Hi everyone! I'm a 'ring-in' over fron the R31skylineclum.com forums. A mate just gave me a good condition '72 1200 sedan minus the engine and g/box. It was running a A12gx and a 5 spd which he is putting in his 1200 ute. I want to put the little sedan on the road so I am here to ask a few questions, If thats ok.
I went on the scrounge through all my mates and have the following list of things donated to the project, for a case of beer here and there....
Ser 1 TRX Bluebird - T-boned, runnind gear fine.
120y sedan - manual, rusty/dented but runs and drives fine
200B SX rims - set of 5 with caps, A1 condition.
Alloy half cage - suit 1200 sedan.
An A15 head - complete with inlet and exhaust manifolds and carby.
Turbo and carby setup off a Dihatsu charade.
A FS5W60A 5 spd with a smashed input shaft.
Plus I have a shed full of Nissan R31 parts including Diffs, struts, discs, calipers etc etc.

Now for the questions:
1. What is the easiest brake combo to fit out of what I have? I'm talking 'bolt on - no screwing about' to get 4 wheel discs. I'm guessing 120y struts up front and the TRX callipers on the back (using the TRX backing plates). But what discs will fit onto the 120y struts and the diff?
2. I know about the 120y's larger sway bar and stiffer rear leaf springs but how about the diff? what are they a 140 or 165 and what ratio?
3. Are the 4 spd input shafts the same as the 5 spd w60 input shaft? If not, where could I get another shaft or have one made.
4. Is the A15 head a direct fit to the A12 block? what does this do to the comp ratio?
5. Could I fit the entire TRX diff? And the complete TRX front struts?

As you can probably see from the questions I want to fit the a15 head on the a12 block, then weld a flange to the standard exhaust manifold to take the small turbo and SU carbie, fit 4 wheel disc brakes, whack on the 200B sx rims with some 185/55/14 tyres, install the cage and then have some fun at the local hill climb. I have been doing as much reaserch as I can but sometimes its better to get the info from guys who have done it.
Sorry its a gigantic post, but to get the right answers, you have to ask the right questions....
Thanks guys
Mardy.

1. Fronts http://wiki.datsun1200.com/index.php/Strut_swaps#Silvia_Swap The Silvia swap is pretty decent I hear on 120Y struts.

2. 120Y diff is H150 (so bigger than 1200)

3....

4. Yes - but why not use the whole A15?

5. Yep Bluey diff goes in (It's a H165 I believe) Front struts would go in but you would need some other LCAs - I've heard Stanza are OK, maybe Bluey stuff would bolt up as well (don't know for sure)

Check the wiki out a bit as well - some good diff swap info there as well as brakes..and more

easiest way to get front discs would be just to bolt the complete 120y strut in with brakes attatched
then use the master cylinder out of the 120y also
but standard 120y discs arent really any better than well adjusted drums
if the 120y has a jap H series diff then the TRX rear disc setup will go straight onto it using TRX disc caliper and backing plates, if it has a BW then it wont
and a 120y diff will go into a 1200 with only minor changes

the TRX diff would most likely need to be shortened or you would have to use fairly big flares
TRX front struts will go in if you use stanza LCAs steering arms balljoints ect, but if you have r31 struts and brakes lying around i would go for them as they are pretty much the same thing but with better brakes and more suspention travel

and lastly, turbo the TRX motor and put that in

Whoa blokes, this is getting silly.
Datsun 1200 uses H145 rear end
Datsun 120Y uses H145 rear end [early production]
Datsun 120Y uses H150 rear end [Later production except Borg Warner equiped cars]
The H150 differential can be used in the H145 axle housing if a 2mm spacer with second gasket is used. The 120Y ratio is 3.9 to 1, .. the same as the H145 from the 1200.
The Bluebird rear discs will bolt to the H165 rear axle housing, ... as found under 1200 utes, but not to the H145 housings as found under 1200 passenger models. 14" wheels required.

A Borg Warner rear end was used under Australian built 120Y sedans from July 1976 & the components from this car vary quite a bit from the other 120Y's, including the front end.

The rear end from the Bluebird is SIGNIFICANTLY wider than the 1200's rear track. Not a candidate for direct install unless this is what you seek.

Front struts from the 120Y can be used in the 1200 if you swap the top piece from the 1200 otherwise your 1200 will sit too high in the front. The upside of this are many, ... including
1. Direct install if correct combination of parts are used
2. Gives you a [small] disc brake straight up.
provides a core for an S13 brake upgrade [not too hard or expensive]
3. Saves on component search as you use the 1200 suspension arms & 120Y struts.
4. Keeps unsprung mass down
5, Keeps wheel track under control allowing wider wheel selection before problems with rubbing on front guard/fender.

The input shafts from four speed 56, 56A & 60 series gearboxes are not interchangeable with the 60 series 5 speed.

yes dodgy 120ys have both h150s and h145, both of which have the same diff housing end doovers as h165 and same bearings and what not, also the same as h190....so bluey discs will bolt on, but they wont bolt onto a 1200 h145 as the end is different as they have smaller wheel bearings

trust me, i have had all both 120y H series diffs ute diffs bluebird diffs and h190....all the same ends, and we covered it once before in another thread about rear discs
so feel free to delete that first part of your post

Ahhh, thanks for the update.
Text in previous post now edited.

Thanks for the replies lads! As you all can probably gather, this is a budget build with bits and pieces sourced from mates. Anything can be made to fit if you open your wallet wide enough. I'm just being a scrooge and trying to use what I have avalible to me. I might just fit the 120y struts and diff for the time being to get it started and then source some stanza lower arms and have a play with an r31 strut set up. Dropping in the L20 out of the TRX is an option but I was thinking of the weight factor. An L motor would be almost twice the weight of a A12, wouldnt it? Massive power isnt a big concern at the moment. If I can get 80-90hp @ the wheels out of a carby turbo A12 I will be happy.
My daily is a R31 pintara sporting a CA18det, GT28RS (disco potato), front mount, GTR injectors, bosch 040 pump, 3" mandrel exhaust, running off a LINK computer. It makes 260hp @ wheels on 14psi and runs 13.5 quaters all day, weighing 1280kg!! If I decide to go stupid, Ill just rip that out and whack it in the 1200. But that is getting off the track a bit. For the time being I just want easy, simple and cheap. Insane will come later....
Mardy.

Has anyone fitted a CA20e to a little datto? I know they are the same block/engine mount setup as the CA18, and will go in easily. I was just wondering if anyone has been bothered thats all... I have 3 of these out of various Pintaras that I have wrecked, plus looms, ecu's, etc etc.
Also, does the CA g/box fit into the manual trans tunnel, or do you need the auto tunnel. ( yes, I know you need to fit the Ser 3 bluebird bellhousing to the pintara/silvia box )
Cheers,
Mardy.

Quote:

and the journey begins!!!

i have stock manual tunell and fit a 280zx box in with mounts removed so im guessing yes. ca20 would be ok if cheap, certanly whip many a mild A. L20b + box could net you cheap realiable power, all depends how far and $ you want to go i guess.