DATSANITI - '80 210 Wagon VQ35 Swap

[]2eDeYe]

Either place works for this one, it is a bit of a project though :lol:

[Bstock]

Its enjoyable, I would keep it here. Love to see the progress that you are making. Putting in some real work there!

[Maschinenbau]

Project has a name:

 

DATSANATI

 

Current budget: $ 1,004.57

 

The forward subframe connectors are coming together. It's basically just a few pieces of 2x2 1/8" square tube I had in the pile. I'll make sure to weight everything I fab since I buy my steel by the pound from a local shop. 

2" slot cut into the upward slope behind the rear seat.

The middle of the tube lines up with the hole in the subframe bushing, or close enough to it. There will be a captive nut inside the tube and the bolt will insert from below. There will also be a tube dowel for locating the subframe during assembly, which will act as a sleeve around the bolt. It will make more sense in pictures once I build it.

Quality chisel time getting a lot of the sound deadening up so I have clean stuff to weld to.

Now that looks sanitary! 

Viewed from below

The subframe mounts are almost the same width as the rear "frame-rail-like" features. There is some length overlap between those and my square tube, so the chassis stiffness shouldn't be affected. If anything, I will be making it stronger. It's an 80's Datsun afterall. 

[]2eDeYe]

Almost like swapping a 510 irs into a 510 wagon... almost. :lol: 

[Maschinenbau]

Almost like swapping a 510 irs into a 510 wagon... almost. :lol:

 

I'm new to the Datsun scene, so I had to look that up. I didn't even know 510's had IRS, though it's only a semi-trailing arm. I probably have the first 210 with double-wishbone front and rear. 

[metalmonkey47]

I'm new to the Datsun scene, so I had to look that up. I didn't even know 510's had IRS, though it's only a semi-trailing arm. I probably have the first 210 with double-wishbone front and rear. 

 

Actually, someone beat you by about 3 months. There's someone local to me with one  :thumbup:

[]2eDeYe]

I'm new to the Datsun scene, so I had to look that up. I didn't even know 510's had IRS, though it's only a semi-trailing arm.

 

 

It's one of the things that made them such a successful racing platform. 

[]2eDeYe]

Actually, someone beat you by about 3 months. There's someone local to me with one  :thumbup:

 

 

You know the rules.

 

Pics or it didn't happen :lol:

[Maschinenbau]

I'm still claiming first fully double-wishbone Datsun 210 until I see otherwise :) 

 

Getting serious this week about attaching the IRS. First I had to clean up the aluminum subframe. It's quite a nice piece and really shines up!

Since I am adding new steel to a Challenge car, and I buy steel by the pound, I weigh everything first. Here's 5.3 lbs for attaching the subframe.

The forward mounts needed a hole, a captive nut, and a pilot tube. That's what I'm calling it, a tube for piloting the installation of the subframe.

The tube was bolted to the captive nut I tacked in before this shot. It keeps the tube straight while I weld it in.

Similar for the rear mounts.

Oh, the G35 springs should fit perfectly here. Now I just need to build between the frame rail and the subframe mount. 

The front mounts are tacked in and bolted up, with the rear of the subframe shimmed up to the right height using 2x4's. The track is a bit wide for the body. The brake rotors are almost flush with the body panels.

[]2eDeYe]

Can you tell me the measurements for the 4 pickup points? Gears are turning. :)

 

[metalmonkey47]

You know the rules.

 

Pics or it didn't happen :lol:

 

 

Ask and you shall receive! Only pics hes posted so far

 

[Maschinenbau]

I'll concede defeat once I see it rolling :)  Looks like a S13 assembly. I'm on an extremely tight budget of $2,018 so I won't have nice coilovers. Hoping I can make the "free" G35 shocks and springs work.

 

I'll take a picture of my measurements whiteboard in the garage next time. 

[]2eDeYe]

Ask and you shall receive! Only pics hes posted so far

 

 

 

Well played. :lol: 

 

 

I'll concede defeat once I see it rolling :)  Looks like a S13 assembly. I'm on an extremely tight budget of $2,018 so I won't have nice coilovers. Hoping I can make the "free" G35 shocks and springs work.

 

I'll take a picture of my measurements whiteboard in the garage next time. 

 

 

Thanks. 

[Maschinenbau]

All I remember is the rear pickup points need to be 12" off the ground, and the front pickup points are 9.25" off the ground. Because I measured those each about 50 times this week trying to get it all lined up! 

 

Also, I think I would like to move this thread to Project Datto. Is that something you can do as a mod or do I just create a new one there and dump this all in?

[metalmonkey47]

I'll concede defeat once I see it rolling :)  Looks like a S13 assembly. I'm on an extremely tight budget of $2,018 so I won't have nice coilovers. Hoping I can make the "free" G35 shocks and springs work.

 

I'll take a picture of my measurements whiteboard in the garage next time. 

 

Are you keeping the stock style front suspension as well as rear? If you do, I might be able to help you in the coilover department! Got some Tein Street Basis for 350Z/G35 that use the stock rear spring bucket that we're selling off discounted at work because of some paint chips.

[Maschinenbau]

Yep, it's all stock Nissan geometry all around, or as close to stock as I could keep it. Where do you work that gives you cheap coilovers? I'm clearly in the wrong line of business!

[metalmonkey47]

Yep, it's all stock Nissan geometry all around, or as close to stock as I could keep it. Where do you work that gives you cheap coilovers? I'm clearly in the wrong line of business!

I work for Z1 Motorsports (link) I guess cheap is a relative term haha

[Maschinenbau]

IRS subframe almost attached. I started making the mounts for the rear pickup points. Started with CAD as usual.

3.54 lbs from the budget

End plate are tacked in. That's about all I got this weekend.

Here are some G35/350Z IRS subframe measurements in case anyone is interested.

I had to pull the Datsun outside to turn it around. It's always nice to see your project in the light of day. This roughly ride height, thought the front is a little high. It looks lower than it is without wheels. You can still get under the rear bumper with a creeper.

[]2eDeYe]

Ridiculous, I love it :devil:

[Lockleaf]

Very nice

[Maschinenbau]

I finished welding the rear pickup points, bolted them to the subframe, and jacked the whole thing up into the Datsun.

With the jack holding the diff upward, and the pickup points torqued, I tacked all the mounts into place.

And then added the side plates and welded everything in once I was happy. Hopefully I didn't induce too much axle thrust.

Here is an IRS subframe held in by bolts instead of a pile of wood and furniture dollies! Yeah milestone!

With everything still bolted up I also finished welding the front pickup points. I still need to beef this up and tie it into what's left of the frame rails below it.

Mad offset. We are almost cleared for box flare take-off. Still in holding pattern until the rear is sprung.

I've already scoped out a good spot to put the upper spring perch. Now I just need to make it. The stock springs might work, but will probably need a coil or two cut out because I can't go high enough with the perch. Shocks also have a funny problem I'll dive into later.

[captain720]

Looking good!

[Maschinenbau]

Spring perches are made! Just have to weld them in now.

I decided to weigh this whole sheet and take it from the budget since I will probably use the whole thing and you can't just buy the weight you use for a Challenge car. 21.27 lbs from the budget.

The majority of tonight was just cutting and cleaning metal. I was always told welding is 90% prep, 10% welding.

Tack 'n bend method use various clamps, hammers, and body weight.

The G35's upper perch cushion fits right in. 

But even with eBay lowering springs, it still needs to go lower because the Datsun frame rail limited the perch height. So here's a trick I learned from a 10 year old 350Z forum post. 

The perch lip was too short anyway.

The little "wings" are built-in gussets for welding to the Dastun frame rail.

If the lowering springs are still too tall, I will just cut coils out of the stock ones and not use the eBay ones. It will save money in the budget anyway.

[Maschinenbau]

Spring has sprung! And my perches are welded in. I did at some point suspend the vehicle by its own wheels after tacking! But forgot to take a picture. The used eBay lowering springs will be just right, but any amount of compression rubs the fender edges into the tire, as you might expect. The $79 lowering springs also included fronts, in the same awesome blue, so at least they will all match. 

Stuck on you?

Then I took the IRS out and cleaned up the undercarriage, including a few patch panels and stiffening pieces.

Might as well prime and paint while I'm in here.

I also experimented with cutting the G35 rear coils, but I went too far now I can't use them. That's fine, I have room in the budget for the eBay springs, they look awesomely blue, and they won't have cut ends. The black shock is a G35 shock. It's quite tall and will need an extra tall tower made that will interfere with the back seat. The yellow shocks I picked up from faceplace marketbook last night for about $10/piece. They are Koni 30 series adjustable, which are used for late-model modifieds. They feel substantially stiffer than the G35 shock, even on the softest setting. I hope they work because the shorter height will be easier to fabricate mounts for. I have plenty of extras to share for cost+shipping. PM me if interested.

The Koni's have a hiem joint on each end that takes a 1/2" bolt. The bushing on the G35 knuckle uses a 12mm bolts. That's only 0.5mm difference. I needed to replace the shock bushing due to a destructive disassembly technique. So drilling out the hole a little allows a 1/2" bolt to slide through. The metal is very hard though and I'm having a tough time. 

[datsunfreak]

any amount of compression rubs the fender edges into the tire, as you might expect. 

 

Dumb question: G sized tires or 210 sized tires?