My Ca18det swapped 66 Roadster

[tag.mf]

Alright guys and gals, here's my 66 roadster my father and I are working on. When we first picked it up it was a complete car but, engine had no spark when we got it.






First thing we did was strip the car down and sell the original motor/trans. Then we upgraded with all new shocks, new comp front springs, sandblasted almost every suspension part and repainted it all, and did the Volvo 4 pot brake upgrade. We have all new brake lines and working on new fuel lines and fuel cell. Also, we stripped all the paint and fixed the body. There was very little rust on the car. Originally we had planned to do a ka24det swap out of my 240sx but we decided to pick up this gem instead!



This is a ca18det out of a 1991 Nissan 180sx in Japan. I picked it up from an importer right next to the harbor for less than half the cost of a sr20, and that not even the best part. It fits with no frame modifications at all!

test fitting the motor.


Everything fit great, other than the exhaust manifold like every other swap. So to fix that we went top mount, but then the turbo(t04e) didnt fit well. Now were going to just have a custom made log style manifold made instead.

Also just got my new intercooler and radiator today! Once we get them set in place we'll be able to send it off to the exhaust shop to get the manifold made.





There are only a few things I still need to do to get the motor running. I have some 785cc injectors I need to get flow test, need a bigger maf, and then its time to wire it up/tune!

I just wanted to share with you guys and gals what I've been working on and to see if anyone else has done this.

Thanks!

[fj20spl311]

There are several CA18 conversion around.

[Dave_Car_Guy]

Looks like a nice motor and a verity clean install so far. Looking forward to seeing the progress! Good luck!!

[tag.mf]

This car has been a year in the making and im excited to see it running soon. Also i've seen only two swaps. One was in Australia (RHD so exhaust side was a cake walk) and the other here in the states but it was non turbo.

[Alvin]

man that is a tiny motor! You could put the turbo in front Very cool and thanks for sharing your progress

[fj20spl311]

This car has been a year in the making and im excited to see it running soon. Also i've seen only two swaps. One was in Australia (RHD so exhaust side was a cake walk) and the other here in the states but it was non turbo.

Ron Hamilton had a Red early car.....maybe it was a 310
There was a Silver one (I think) with a four link rear axle and coil-over front.

Both were NA cars IIRC

[fj20spl311]

I am sure you will have enough power, but they do make a 87.6 mm stroker crank. 2L

[Alvin]

Phil, why haven't you informed him of scrub radius yet?

[Gregs672000]

The CA18t are very nice engines, some say better engineered vs other more popular Nissan offerings. I repaired a NA version that had broken a timing belt and bent some valves, so do be sure to check or replace that belt while the engines out unless you know it's history. Should be a great engine for your ride!
Also, if it is the steering shaft that is causing most of your exhaust issues, some have already demonstrated how to move/modify that shaft on other swaps.

[Gregs672000]

Since its injected, won't you need a high pressure fuel pump in the tank or elsewhere?

[fj20spl311]

Phil, why haven't you informed him of scrub radius yet?

Don't know the offset of every different wheel you are running.....

Besides, you never "helped" by posting the static height, brand, size and air pressure......

LOL

I can email you my calculator........ROTFLMFHO

I know I beat new ideas to death......

[peter]

So a CA18 det will fit directly with the 5speed on the frame?
That sounds great, why do a lot of people try the SR20det then when it give so much work to rebuild the frame. or is it so difficult to find this engine.

[Alvin]

That sounds great, why do a lot of people try the SR20det then when it give so much work to rebuild the frame. or is it so difficult to find this engine.

The SR is just a newer engine. CA's are super popular in Australia and make crazy power too. You can actually get the CA18DET for almost half the price of an SR20DET! Probably not the case for the FJ20-DET, but again it's an older, though badass engine.

[fj20spl311]

Pretty hard to find an FJ20ET.....its before they started adding the "D" for dual over head cam......

and for $2500 +++ you can make pump your CA18 up to 2L



http://www.spoolimports.com/spool-strok ... ca18/spool

[tag.mf]

I know this tiny little motor will pack a punch with the upgrades in it. And the steering shaft was an easy fix, but the turbo is to big so it hits the engine bay. We decided to put the turbo up front know (:

As far as the fuel cell, it'll have a baffle system and ill use a sending unit out of a 240sx with 300lph pump.

And the ca18det was only produces for about 3 years while the sr20det was for over a decade. But a lot of parts are interchangeable with the us ca18de (: