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AutoLab super JDM old skool Datsun 510 build thread....

13K views 84 replies 53 participants last post by  jdm2000civic 
#1 ·
Got this car back in Jan 08, started tearing it apart in Feb. Its really straight and was worth the shipping from Oregon.





Rear end, axles, etc out & ready to be blasted.



Drivers side has more dents and dings than pass, but nothing like these cars usually have. No serious rust anywhere either.



All front end stuff off the car also ready to be blasted.

 
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#2 ·
damn that looks like its going to be a hell of a project but i promise you it will be worth it! (which you probably already know)
 
#3 ·
Then the purchasing began, found some mint front fenders off a car that was in some museum lol. No idea why they were parting the car out but whatever. I then called up Troy at Ermish Racing in cali and picked up his f/r coilover setup with adjustable tension rods, Koni front inserts for a Rabbit, front upper camber plates with built in caster, & new bushings for everything on the car that uses a bushing.







double adjustable front tension rod

 
#38 ·
Then the purchasing began, found some mint front fenders off a car that was in some museum lol. No idea why they were parting the car out but whatever. I then called up Troy at Ermish Racing in cali and picked up his f/r coilover setup with adjustable tension rods, Koni front inserts for a Rabbit, front upper camber plates with built in caster, & new bushings for everything on the car that uses a bushing.





Now what the hell are you going to do with all of that? You don't know how to turn a car. :p

Shoulda got some E-bay coils cranked all the way down and Monroe Sensatracs and called it a day.



 
#5 ·
I also picked up Ermish's f/r disk brake system using a bigger/new master, braided lines, and Wilwood f/r calipers. Fronts are 4 pot. The system is really nice stuff, front rotors are 2pc design.




The past month or so Ive been working on getting the front strut tubes cut down for the new VW inserts. I took over 4 inches out of the tube alone, the modified tubes and coilovers allow a total of just around a foot of lowering over stock ride height. Wade and all the Honda kiddies would be proud :)

Then I started on the tubular front X member for the powertrain.



Next I fab'd up some mount brackets to the stock mounting points on the X member...



And with doozer's magic hand the F20 is now at home, 6spd and all!





 
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#6 ·
Next is going to be some tubular ( 1 1/4") rear trailing arms with Aurora rod ends. this will allow more susp travel for the car since it will be very low. I need to start on wiring this fall, both using a Painless chassis harness/fuse box and the engine wiring.

An AEM EMS is planned and individual throttles will be the last step. I want to get every last piece installed, modified, mocked up, etc and actually drive the car for a week or two like that to ensure everything is gravy. Then it will all be broken down and the body work will begin and prep for paint.

hope you enjoyed the pics.

-bill
 
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#8 ·
I'm so happy you went with the F20C, I don't know why. For some reason I was expecting something else.

Good to see a Louisville man who knows what he's doing has his hands on a 510, I can't wait.
 
#19 ·
Completely forgot about the other 510 build that's going on.

It really is interesting just how well this engine fits in the car. It is like it was meant to go in there. The trans fits in the tunnel well, minor hammering was required. The shifter damn near fits in the original hole in the tunnel and the tranny x-member mounting holes are lined up perfectly with the mount on the tail of the trans. Shifter location is spot on. The best part is, with the doozer touch, the f-ing stock F20 header slid right in and is ready to rock the way it sits! It sits a hair low for the ride height my car will have, but for normal ride height it would be fine right out of the box. SICK!




This car has been one of my most fav cars of all time for years and years. The body work this car has done to it is a guide for mine. I love the clean look and how he didnt upset any of the stock body lines. Im on the fence still about doing away with all side glass like he did, thats a little too hardcore for me I think. Id like to drive this car when its cold outside.

Love that side exit exhaust.
 
#17 ·
It really is interesting just how well this engine fits in the car. It is like it was meant to go in there. The trans fits in the tunnel well, minor hammering was required. The shifter damn near fits in the original hole in the tunnel and the tranny x-member mounting holes are lined up perfectly with the mount on the tail of the trans. Shifter location is spot on. The best part is, with the doozer touch, the f-ing stock F20 header slid right in and is ready to rock the way it sits! It sits a hair low for the ride height my car will have, but for normal ride height it would be fine right out of the box. SICK!




This car has been one of my most fav cars of all time for years and years. The body work this car has done to it is a guide for mine. I love the clean look and how he didnt upset any of the stock body lines. Im on the fence still about doing away with all side glass like he did, thats a little too hardcore for me I think. Id like to drive this car when its cold outside.

 
#24 ·
I'll give you the same advice I give everyone starting a 510 project.

Ditch the semi-trailing arm rear suspension. The 510 was cool in it's day because it had a rip-off of a Mercedes suspension, but it just aint worth fighting with it today to try to make it work with modern tires that are much more sensitive to bad alignments.

If you get the rear suspension to where the camber and toe is good in static conditions, you'll find that the toe goes crazy when the suspension goes into compression. It's not good for autocrossing, it's not good for drag racing. It's almost bearable for daily driving duty.

If the car could live it's life on some Goodyeear bias ply racing slicks you might be able to make it work, but I don't get the feeling that's what you are looking for.

Go with a Miata rear suspension, or a live axle with a four link, or maybe even S2000 stuff to keep with the Honda theme. You'll end up spending less time trying to sort it all out and be much happier with the results.
 
#28 ·
Sweet about time you posted some progress pics. Cant wait to see this finished! :D
 
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