Alternative engine/transmission compatibility

[David_Doan]

I apologize if there has been a thread like this before, I couldn't find anything. I'd like to create a running list of engine swaps that worked and what changes were required to the car.

Engine: (name or description, year and model it came from)
Factory Rated Horsepower:
Transmission: (name or description, year and model it came from)
Car: (Sprite, Midget, MK1,2,3,4)
Engine bay Changes: (motor mounts, battery tray, etc)
Tunnel Modifications:
Rear Transmission Mount:
Other Changes/Comments: (springs, drive shaft, speedometer, etc)

I currently have a 948, long term I want more power (as anyone with a 948 would). I think a list like this would be valuable for a lot of people.

Thanks,

David

 

[oldrevhead]

Hi David I have a 1963 mk2a with a toyota 3K 1100cc and matching 5 speed box.It was fitted well before i bought it.It looks like a good fit,The only thing that looks different is the engine mounts,that have been home made.The standard radiator is still fitted as well.The gear stick is in the standard hole as well. cheers kym

 

[aeronca65t]

.........I'd like to create a running list of engine swaps that worked and what changes were required to the car..........

Thanks,

David

I think many of us would recommend a 1275 cc Spridget engine and ribcase gearbox as a good and suitable choice for an upgrade.
This power-train combo came in Spridgets from '67-ish to '74-ish.

Although I have to admit, when I pulled the 1275 cc engine out of my ~ '73 Red Rat parts car ~ (the engine is to be used in my racer), I decided to "save" the '73 as a "parts chaser" by installing an old 948 I had on hand. Sort of the opposite thing that I'm recommending here.:friendly_wink:

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Britishv8.org has a list of such things. You should encourage people to submit their swaps there.

 

[David_Doan]

The 1275/ribcase is the easyone, but i was thinking that if you want to go to a 5 speed, would it be cheaper/easier to get a 80-100HP bugeye with a japanese 1.4-1.6 engine tranny combo.

I think rickB has something like this.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

I believe Rick B. has the Datson 1400 CC engine that was originally mated to a 210 5 Speed I do believe. There are Japan only Performance Heads available that he or somepone else has that were added to his engine. Since that engine is physically a direct copy of a 1275 it drops right in place. May be a carb / manifold issue but pretty much a direct drop in.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Just met a guy in the cafeteria 5 minutes ago who was just introduced to me. He has a '68 Sprite that he's dropping a Toyota 4AGE-Z? Supercharged engine out of an MR-2 into along with a Toyota RWD Tranny. Engine has not yet been dropped in but Tranny Mount is being reworked and strengthened. I need to keep an eye on this one locally. Could be a screamer. My advice to him - start looking for some EN17 Axles for sure.

 

[Gerard]

I believe Rick B. has the Datson 1400 CC engine that was originally mated to a 210 5 Speed I do believe. There are Japan only Performance Heads available that he or somepone else has that were added to his engine. Since that engine is physically a direct copy of a 1275 it drops right in place. May be a carb / manifold issue but pretty much a direct drop in.

The A series Datsun engines are not a copy of the A-series BMC engines. Datsun made an E-series engine that IS an exact copy of the A-series BMC. The A series Datsun (1200 -1500cc) is more like an improved version of the B-series BMC engine (5 main crank) larger bore, longer stroke larger valve aluminum head. No parts are directly interchangeable however.

Remember that the B-series BMC engines were in late 40's and very early 50's cars like the Metropolitan and Austin Devons/Dorsets, also beginning around 1200cc and later as much as 1600 and 1800cc in the MGA and MGB.

 

[Guest]

What'd the Datsun E series come in? I remember a E16 (or was it 15) but that was overhead cam in pulsars and sentras

 

[Gerard]

What'd the Datsun E series come in? I remember a E16 (or was it 15) but that was overhead cam in pulsars and sentras

Early Bluebird, as I recall. I have a picture of the engine around somewhere. No mistaking it as the same as the BMC engine.

"In July 1960, a five-door station wagon was added (WP310). The P310 was powered by the 1.2L Nissan E engine"

"The first E-series of engines was one of Nissan's earliest homegrown designs. It did not use the same nomenclature of the later Nissan engines, with all models sharing the same displacement and simply called "E". It displaced 1.2 L (1,189 cc) from a 73 mm (2.9 in) bore and 71 mm (2.8 in) stroke. Output is 48 hp (36 kW). This E series was produced from 1958 through the late 1960s.The first version produced 48 hp (35.8 kW) and 60.7 lb·ft (82.3 Nm) from a single carburetor. A later E-1 version added dual carbs and better cam timing for 60 hp (44.7 kW) and 67.3 lb·ft (91.2 Nm)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_E_engine

 

[58Custom]

What'd the Datsun E series come in? I remember a E16 (or was it 15) but that was overhead cam in pulsars and sentras

The 1600/Fairlady. On edit: Bluebird? It's this thing:


The Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_E_engine

Gerard & I are in some sort of post and edit race, LOL!

 

[Gerard]

The 1600/Fairlady. On edit: Bluebird? It's this thing:
View attachment 27442

The Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_E_engine

Gerard & I are in some sort of post and edit race, LOL!

:watermelon:

Nope, this one. The Datsun Roadster was a Fairlady. Sedans were Bluebirds, though the name might have come in later years.

https://www.earlydatsun.com/datsun210.html



There's evidence that the connections with Austin go back as far as 1932 with the Datsun Type 11 (very similar to the Austin7). By 1934, Datsun was building Austin 7's under license from Austin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Motor_Company#Austin_Motor_Company

 

[nomad]

Gerard, didn't Nissan license the B series BMC engine as well?? As I remember I had a friend that needed a head for his MGA and fitted a Datsun head because he could buy the "cheap Japonese junk" for less than the BMC head.

Kurt.

 

[nomad]

Also like to comment on the swap's.
Rick B, Mike, and myself have cars running the A 15 1500cc datsun engine and five speed trans. This is about the easiest swap other than the 1275 and ribcase. I like the swap and have procured parts for more. Having said that I would caution anyone considering it that Nissan has NO support for these older engines. At least where I am I can't find a Nissan parts person that can get me anything.
The front steering rack tube is the only body mod I have made. The engine require's a reworked oil pan, home built exhaust, and finding rare sidedraft intake or making one as I have done. Trans can be mounted with Gerard's or other's aftermarket kits. Engine mounts need to be fabricated.
Power is only a guess but figure at least 80hp. I have no trouble cruising all day at 80mph plus if necessary.
The 4AGE toy swap has been done and the suzuki DOC engine as well [bugzuki]. Not many engine's that fit and finding rear drive transmission's is getting to be a problem. If you think about it the only rear drive stuff out there now are high horse power or pickup's.
The 4AGE hooks up to the t50 toy trans but the bell housing is almost impossible to find. Then you are looking at making the fuel injection work and better have the brain box and know how to hook it up. Spectacular engine if you can make it work and keep from snapping axle's!
BMC really makes the most sense even if a bit stressed on free way's.

Kurt.

 

[Gerard]

Gerard, didn't Nissan license the B series BMC engine as well?? As I remember I had a friend that needed a head for his MGA and fitted a Datsun head because he could buy the "cheap Japonese junk" for less than the BMC head.

Kurt.

I believe the A series Datsun is derived or at least inspired by the B series BMC. It may ahem been a way to get around license fees or just an evolution. I could be wrong, but I don't believe the head can be swapped or I think a lot more people would be doing it.

The most powerful Datsun A series is an A14 from a '78 B210 is 80 HO@6000 RPM/83FTLB torque@3600 RPM Everything else, from '73 to '82 ranges from 58HP/67T . The '79 to '82 A15 from a 210 is 67/80; A14 65/75; A12A+ 58/67.

 

[mrsprite]

Also like to comment on the swap's.
Rick B, Mike, and myself have cars running the A 15 1500cc datsun engine and five speed trans. This is about the easiest swap other than the 1275 and ribcase. I like the swap and have procured parts for more. Having said that I would caution anyone considering it that Nissan has NO support for these older engines. At least where I am I can't find a Nissan parts person that can get me anything.
The front steering rack tube is the only body mod I have made. The engine require's a reworked oil pan, home built exhaust, and finding rare sidedraft intake or making one as I have done. Trans can be mounted with Gerard's or other's aftermarket kits. Engine mounts need to be fabricated.
Power is only a guess but figure at least 80hp. I have no trouble cruising all day at 80mph plus if necessary.
Kurt.

I love my A15, although I keep threatening to install a 4AGE (been tossing that idea around for 4 or 5 years now). Stock was rated at 80HP, mine is slightly warmed over and I *think* it's now around 90-ish (never had it dyno'd). I can also cruise @80MPH and squirt up to 100+ if I'm feeling invincible......I have the twin Hitachi "SU's"& the GX performance head w/big valves. Like Kurt's, mine has a modified oil pan, so no frame cutting was involved. The only thing on my car that was cut was the steering rack mount rail.....and that was reinforced with a custom bracket so the crank pulley would clear. My header is a modified Pace Setter for a 1500 Midget (stock Datsun flange & first inch or so of pipe are grafted onto it). Anyway, the good news is I live about 15 miles from you David and I have my Bugeye with me. I just drove it from Denver to San Antonio (have a job down here for the next week) and will be back up in Dallas on June 6th. I could swing by and you can see what an A15 looks like installed.....LMK.

 

[nomad]

The most powerful Datsun A series is an A14 from a '78 B210 is 80 HO@6000 RPM/83FTLB torque@3600 RPM Everything else, from '73 to '82 ranges from 58HP/67T . The '79 to '82 A15 from a 210 is 67/80; A14 65/75; A12A+ 58/67.[/QUOTE]

Agree, Gerard, and I should have mentioned that. The head of the later A engines is a smog head in this country and needs to be changed to the the B210 head of the earlier engines. Or if you are lucky the head sold in japan which is better for power and fuel economy. The cams are all the same, I believe. I have just put together a A14 bored over 1mm. I did it mainly because I bought the piston's and rings for $100 on E-bay. Should have also mentioned that the engine's and trans are getting hard to find because most salvage yards have crushed cars that old.

Kurt.

 

[HealeyRick]

Gerard, didn't Nissan license the B series BMC engine as well?? As I remember I had a friend that needed a head for his MGA and fitted a Datsun head because he could buy the "cheap Japonese junk" for less than the BMC head.

Kurt.

Yes, they did. There was even discussion that the 240Z was based on the Healey 3000 and a number of big Healey guys were surprised to find out how easily the Z motor fit into the big Healey, including the mounting points. Patrick Quinn wrote an excellent article about the Austin-Datsun/Nissan connection here: https://www.acmefluid.com.au/larry/austinnissan.html

 

[58Custom]

The best place for A series tech is https://datsun1200.com/modules/news/. It's Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

 

[58Custom]

Another good engine swap option is the Fiat twin cam. It's short, powerful, classic, and beautiful. Up to 2.0l. Use the 124 trans. Here are some pix I saved of one going into some spridget.