A friend of mine owns a `69 Datsun 521 truck. It's a project and he can't decide which direction to take it. One of his ideas is to swap a Chevy 350 engine into the truck. The only thing is, he has no idea how to go about it.

Any information on how to put a 350 in his truck and any mods he would have to make would be really appreciated.

Measure, measure, measure. Get the height and width of the engine you wanna drop in, then check for clearance in the engine compartment. Make sure your steering shaft is not in the way and that your firewall gives enough clearance. Same thing goes for the tranny. You'll probably have to fab up the motor mounts yourself along with the tranny mounts.
Sorry cant give more help.




Mike

We are putting a turbo engine (6 cyl) out of a Nissan 300Z in a 510 Datsun, and let me tell you, the modifications are plentiful.

First my buddy had to put the steering rack out of the 300z into the 510, thats a whole lot more work than I wanted to be a part of.
The fire wall was nearly completely removed, gonna have to fab up a new one.
The steering linkage from the middle of the column has to be re-routed.

We are about half way through it. Next time I remember I'll take some pics of it up at the shop.

I would think the SBC swap would be just as involved, being bigger and all. I know we will find other problems with this swap, but these are the big ones. Then we'll find out if that rearend will hold up.


bonuts

Also make sure you have a big enough radiator to cool the small block, and again, you'll have to check for radiator clearance on the Datsun. Probably have to butcher up some to get it in there.
If you wanna run headers make sure you have enough clearance on the sides as well.






Mike

im putting a 383 in my nissan 280zx.. cooling is a BIG problem with them.. because the hot air stays trapped under the hood in the engine bay.. i've decided to put a 4" fan in my fender wells w/black pvc pipe as a gromet.. sanded to the contours of the fender well.. so it sucks the hot air out.. keep the sleeper look w/o a ram air hood... i dont know much about 510's but i've read so much about 240z-280zx my head could explode.. with a Z you just fab up motor mounts.. and tranny mounts.. get an adapter put on your driveshaft after getting it fabbed... and bam.. pretty much ready to go.. after all the things that go w/a SBC are added that is...

I dont think I know what this Datsun truck looks like but if it's a fairly small truck with a 4-banger engine and not meant to haul or carry heavy loads the stock rearend might not to do it.
Measure the width of the existing one and go to the junkyard to find one that might match it. You might have to narrow it depending on which one you get. Some people use Chevy S10 rear-ends and though not as strong as a 9 inch they should do it.




Mike

I put a 350 in a Mazda RX7. I had to make my own front crossmember. Cut 1" out of the oilpan because it hung into the steering rack. I had to use a log type ex manifold on one side and a rams horn on the other. The dual ex had to both be run down the same side of the car. Install a Chevy rad.

You will have to figure it out as you go.

Your rear end will be fine as long as you don't hook. Don't try to run slicks.

I am sure you will have to cange out the front springs.

Good luck in this build

Sorry,,,, change

As the first answer said, measure, measure and measure some more.
If I remember correctly that pickup has torsion bar front suspension.
There will be clearance problems around the transmission to the point that the floor hump may have to be cut out and a new one made. Also there may be a clearance problem at the firewall including around the distributor.
You will have to build front and rear motor mounts. I don't think that there is enough room to run a regular fan and you will have to go to electric fans.

It can be done buy you will do the "what the Heck was I thinkin many times before you are done and it takes a lot of work to make it look right and not hacked up.

All I can say is it's never as easy as it seems. I've put a 351 Cleveland into my Toyota LandCruiser and it is a great way to find new problems to overcome.
I have the engine mounted and I'm still using the Toyota gearbox. The main problems have been radiator and wiring. The power steering has been throwing up it's own problems because there isn't enough room in the engine bay to bolt the standard Ford one in. I've got the Toyota one mounted on the Ford engine ow, but it still needs more work to line it up properly.
Then there is the fun of having metric and imperial nuts, bolts and threads.

By all means go for it if you thuink it can be done, but bare in mind it will probably be more difficult than you first expect (even when you expect it to be difficult.)

Might contact JTR ( www.jagsthatrun.com ) and see if they could help. They specialize in unusual engine swaps, and they might have tried that one in the past.

Having done a blown 351w in a datsun 240z and 408w in a samurai, cooling has been most of my issues. If i did anything over again I would spent more time developing the cooling system.

You know anyone can slap a big motor in a car and make it work, the difference is how you do it. What good is a car if its not fun to work on. One time I installed a motor and didnt plan very well, i went to change out the cam and the radiator support was in the way, you had to dang near pull the motor just to change the cam. Remeber think ahead. Here are some other ideas to plan for.

Can the oil pan be removed without pulling the motor
Can the heads come off the motor while in the car
Can the cam be pulled without hitting the radiator support
How much clearance do you have to reach the trans bolts
Build an exhuast system that doesnt burn out starters from heat
build an exhaust system that doesnt block the spark plug locations
Plan for engine movement clearance.
KEEP HEADERS far enough away from fender wells it doesnt crack your paintjob from heat.

Pictures!!
I'm working on a Pontiac Fiero and SBC.
I love to see people do this kind of thing. Big motor and small cars/trucks.

Funny, I am doing the same friggin thing, I have a 69 521 that had a 3.8L in it previously, it ran a th350 tranny so I'm trying to keep all the tranny mounts the same so I'm pushing the radiator into the grill and switching to a electric fan, I think you'll need a small scoop, I did. Routing the exhaust past the torsion bars is gonna be a problem. Post pics and progress, I'm curiuous.

Time to do some reading about swaps....
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=glance&s=books
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=glance&s=books