First of all, sorry about my english, it's not THAT good.. Hope that you can understand what I'm trying to say.. You can send corrections / suggestions / questions here.


In this page I tell something about my project. Target of the project was Datsun 120Y (B210) -77. I have changed engine to 1800cc, which means 600cc and 41 horsepowers more than original. I started this project in August 1998.

Because of its bad condition I decided to save it, and took it under work. Almost all weekends and holidays in next winter went mostly dismantling and preparing the bodywork. In spring 1999 I noticed that I've used almost two square meters of sheet metal just to fix the body. I found considerable amount of rust in there, almost whole left-side floor was gone. Also I had to rebuild the rear wheel boxes.

In winter 1999 I applied licence application (to change the engine) from the Finnish Vehicle Administration (AKE). I received answer in the affirmative later that winter. I got permission to following technique:

- L-18 engine (1800cc) with transmission (4 speed)
- Rear brakes from 180B
- Cardan axle from 180B
- Fore axle from 180B/160J
- Radiator from 180B

Later I have changed 5-speed transmission with "conversed" diagram (see pic).


All the parts was found from my friend, and I can say that I got them VERY
advantageous prize.. In the other hand, I had to open the engine and machine it (in
machine tooling company), and that took LOT of money.

When the bodywork was quite OK, it was time to fit in the technique. First I put the rear brakes in, and only thing I had to do was to file the mounting holes of the brake shields about 1 mm. After this, the shields fit successfully. I didn't had to replace front brakes, because there was already big discs enough (245 mm), only thing I had to do was to buy new discs.

Fore axle had to be changed because origin engine brackets were too high for L-18 engine. This was also very easy operation, because new fore axle fitted straight in. It has same mounting points as the origin axle, and it was only ~2 cm wider (measured from tips of the lower arms).

The project was stopped for a while in this point, because the engine was still in the machine tooling company. When I got it back, few next months were dedicated to agglomerate it. Also I did all kind of tiny things because of the new technique. At last the engine was ready to fit it in the car. There was fortunately enough space in the engine room, only the radiator was too close to engine. That problem was solved by bringing it about 5 cm forward. In first look seemed that engine is higher than fender wigs, but when putting the hood in its place I noticed that there was almost 3 cm free space still available..

I almost had problems with transmission because its size, but it fitted OK after little work. I don't know why, but there is duplicate mounting points for gearbox in chassis. L-18 transmission fitted perfectly in rearmost holes. Only gap of the gear lever had to moved 10 cm backwards. Cardan axle fitted also to rear axle, after I shorted it ~3 cm.

Next thing was to put all wires, hoses etc. in right places. I discarded the old double-barrel carburettor and replaced it with SU twin carburettors (afterwards I have changed them to 45 mm Solex twin carburettors). Also I made the whole exhaust pipe by myself (diameter was first 2", then 2,5" after installing the header (thanks Will!)). Then, finally at spring 2000 I started the engine first time, what a feeling! Sounds were quite loud, maybe because I had only one muffler..

Then the body had to be finished and painted, so I took my car to my friend (thanks Janne!). He did well job and I retrieved it back as "viper-banded". Then I put all inside stuff back.

Beginning of May 2000 I drove in to inspection and got it on the road. Local inspector couldn't find anything to complain, only the car is now for four persons because otherwise gross vehicle load (1300 kg) would been exceeded.

Even I drive the car every summer, this project will never end! Always there will be something to improve and new things come up time to time. Interesting thing is that this kind of construction is not made in Finland before, as far I know. -And I think that never will either, thanks to finnish inspection directions..

Copyright: Jukka Ylinen