Just picked up an old Datsun 1200. The little 1.2's performance leaves something to be desired, stock as it is. And I know it's a 1.2, but I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how I should enhance it.

Search Google, Datsun1200. I can't post the link on here, but there are quite a number of US members too.

Trav

A good start is either www.datsun1200.com (a mostly Australian forum full of 1200 lovers) or www.ratsun.net (mostly people from the northwest US but they have a somewhat active collective of 1200 owners. And of course there's here.

Messing with the stock A12 engine is hardly worth the time. With minimal fuss you can swap in the newer A14 or A15 from a B210/210. The A14/A15 swap alone is a big improvement, and the A14/A15 will respond better to "massaging" than the A12 will.

With a little more fuss, you can swap in an L16/L18 and still look fairly stock and have quite a bit more fun.

With a lot more fuss you can swap in a CA18DET (1.8L turbo) or SR20DET (2.0L turbo).

All have been done many times into 1200s, so the research is already done, and there are people who can help if you get stuck.

There's also ozdats - another predominantly aussie forum. If you cannot fins an answer or thread to ANY idea you have on datsun1200.com, I'd be very surprised.

I have an A14 in mine. Whilst when it comes down to it, most throw a turbo, but for me, nothing beats the sounds of triple webbers at full noise

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www.ndsoc.com.au

A 320 ute, 2 roadsters, 2 1200's ...... & a Prince.

Three Webers? Is it like a six pack? Damn that's sick. Did you keep the 1.2?

I used to have a Triumph GT6 with an SU six pack.

i'm not really looking to make this thing into a rocket, but if it would break 100, that'd be great. haha.

Oh sorry, I saw you said you have the a14.

There's a guy in my town who's got a 1970 datsun truck, it looks like a 510. It's got a 1.7 liter that he said he'd sell separately. 1) would this fit in the 1200? 2) the truck is 400, I think he'll take like 150 for the engine. Is this a good deal?

Nissan didn't make a 1.7L.



If it's the stock engine, it should be an L16. And if it runs good, that's a good price. It will "fit" in the 1200, but it will take some modifications to get it in there.

Hm. It's an old man who doesn't know much about imports. There's lots of datsun engines for sale around here. L18, L20B. The 1200 set me back 400 dollars, which I thought was a good deal for a running car. But i'm going to end up spending more money than that on this, I can see it now. haha.

Actually Nissan has made a 1.7 liter enginer, however this was a diesel engine. The CD17.

But that engine is from the 80's so...

And it was never sold here in the US...

We had the CD17 in the B11's and 87 B12 as optional engine here in Canada. It was basically a converted E16 gas motor.