4811 why swap a ka when you can swap a ls1??

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   I started off thinking about swapping a ka or sr20 motor into my truck. and wanted to do a heidts superide front end and put a mopar 8 3/4 rearend with a 4 bar and full roll bar, etc. but then i thought if im going to do all that I might as well put an ls1 in it... So I got a wrecked 02 camaro ss with 50,000 miles off a copart online car auction. I got the motor and 6 speed out of it and have been selling all the other parts that are still good. So far for my project I have the motor, trans, the rearend with 4.10 gears for now(Im also into mopars thats why im using the 8 3/4 rearend. they actually look alot like a stock datsun truck rearend there just way beefier. I just got the triangulated 4 bar and qa1 coilovers for the rear. Here are some pics of the motor. And the engine stand I built for it this weekend.

that is my 67 cuda in the background, and my parents vette! i guess that explains why i want to put a v8 in a datsun 

I still need to paint the stand, but it works for now.

    I want to get the front end for it next and then ill start tearing it down to the frame to mock it all up. I also got to get my dad to finish a car and get it out of the garage so i can bring the datsun in. It's hard trying to get my dad make room for a datsun. Although he used to have a 521 and a 320. he put a ford capri v6 and 4 speed in the 320 and said he would smoke 620s in it and they always were asking what he had in it. then he moved on the vettes and  camaros. what a shame.

Author	Message
NickFr2000 Novice Joined: 02 September 2006 Location: United States Posts: 33	Topic: why swap a ka when you can swap a ls1?? Posted: 01 January 2007 at 10:53pm
	I started off thinking about swapping a ka or sr20 motor into my truck. and wanted to do a heidts superide front end and put a mopar 8 3/4 rearend with a 4 bar and full roll bar, etc. but then i thought if im going to do all that I might as well put an ls1 in it... So I got a wrecked 02 camaro ss with 50,000 miles off a copart online car auction. I got the motor and 6 speed out of it and have been selling all the other parts that are still good. So far for my project I have the motor, trans, the rearend with 4.10 gears for now(Im also into mopars thats why im using the 8 3/4 rearend. they actually look alot like a stock datsun truck rearend there just way beefier. I just got the triangulated 4 bar and qa1 coilovers for the rear. Here are some pics of the motor. And the engine stand I built for it this weekend. that is my 67 cuda in the background, and my parents vette! i guess that explains why i want to put a v8 in a datsun I still need to paint the stand, but it works for now. I want to get the front end for it next and then ill start tearing it down to the frame to mock it all up. I also got to get my dad to finish a car and get it out of the garage so i can bring the datsun in. It's hard trying to get my dad make room for a datsun. Although he used to have a 521 and a 320. he put a ford capri v6 and 4 speed in the 320 and said he would smoke 620s in it and they always were asking what he had in it. then he moved on the vettes and camaros. what a shame.
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datzenmike Expert Joined: 14 April 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 1098	Posted: 01 January 2007 at 11:45pm
	I looked at a 305 into my 620 but, too long. There was a distributer in back against the firewall, and the water pump and pulleys...no way. I think I needed something like 27" or maybe a little larger would work but not much room for rad. That's from back of motor at trans, to the front of pulleys, them 620's don't have the room. How well will yours fit, I see you don't need to worry about distributer and pulleys. The 340 was available in late '67, did you get one in your 'Cuda? My '70 Dart came with the 8 3/4 rear, but 3.23 gears... good for just over $1.50 top end.
	'78 620 flatbed,'79 dizzy, Bosch 90 amp alt.,p.s.,Z 5 speed, '80 transfer case,toyo 4:10 ft. axle with 4 piston calipers,'85 4x4 wire harness and dash,2oo sx elect. windows, 12.50x33 tires on 82 frame
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datsunaholic Moderator Group Joined: 05 December 2002 Posts: 4079	Posted: 01 January 2007 at 11:51pm
	I have a Ford Capri V-6 in my 521, but it has a blown head gasket. I know nothing about the 2.8L Capri engine other than the pan was full of water when I got it. Hardest part is trying to get the thing back out. It'll be interesting seeing that LS1 in a 620. You've got more motivation that I do.
	'64 320 '68 520 '72 521 V6 '74,75,79 620s '76,78 4X4 '76 KC '72 510 Wgn '78 B210 '78,81 510 Wgn 2X '78 510 Coupes '83 720 KC
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NickFr2000 Novice Joined: 02 September 2006 Location: United States Posts: 33	Posted: 02 January 2007 at 12:18am
	im putting it in a 521 not a 620 and im gonna recess the firewall to get it back behind the front wheels so it wont completely handle like sh*t, or get it as far back as possible without my shifter sticking out the back of the cab. and im gonna do a tilt front end, so i wont have a core support to worry about. Oh and my cuda has a 360. originally had a 273, auto and 7 1/4 rearend. I went through all the drivetrain when I was 14, i did the motor tranny, front end and rearend and interior. haven't got around to painting it yet. i think im gonna sell it tho. I also have a 65 valiant that i have gone through. its got a little 273 i rebuilt and 4 speed o/d. its fun to drive. i was going to make that my daily driver and leave it a slant 6 to get good gas mileage but somehow i ended up putting a v8 in it. and now i got my 521 that was gonna be my daily driver to get good gas mileage and now im putting the ls1 in it. its a disease. but i should get pretty good gas mileage with the ls1, if i can keep my foot out of it
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Driftn620 Enthusiast Joined: 17 April 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 201	Posted: 02 January 2007 at 9:53pm
	another small block datsun pickup LOL I'm currently in the process of putting a mild small block into my 620 and yeah I'm doing the firewall.. floor mods (have to replace a good portion of the floor anyways) .. and a tilt nose (my inner fenders were toast.. so I seperated them from the cab.. also made pulling the cab off the frame easier) but yeah.. with a well tuned V8.. and decent gearing (might as well highway gear.. cause you're not gonna get the traction to use a deep gear.. and you'll have more then enough torque!) 25-26+ mpg cruising in the highway shouldn't be suprising...although that'll drastically drop when the hammer drops better finish it though! or you'll get harassed ..haha
	1986 camry - decent stocker driver 1965 F100 - custom, was dads 1973 Yamaha 650 chopper - now a family member 20+ years 1978 620 kingcab - Rally build!
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datzenmike Expert Joined: 14 April 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 1098	Posted: 02 January 2007 at 11:08pm
	*Originally posted by NickFr2000* im putting it in a 521 not a 620 and im gonna recess the firewall to get it back behind the front wheels so it wont completely handle like sh*t, or get it as far back as possible without my shifter sticking out the back of the cab. and im gonna do a tilt front end, so i wont have a core support to worry about. Oh and my cuda has a 360. originally had a 273, auto and 7 1/4 rearend. I went through all the drivetrain when I was 14, i did the motor tranny, front end and rearend and interior. haven't got around to painting it yet. i think im gonna sell it tho. I also have a 65 valiant that i have gone through. its got a little 273 i rebuilt and 4 speed o/d. its fun to drive. i was going to make that my daily driver and leave it a slant 6 to get good gas mileage but somehow i ended up putting a v8 in it. and now i got my 521 that was gonna be my daily driver to get good gas mileage and now im putting the ls1 in it. its a disease. but i should get pretty good gas mileage with the ls1, if i can keep my foot out of it The reason I mentioned the 620 was because it is so similar to the 521 I used to own. Frame, torsion bars and engine bay size. I guess you won't drive an LS1 in the winter and need a heater lol. Ah, the 273, forgot it. I've never had one but knew them well. My first car (that I bought) was a '70, but I had my dad's '64 slant 6 for a couple of years and made an adapter and mounted a 318 2 bbl and split the exhaust into duals. It would equal my buddy's 283 Chevelle from 55 to 90 mph though.
	'78 620 flatbed,'79 dizzy, Bosch 90 amp alt.,p.s.,Z 5 speed, '80 transfer case,toyo 4:10 ft. axle with 4 piston calipers,'85 4x4 wire harness and dash,2oo sx elect. windows, 12.50x33 tires on 82 frame
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NickFr2000 Novice Joined: 02 September 2006 Location: United States Posts: 33	Posted: 04 February 2007 at 11:06pm
	took the cab and bed off my truck today. going to start on the chassis!
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NickFr2000 Novice Joined: 02 September 2006 Location: United States Posts: 33	Posted: 08 March 2007 at 2:38am

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mklotz70 Expert Joined: 28 November 2004 Posts: 1811	Posted: 08 March 2007 at 9:51am
	Nick.....I completely bow before you!!!! You are now an idol of mine!!! Those pics just made me complete forget about any bracketschmackets.....I think it's cause all the blood rushed from one head to the other!! :) What's the 5th pic of....crossmember with holes for exhaust??? How close is the front track width to the stock? Did you custom order a specific frame width? My NL is 3" narrower is why I ask. Do you know what kind of offset/backspacing you'll be running up front? Does it push the hub out much? Specs on the rearend? I'm guessing you're able to tuck those tires. Ken S in Bend had a narrowed rearend in his 521.....he could tuck 10" tires...those look similar. Are you going to mod the stock steering shaft or put in aftermarket? geez.....I thought I was doing good with a couple of $'s to blow on datsun stuff.....that front end alone is worth more than what I've paid for all of them :) Awesome work!!!!! Thanks for the pics!!!
	Don't have to be too bright to be me! Gresham, OR
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Hainz Guru Joined: 03 December 2002 Posts: 3122	Posted: 08 March 2007 at 10:10am
	Damn, it looks good And good welding job also!!!!!!!!
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mklotz70 Expert Joined: 28 November 2004 Posts: 1811	Posted: 08 March 2007 at 11:09am
	I told Paula about the thread.....she's more observant than I.....she answered my question about the cross member :)
	Don't have to be too bright to be me! Gresham, OR
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NickFr2000 Novice Joined: 02 September 2006 Location: United States Posts: 33	Posted: 08 March 2007 at 12:26pm
	yeah i didn't try to pull a fast one on you, and just forgot about those brackets. if i didn't bend them straight i would send them to you. The heidts front end is for a 32 Ford, the crossmember was a little narrow, so i had to trim it about a 3/16 in. on each side. and the track width is about 56 1/2 inches i believe. Ill have to do custom offset wheels. those wheels in the back are spares my dad had and are 17x10s with a 5.5 in. offset and i might have to change the offsets on them to bring them in closer to the frame, and then narrow the frame. right now there about 63 inches wide. and the bed is only about 61. there just ruff measurements for now, i just got it on the ground. so once i put the rear brakes on and know exactly where the tires will be i can decide what im gonna do. As far as the steering goes, I think ill have to do a tilt column because the rack is so close to where the firewall will be, ill have to put the column on a steep angle and then move the steering wheel down with the tilt to adjust for it. I really dont know what im gonna do until the next problem arises haha. I try to plan for the problems, but its hard until you start doing it, and then its like oh sh*t thats not gonna work. I got the frontend from tim's hot rod shop. it was 2350 for everything with free shipping. would have been closer to 3000 if i got it from heidts.
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mklotz70 Expert Joined: 28 November 2004 Posts: 1811	Posted: 08 March 2007 at 12:38pm
	That's good stuff! Nice to know the '32 stuff is about the right width. Yep...that did cost more than all my trucks added up....my wagons put it over :) I'm looking forward to following this thread! You've peaked my motivation! I'll be in the shop today!!! Thanks! oh...is the motor sitting back a bit? Did you extend or replace the front rails or box them in better?
	Don't have to be too bright to be me! Gresham, OR
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cb07 Groupie Joined: 27 June 2006 Posts: 121	Posted: 08 March 2007 at 2:26pm
	Yep, It's time for me to learn how to weld.
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l2eDeYe Groupie Joined: 09 February 2007 Posts: 93	Posted: 08 March 2007 at 4:24pm
	Damn nice work. Do you plan to get rid of the old crossmember? I would as I bent mine on my last truck going in and out of driveways, talk about crooked
	dos dattos
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NickFr2000 Novice Joined: 02 September 2006 Location: United States Posts: 33	Posted: 09 March 2007 at 1:33am
	mklotz: the motor is setting back quite a bit, its behind the front wheels. ill have to recess my firewall to get the cab over it. Im gonna face some foot room issues, but im not too worried. i just went over the sh*tty arc welds on the front of the frame. the frame outside box is only 1/8 in. and the inside is only 1/16 in. so im gonna do a full roll bar to stiffen it up. oh and the rearend is a narrowed 8 3/4 with moser axles. super tough rearend. l2eDeye: yeah im gonna cut the stock crossmember out. i haven't welded in the other one so i haven't cut it out yet. and im going to put another one right where the 4 link ties to the frame. how many inches is your frame off the ground?
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mklotz70 Expert Joined: 28 November 2004 Posts: 1811	Posted: 09 March 2007 at 10:18am
	Thanks. Now you have me curious about why you set it back so far. Weight balance, driveshaft length, oil pan clearance????
	Don't have to be too bright to be me! Gresham, OR
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l2eDeYe Groupie Joined: 09 February 2007 Posts: 93	Posted: 09 March 2007 at 12:34pm
	Well the old frame is sitting on the ground cut in half and the new frame is about 20"s off the ground on jackstands It was about 5"s or so and I would catch speedbumps occasionally and driveway entrance crowns a bit more often...
	dos dattos
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mklotz70 Expert Joined: 28 November 2004 Posts: 1811	Posted: 09 October 2007 at 9:50am
	So what ever happened to this project?
	Don't have to be too bright to be me! Gresham, OR
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NickFr2000 Novice Joined: 02 September 2006 Location: United States Posts: 33	Posted: 09 October 2007 at 8:11pm
	its still in progress. i got real busy with work, but currently the body is set on the frame where its going to be and in a month or so im bringing in to my work and bending up a roll cage for it. i will post updated pics once the cage is in.
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