Datsun Laurel C30 1971

Eric · **Posted:** Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:38 am

Can somebody please tell me what Datsun this is?

mr camouflage · **Posted:** Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:27 am

That model Laurel is not a Prince, its a Nissan. The C30 first went on sale in 1968. Prince ceased to exist in 1966. There was no Prince Laurel. It has alot in common with the Prince side of Nissan (engine, suspension design, it may have already been on the drawing board at Prince before the merger), but it's most definitely a Nissan. Same way the C10 Nissan Skyline is not a Prince. That's my understanding of the situation. Correct me If I'm mistaken.

Not sure if it was sold in Export markets. (I've seen the odd 2 for sale in Australia over the years), but if it was it would most likely have been marketed as a Datsun. Even the one in the photos above wears Datsun badges.

Edit: well this post doesn't make much sense now, basically I was replying to some deleted posts that the car was a Prince laurel, not a Nissan/Datsun.

Eric · **Posted:** Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:39 am

Yes it has datsun badges all around, seems to be using the same platforum as my c210 does.
have been looking for parts for this laurel but they seem to be hard to find so i was wondering why..

mr camouflage · **Posted:** Mon Feb 08, 2010 10:53 am

Not a very popular model outside of Japan it seems (and possibly not too popular there either?). Your best bet would be to try and find a contact in Japan willing to source parts for you, or auctions.yahoo.co.jp

What parts are you looking for? Some parts from other models may be interchangable. I hear the front suspension and steering was borrowed for the S30 Z May not be exactly the same, but might be similar enough to adapt. Also noticed that the interior door handles on my 130 cedric look alot like the S30 door handles, so there was a bit of parts borrowing from other models going on. Makes sense to keep production costs under control.

Eric · **Posted:** Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:20 am

the hardest parts will be a new, uncracked dashboard an all rubbers for all windows and doors. i want to use new ones when i start rebuilding the car, if i decide to buy it.
most of the other parts i can make myself, or use parts from other cars.
front suspension wil be Nissan s13, rear will be a mix of s13/s14.

doors, fenders etc are in a pretty good condition.

mr camouflage · **Posted:** Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:29 am

I believe these have very narrow strut tops (small pcd) same as the S30 (240Z) so you might have some trouble fitting S13 ones.

Edit: Actually, looking at the photos above, it appears they have larger strut tops than the S30.

Eric · **Posted:** Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:33 am

s13 coilovers will fit. they have smaller springs + it will give me the benefit of height/damping adjustment.
s13 lca's will fit too, so i will be able to use s13 hub, brakes etc.

kev · **Posted:** Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:37 pm

I would have thought that being as Prince design (or more accurately designed by Nissan employees who used to be Prince employees

) that it would be like a C10, which means it's most interchangeable with 510?

john · **Posted:** Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:16 pm

Eric wrote:

s13 coilovers will fit. they have smaller springs + it will give me the benefit of height/damping adjustment.
s13 lca's will fit too, so i will be able to use s13 hub, brakes etc.

Are there many 79-83 280ZX's where you are? That stuff is WAY easier to fit, and the brakes are actually bigger than most S13 stuff.

Eric · **Posted:** Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:07 am

no there are not a lot of zx's, and the ones we have are kept in heated garages by people who love them

s13 brakes are weak, but with s13 hubs s14 brakes will be a straight bolt on, even with 15 inch wheels.

but, ill have to buy the car before i can modify anything

as far as i know there never was a 510 in the Netherlands, so i guess i wont find much 510 parts over here.

I have been breaking s13's and s14's for a few years now so i have all parts in stock, i'll see what will fit.

Eric · **Posted:** Thu Feb 11, 2010 11:48 pm

I bought it

Now, source for parts..

john · **Posted:** Fri Feb 12, 2010 3:00 pm

Eric wrote:

I bought it

Congratulations! That's one of my dream JNC's to own. :mrgreen:

ben · **Posted:** Fri Feb 12, 2010 11:07 pm

Eric wrote:

I bought it

Now, source for parts..

Congrats, another one saved!! You might be the first C30 Laurel owner on JNC

Eric · **Posted:** Mon May 24, 2010 9:40 am

Little bit of an update after a long time, had a lot of work getting it ready for mot, thats done so now i can look at getting the car rustfree and with a little modern updates.

Took out the front window today, cut the rubber in pieces because it was all gone and couldnot be reused, kept one part uncut so i can use that as an example when i look for a universal new rubber.

Now i have to take out the dashboard and the headliner and the complete window surrounding can be sanded, weld in a few new pieces of rustfree metal and then primed and painted.
Will take the dash to the interior shop and have that retrimmed with leather or maybe they have a better suggestion to make that as new.

After the window i took out the engine to make room for the heavily discussed new one:

When the engine was out i started to see how i could make the s14 front subframe fit the car without using an angle grinder or welder to the chassis as i want to keep that as original as possible because this car is a classic car and we have to keep them like they are.

After some measuring and testfitting this is what i ended up with:

I filed out one hole to an oval shape and welded on a piece of metal for the other hole. Now it bolts straight to the original subframe holes from the car.
Will testfit the engine when i have fully welded the strip and fitted the subframe under the car.

If the engine fits like this i can bolt on the suspension, i will have powersteering, adjustable suspension, camber correction and bigger vented brakes.

john · **Posted:** Mon May 24, 2010 3:24 pm

I don't think I've ever seen one of these modified before. Congratulations on not only being the first JNC guy with a C30 Laurel, but possibly the first guy with the guts to modify one...

seventhskyline · **Posted:** Tue May 25, 2010 6:24 am

Surely the S-chassis rear end will be far too wide to run anything but hugely positive rear wheel offsets?

What will you use for tierod ends?

Eric · **Posted:** Tue May 25, 2010 8:47 am

The rear subframe form the s14 will not fit, thats is correct it is far too wide. have to find another solution for that, the 510 uses a lot of parts that look interchangable but i will only know that for sure if i have been testfitting.

tierods will be s13 or s14 but i think it will be the s13 ones since they are shorter, i will use s13 lower control arms too since they are shorter than s14 ones. otherwise my ssr mk2's wont fit

and i really dont want to roll fenders or anything. i want to leave the exterior/body of the car as original as possible.

Eric · **Posted:** Sat May 29, 2010 8:15 am

Been busy today:

Took out the dash to have it re-upholstered:

And fitted the s14 front subframe, and have been playing around with various suspension bits to get everything in the right place the right way.

I cannot use the Laurel tension rod becuase the laurel had the steering rack in front of the crossmember and the s14 has the steering rack at the back of the crossmember.
Rusty brown one is C30 tension rod, front facing black one is s14 tension rod.

So i need to make a bracket for the s14 tensionrod,

This bracket will bold on straight to the original towing hook bolt holes so no need to modify the chassis.

Eric · **Posted:** Thu Jun 03, 2010 3:21 pm

The engine is in and fits like a glove! Didnt have to cut anything! Will post pics later because it is time for bed now..

Eric · **Posted:** Fri Jun 04, 2010 9:02 am

Pictures as promised:

Engine in, enough space left:

gearstickhole

this hole is covered by a cover, and the cover can rotate and bolt straight back on, dont know why this is but it came in quite handy because when i rotated the cover the gearstick hole exactly matched with the gearbox:

New gearboxmounts:

the old mounts fitted the sr20 gearbox exactly but it was too low so i had to change that.

gearbox sits like this now:

used the laurel support bracket, just had to drill two holes from 8mm to 12 mm and it fitted

got me some new bolts and stuff so i can finish this tonight.

Datsun Laurel C30 1971

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