My name is Chris, and I am a Volvoholic....

Yes, I said Volvo.

So what am I doing in here? Well, I am a fan of many different cars as long as they aren't new. New cars lack character, personality and in many cases.... style. So we take an older car and make it what we want it to be. We make it our own.

I own Volvos. I have a 242 and a 745. The 242 is in the middle of a 302/T5 swap. The 745 is a stock 2.3 and is staying that way for a while since it is my daily driver. But I still haven't explained why I am here, have I?

I just got my new project car, a '76 Datsun B210. I plan on doing a driveline/suspension swap on it to improve power, performance, braking, handling and most importantly....fun. I have done a swap on one of these before, two in fact. First a 4.3 Chevy, which made it undriveable and later, a KA24DE which lacked engine wiring and a driveshaft to get it on the road, then someone offered me stupid money for the car and I sold it before I could drive it.
Now, I need suspension and brakes for the 'new' one, and I chose to look into Miata since the basic dimensions and engine layout are the same. Engine? Sorry to you Miata fans, but that will be Volvo.

So it is obvious that I am here for information and hopefully some parts, but don't think that because I don't own a Miata that I will not have anything to contribute. I have 23 years of experience working on cars. From tune ups and repairs to total frame off restorations, there is not much I haven't tried. Notice I didn't say 'done', if all of our plans worked every time, it wouldn't be fun anymore, would it?

Thanks-Chris

Scammer?

I know you from posts on TB. Almost bought your old smoothtop 245 from Brandon, and often wish I had.

Welcome. :chug:

Small world! Whatever happened to that old blue pos, I mean wagon? Detroiter on tb thinks he found it in a jy up north!

Not sure how you are going to get Miata suspension on a Datsun, or why you'd even want to. Maybe Finnish your 242 first. (yes, I know they are Swedish, but it was too easy.)

Lol. The 242 will be finished first, I am in the planning stages of the Datsun build now. I hope to have the 302 bolted in place in the Volvo in a week or so, as soon as I can the get the mounts all gusseted up and finished, so I am close.

As for your question of why use Miata suspension on a Datsun:

Datsun has soft springs that were built in the mid 70's, they have solid non-vented rotors and single piston no frills calipers, drum brakes in the rear and a steering gearbox with a drag link right in the middle of where the oil pan needs to go.

As for your question of how to get Miata suspension on the Datsun, you leave that part to me. I think outside the box. Parts are parts and with imagination and ingenuity, they fit together, and I don't mean with duct tape and zipties.

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Originally Posted by Rectilinear

New cars lack character, personality and in many cases.... style. So we take an older car and make it what we want it to be. We make it our own.

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Yeah, new cars have no style, heart or soul.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8468/8...aedc90eaf4.jpg
2012 Mazda Miata MX-5 by Michael Schaefer, on Flickr

To each their own man, that is a nice car, but it simply does nothing for me.

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Originally Posted by Rectilinear

To each their own man, that is a nice car, but it simply does nothing for me.

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Wishing you much success.

^^^Awesome, I just sold my copy to Half Price Books.

Look, I am not trying to step on any toes here. I love cars, and I understand that many different styles exist because people like differet things. Same with food, music, clothes, etc... If I say that I don't like the same thing you like, don't take offense, it is just our differing opinions.

If I post a pic of my Datsun here, most of you will say it was one of the ugliest cars ever built. It is...different...it has character. It's not for you, and that is okay with me.

Sorry, Chris -- William (black roadster) started what has become a long-running slap fight about "character" and "soul", so it's still a touchy subject 'round these parts. (See the "Alligator Hide" post/thread for the standard disclaimer on forum drama.)

You still got that photochop of the frywag (edit: the '80 245) somewhere? I feel like that belongs here but I can't find it.

Cool. So is the plan to use the whole subframe to transplant the miata rear end in place of the live axle, or are you just focusing on the front suspension?

Frywag? Ummm..... You mean my old beige 2 door?

Understood about the 'character' and 'soul' discussions. Again...different opinions and every one is right.

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Originally Posted by OZMDD

Cool. So is the plan to use the whole subframe to transplant the miata rear end in place of the live axle, or are you just focusing on the front suspension?

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Currently I am concentrating on the front crossmember (subframe) control arms, rack, struts, yatta-yatta.... Later, when this is accomplished, I will focus on the rear end as well.

Is there a section here for build threads? Can't seem to find much info....

probably best under "OTM tech"

There aren't a ton of builds, mostly people modding various miatas or doing FI work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rectilinear

^^^Awesome, I just sold my copy to Half Price Books.

Look, I am not trying to step on any toes here. I love cars, and I understand that many different styles exist because people like differet things. Same with food, music, clothes, etc... If I say that I don't like the same thing you like, don't take offense, it is just our differing opinions.

If I post a pic of my Datsun here, most of you will say it was one of the ugliest cars ever built. It is...different...it has character. It's not for you, and that is okay with me.

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I know you didn't mean anything by it, just pointing out that in your first post in a new forum ... you unintentionally took a shot a percentage of the members there. Imagine if I went on a Volvo forum and started off with ... "I'm really not a fan of Volvos, but hi anyways." LOL.

Anyways, welcome to the group. Looks like you've got a lot of wrenching knowledge and know-how. Hope to see you at one of the future wrenching events. I'll bring the beer. We can talk about the aesthetics and performance that define soul and perhaps find some common ground. ;)

Michael

Hey Micheal,

Well, I certainly did not mean to come off that way in my first post, to those who took it that way, I apologize.

I can't tell you what would happen if you went into our Volvo forum with that opening statement, as I would surely be banned here for saying it. Many people have left that forum due to some low flying attitudes and flaming, I am used to it, but do not intend to bring any of it here, so I do understand where you are coming from.

Thank you for the welcome and I hope to attend an event soon, some beer sounds good and so does some common ground!!

Welcome!

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Originally Posted by Rectilinear

If I post a pic of my Datsun here, most of you will say it was one of the ugliest cars ever built. It is...different...it has character. It's not for you, and that is okay with me.

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I actually entertained the idea of getting a '69-'71 datsun 510 but for the condition i prefer i could not get for the kind of money i was looking to spend and was also turned off by the lack off aftermarket support but still think they are really cool cars.;)

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Originally Posted by OZMDD

Cool. So is the plan to use the whole subframe to transplant the miata rear end in place of the live axle, or are you just focusing on the front suspension?

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i thought the 510 already has a IRS? or did datsun get comfortable with the success and change the recipe for success later...?

Well see that's just the thing, the 510 is a cool car and it did have irs. I am talking about a B210, which is ugly in many, many ways and had a live rear axle. I have a lot of work ahead of me on this thing, but no matter what I do to it, it will still likely be seen as the ugly duckling anyway...