Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Yep, the up side and down side of the housing market around here!

House is sold, and now the real hunt starts for the new place. Having to bump our price up another 100k just to get decent housing, not even in a good area. And of course sans garage...soo frustrating this whole year has been so far.

We're still looking. It's just plain brutal. 75-100K over asking, Cash offer is what it takes to win here. I'm not in that zone.

In other news, I ordered an aluminum radiator for a Del Sol. First thing I've bought for the Datsun in at least 6 months.

And I have an odd question, which I never got around to asking. When I put the body back on the frame (69ish body, 70 frame) the front right body mounting bracket didn't line up at all with the mount on the frame. Like, 2-3 inches off IIRC. So, 3 of 4 holes lined up. What gives? I'd understand if the car got folded like an accordion at some point, but that seems like it's more than mechanical error. Was there just that much variance in the chassis? I know I'm going to have to cut the one off the body and move it once I get the car back from storage, but it really threw me when I set the body on the frame.

Nobody knows???

Oh well. I ordered up an aluminum Del Sol radiator with electric fan, and didn't even open the box. Just going to keep collecting parts for a while.
I'm also researching the 1.4T chevy cruze/sonic engine as an alternative. I may change things up completely once I get the car to a place I can work on it. Size is the same as the Datsun engine, and intake is on right side too.

lagomorph wrote:I'm also researching the 1.4T chevy cruze/sonic engine as an alternative. I may change things up completely once I get the car to a place I can work on it. Size is the same as the Datsun engine, and intake is on right side too.

FYI, they are having a lot of problems with the exhaust housings cracking on those. Turbos are failing with as little as 40k miles on them. Expect to make a new exhaust manifold and run a different turbo. Otherwise a pretty good engine...

I found a potential donor engine in Aberdeen...need to get some time to go look at it.

And we're bidding on yet another house this coming week. Time will tell if we get outbid again by some ridiculous cash offer.

"When I put the body back on the frame (69ish body, 70 frame) the front right body mounting bracket didn't line up at all with the mount on the frame. Like, 2-3 inches off IIRC. So, 3 of 4 holes lined up. What gives?"

Haven't a clue....I put a '66 body on a '68 frame and every mounting point lined up perfectly.....??

I put a deposit on a complete 1.4T swap today. ECU, wiring, engine all from a 2014 Cruze RS.
And went under contract on a house with a massive shop behind it.

things will move forward this winter. Gathering parts now.

lagomorph wrote:I put a deposit on a complete 1.4T swap today. ECU, wiring, engine all from a 2014 Cruze RS.
And went under contract on a house with a massive shop behind it.

things will move forward this winter. Gathering parts now.

Congratulation on the new home, especially the shop! I assume that massive means that it is very spacious. I have a suggestion, my shop is 40x50 with 17 foot ceiling, lots of room to keep multiple projects under cover, but too big to heat and cool, yet I do. I built an inside room which is 20x16 with 10 ft ceiling. I can fit pretty much anything I have in there including the 9000. The inner room is fully insulated as is the main building. I have a non-vented catalytic propane heater in there, and keep it at fifty, then bump it up when I go in to work on something. In the summer when it gets really hot I can cool it. I heated the whole building for the whole of last winter for $475.00. The inner room makes heat affordable.

lagomorph wrote:Size is the same as the Datsun engine, and intake is on right side too.

Neat engine! The oem intake (going to the turbo) is indeed on the driver's side, so exhaust routing could be similar.
Looking forward to your solution for the intake manifold plumbing as the factory throttle body would be up into the passenger side cowl!

exhaust routing on the drivers side, intake manifold on the passenger side. I think I will have better luck making a manifold for the ecotec, given the shape of the manifold, it doesn't appear to need to have equal length runners like the duratec. The oil filter housing may present some challenges, but if I can get away with a log-style intake (which the factory one is already similarly shaped) and a remote oil filter housing, this could work out really well. I'll pick up the engine early next week.

well, the 1.4t engine was a bust. As in broken block. One of the rear mounts took a chunk out of the block. Would have been nice if they told me before I drove 2+ hours to pick it up, but at least I didn't get it home and find that out.

More searching...

The car and my tools are back in the same location. It's a little tighter than I thought it would be, but the 75 rabbit and the roadster both fit nose to tail in the one bay. Have lots to do before I can get to work on either car, including painting the innards of the house, and a few other things. I did get a lead on another cruze engine, local, seems like a good deal - we'll see if it pans out next week.

lagomorph wrote:House is sold, and now the real hunt starts for the new place. Having to bump our price up another 100k just to get decent housing, not even in a good area. And of course sans garage...soo frustrating this whole year has been so far.

Kind of off topic ,but I see your housing info
What would a 69 large ranch 3 bd rm 2 bath, 2 full apts in basement
on 4 acres ,very near a 900 acre lake in a big city ( not out on rural roads )
with a 1500 sq ft shop out back fetch ? IYO

just a quick update -
we did get a house, with a good sized shop. Still organizing, but the Datsun is inside for the winter. Still trying to find a cruze 1.4t engine to put in place of the duratec. Lots to do, been working on a few other projects while I wait for an engine to materialize.

As for pricing on the request :
What would a 69 large ranch 3 bd rm 2 bath, 2 full apts in basement
on 4 acres ,very near a 900 acre lake in a big city ( not out on rural roads )
with a 1500 sq ft shop out back fetch ? IYO

Not gonna happen in Seattle. Not unless you're a billionaire.