus far:

 

VG30ET pulled from a 1988 300ZX Shiro

VG FS5W71C Transmission

280ZX rear crossmember

280ZX rear Control arms, hubs, and axles

3.9 & 3.7 R200 Differentials

Garrett GT3582R

Nistune Type-2 board in an 88 Z31 N/A Ecu

 

 

Since I dont have any pictures with me, ill leave it at that for now. The only thing im missing is time.

[SlammedSunny]

Ive finally managed to put together a small photo album of the B210 thus far.

 

Day 1, just after bringing the car home and giving it a good wash and removing the side moldings

 

 

A few days later, Ive put some Celica Supra wheels and new rubber on it, cut the front springs, and flipped the rear overload.

 

 

A week or two later, i decided to start doing some bodywork at home, this is the first bodywork ive ever done.

 

 

 

 

All Finished with the driver fender, i left it in primer and decided to paint the rising sun on the hood

 

 

I drove the car as my daily for quite a while like this, then decided it was time to send her to the bodyshop for a complete paint job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the bodywork was done and the car was in primer, it was off to the paint shop, I did all the prep work myself, but left the bodywork and paint to the pro's

 

 

 

 

 

While the car was being painted i quickly painted the grill and swapped the turn signals out for fog lights

 

 

And installed my Fender mirrors after re-assembling the car

 

 

 

 

 

[SlammedSunny]

At this point it was time for some new Suspension, I installed a set of T3 Coilovers with 225# springs, T3 Camber plates, and T3 NCRCA's into shortened struts with MR2 inserts

 

 

 

Back on the ground, Nice and low.

 

 

Finally painted the Celica Supra wheels, Man what a difference!

 

 

 

 

 

Picked up a B210GX Steering wheel

 

 

I drove the car like this for about a year, moved a couple times, and built myself a cheapo garage

 

 

 

I started collecting parts for my next big upgrade, a VG30ET swap, Manual Conversion, and IRS swap

 

 

 

 

I Built a surge tank out of an old air compressor tank

 

 

also picked up a set of Corbeau Forza seats, and got to replace the god awful honda civic seats that were in the car

 

 

 

Got a set of Riken Mesh wheels off of a friend and while they all dont match yet, they look great on the car

 

 

Last picture before dissassembly for the engine swap

 

 

Started to tear it apart

 

 

Old A14 and Automatic trans are out! yay!

 

 

Engine bay before painting

 

 

 

After paint

 

 

Modified the original X-member for the new engine mounts

 

[SlammedSunny]

Test fitting and fabbing engine brackets for the VG

 

 

Installed some ARP Extended lugs into my S12 struts ill be using with the new setup

 

 

Making some Caliper brackets to mount the 4 piston Girling brake calipers onto the S12 struts and Rotors

 

 

And how the car sits now

 

 

The engine is out and back on the stand while i finish up the custom turbo manifolds and wait for an oil pan/pickup.  Currently working on sorting out the wiring, brake line modifications needed to install my brake bias adjuster and new front and rear calipers. and making a rear subframe mount to mount the 280zx rear crossmember into the car.  I'll post some more pictures as i make progress.  Until then, Enjoy.

[terolla]

i like where this is going

[datzenmike]

 

'81 or '82 Maxima rear end right? Isn't it going to be a bit wide by 3-4"?

[]2eDeYe]

Damn fine work so far, can't wait to see the finish :D

[Z-train]

 

'81 or '82 Maxima rear end right? Isn't it going to be a bit wide by 3-4"?

At minimum

[SlammedSunny]

1981 280zx rear end, yes its too wide for the chassis by itself, the car is getting Wide ZG fender flares in the back, and regular ZG flares up front. Until I buy the flares I have some positive offset wheels that will fit under the stock bodywork with the wider rear end to roll the car around with.

[SlammedSunny]

Here's a quick picture of the Rear sub-frame mount, Built out of 3x3x3/16 Angle, Both the ends are capped and the custom mounting pins are centered.  The whole piece is exactly 48" wide, which snugly fits into place under the car.  Once the mount is tack welded into the car I can then trace the contour of the transmission tunnel on to the mount and cut it out,  I've decided to keep it in one piece until its in the car, so i know that everything will be centered and straight.  The original sheet metal will be Sandwiched between this sub-frame mount and the roll cage mounting plates to keep as much chassis rigidity as possible.

 

[terolla]

update please

[SlammedSunny]

Update...... Er, well sorta.

 

I haven't had much time to work on the Sunny, i've been too busy with my new job and fixing my DD 280zx.  Ive got the rear frame rails cut out for the rear cross-member and control arm clearance, Ive grabbed a set of S13 rear shocks to use as placeholders until i can afford rear coilovers (Just so happens that an S13 rear shock fully compressed is the same overall height as the Camaro rear shocks when they are half compressed (Ideal ride height)), Picked up a set of AGX shocks for my S12 front struts, decided to ditch the Volvo Calipers and run OEM S12 calipers for simplicity's sake.  Since I haven't heard back from Experimental engineering about building me an oil pan for the VG ive decided to go a different route, I'll be using a Maxima front sump oil pan and pickup and flipping the cross-member, unfortunately this means removing my Addco sway bar so ill have to get a front sump compatible one in the future.  I did recieve a new part for the car, it only took 2 years of searching and a couple hundred dollars later, but i know have a Sunny GL center tail section for my car :)

 

[charolastra]

Nice car dude!

[SlammedSunny]

I'll have an update soon, I've finally ordered my VG oil pan and pickup. Just a few more things to tidy up and the engine can be installed. :) the rear end still needs to be finished up, but ill get on that now that the weather is looking better and im getting more time to do it on my days off

[]2eDeYe]

I can reset that stuff for you and combine your accounts. Shoot me a PM :)

[SlammedSunny]

New Oil pan/pickup is on the VG, test fit, NOPE! doesn't clear the already flipped crossmember.  So now I'm 100% positive that I wont make the car show, so why not swap out the crossmember to a 280zx one?  Ive pulled the L28E out of my parts ZX, Getting ready to pull the crossmember and rack.  Ill be De-powering the Rack to run it as a manual rack&pinion.  Now I have the choice of either 280zx struts and brakes, or S12 struts and brakes. The Brakes are close enough in size to make that negligible, so ive got to decide on hub offset.  Also Attaching the R&P to the steering column will be an interesting job.

[SlammedSunny]

280zx Crossmember is now mounted, I just need to clean up the frame rails since I needed to open them to weld in some nuts and re-inforcement.  I'll post up some pictures later this evening.  Using the 280zx LCA's the overall track width will increase about 1.25" per side.  The rack and pinion will require a custom steering column, which is the perfect time to install a steering quickener.

[dukerollo]

Is the Zx crossmember a bolt in affair?

[SlammedSunny]

No, neither the front nor the rear are a direct bolt in.  The rear needs a Crossmember mount fabricated and welded to the chassis, as well as a diff mount.  The Front is close to bolting in, you need to either drill new holes into the crossmember and bolt it to the existing mounts, weld it in, or Drill into the chassis/reinforce/and weld captive nuts to attach it via the original 280zx holes. Ive found the 280ZX LCA's are WAY too long, and would cause -5 degrees of camber, so ive opted for S12 LCA's, S12 Steering knuckles, S12 struts, T3 S12 TC rods, S12 outer tie rods.  All of these are bolt in once the crossmember has been mounted. S12 LCA's are 340mm long compared to S13 at 350, and S130 at ~380mm. The S12 and 280zx use the same TC rods, however in this application adjustable ones are Required.  Using S12 LCA's you must use S12 Steering knuckles, OR swap the balljoints for S13 and use S13 knuckles/hubs/brakes, ect. and conversion tie rod ends.  FYI, 83 280ZX Inner tie rods are the same as S12.

[SlammedSunny]

Getting more info out there,

 

1. No you cannot put S13 rack spacers on a 280zx power rack, its maxxed out from the factory

2. 280zx Power rack Pinion is 11/16-36 spline, aftermarket U joints are available

3. De-powering the rack is ridiculously simple, unbolt the pinion housing, un-do the sleeve retainer, remove rack, remove seal with circlip pliers, grease, re-assemble, plug holes.

4. 1976 B210 steering shaft is also 11/16 - 36 spline once cut down, if a retaining sleeve is welded to the steering column, an SKF BR2 bearing is a perfect fit on the shaft.

 

Pictures to follow.

[Eagle_Adam]

sweet build so far!

[mhub91]

update? 

[mhub91]

So.... No update?