Look at the competition suspension in the download. When we built the 1200 race car that is in my avy we used basically the instructions there but stayed with the 1200 hub instead of machining the custom one. Required a bit different offset on the caliper bracket but used the 240 caliper and brake rotor mounted to the 1200 hub via a custom "adapter" hat. Worked very well, didn't increase the tread width, more brakes than I could use on track. The brake pads literally lasted three to four seasons of 7 race weekend outings. Used 20x8x13 Super Vee fronts and didn't even have fender flares for the first two years that I ran the car. Once I installed the 20x8x13 cantilever slicks I had to make a spacer to get the sidewall away from the steering arm.

Pretty cool.

I suspect that what was meant was the smallest dimension V-8 that would actually fit in a car and power it.

In the States there was a small Buick V-8 that was all aluminum. I think it displcaced 235 cu. in. or so. (A variant of this ran in the Triumph TR-8, in case you feel like you need to find one that leaks oil) And I believe that it is still in Rovers here in the US.

I believe that the Ford small blocks in the US are smaller yet in dimension (289/ 302) Not sure if the same block exists down under. They can be identified with a couple of measurements. The main way to tell is the deck height of the block. A 302 has 8.2" (208.8mm) from the centerline of the crankshaft to the deck of the block and a 351 Windsor is 9.2".

A quick look at Wikipedia shows that the short deck block was not readily available in Australia so the 302 or 351 that you find there was of the "Cleveland" variety. Good power ability, but slightly larger in physical dimension than a Small block Chevy.

reuby,

I have done this in much the same way as described with a couple of exceptions. I assembled the head to the block with no head gasket and set the rocker to valve "lash" at 0. I then turned the engine over and made sure that there was no contact between the valve and the piston. Once I was convinced that there was not and I had run the engine through a couple of cycles I removed the head and measured the clay on all four cylinders. (I know, overkill, but what if?) As long as I had between .008 and .012 I figured that all would be OK. (Head gasket compressed thickness and valve lash were not in the measurement here so that is why I figured that would give me a margin of error.

I will start by saying that I have not completed this project yet!

Take a look at the throttle bodies from a 1000cc GSXR. The bore is 40mm which is roughly the same as the venturi insert on a 45 weber. The throttle body has the boss for the injector built into the body. The bores are slightly closer together than the barrels of a side draft weber. (thus requiring a custom intake manifold) There is a throttle position sensor attached to the throttle bodies. They are relatively cheap on e-bay (at least here in the States, I bought a set up for $65ish, shipped). It looks like making an intake manifold will not be too hard. (as your father was going to weld the bungs for the injectors into your current manifold he can probably do this type of work, too) I am actually fabricating one for an SR type engine. I think that there are examples on the picture page of some one doing this so search around a bit and it may give you an idea.

As an example view this handy photo;
http://datsun1200.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=14254

Same car, different year:

http://www.zcluboftexas.org/classifie ... fied_images/84_Yvette.jpg

Copy on the exuberance of youth!

gx - I couldn't top that one even if I tried to mke one up. I did work for a tow company once and got a call to pick up a Rolls. I dont remember the model but it was one of the older big front grille, rounded front fender numbers. Anyway, it was dark and I had never towed a Rolls of this style before. As I was winching the car up on the roll-back I was very happy that I had installed a safety chain and was keeping it tightened up because the J-hooks slipped and if I hadn't I would have dropped the car on the ground with the owner standing there.

And what would possess you to tow a car with the drive shaft still in it held up by a piece of rope?

Sorry about the delay and for inability to post pictures right now. My wife took the camera to work and accidentally left it there. Anyway, I measured from the table that I have both engines sitting on and the A12 is 52 to 53 cm from the table to the top of the valve cover. The SR20DE is is 60 cm from the table to the top of the valve cover.

The measurement on the A12 does not include the oil cap or the breather nipple.

Here are a couple of links to pictures of an A12 and a SR20 both in the chassis that I built.
The first one has a tuve that the oil cooler is zip tied to which has been removed in the second photo.

http://datsun1200.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=13361

http://datsun1200.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=12544

I don't have blueprints, but I do have one of each (well an A12 and a SR20, anyway) on a cart in my garage right now. Would a photo of the size comparison help?

Seems like there are an abundance of utes down there. What is the last year that they were produced?