the prius isn't always as economical as it seems either... read here!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driv ... eviews/article3552994.ece

funny story about a BMW 520d beating the prius comfortably for real worls MPG with only stop start technology (the engine switches off when you stop at the lights) and regenerative braking to charge the battery (rather than an alternator).

I think the low kerb weight of the Datsun will help too (as has been pointed out!) the prius weighs half a ton more than a standard 1200 after all!

Thanks for the correction Littledarkone... I would like to see the auto shroud - I do realise that fans work better with one, which is why more modern cars all have them.

Just checked U-Pull-Its online listing, and it says the northern yard has 2 sunnys, but maybe it's out of date. It does look like they've crushed all their 120y's which is a shame, they used to have heaps of them!

You can also find A series in vanettes.

Good luck

A14/ A15 blocks are taller, so this isn't as easy as it sounds. Be nice if it were that simple though!

What mods have been done to your engine? If it's stock, I'd just stick to the standard gear. Thermos / electric water pumps etc. just give you more things to go wrong unless you really need them. My 1200 has never over heated with a stock 120y radiator and standard fan. I run no shroud (the standard 1200 never had one as far as I know).

If you need a cheapie to get you going, just check out U-Pull-It at Elizabeth. I have pulled plenty of near new radiators out of there over the years - I presume people cook their engines, attempt to fix the cooling system and then it doesn't work and they just drag the car down to the wreckers.

yeah- we're pretty lucky still in SA, I wouldn't count on it staying that way though... I'm just glad I'm well and truly off my P's! Feel sorry for you guys... especially those trying to do the right thing with designated drivers when they go out etc. SA's now looking at following the Eastern states on not allowing P platers to carry passengers at night (which I think is totally wrong, and actually encourages people to drink and drive - far more of a problem than whether your 1200 has an a12 or a14 in it!)

lol... yeah - I think g-parts are really pushing the limit there! You could build an efi setup for less than that.

Quote:

Not to knock your mechanic, but I think this would have a lot to do with the quality of leads you are running! BMWs for example run all their spark plug leads inside a plastic conduit... makes everything very neat and all spark plug leads contact each other for almost their full length. The conduit keeps the leads in very good condition (the conduit is a heat deflector - the spark plugs run on the exhaust side on their engines). They use wire leads that are excellent quality and last for 20 years + without any issues.

Back on track though... Boostin... I'm with Junior Jay - your CA is very neat! Good luck with getting it engineered!

I have always run 160 degree thermostats in my Datsuns with no ill effects. I'm with you LowTech... in hot climates, your cooling system needs all the help it can get. My 1200 is fine most of the time, although with a stock b210 radiator (fairly new, no deterioration at all and bigger than a stock 1200 radiator) it does struggle to stay cool in traffic during heatwaves down here in Adelaide (taking up around 40 degrees C -> 104 degrees F for you guys). As it's my daily driver, it must be able to handle driving in traffic in these kinds of conditions as when it's hot I still need to get to work!

I have used Penrite for years too, and it has always been good! As has been pointed out above though, I'm sure brand is fairly unimportant if you buy a known good quality brand.

I second that filters are really important and can certainly stuff engines in a hurry. Even Rycos can be problematic... I have run them on my 1200 for the past 9 years and never had a problem, but on both my BMW 323i and my mother inlaw's Hyundai Excel they have been junk! The BMW showed oil pressure problems immediately, so I swapped it back to a factory one and have used factory filters ever since (no harm done as the engine was only run for a short period of time - also, believe it or not, a BMW factory oil filter from the dealer costs $12 - cheaper than the Ryco!). My mother inlaw's Hyundai (Alpha 2 engine) was another story though with the motor developing noisy lifters after using one for 10000km. Turns out that there is a Honda filter that will screw onto the Alpha engine, but the anti-drainback valve pressure is wrong and causes the cams and lifters to be starved of oil. Many aftermarket manufacturers didn't bother developing a filter specifically for the Hyundai engine and just added Hyundai to the fitment list on the back of the filter they developed for the Honda engine. I haven't had a look under the rocker cover of the Hyundai, but I shudder to think what the cams are looking like under there. The engine is still going fine for now with a Hyundai filter (and a tap tap tap in the top end).

The oil pressure problems in the BMW are also anti-drainback valve related.

Shouldn't be too bad... 22 alloy radiators don't weigh to much and sea freight is cheap. The import duty is around 22% + GST 10% so might add $30 to your radiator cost. Then you'll need to courier them inside Australia which considering the weight for individual radiators won't be that bad either. Considering custom made 3 core alloy radiators made here cost upwards $500, you'll still be miles in front.