New engine

phoxz · Post by **phoxz** » Wed Jul 16, 2003 11:42 pm

Hello, I have a 67 roadster with no motor or transmission and was wondering if anyone knew of an engine (other than a roadster engine) that would not be too difficult to fit into the car. I would prefer something fairly new to avoid problems. Any thoughts?

DELETED · Post by **DELETED** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 11:07 am

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Minh · Post by **Minh** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 12:33 pm

The KA24 in both turbo and non-turbo are mauch easier to get a hold of. 240SX are pretty abundant in that US.

Also that aluminum block is 30 lbs lighter than the cast-iron U20.

(Somebody back me on this)
I can't back this at all, but I think the newwer weight distribution (49/51 on a U20) adds to the handling. Bringing it pretty close to 50/50. I

DELETED · Post by **DELETED** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 2:51 pm

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SLOroadster · Post by **SLOroadster** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 1:05 am

Be different, drop a U20 with a 5spd in it

. It sounds better! A modern engine while cool, just doesn't sound right. It sounds like a rice-burner. The U20 also won't need any mods, just install it. Or you could go with a R16 stroker, those have a certain coolness factor to them as well. The U20 is a very stout motor, the bottom end is LARGER than that of a Chevy small block. Almost all of the parts are still around for rebuilds, and those that arn't generally don't need to be replaced anyway.
Just my $.02

Will

DELETED · Post by **DELETED** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 2:11 am

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Minh · Post by **Minh** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 1:23 am

Carl Jager has sells mounts and rubbers for the KA24DE for $275

http://community.webshots.com/photo/148 ... 2465btzyHd

Go Racer U20 or Stroker R16!

kogi · Post by **kogi** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 11:25 am

hi folks...

i read a great quote the other day by walter lander...
"Just put your heart and mind to what you want to do, and dare to dream..."

i guess my point is...
what ever you decide to power your ride... you will not regrate it.

i swapped u20/solex setup in my spl... it was an easy swap compare to "sr20, fj20, ka24, Ls, vg, and etc..."

take care

Post by **spl310** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 12:29 pm

I tend to be a purist when it comes to clean original cars. For cars that are already modified, I say go for what you want. Since the engine is out, you have a canvas on which to paint your dream so to speak. On a different thread, I asked if anyone had pictures of a small block Ford in a Roadster because I have heard of several, but have not seen any. Several folks expressed that they would not do that swap and gave their rationale. That is fine. I am not contemplating that - exactly - but would like to see how it fits. Hey, if you like the idea of a Sunbeam Tiger, but don't care for the T Bird styling of the Alpine cars as much as you do the Roadster, that is a great project. If you want a rotary to have a screaming rocket, have at it. This is YOUR car, do with it what you want.

That having been said, I still advocate keeping original cars as stock as possible....

TR · Post by TR » Thu Aug 14, 2003 10:28 pm

I just read all of the above comments, this is a fun discussion.

I think I agree with everyone's posts. I really like the sound of a well tuned Roadster with either Solex's or SU's. Simple intake and simple exhaust give a great sound. Not too loud, but very distinctive.

Alvin-I do not think it would be too difficult to get some of that vintage sound from a NA SR. A simple intake (or go all out and get a quad throttle body kit) and tubular headers and a SR will sound very similar (except for the sound of power from 6000 to 8000 RPM!) to a R16 or U20.

The vintage purist - I know there is no way I could ever own a 67.5 2000. The pressure I would put on myself to make it clean and stock would fry me out. I would worry so much about getting the car scratched that I would not be able to enjoy driving it!

I have to agree with Alvin about reliability and HP. The money I was dumping into keeping a 1600 engine running at 1970's performance lead me to search out a car without a drivetrain. I couldn't bring myself to cutting up a running car...Now (lots of work later and more to come) I have a really fun commuter car that I drive every day (until it rains). It is fast, reliable, and gets much better mileage than my stock 1600.

But, I think it comes down to what Sid says: Do what you want with your car (and have fun showing it off and going for rides!)...TR

Minh · Post by **Minh** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 7:48 pm

For me... the 2 liters are the purist haven. The later Datsun line was the pinnacle of it's refinement (aside from the 67.5).

Like Mustangs there are a few special ones you just don't want really mess with it. The plain jane Mustangs they're not exactly holy grail.

A part of me wished to have found a 1600, so I can rip it out and throw in a 260 or 289 and see how well it performs. Or, stroke it out and put on all the modern trimmings. That H25 concept would have been cool too with modern trimmings.

Some of you already know I have this leaning to improve on the Sunbeam Tiger MKI/II pocket rocket concept by applying it to the Roadster.

However, I got lucky. I found something to satisfy my American urge to tinker for muscle. I got my hands on an old Renault for realistically nothing. I am not sure of the model but looks like a VW bug in the front has 4 doors where the front 2 of em are suicide with a water cool rear motor. The thing is rust bucket but restorable. I've being told to run original stock 1200. I don't wanna. I kind of leaning towards a water cool rear Porsche 6 cylnder turbo.

So, I gonna run the 2L until the day the U20 won't crank no more. Out of respect for the early fairladies I gonna paint mine 2 tone like the old 212s in a 1995 Nissan cobalt Blue and Nissan 1995 Pearl White with the double Ice Frost gloss stripes. I might Ice Gloss flames on top the Pearl White maybe.

As it apperars to me that would be a 20 years or so until parts are exhausted... By then I would be forced to send my U20 to smithsonian and put in the SBF.

That's my final 2 cents.

dynaguy · Post by **dynaguy** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 10:49 pm

JUST SOUTH OF MCCALL IDAHO I CAUGHT A FAMILIAR SIGHT OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE. A WHITE '68 ROADSTER. WHEELED INTO THE SHOP "FINKS AUTO REPAIR" TO HEAR IT'S STORY. HE HAD SHOEHORNED A 302 FORD WITH A C4 AUTO INTO IT. BARELY 1/8" CLEARANCE FOR THE STEERING ROD. IT WAS RUNNING, COOLING AND BRAKES WERE A PROBLEM. HE HAD A RADIATOR UP FRONT AND ONE IN THE TRUNK WITH AN ELECTRIC FAN ATTACHED. THE MECHANIC SAID HE HAD $6000.00 IN PARTS AND LABOR SO FAR. THE CAR WAS STILL VERY ROUGH. MORAL OF THE STORY--$$$$$$ AND PERSISTANCE-- CAN ACCOMPLISH MOST ANYTHING. I SURE HOPE THE OWNER DOESNT RUN OUT OF EITHER. PAT MAHONEY '69 2000X2.5

70MTroadster · Post by **70MTroadster** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 10:59 pm

hey there dynaguy, thanks for the post on the 302. I'm curious....what does the 2000x2.5 stand for?

scott

roadsterdude · Post by **roadsterdude** » Tue Aug 19, 2003 10:43 pm

I agree with TR , This is a fun topic..

I would agree with most of the comments...I dont know if I would
be adding anything new..but here is my 50cents...hey inflation...

I agree.....a well tuned roadster with U20 and Solex is music to my ears...I had alvin video tape my roadster going down the street
and it sounds great..Hey alvin what is the URL of that site where those movies are posted..??
There is just something about those solexes..sucking all of those
air...and sometime small domestic animals..that sounds awesome..

In fact my white 67.5 1600 roadster....sounds great also...its a different sound than the U20/solex ..but it sounds great...
I love driving under bridges and tunnels....

But there is something I like about a classic car with an engine
like a SR20 or KA ....sitting under the hood..
You get the styling of a 60's Roadster but the reliability and the
other pluses of a new engine...
I have always like the idea of putting a 5.0 liter in a 65'ish mustang..

I have yet to ride and drive a roadster with a SR or a KA in it,
so I cant exactly make a comparison..
From what I am hearing from people that have done the swap ,
Its great...

So someday...when I get a job...

that is my next project....someday....

But I dont know if it will stop me from driving my raw , rough, gas smelling , domestic animal sucking , solexed roadster..

DatsunBucky · Post by **DatsunBucky** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:08 pm

TR wrote: I really like the sound of a well tuned Roadster with either Solex's or SU's... Not too loud, but very distinctive.

I think what it is, is that catalytic converters somehow change the sound waves. If you listen to the sound of just about any modern car against a non-cat car, the older cars have more bass in the exhaust note. I'm sure someone could explain the technical aspects, but all I know is that, to my ears, the older cars sound *better*. Maybe something to do with 2-valve and 4-valve heads?

Along that same line, but on a tangent, does anybody know of any reason why the exhaust can't be re-routed through the frame as long as the resultant hole(s) were reinforced? Just thinking and planning ahead.

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