1970 Nissan Laurel KC30 coupe w/ SR20DET

Eric · **Posted:** Wed Aug 18, 2010 9:35 am

Congratulations!

KC30 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:11 pm

Well, due to sheer craziness of working and trying to get the Laurel done, I haven't been able to post... or sleep for that matter either.
So, when I left off the engine was running and had some things to finish up. (diff oil, throttle pedal, oil pan sump guard) Well, I finished those things on Thursday, the throttle pedal was pretty easy, used the S13’s throttle cable and a pedal from a Bluebird (didn’t have an S13 pedal at the time). I had to space out the pedal, which was done with a couple pieces of square tube aluminum for the pedal mount and the same for the pedal stop. After that was sorted out I filled the diff and fired it up! I checked out the gears on the lift, get to reverse, in gear off the clutch and… nothing. So, being the RB’s transmission I got was free, I can’t be upset that it didn’t work. I new it was a chance, but had hoped that it was only the bellhousing that was damaged. So anyways, I decided to test drive without reverse and WOW what a blast! I make a round get back and a friend asks about the noise (I’m thinking it’s my transmission) but it’s the fuel pump. So I think, crap I’m almost out of gas, so head to the gas station right down the road… and halfway it stalls out. So I walk the rest and get 5 gallons, put it in and start to prime the fuel system… which oddly takes forever. Finally got it, start the engine and it runs about 10 seconds and sputters out. Keep trying and I’m thinking, crap my new fuel pump’s failed. I walk back to the shop, and talking with my friend we’re scratching our heads, when he remembers I put on the fuel filter prior to the pump (due to debris in the line). So he asks if I take a look at that and see if it’s clogged. So I go with some fuel hose and take a look, I pull the line off at the input, and the filter looks clean, but there’s only a dribble out of the line. So I bypass the line, running a line from the tank to the pump filter. Get in, the pump primes quickly and the engine fires right up. Get it back to the shop and out of time, so done for the Thursday.

KC30 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:21 pm

I started Friday with meeting the shipper and Japanese customs agent about the shipment. With the shipment scheduled to depart on the 29th. So after meeting and sorting out some of the details, I find out the Laurel needs to be dropped off Monday (the 23rd)!!! I think, WOW this is going to be close!

So, I get to the shop knowing I have to get the transmission with no reverse sorted out. Knowing that the linkage/forks tend to fail (before a gear does) and having a couple of spare transmissions with bad bearings, I pull it out. The easiest transmission I have EVER had to pull. With the engines positioning, it was just an unbolt, pull straight back, and lower... out in 25 minutes from arriving.
So I open the case, and the gears all come out with something missing... The lower rear (reverse) gear (sheared off with the shaft) is still sitting in the case. Definitely what's wrong and not a linkage issue. So I call to get a new transmission, which wouldn't be ready to pick up until Saturday around noon. So being on hold with that, I start to work on the sump guard needed for the oil pan sitting pretty low. That was the end to my Friday when I finished that. It's not the prettiest, but it's functional:
Sump guard

KC30 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:57 pm

Saturday I go in to clean up a lot of miscellaneous stuff, the shop and the car, getting ready to get it out and shipped. I get the transmission around noon, and throw it in, finding it takes a little longer and through trial and error that I can't install it with the trans cross-member on like I could when I removed it. So the transmission's in and the car's all ready... I think.

I drive it out of the shop again, headed down the road with my silly grin for the second time. Loving the drive, and even the noise (still no exhaust, only an exit pipe), I get to the second stop sign, and it starts sputtering AGAIN!? Then it dies out... and the fuel pump's making the same noise again. I let it sit, go through the fuel system prime again and get it to start up running pretty good. I start heading back to the shop and half way back it starts sputtering bad, then dies out. Not able to restart. Well, let me try the fuel line again, it fires off and I get back to the shop. So, yeah, I should have cleaned out the tank earlier. Once back on the lift I get the tank out and look in... and yeah, the fuel suction point is surrounded with 40 years of corrosion and debris. Here's a few pictures:
The fuel tank out
The start of the debris
This is about half the debris
And here's about the biggest piece about 5 times the pickup tube
And that was the end of my Saturday, leaving the tank to dry out two days until the drop off date!

KC30 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:33 am

So, I start my Sunday, having to get my fuel tank in and car running, to be dropped off in about 24 hours for shipment. So, barring anything else going wrong, everything's fine, no sweat.
So I get the tank in, put some fuel in... and it fires up like a champ. Get it out, and it makes a drive without stalling out.
The final touch before it came out of the shop for good, I got the old shifter knob on.
The old shift knob
So, I ended Sunday with the Laurel driving and picking up a stock downpipe from an S15... which didn't fit because the rear of it angles up and hits the body.

So Monday morning I cut it just prior to the angle, and fit for a decent temp pipe for shipment. Here's a few pictures from the stop for that.

Front 1
Front 2
Back 1
Back 2
Then the rest of Monday was spent dropping off the Laurel for shipment and doing the paperwork and the running around for that as well. Which included getting the Laurel de-registered and it's export certificate and the Japanese Customs paperwork done.
There were some things I wanted to get done, but ran out of time. Right now it's got the 15" wheels on front and the 14"s on the back still. I've got the other rims, which I will be mailing back, and then get the matching 15" rears with the track width to match the front.
I have some better quality pics that I took Sunday that I'll try to post later and I'll let keep updated on the shipment.

Here are the better pics I mentioned. I'll just post links since they are all larger pics:
Rear
Interior 1
Interior 2
Engine
Front corner
Front angle
Front 1
Front 2

Eric · **Posted:** Wed Aug 25, 2010 11:36 am

I love it man

Great looking car, al this nice work done and documented, thumbs up for you! :tu:

GTS-Retro · **Posted:** Wed Aug 25, 2010 4:46 pm

enjoyed reading thru.. such a nice looking little car.

KC30 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 18, 2010 1:50 am

It's been a little bit since an update. But things are going along, the Laurel left Okinawa on the 29th of August. It arrived in San Pedro, CA on Sept. 14 and cleared customs on the 16th. Now it'll be headed to Dallas by train.

Here's some pics the day it was put in it's container and closed up:

john · **Posted:** Sat Sep 18, 2010 5:11 pm

Do you live in the DFW area?

KC30 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:48 pm

datsunfreak wrote:

Do you live in the DFW area?

No, I'm in New Mexico. But the nearest hubs for the shipper was either San Pedro or Dallas, so I choose to get it to Dallas and then back to NM. Part of that was also because dealing with the shipping company in Japan, communication was difficult at best, and by the time I found out it was supposed to enter the US in CA, it was too late to look at only having them go that far and arrange transport to NM.
Also, it's just been updated that it's left CA and should be in Dallas around the 20th. I'm getting excited thinking it might be in my garage when I get back. I left Okinawa right after it did but stopping in Guam on my way home and it'll beat me. So my brother is REALLY helping me out and dealt with a lot of the customs issues/communication and the pickup/transport to NM.

KC30 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 23, 2010 4:23 am

Getting closer.... So the container got to Dallas Tuesday, and picked up Wed to start the unloading process. I have to admit there's a reserved part of me nervous about how it faired on the trip. We had a typhoon hit Okinawa right after it departed there, so I wonder what kind of seas it had to deal with.

**Update**
Well, I was informed by my brother that the Laurel is in my garage waiting for me as of the 28th!
I can't wait to get home and open that door!

KC30 · **Posted:** Sun Oct 03, 2010 9:43 am

Well I got back from my trip this Friday. I came home and opened the garage door to find this waiting for me!

My brother helped me out very much being able to transport it from Dallas to NM. It was great to open the garage door and find the Laurel peeking out!
The Laurel and it's new friend
It just so happened that I got back a day before a local classic car show. Having nothing else to do (that I wanted to do at least)... needing a distraction, I decided to get out to it. I ended up next to one of my dream cars, a '69 Charger, which had a beautiful color:

Here's a few other pictures from the car show:
Front
Side
Small car in the crowd
The Laurel was one of the few foreign cars there. There was a very beautifully restored 1600 roadster... which I just realized I did not get any pictures of?! There was also a late '70s VW bug and a Sunbeam Tiger. Everything else was classic American.

Datsun_S110 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 04, 2010 2:28 am

I'd like to know from what Nissan that lower universal joint what's connected to the steering-rack is? Because I also need one like these for my S110 project.

KC30 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 04, 2010 3:44 am

Datsun_S110 wrote:

I'd like to know from what Nissan that lower universal joint what's connected to the steering-rack is? Because I also need one like these for my S110 project.

The lower U-joint (and steering rack) are from an S13. I hope that helps you out some.

Datsun_S110 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 04, 2010 5:22 am

KC30 wrote:

Datsun_S110 wrote:

I'd like to know from what Nissan that lower universal joint what's connected to the steering-rack is? Because I also need one like these for my S110 project.

The lower U-joint (and steering rack) are from an S13. I hope that helps you out some.

I've also those parts from a S13, but my lower U-joint has only on one side a clamp-connection. On the other side of the U-joint there is a welded shaft on it. I need a U-joint with on both sides a clamp-connection.

USA S13 is different of a Europe S13?

Eric · **Posted:** Thu Nov 04, 2010 9:55 am

the usa s13 would be a 240sx, but they use the same steering rack etc.
i have never seen that 2 way clamp style u-joint on an s13 before and i have seen many of them..

KC30 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 04, 2010 7:47 pm

Hmm, I'm not sure about the European S13 steering shaft. I have installed one from a Japanese S13, but the US and UK spec ones I've seen are the same. It's difficult to see, but right under the rubber dampener, I used the shaft from an R32 (shortened). That's what the S13 lower joint on the steering actuator attaches to. The lower joint is the same on the S14, R32, R33 and Z32's I've seen, and on other Nissan's I would assume.
Here's a S13 service manual pic showing the lower joint:

Also, here's a link to a UK S13 200sx that has some pics of it:
http://philsharratt.tripod.com/Conver.html

KC30 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:12 pm

Oh, while I'm at it, here's an update... Which is nothing. Unfortunately my little Isuzu has taken up my time and funds lately.
So here's a pic from another car show:

And I couldn't help myself from getting a new license plate:

Eric · **Posted:** Fri Nov 05, 2010 12:51 pm

ah, you are right, the s13 does have that 2 clamp thingy in the middel of its shaft! just a little higher than on your car.

KC30 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 25, 2010 1:37 pm

So lately my projects on the toys have been overlapping. So I figured I would post a few pics of the two together:

1970 Nissan Laurel KC30 coupe w/ SR20DET

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