If you can acquire heads of and intake off a vd,you'll gain quite a bit. I got ahold of a Nissan senior tech a few months ago to verify any differences between the de and vd. The blocks are identical other than the vd being a slightly stronger casting. 400-420 factory HP with the higher flow and direct injection. Hell of a lot to mess with as far as the vvt though.
Major life changes have taken their toll, but here's to getting back on track. I just moved to Alamosa, Colorado. I should be posting updates again as soon as I haul the Datsun up.
I have the springs and the diff. I kept axle housing though. I do have a 720 housing with axles. They're a bit wider but could work depending on what wheels you use.
Bagged indeed! My camber is actually correct at ride height, but that's because I cut and bent the upper arm towers. Not the thing to do if you're not comfortable with it. Purchase or build adjustable upper arms. All else should work well.
The gasket between the block and cover could be leaking. If you pull the water pump off, you'll see the water passage. Looked like a place for trouble when I did my timing chain. If the gasket leaks, the water runs right down into the pan.