Picked up my latest $100 commuter beater since I've been relying on my trucks to cover the 100 mile round trip commute. I usually commute with a 510 ('78-81 type). I traded away my '81 and it's smog issues but my '78s need machine shop work. Plus this was cheap, but needs work too.



A little rust here and there. It's original paint except the hood and driver's side fender.



It's not that readable, but it says 263225. Not bad shape for over 260,000 miles.



Interior is in real good shape. It was redone in the early 90s or so. But why is the radiator in the back seat?



Oh, that's why. See, a $100 510 in that shape isn't gonna be perfect, and this one wasn't. Prior owner's daughter didn't see the pegged temp gauge when the radiator top tank ruptured. I'm HOPING the bearings aren't shot becuase I'm just sticking the spare 200SX head I had on, with new gaskets and such. The prior owner took the head off to be checked (warped BAD) but didn't block the timing chain so naturally the tensioner had popped out. The engine had been rebuilt less than 10 years ago (the pistons are NOT original) so maybe the bottom end survived. Only time will tell.

I'm probably gonna pull the CD deck from my Z and put it in the wagon. I'd rather be driving my brown wagon but the clutch finally bit the dust and it needs the entire engine re-gasketed (it got banned from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for excessive oil leaking in 1996, I fixed the worst of the timing cover leaks but now the rear main has gone. Only 280,000 on that one though).

This wagon has tiny 4" "Majestic" brand (Schucks brand?) speakers but no head unit. Dash was cleanly cut out to DIN size so it'll fit nicely, and I won't have to worry about damage since it's already cut.   I run a speaker box with 10"s in it and a amp in the "Blue Beater"- the original reason was the car was so dang loud with the mods I did in 1994 (coupled with the metal tailpipe hangers) I couldn't hear the stereo. No, they weren't GOOD mods, just loud mods. And yes the speakers in the box are 10 years old now.

Unfortunately it's a 4-speed. It is damn near impossible to find a FS5W63A (short, dogleg type) transmission clocked the NAPS-Z way. They were only used in the '80-81 510. The L-series oriented variety were used in more cars. But I should still manage 30+ MPG with the 4-speed. The oil-leaking brown one got 35 in it's heyday of 1993-1994 when I drove from Seattle to Bremerton via the Narrows every day, and it's only a 4-speed.

I have the head loosely installed and the timing cover, timing chain on but that's as far as I can go for a few weeks. The manifold gaskets are on order, and I'm short 1 head bolt (might as well put all new ones in at this point). Next weekend is shot since I'll be playing with the BIG engines (1710 cubes, 2500+ HP) next weekend in Pasco.

Oh yeah. Too bad the little wagon isn't running- the Previous owner swears the A/C works. Pasco in July with no A/C?

No kidding. And I was feeling overheated working on my blacktop driveway in 92 degree weather today. Oh well, I'll take it to work on the Allisons. One of these days I might get a chance to go out in one of them (and get beat to heck bouncing around at 140MPH in a 40 year old boat.)

PROGRESS REPORT:

Took 'em almost 2 weeks, but nissanparts.cc came through and the head bolts showed up. SO the head is now torqued down, manifolds installed, new NGK plugs (the "spare" used head I installed had a set of AUTOLITES in it. Ugh, not gonna go there again). Only had a little snafu of losing the exhaust manifold gaskets I bought 2 1/2 weeks ago. Thought for sure I set 'em on the dashboard- oh well, they're fairly cheap.

Z20 engines are a b1tch to get the intake manifold bolts on- there's 11 bolts on the intake and 8 on the exhaust, half of which are UNDER the manifolds and not even a socket/extension/universal will reach. Gotta do the 1/8 turn with a box-end thing.

However, the project is once again on hold (seafair is this weekend and once again I have big boats and engines to work on). Hopefully this engine will just work- I'm taking a gamble on a "salvage" head since it is noticeably straighter than the head that came off this car. I really don't want to rip this one apart again, esp since my 4X4 now needs a new bottom end (praying the crank survived but I doubt it since there's nearly 1/4" of axial slop)