Hi Alan,
I get a lot of inquires about my SR20DE swap into my 1966 Datsun Roadster.
This swap has been so successful, that we have five more swaps lined up for
local owners who want to find a rev-happy, flexible, replacement Nissan
engine which still retains the excellent handling characteristics of the
Roadster, but without the maintenance issues that the U20 has.
One of the most common questions I get about my swap is the viability of
installing the venerable SR20DET engine into the Roadster. For those who
don't know, the SR20DET is the turbocharged version of the SR20DE series
engines which makes 202-247hp in stock form depending on which version is
installed.
The SR20DET is gaining lots of popularity here in the states with the
owners of the 240SX who can literally bolt in the engine, and with a few
minor modifications have a very powerful engine which responds well to
modifications.
As the long-block of the SR20DET is the same as the non-turbo engine, it
will fit into the Roadster's engine compartment with the same modifications
that is necessary to fit the SR20DE (ie. notch the front crossmember, build
new engine mounts, etc.) I can speak more on this if you are interested.
The fitment issues come with the associated turbocharger. The stock SR20DET
exhaust manifold puts the turbocharger in the wrong place as it hits the
steering shaft, and the inner fender. This can easily be resolved with a
custom exhaust manifold which will relocate the turbo to be a top-mount.
This however, is not an inexpensive proposition.
Then the exhaust issue needs to be resolved. The maximum size of exhaust
pipe that I have been able to squeeze through the "X" frame is 2" (with
modifications to the X frame), and ideally the SR20DET wants a 2.5" or 3"
exhaust pipe exiting from the turbo. This will involve serious
modifications to the X frame, or the complete removal and a replacement
with a custom built K-frame.
The other issue is how to plumb an intercooler into the equation as well as
the SR20DET was designed for an intercooler. To do this cleanly without
serious modifications to the body and frame will take a lot of thought and
planning.
Of course, if one does not care about how things look, or does not have an
issue hacking the car away, the SR20DET can (and has) be fitted to a Datsun
Roadster.
I don't work that way, my engine swaps look like they came from the factory
with the SR20DE: http://www.zparts.com/showcase/msSR20swap1/intro.html
I also question wether a Roadster really needs the extra turbo in the first
place. I think most who have driven my car (~150-160hp) with the SR20DE
would say that it really needs another 50-100hp that the turbo would add. I
just don't think that the added work would really make the swap worthwhile.
If you are looking for a very flexible, low maintenance engine for one of
your Roadster's, I would take a long look at the SR20DE, it really works
well in this chassis. Last summer, I drove the roadster down to the All
Datsun Meet at Mt. Shasta, California and the car performed flawlessly all
weekend. We even drove it down to Sacramento (in 100'+ heat!) with no
issues. Coming home we averaged 80-mph and the roadster got 32-miles per
gallon, which is totally amazing, but speaks wonders of how great this
conversion really is.
Don't kid your self, this is not a simple one weekend conversion, it is
going to take lots of time, money, and
effort. However, a roadster, with this awesome engine and transmission,
will provide you with a very low
maintenance, high performance, power plant which has a broad torque range,
outstanding drivability, amazing
mileage, and will generate more smiles per mile that ANY other Nissan engine.
Michael Spreadbury
1966 Datsun Roadster (SR20DE power!)
1969 Datsun Roadster (soon to be SR20DE power!)
1970 Datsun Bluebird SSS Coupe (SR20DET/6-speed)
At 11:08 AM 3/29/2002 -0500, Alan Horton wrote:
>Hello List,
>I too am now looking to do an engine swap because of the cost and
>availability of U20 engine parts. I have a 68 and a 69 2000. The 69 is an
>all original, numbers matching car (still in original paint) and the 68,
>while running a U20, is not running the original engine. So I want to
>conserve what parts I have left for the 69. I am leaning heavily toward the
>Jspec SR20 and have found an SR20DET at what I feel is reasonable. But this
>leads me to my question. Has anyone seen a swap into a roadster using this
>engine? I have seen the pics of Michael Spreadbury's car but I don't believe
>he used the turbo model. I would like to know if the SR20DET can be
>transplanted without hacking my engine compartment and/or frame.
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