1600 / 2000

Post by **AZhitman** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

I've long admired the looks of the old roadsters, and am almost in a position of possibly being able to pick up a resto project (maybe) or a toy... Does anyone know much about these cars? When were they built? Other than the size, (1.6 and 2.0), what do we know about the engines? Were they reliable? What are they selling for?

I'm trying to talk my wife out of the 1970-73 'Vette project she's coveting and into something a little more affordable...

Any info would be great (plus it makes the forum look busier):D

Post by **reggiegsd** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

You may be able to sell her by saying the 2000 was the best MG ever made. It had great character, looked neat (I think), and was Nissan reliable.

Unfortunately, it may not be cheaper than a Corvette project.

The car used the S (I think that was the designation) series engine, completly unrelated to the L series engines in the Zcars and 510s. Parts are harder to come by and tend to cost more. Same with the tranny.

However, there is great club support for the car and every problem, upgrade, or modification you could possible think of has already been delt with by someone.

Learn to weld and do body work or a restoration will become expensive fast.

I've done restorations (not freshinings, full restorations) on several Zcars, a couple of Jensen Healeys, and a Fiat Dino (a true horror story). Buy the best possible car you can afford. It is always cheaper in the long run.

YouTube · Post by **EZcheese15** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

reggiegsd wrote:You may be able to sell her by saying the 2000 was the best MG ever made. It had great character, looked neat (I think), and was Nissan reliable.

Unfortunately, it may not be cheaper than a Corvette project.

The car used the S (I think that was the designation) series engine, completly unrelated to the L series engines in the Zcars and 510s. Parts are harder to come by and tend to cost more. Same with the tranny.

However, there is great club support for the car and every problem, upgrade, or modification you could possible think of has already been delt with by someone.

Learn to weld and do body work or a restoration will become expensive fast.

I've done restorations (not freshinings, full restorations) on several Zcars, a couple of Jensen Healeys, and a Fiat Dino (a true horror story). Buy the best possible car you can afford. It is always cheaper in the long run.

I thought the early models had the S series engine, and the later ones had the L series. I may be wrong though.

If you get one of these cars, they are a true dream. Very nice looking cars, and are fun to drive. I would love to restore one myself.

Post by **Stoneage_Turbo** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

"I'm trying to talk my wife out of the 1970-73 'Vette project she's coveting and into something a little more affordable..."

it isnt that bad AZ im in one of those projects right now , 73 t top 4 speed smog 350 (that has to go tho) , its kinda fun , plus small blocks are cool , for 73s the resale seems to follow the big block convertibles

Post by **drjohn** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

I had a 69 srl311 2000 roadster. Great car and lots of fun to drive. The 2000 was overhead cam and twin su carbs. had 5 spd gear box with a 4 or 5 piece syncro assembly. Had to take out the eng. and trans together to change the clutch do to solid x- frame under car. Speedo read 160 mph tach was cable driven from dist. 2000 had hugh rods with 17mm nuts. Exhaust went through frame and would rattle at times. Just a great car to have and drive. The spl311 was push rod motor and if I remember was a 1600. The owner of our dealer is restoring a spl311 and is have a good time doing a frame up job.

Post by **Datsun411** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

O-KAy, not that I'm a roadster expert or anything, which I'm not... BUT...

The early (of the popular series) roadster, the 1600, had the R-16 engine with twin 'SU-type' carbies. Same as in my RL411 sedan (with minor fitment mods). THIS I know for sure!!!

The 2000 roadster had the (and here's where I pulling from recently acquired, but all-too-faulty memory) U-20 engine. This faked a sorta overhead cam out of a really-made-for-pushrod engine. EEEEXXXXtreeeemely expensive for restoration and repairs.

Me, I'm thinking of doing the bore and stroke routine to make my R-16 into a 2 litre. (got the crank, now need piston, etc.)

Generally I'm not into bells & whistles or super-modifying. For what I could dump into tricks, I can have another car or two.

As always, FWIW and AFAIK.

Post by **miteymax86** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

You can always slap an SR20DET from our beloved Silvia in there, and in that light a car=mucho fun hehehehehehehehe

Post by **Datsun411** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

SR20DET... dunno what that is beyond a Nissan engine.

4, 6, inline, V, fwd, rwd???

Not in Lucille will it go!! She's destined for concours restoration(not the big-bucks version though... the home mechanic version)

Did you see my post requesting recommendations for an engine swap to Suzie, my '67.5 RL411 SSS wagon??

Thinking a mid-engined creation using a fwd engine/tranny/suspension swap. Hoping for a stock/nearly stock output of around 176 HP.

What's the scoop on the SR20DET? What model(s) did/does it come in. I plead ignorance on anything Datsun/Nissan newer than 1967.

Vintage Rules!!!:ylsuper

YouTube · Post by **EZcheese15** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

Oh Carl, how deprived you are... j/k

The SR20DET came in The S13, S14, and S15 Silvias, along with the N10 and N11 Pulsar GTi-R, and the L30 Bluebird.

It's a I-4, HP flavors from 195-250, depending on model. It is available in RWD form as well as AWD. However, the SR20DE is available in FWD, so you can take an AWD SR20DET and mate it to a FWD tranny from the SR20DE, so that makes the SR20DET available in all 3 drivetrain layouts.

It's alluminum block, alluminum head. DOHC, 2.0L. Bottom end strong enough for 500 whp if tuned correctly with stock internals.

Post by **miteymax86** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

Once again, the Lord Cheese has all the answers you seek.

Post by **Speeddoctor** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

AZ: I have a black 1600 with 38K miles that I got out of California for roughly 2K. I took it to a local expert on these cars...(current state autocross champ in a 2000). For a thousand he made all of the mechanicals perfect. Now I have a rustfree body to paint and an interior to do. I can tell you about the web sites and venders and there is a book on the car that is a must have. If you are interested, let me know.

Go to auto trader .com to the collectors section and you will see prices and availability. It is a very historically significant car for Nissan. At the MId Ohio Runoffs two years ago, I saw the **** Roberts 2000 still racing...not vintage but current national championship contender. **** was the first director of Motorsports for Datsun in the 60s and raced it new in 1967. Very cool. I would help in any way that I can. SD:icesangel

Post by **roundrocktom** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

If you are looking to buy an older roadster, you might want to read Datsun Roadster Model Guide

A pretty detailed buyers guide can be found here:Buyer Guide c 1996 It is a little dated, but oddly enough most of the details.

Sigh... poor writer of that buyers guide had it used against him by his ex's lawyer... who ended up with his 67 2000 based on what he wrote. Long since disappeared from the world of roadsters after that!

Tom

Post by **ponytrekker** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

My first car in 1975 was a 1967 1600 Roadster that my Dad bought new in 1968. I cut my teeth on this one having to replace two clutches, (yes you have to pull the motor) a wiring harness, a couple of altenators. Also had to have the head milled due to overheating. All in all it it a very easy car to work on, very simple 4 banger with the valves on top. Valve jobs were easy to do because of the location.

My modifications included headers, fiberglass fan, glaspak bullet muffler. The twin SU carbs were tuned with a flow meter, or by ear. I had my Roadster fine tuned for years to start on the first key click with no gas pedal. The handling was not great, it had a poor turning radius and a very simple steering assembly, unlike the MGs. What made it great was the horsepower it put out with such a light chassis, it made it a thrill to drive. I regret giving up on it when I was in college and I couldn't maintain it, so I gave it to my brother who sold it.

Incidentally, my car paths since then have gone from

1967 1600 Roadster1976 280z 2+21984 300zx1990 300zx1994 Q45. --I cant' get rid of this Q because it is still too much car.

Been a Datsun/Nissan/Inifiniti man all my life.

Jay

Post by **Speeddoctor** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

Jay: Wow! A man after my own heart! I like the lineup and your devotion to things Nissan. The good news about the 1600s and 2000s is you could pick up a good for a few grand! Where do you live? The Mt Shasta meet is coming up soon. There will be some great Vintage Nissan/Datsuns and yours truly will be there.

SD

Post by **Down_Force** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

try to check out http://www.engrish.com

Post by **krazy skwerel** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

Where is a good place to pick up parts for these cars? My mom has a 1970 model that is in desperate need of restoration.

Post by **Rex** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

Here's what your project should look like when your done

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...=6188

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...=6188

Sad part is these ebay items will be gone and this post will seem useless in a matter of weeks

Post by **krazy skwerel** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

That blue one is a mut. Looks good though, but damn Ka24e and Miata seats. Actually I like the miata seats idea. Though instead of a KA I'd like to see a CA18det in there.

The yellow one is nice as well. I wish people checked this thread more often. Myself included.

Post by **krazy skwerel** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

Nobody posts here. It is sad. I want to talk about these roadsters but nobody has one, or if they do they just dont post. Also the old 240z another car I would like to discuss but nobody ever posts. sorry for the rant. Chances are nobody will see it.

Post by **PKer** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

krazy skwerel wrote: The yellow one is nice as well.

It said the yellow one would cost 20,000 to reproduce. Is that right? I want to convert my 69 but my budget would be more like 7,000. The car is in pretty good shape aside from the engine, is my budget realistic?

Post by **krazy skwerel** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

Well what all are you wanting to do?

Post by **PKer** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

I want to have a strong auto-x car that I can also drive around.I think a KA24E would probably be enough power, but what about suspension and brakes?How hard is it to do a disk brake conversion on them?

Post by **nof03** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

i might know of one for sell also has alot and i mean alot of extra parts.

Post by **bluebirdspecial** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

miteymax86 wrote:You can always slap an SR20DET from our beloved Silvia in there, and in that light a car=mucho fun hehehehehehehehe

Yeah, when I first got my 411 I was all about the swap to a screaming SR20 but I've been told a number of times that the unibody in the 411 could not handle more than maybe 150hp without a frame built in and I'm not ready to go there yet. Also I worry about the front end as it is very beefy for a 60-80hp car but a bone stock SR20DE would make easy 120 at the wheels. No sig difference in weight, even over the 1300, and a fifth gear. It could be fast but really only in a street rod way the suspension is also a throwback with wishbone suspension upfront and leaf springs and a solid axle in the rear. The 411s with their OHVs and wishbone suspended unibodies are more like a hudson than a nissan.

Post by **NV_JSmith** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

To many people try to rice out the restoration ideas with the sr swap... most dont even know how many versions of SR there really are!!! drop a 454 in the chevy and let a stock sr pull up to that lmao!

Post by **NV_JSmith** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

ya just can't beet american made muscle, make ya wanna say rawr...

Post by **BB Turbo** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

or just go CA? sorry if it has been posted i didnt read the whole thread

Post by **RAD2LTR** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

2 ltr roadsters are sweet. I have pretty much every performance part I can find for mine. I even went looking for parts through Nismo Japan. Currently my engine needs a rebuild (bad rings) but after the rebuild I'm guessing I will be in the neighbourhood of 180Hp on the stock U20 engine. It will be bored .060 over, has a reground cam (284 intake 294 exhaust @ .485 lift), ceramic coated headers into a 2" pipe, with a knife edged crank (5lbs lighter than stock). I am also running a 10 lb flywheel, and dual Mikuni 44Phh carbs. I also have a boat load of other stuff on the car as well. It will put the hurt on a 5.0 Mustang.

Will

Post by **gabossie** » Fri Sep 06, 2002 7:47 am

wow, sounds awesome. Post up some pics for us!

1600 / 2000

1600 / 2000

oh

roadster engine discussion

engine swapping - was 1600/2000

not without major frame stiffening

Datsun 2000

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