Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

The one I had has only been sitting for a little less than a decade. My main concern is maintenance because I’m not sure what the upkeep for an engine that old would cost

Upkeep of an old engine doesn't necessarily have to cost more then for a late one. Modern engines "take care of themselves" better than older ones. But the older ones are much simpler and don't require expensive diagnostic equipment inorder to resolve problems. You build-up from the gas does not necessarily indicate a big problem. Gas won't damage it like moisture will.

It has a lot of build up but I don’t think it would be too hard to get back in working order. I think cylinders 3 & 4 need to be rebored to get rid of the build up but no corrosion

Go to the quick links at the top left of this page and click on vendors. Datsunparts.com has an extremely comprehensive website with parts, prices, and pictures and you can get a good idea of the costs to rebuild your engine. Other vendors there are a good source of parts as well ( I have used Dean and several others with good results from each), it’s just that Dean has the easiest to use and most comprehensive site. Prices to rebuild a U20 are not as bad today as even 5 years ago. People like Jim Tyler (Datsun restoration parts LLC have manufactured replacements of the main engine parts which are much less expensive then they used to be.
It’s your car and you are certainly free to do whatever you want with it, but if your engine isn’t just completely worn out I don’t think that you can do a properly done swap that will perform better for any less. If you want noticeably increased power you are probably looking at twice the price. Where are you located in Ok? I’m in the Tulsa area and would be glad to talk to you about your project and Guyatou (Michael Downing) lives in OKC and I’m sure he would do the same.
Good luck with whatever you do. It’s great to have another roadster in the area!

RILYrains wrote: Sun Nov 22, 2020 8:22 am It has a lot of build up but I don’t think it would be too hard to get back in working order. I think cylinders 3 & 4 need to be rebored to get rid of the build up but no corrosion

Talk to a credible auto machine shop for their recommendations. Maybe the can do a light honing. If rebore then you will want to do all of the cylinders and rebuild the entire lower at a minimum.

Rebuild the U20. Just doing all the modifications for a swap, which would likely include EFI, will be far more complicated and expensive. Maintenance is simple... change oil, check valve clearances every once in a while, keep good fuel in it... that's about it, especially if you do the highly recommend EI dizzy conversion.

Alright you guys have partially convinced me. I’m going to wait till I can get the work done to the engine and then figure out how much it will cost to get fully working from there and then make a decision.