Thanks for the info on the 510. This one has four SU carbs not twins. I haven't seen it in a few years but I remember the car real well and have always expressed a desire to buy it from him,
that is why he called me last night. My friend is old and can't do anything anymore, he just wants me to have it. There is no doubt that I will get the car, He wants me to have it, no one
else would get the car at this price. This man sold and repaired cars and parts all of his life and he knows that he could get a bundle just for the motor. I do not know what year it is, I
just assumed it was a 1969 because that is what I remember but all of you guys know my memory isn't up to the memory of Bill Gates' products.

How do I tell the L16 from an L18 or L20? I know that it is very different than the 1600 Roadster motor, they are pushrod motors. Only the 2000 Roadster had the OHC motor here in the states.

And please do not assume that you can get a 510 here in the states for $200 all of the time. They are fairly rare cars here. $2000 would probobly be a more realistic price for a good
drivable 510, but I do not know.

It has snowed during the night here but there is only about an inch so far and it is supposed to snow all day. I love snow but I would rather sent it to the wildfires around Sydney.

Mareo

the L series is same as the A series it will be cast in to the block L16 L18 L20 L20b
prety simple stuff

Roadster engines were "j" series engines - pushrod 1500/1600 engines with the exclusion of the 2000. The 2000 was a U20. These are very rare enines and are VERY good - the later 240Z-
280Zx motors were heavily based on these. J series engines could be considered the forefather of our beloved A series in the same way.

L series normally have their number printed near the back of the engine bay - flat into the side of the block, not like the A series, but similar.

L16-L20 are all interchangeable anyway, (excluding a bit of work for the fuel injected L20's and turbo'd L20 so it doesn't really matter what is in it - however if you know the man
and his work, you can try and find out off him what's really in it - just because it's got L16 printed on the outside, you can still take them out to about 2.3 litres with big pistons
and L18/L20 cranks.

For those who need to know the swap to L from J is also an easy one, and we have heaps of roadsters running around with L series engines now in Melbourne.

The J series motor built for the 311 and 411 and
some earlier Datsuns was an exact copy of the
1.3 liter MG engine only much higher quality.
it is copied so well that the Datsun parts
interchange with the MG. I have resurected
a couple MG cars in the past with parts from
the Nissan dealer I worked for..

The J series motor you are talking about is like the 1600 Roadster
motor? Cool.

Mareo

Mario,

I'm still having trouble with this quad SU thing. I've never heard of it and it sounds like overkill. Seems like the intake pulses would give you a poor idle.
To tell what engine it is look on the passenger side of the engine, right underneath the last sparkplug. Should say "L-16" or "L-18" or whatever. If you can't make out the writing see the end
of this message for a more "visual" check.
Did you have a look at the car yet? Did he use a custom intake manifold? Does it have a balance tube?

I thought the Roadster used the R-15, R-16, and U-20. And the 311, 410, 411, and 520 got the J-13.

The L-20b (or larger) crank WILL NOT fit a L-16 or L-18 block. The journals are a different size. You CANNOT take a L16 out to 2300cc, 1900cc is probably the max for a "small block". Well
maybe you could if you ground down the journals of the crank and overbored the block to the max (the LZ-23's use a 89-90mm bore). But then your rod to stroke ratio would be crap.

A L-18 (or L-13 if you ever find one in the states) crank will fit a L-16 block giving you a L-17 (great MPG engine) unless you overbore the block.

A L-20b can use a NapsZ-20, 22, or 24 crank. LZ-22 "Frankenstein" motors, long rod LZ-23, or long rod L-20b w/ fully counterweighted cranks seem to be the "premiere" L-series powerplants (the
VG, SR, and KA motors are the current hot swaps). Check out this page to see all the possible combinations of L-series engines: http://home.att.net/~jason510/Motorspecs.htm

The L-16 and L-18 blocks have only one bolt above the water pump on the passenger side. These blocks are identical except the L-18 has a larger bore and ribs on the outside of the block.

The NapZ block will interchange w/ a L-series block. The only mod is a little bit of drilling to the oil jet. The L-20b, Naps-Z20 and Z22 have 3/4" taller blocks with TWO bolts above the
water pump. A Z-24 block (1.5" taller than a L-16) will have 3 bolts. Don't ever use a Z-24 block, they crack at the headbolt holes. You can even fit a L-series head to a KA or a KA 12V to a
L or NapsZ block.

Okay, I'm done,
Daniel

In my 1200 at the monent i have an A12 of some sort. The thing is that has really worried me is the head on it. Anyone out there tell me if they have a 1200 head with the intake manifold
with the same stud patern as an A14 or A15 same shape and everything but with round ports like a standard 1200 head (not oval). These heads are quite rare to find. The block looks like
your standard A12 block with the distributor in the middle, but could this be a A12A motor or head?

The 1600 roadster uses an R16. Similar but different.

The J series motor you are talking about is like the 1600 Roadster motor?
Cool.

Mareo

I hate to be disagreeable, but there were a few minor oversights in your post. The roadster used an R16, not a J16. The U20 wasn't the foundation for the L24 motor, the L16 was
(introduced 1 year before the U20). The U20 is merely a bored and stroked R16 (pushrod) adapted to be an OHC. And due to the fact that a timing chain set is over $300 USD, I would suggest
using a U20 even in a roadster. ;^)

Roadster engines were "j" series engines - pushrod 1500/1600 engines with the exclusion of the 2000. The 2000 was a U20. These are very rare enines and are VERY good - the later 240Z-
280Zx motors were heavily based on these. J series engines could be considered the forefather of our beloved A series in the same way.

Sorry, that should say wouldn't, not would.

And due to the fact that a timing chain set is over $300 USD, I would suggest using a U20 even in
a roadster. ;^)