1970 SPL resto finally started...

[funkaholik]

Excellent!

[funkaholik]

After spending loads of time trying different jet combinations in order to get the Mikuni 40s to run right on my R2150 stroker, I finally gave in. Long story short - I procured a set of 44s and bolted them on. Right away, my engine was happier with the extra airflow. The 160 main jets that had been drowningly rich in the 40s were now too lean in the 44s. I got the jetting as close as I could at home, then made an appointment at Z Car Garage to get on the dyno and get things properly sorted. It was a slow drive there as I tried to keep it out of the lean main circuit - what a snoozefest. But then - dyno tuning time! End result is that driveability is better everywhere, backfiring through the carbs is almost nonexistent, and it ended up making the same 151 torque, plus 157 hp - 8 more than before. Looking at the power graph, lower-end power is about the same, but both tq & hp are up after the 5250 rpm crossover point.

Bottom line is that I'm happy with the bigger carbs and I'll soon be selling a nice set of 40s rebuilt by Mikuni master Dave Premo.

With my newfound smoother power, I made a 5 hour round trip from Concord to Pacific Grove to attend some of the car week festivities. What a great drive! Also "raced" my friend in his supercharged, 500-plus horsepower 2006 Mustang GT. I put "raced" in quotes because it was no contest. He absolutely destroyed me, even while smoking his tires. Loads of fun, though. A friend was visiting from Toronto and he loved riding shotgun during it, plus driving to the summit of Mount Diablo (3800 ft) from my house (about 50 ft).

Doing it in a Datsun!

[Gregs672000]

Really Nice! Good strong, long torque band. What size chokes were in the 40s, vs the 45s now?

[funkaholik]

There were 34mm chokes in the 40s, and there are 39s in the 44s.

And agents 86 and 99 are 10-76 on the 405. Sorry. All those numbers made me loopy.

[RustyBucket]

Sorry ‘bout that chief !

[RustyBucket]

He drove a sunbeam tiger/260

[funkaholik]

Another race story. Obviously, I am a miscreant. I have a gym friend who has a beautiful Austin Healey 3000, and as I am coming back from the grocery store the other day, he was behind me in traffic. As luck would have it, we end up at the stoplight together. I was going to rev my engine playfully to see if he was game for a little speed contest, but as I was looking over at him and putting the car in neutral, the light turned green. Rookie move. He took off fast and I was caught sleeping at the light. I dropped it into first and took off, easily catching him just as I was topping out first gear. I grabbed second, mashed the pedal, and the tire (singular - no LSD) let out a loud bark. Then I drove right out of his life as if he had thrown out an anchor. It was good fun and I was smiling all the way home.

I saw him at the gym today and he says, What the hell do you have in that thing? When I showed him it was just a 4 cylinder that put the beat down on his 6, he was a bit taken aback. I explained all the mods and what power numbers it had put down on the dyno, but he still couldn't quite believe it. Thanks, Dave Rebello.

Then I went to leave and my car wouldn't start. Starter is kaput. It spins but the bendix doesn't pop out and engage the flywheel. Had a couple people push start me and drove straight home. An inglorious ending to an otherwise fine tale.

[funkaholik]

Got the old starter out and I’m waiting for the new one to arrive.

In the meantime, I swapped out the Panasport emblems on my center caps for some Datsun ones I found on Etsy. Subtle, but I like the change.

[notoptoy]

I like the center caps, nice touch!

[Gregs672000]

Good switch from the 34mm to 39mm chokes in the carbs... that's where you're getting the improved top end and it probably didn't hurt the torque down low much given how well the engine was systemically improved (all systems upgraded). In this case, the 34s were "under carbing" the engine (usually people go the other way!). Dave Rebello did you right. Congratulations, you must be very pleased.

[funkaholik]

Got the new starter in yesterday. Accessing the top bolt is a real PITA with big fat Mikunis in the way. Whoever invented the ratcheting box wrench is my hero. Only able to turn it two clicks at a time, but I got it in and now my engine starts again, which is a big plus.

[funkaholik]

Good switch from the 34mm to 39mm chokes in the carbs... that's where you're getting the improved top end and it probably didn't hurt the torque down low much given how well the engine was systemically improved (all systems upgraded). In this case, the 34s were "under carbing" the engine (usually people go the other way!). Dave Rebello did you right. Congratulations, you must be very pleased.

You nailed it, Greg. Talking with David Premo, who built the 40s, he came to the exact same conclusion about the 34 chokes just not being big enough for this cammed 2155cc engine.

[funkaholik]

Well it's been ages since I posted any update, so I guess I'll start by saying that I've logged LOTS of miles on the Datsun with no issues. Drove down to Solvang last April and stopped along the way in Paso Robles so that the car's former owner from 1994 could see the car and take her 13-year-old son for a ride in it. Boy, was he grinning from ear to ear when they got back. I've been on a few more of the Breakfast Club Rallies, a local meet-up up and 100 mile drive through some pretty back roads.

I also scored a very nice washer fluid reservoir that looks really nice in the engine bay, plus added some sweet velocity stacks with screens to replace the cheap air cleaners that I had on there. The vibrations from the stroker engine were tearing those air cleaners apart at the questionable spotwelds.

So... picture time:

[drieseck]

Very, very nice bay, new tank and stacks. Do you use a electric push pump? For reliability, volume or minimizing power/loss? Thanks Dave

[funkaholik]

Do you use a electric push pump? For reliability, volume or minimizing power/loss? Thanks Dave

Yes, I use a Facet low pressure electric pump that was recommended by Dave Premo. He has the same setup on his car. It is mounted to the rear framerail. Here is a link to the unit I used: https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... RecID=2698