1973 Datsun 510 SR20DET Targa Rally Car

Post by **Byron510** » 30 Apr 2004 06:55

I, like pokey, hope this works for you. On a car as brick shaped as a 510, there is a huge high pressure area at the base of the windshield. If you can keep any air entering from the front, and seal off whats coming under the bumper, this mounting method could work quite well. Keep in mind that this hole in the hood will effect the amount of air that will flow through your rad! Cool project, keep us posted.

Post by **RWD_NissanMan** » 30 Apr 2004 07:36

Yah, that's the whole idea behind this project. My son (Eric) & I love to do fabrication work and we just wanted to break with the "status quo" and try some new things with the old 510 - and then go have some fun. If it doesn't work out, no big deal, we'll just try something different (maybe a water-air I/C). It took us 3 versions of the cross-member to come up with a good way (we think) to do the rack & pinion conversion with the SR20 motor.

To keep the air out from under the bumber, I have a BRE style front spoiler (which I will NOT be able to run at Targa) and plan on putting a skid plate under the nose to protect the sump since it hangs way out front on the SR20 motor. We also build the rad support in the shape of an air box (angled slightly toward the middle at the front of the sides) to try and get as much direct air as possible flowing through the rad.

pokey · Post by **pokey** » 30 Apr 2004 08:39

If you end up going water to air and you don't want to pay the bazillions for a spearco, I know Celica Alltracs in the states (I assume canada too) came with them. It is a completely separate system from the cooling system, so if you wanted, you could throw some ice in the reservoir to get a bit of a boost. For some reason, the euro spec ones had air to air ones?

Another idea is to use the windshield sprayer to mist the intercooler to transfer more heat (I hear the WRX STi has a button for this!)

Post by **Byron510** » 30 Apr 2004 17:38

My room mate bought a Liberty RS 2L Twin cam for his Subie, and it also came with a water to air intercooler. The system had it's own designated pump and radiator! Pretty cool stuff, as this was the first system I'd seen up close and personal, I was surprised at how compact it was. You’d think it would be a more efficient way of cooling, but I guess the added weight and complexity compared to big ass intercooler writes it off in most applications.

pokey · Post by **pokey** » 01 May 2004 06:09

The biggest advantage of air/water is throttle response. You give the radiator for the intercooler system a "huge" radiator, and place it wherever you want, and then add this tiny little heat exchanger somewhere in the piping from the turbo to the intake. That way you don't have to wait for the turbo to compress this huge volume of air that usually sits in the air to air. Still, it is heavier and more complex.

Post by **RWD_NissanMan** » 02 May 2004 19:44

Got the steering rack assembled and installed this weekend, also the tranny crossmember, finished off the tranny tunnel and mounted the pedal box and steering column. Added some more pics to the gallery.

Post by **RWD_NissanMan** » 04 May 2004 14:30

New front bumper and headlight rings arrived today from Nissan (via Japan). It's starting to look like a car again.

Post by **RWD_NissanMan** » 25 May 2004 19:19

This weekend we completed the install of the fuel cell, finished off the exhaust system, installed the custom made CV axle to rear spindle adapters and got most of the intercooler piping completed.

Post by **RWD_NissanMan** » 30 May 2004 19:29

Well here's a weekend's worth of work. This is all of the piping needed to plumb the intake, all constructed from stainless steel. The fat one on the right is the cold air intake (CAI) that connects the Z32 MAFS to the GT28RS turbo's inlet and with a 1.25" inlet to connect the outlet from the BOV back into the circuit. The two 2" 1X tight radius elbows will form the hot pipe that connects the outlet from the turbo to the intercooler inlet. The long pipe across the rear is the cold pipe that connects the outlet from the intercooler to the throttle body. You'll notice the flange for the BOV and a smaller 3/4" outlet that connects to the air idle control valve. And the small straight pipe in the front will be mounted to the front of the motor to carry air from the outlet of the BOV back over to the turbo inlet pipe.

I'll polish this stuff up to make it nice and shiny before I install it.

sspikey · Post by **sspikey** » 30 May 2004 21:56

thats pure sex VERY nice work

Post by **Byron510** » 30 May 2004 23:24

Drool........!

I'd like to see a close up of that axel install, got a pic?

Post by **Byron510** » 30 May 2004 23:37

OK ok, I should have looked in the gallery first!
Thanks for posting all these pics, it's great of you to share your info with all of us!

Cbass · Post by **Cbass** » 31 May 2004 01:07

You might want to consider running one or more small naca duct(s) through the hood for extra cooling. Porsche did this on the 931, and it works quite nicely to keep the turbocharger from overheating the engine bay, by forcing cooling air over it and out under the engine.

http://asarus7.free.fr/ressources/manif ... P_3020.JPG

I've also seen it on the 280ZX turbo, but I've never had a chanced to see how it's routed on a 280ZX.

The good thing about doing the top mount is, it can always be modified later for water cooling, all it takes is welding water jackets onto sides of the intercooler, and finding a place out of the way where you can mount a small radiator, or even two. The plumbing is quite easy, as the temperatures and pressures involved are not all that great, and the system is quite simple.

Post by **RWD_NissanMan** » 01 Jun 2004 05:04

Cbass,

Good suggestions. I was also thinking of making an airbox around the intake filter which seals up against the hood and adding some louvers in that corner of the hood to help get more cold air into the intake and isolate it from the heat off the turbo (which is only about 12" away from the intake).

Leeb · Post by **Leeb** » 01 Jun 2004 19:25

you crazy bastards.... im reading the whole haynes manual before i visit this site again :c) whats it say about absolute power corrupts absolutely? mechanics love to steer you wrong just cause ballas drive better. open ur third eyes, tuners