Hi Guys,
I just recently bought a 1977 UTE. Not in a very good condition but got plans to bring back its beauty one day :)
Got a few questions and thought to get some expert advise from your guys. Please note that I am not a mechanic and have got very little car knowledge so my apologies if my questions does not make sense. Still trying to learn and any comments/suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
1- Deciding between A12,A14 or A15 which one you recommend. Not planning to go too expensive. Previous owner advised that he had installed a 120y engine. Is there a way to check what engine it has got? VIN number is B120-211819 and the plate says A12, however the ute was not registered so not sure if the above is correct.
2- If i decide to go with A15, will I have to change the carburetor, fuel pump, distributor etc?
3- Which engine out of the 3 (A12,A14 or A15) is more suitable for 5 speed manual.
4- If I decide to upgrade it to 5 speed will I have to change the Diff as well?
5- Will it be better if I just overhaul the current engine? If so, can someone please direct me as to where I can buy the overhaul kit?
6- After examining the whole body (not inside the panels), found some spots with rust hole(Pics attached). One is near the door sill and the other is in the engine bay area where the VIN number plates are normally attached. I know there are repair kits available for Sill was just wondering if there is any repair kit for the rust hole inside the engine bay.
7- The body looks OK with a few dents and rust. Will it be easier to replace the whole panel with reproduction panels? They are not that expensive but not sure if they will fit in nicely.
8- Finally :) is it easier to remove the gearbox first before removing the engine or the other way around?

I know it is a lot of questions but would really appreciate any advice.
Kind regards,
Ron.

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1977 ute engine is indistinguishable from 120Y engine.

If you are in USA, go with the KA24DE -- 2.4 liters of easy bolt-in power. Nearly triple the rear-wheel HP compared to the A12.

Are you in Australia? A15 requires engineer certification in some states. A14 only requires self-certification (reporting it to the dept.) Check the rules of your state to be sure. See ADR.

Hi ddgonzal,
Thanks for reply buddy.
I am from NSW Australia. Not sure what the requirements are here but hopefully will get a reply from someone.
If i go ahead with A14, will I have to change the carburetor, fuel pump etc as well? and can I go 5 speed manual on A14?

No need to change those parts -- just use the ones that come with the A14. The A14 carburetor is larger than the A12 carby in any case. The A14 will work fine with an 1200 four-speed, or just use the gearbox that comes with the A14.

Hey Avizhome welcome to the Datsun community, and congrats on the new addition to the family (ur Datsun) u have probably pick one of the best cars to learn how to build, as dd has already stated a14 and just keep the standard 4 speed behind it the diff will be fine, but it will depend on what u want it for, the 4 speed and standard diff will be fine around town but not real crash hot on the freeway. The engine number will start with what type of engine it is eg, a12. If u decide to keep the a12 hit up bige on here he sells kits and most of anything u will need for the engine side of things. The panels issues u will get better advise from others I'm only a mechanic sorry. With the engine/gearbox removal depends if u have an engine leveller for removing it, if not I'd seperate the box and engine.
Cheers Corey

Your best bet is probably to run a reconditioned A14, with either a reconditioned late-series 56A 4-speed, or 60 series 5-speed. I think I read that the H165 differential can handle a supercharged A15? If so it wouldn't be a problem.

Early model a12 has dizzy under cyl1 late model cyl 3. keep that In mind as you might need the matching 1200 X member

Repair section for inside the engine bay you make yourself, It's not that hard but I noticed as well there are signs of rust under the ridge as well.

Rust is like an Iceberg you see 10% and find the rest when you go to do the repair, But seriously fixing that is not that difficult just make sure to join fresh metal well past the existing rust and treat afterwards to prevent further rusting with Cold gal and Etch primer.

It will pay to remove any Seam sealerand check for rust in those areas as well, The seam sealer is like a rubbery substance wiped over wher two or more panels join and overlap it is designed to keep moisture out and stop rust.
When it gets old it shrinks and cracks letting moisture in to form more rust so scraping it out cleaning up and treating any rust found and applying fresh seam sealer will help stop more rust.

Seam sealer is easy to apply just get some rubber gloves and wipe in on and then clean off any excess to get a neat job.

Thanks Guys,
Really appreciate all your comments & advice.

Sorry to say but with those pics alone the restoration will be top $$$$$
You best get a 1200 ute shell as an unfinished project that way you can see
inside the problem areas better and use this one as a parts source.