Wow! What a great bunch of Datsuns! But the fact that you brought a Skyline to pull out a Roadster imploded a part of my brain. Awesome!!

Haha i know i know. It was really the fact that would couldnt get enough push out of our legs to get it off the flat spot on the tires so i pulled very lightly while my mates pushed on the back of it until we got it just out of the bush.

How much did you get the roadster for?

The steering wheel in the 521 is very similar to the wheel in one of my '66 1600's (the other came with a vintage MOMO).

I have that exact hardtop on one of my roadsters with the porthole windows...except mine is black. Both my roadsters came with only hardtops and no softtops or any of the softtop stuff.

I think a U20 would be cool but some of the parts for a rebuild seem to be way too expensive and hard to find. One of my 1600 roadsters has a U20 with the Datsun Competition Mikuni/Solex carbs and the Datsun Comp. cam...if it didn't have that cool period stuff I'd probably just sell the motor and swap a VQ or S20DET into it. I haven't began a rebuild yet as I'm still working on my Z project. The other roadster has the stock R16 with SU's.

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-'72 240Z - full badass resto-mod underway
-'66 Datsun 1600 Roadster - U20 w/Mikuni's & 5-speed
-'95 Volvo 850 T-5R - the daily beater

Wow!!! Looks like you have you work cut out for you there! Awesome find though.... and you know where I'm at if you should need any assistance.

p.s. Best tow vehicle ever

Skip the U20, stroke the 1600.

Find a 5-main 1600 out of a 68-70 and hit me up, I have had two built by a guy who's not far from you (and an absolute whiz with the R16).

Then you have a correct-appearing engine, reliable and powerful.

That Skyline is GORGEOUS. I'd trade my completed Roadster for that all day long.

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Datsun Forum
63 P310 RHD
60 PL310
67 WRL411 SSS
72 S30 RB25DET
63 NL320
67.5 SPL311
68 PL510
78 620 KC

This is also a good way to go. It looks stock (although if it were me, I'd go with a set of Mikuni carbs over the SUs.) but it has more go. Attach a 5 spd to it and you are good to go.

Will

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1969 Datsun 2000 (track car, driven daily)
1959 Alfa Romeo 101.02 Sprint (big project)
1969 Alfa Romeo 105.51 GTV (R.I.P)
'87 BMW M3

I think i am leaning that way. But am also thinking of going with a L18 or L series. What do you guys think.

Go the R 16 (2 liter) and call it a day. Second option is U20. Third is plain R16. I dont think an L series will look good in there because most of the people I know will look at it and say.... WHY? THe only swap I like in a roadster is a FJ20. SR looks too new and just does not fit... If you are worried about power, a properly built U 20 will be as powerful as a SR20. only the turbo has an edge but all that extra crap will also be needed like intercooler etc...

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NOT STOCK!

You have to use special motor mounts (that do exist, but are very hard to find) to install an L series in a roadster. The issue is the L series ends up having to lean WAY over to fit. This will cause issues with the carbs, and also getting the exhaust to fit. The exhaust pipes run through the frame, not under it so the exit of the header must be in a fairly specific spot. The G15, R16, H20 or U20 are the only engines that really fit in there well. The H20 is a stroker R16 that was used in other parts of the world and on forklifts here in the states. If you swap an H20 head for an R16 head everything bolts up and it will breathe better. If you really want to get crazy, I've heard of someone in Australia building an R22... Yeah, its a bored and stroked R16. I don't know the specifics on it, but I'd have to guess its a torque monster.

Will

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1969 Datsun 2000 (track car, driven daily)
1959 Alfa Romeo 101.02 Sprint (big project)
1969 Alfa Romeo 105.51 GTV (R.I.P)
'87 BMW M3

That 223 is what excites me! I'd love to have that as a project