after buying the other 78 120Y coupe and deciding it was too good the way it was to turn into a track car, I went out and bought another 120Y the following weekend!

This one is an early 74 2dr sedan. Its got an A14 with 32/36 Weber, headers, sports exhaust and a 60L dogleg 5 speed! Otherwise it was bone stock, right down to the factory radio blanking plate in the dash, as well as blanking plates where the tach would be in a coupe, and where the clock normally is. I believe all 2dr sedans in Aus were 'Standard' spec (as opposed to Deluxe) without any of those features/options. Anyway, all the track car style weight reduction is already done! I'm kinda suprised it survived 39yrs without having a radio fitted...

Paint is faded and there's a few little dings in the bonnet and front left gaurd, but that stuff doesn't bother me. If anything, it will only add to the junkyard dog racer look.

So far I've fixed the only rust it had which was in the spare tyre well, and picked up new rear screen and boot rubbers to try and keep it that way! Found some cheap 185/55x14 semis, and bought a set of wheels to suit - 14x6 +8 and 6.5 +0 Enkie 3 piece wheels. They were pretty light and cheap too - which are the main aims of this build. Whacked some cheap road tyres on them so I can get a RWC to transfer the rego over. Fitted new shifter bushes, gave it a quick tune up so it no longer runs-on, and flushed the radiator. I'm using it as a train station hack at the moment :)

I'll probably sell the A14 and 5spd to help fund the build. I thought about putting the box in my other coupe, but I want to keep that completely original.

The build will be done as cheap as possible with nothing really spent on 'show', just 'go'.

The engine decision is between a drawthru turbo A12, or L16 built much the same way my old 1200 racer was. L16 would be the more reliable way to go, with strong gearboxes (still have one under the bench too) and bulletproof engines, and gives pretty good power so I'm leaning towards that despite how much fun turbo A12s can be. Plus I can keep the L16 under 1600cc for hillclimbs and stuff, and take on some A series 1200s around the place :)

It will get a road legal half cage with removeable intrusion bars. I've picked up a cheap race seat for it, and it will get the same cheap arse suspension my old coupe had - gemini coils, redrilled LCA pivot, Datsun competition style slotted strut towers, a rear swaybar which I've had lying under the house for years, and leaf springs made from a couple of sets of 120Y leafs. Brakes will be 250mm S13 front and stock drums in the back.

Here's a few pics of it when I bought it, the array of dash blanking plates and at the train station this morning sporting the new wheels - needs some serious lowering!

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Nice good to see another 2door sedan getting some love. I look forward to the progress

Harry lovely car always had soft spot for them, you have the L16 sitting there or most parts ready?

nup, all I've got left is a Stanza 63 dogleg 5spd under the bench. Gave all my other L series parts away years ago. So I'll have to collect all the other L series bits as they come up cheap.

In the meantime, a mate has an oldschool SU drawthru T3 (I think) turbo that is all setup for an L28, but was a bit on the small side - his worked NA motor made more power. I might make up a manifold for an A series and see how it goes. Won't cost much other than time, and I can have a laugh with that while collecting L series bits and blowing up 56a 4spds...

Love it! Sounds like good fun!

pretty sure i saw you driving the other day looking good

Harry, Its even the correct colour - Japanese Racing Khaki. Somebody in Bris was selling an L18 with counterweighted crank already out to 86 mm on Ebay recently, but you want to be an L16. Can't think of anybody in Brisbane you probably don't already know who might be able to help you. Have you thought of calling Stewart Wilkins (02-4577-2400) here in Sydney to see what he might have lying around. My local guy with all the Stanza's has gone to America for 6 weeks, but he's got a couple of engine crosmembers sitting in a pile that he just wanted the lower control arms off, so I could probably get one of those if thats the way you wanted to go with crossmember. That'd probably be easier to find than a 180B crossmember. Hopefully it also has provision for the clutch master cylinder already, so you can just drill the hole out for the cylinder to go through.

i like the budget track car approach, its a good way to go i reckon

as you'd already know its not too expensive or difficult to make a datto fairly quick around the track
its making the thing super quick that costs you the big bucks... the fun factor is still there super quick or not!

looking forward to seeing it come together

Im looking forward to seeing some boosted A12 breaking 56a setups especially to see how they stack up to a hotty L16. Pitty we cant get the L14 crank and rods here for an L18 big bore 1597cc setup. The BRE L16 used to revv so well on those old videos @ 7.55

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5XAP4pCRps

8.11 "one of the most beautiful things Ive ever heard" LOL

It will go alright with the L16 - won't break any records, but won't be slow either. A cheap backyard build with about 10.5:1, 76 cam grind a light tickle of the ports and twin 40s should make about 115rwbhp with heaps more power available if you spend some money on the head.
But in the end lap times all come down to how good the $640 hard compound semis turn out to be...

Paul, I think I'll just make some saddles on the 120Y x-member for the L16 - I will be looking for a front sumped Stanza L16 though ;)

Parts collecting is underway - I picked up some 250mm S13 calipers and discs last night for $70 :)