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The Nissan L-series engine (as in the 1600/510) is a good swap. Inexpensive, readily available both in USA and Australia, and these are a larger engine family than the Nissan A Engine. From L13 to L18, they are nearly identical on the outside. The L20B 2-liter engine is a tall-block variation but it still will fit under the hood and without cutting the sheetmetal. The Z-series Engine is closely related but has a crossflow cylinder head.

1 Discussions
2 Engines
3 Crossmember
4 Transmission
5 L20B Swap
- 5.1 L20B Sources
6 Photo Index

Discussions

Engines

L13: early Datsun 510 Standard models came with L13. Don't bother to swap this, an A14 is better.

L14: Nissan put the L14 in the Japan-only PB110.

However, why bother these days? Nissan didn't have an A14 in 1970, but we do now, and it is much less work to fit, and weighs a lot less.

L16: A bit more power than an A15, the L16 is good choice if you obtain one inexpensively.

L18 is a big power boost over an A15:

L20B fitted:

LZ Engine: A super-rare racing engine was the LZ20 twin-cam, fitted to 1200 racing cars.

See main article: [LZ engine]]

LZ20 DOHC engine

Crossmember

Transmission

Transmissions for Z engine and L engine bolt to either engine but the L engine is slanted by about 10 degrees, so it affects the angle the shifter comes out.

engine tilt
Note the CA Engines have a different bell pattern so their gearboxes do not fit the L Engine.

Using a stubby transmission will line up with the 1200 shifter hole. It is about 5 or 6 inches shorter than the more common L-engine transmissions. These are also called shorty or short-tailed.

Stubby is ~26.3 inches -- same length as Datsun 510 automatic transmission

4-speed stubby gearboxes are common:

1968-1973 Datsun 510 ("1600") F4W63

5-speed stubby gearboxes comes from:

1981-1985 R30 Skyline with L24 six-cylinder engine
1977-1979 200SX USA S10 (L-series engine, FS5W63 "smoothcase" dogleg)
1968-1973 PL510 (L-series engine, F4W63 "bottom pan")
720 FS5W71B "ribbed case" used on certain 720 4X4s (long wheelbase?)
- Z-engined series
- may have had an L series in 1980 only

Comparo

Regular
- ~31.5 inches overall transmission length
- transmission extension housing about same length as (front) transmission case
- From the bottom front of the bell housing to the cross member bolts is ~21-1/2"

Stubby
- ~26.3 inches overall transmission length
- transmission extension housing about 5" shorter than transmission case

Or use a standard L-engine tranmission. The only bit of cutting wil be 1/2 of the gearstick hole but that can be welded that back in the other side to make the factory rubber shifter gasket fit back in. You can see it here:

Comparo: Stubby vs Regular transmission
Notice the shifter location (top part of picture)

Photo Gallery: L Engine transmission comparison photos at Ratsun.net

L20B Swap

The L20B is a 2-liter four cylinder engine. Not to be confused with the L20 six cylinder.

no holes cut
just panel beat the lower corners of the front of the tunnel with a hammer, as the L series is wider
modify the engine mounts and make a crossmember
- 1200 crossmember had the mounts trimmed to an angle simular to that of an 810, then cut the 810 mounts in 1/2 to finish the job and locate the motor lower and improve the mounting angles.
810 oil sump is a near-perfect fit in the 1200, reshape it a little just so it will clear the crossmember, maybe 1/2cm with a hammer