MG Midget Forum

so my original plan was to put a v6 in my 71, but i just purchased a nissan z engine and tranny + rear end for 300 dollars, the new plan is to install the nissan drivetrain over the winter, I'll rebuild the engine over the course of the summer and make body and frame mods as necessary. anyone else try this engine and tranny oh and rear end swap? what am i in for? its going in one way or another, just wondering the difficulty rating, 1 being low, 10 being high. thanks vinnie

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Vinnie , from Red Bluff,CA

Which Z car engine did you purchase? Is it the L Series straight 6 out of the early Datsun 240-280Z cars or the V6 VG30E engine out of the Nissan 300ZX? Did you say you were going to install this engine in a Midget? I'd be glad just to get my 1275 running. Regardless it sound like a fun and challenging project. Oh yeah, pictures will be required.

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"I just want to drive it"

its actually a 4 cyl z24 engine out of a nissan pickup not sure yet what year. i beleive its a 86-88. vinnie

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Vinnie , from Red Bluff,CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-29 03:38 PM by Vincent Van Aelst.

if it's a 92 it came out of a Nissan D21 Hardbody pick-up. That would be the KA24E engine if my foggy memory serves me correctly. I worked parts in a Nissan Dealership from 1980-1990. During that time period Nissan installed that engine in several vehicles including the 240SX and the Altima besides the pick-up. That should make for a nice conversion.

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"I just want to drive it"

The height will be a problem also check for the shifter position.

The front sump and oil pump location are not going to do you any favours. Since the pump seems to be external, maybe the hump can be relocated by moving the pickup and sump.

It is pretty tall, so doubt it will fit under the bonnet.

Angel, you are correct. jimmy, I,ll make adjustments, move engine forward,cut crossbar, whatever i have to do, but thanks for the heads up. vinnie

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Vinnie , from Red Bluff,CA

p.p. the engine you show is different from mine, mine has 8 spark plugs , 2 to each cylinder. once i get the engine home i'll post pics and do some dry fit and take measurments. vinnie

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Vinnie , from Red Bluff,CA

Vince, PP knows a little about cutting and welding on these little cars, LOL! Long story, huh PP? Get the engine/trans. mounted and the rear axle narrowed and you will have some unreal power!!

This sounds like fun!
Keep us posted on your progress...

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If it ain't broke, I'll fix it until it is!

I thought Z22 was the dual spark motor? I had one in my 83 Datsun truck and imagined doing something with it in my original Midget. I figured the truck gearing would make the car be a dog.

I had that engine in a 5 speed, it was actually geared a little tall as I was always downshifting to fourth with very small inclines, Florida driving. I did run it 320,000 miles all over the country. If you can get it in there it will pull that little car fine. Interesting little fact. I was coming back to Florida from LA one time and it started to cut out at 3,000 RPM in any gear, drove it 1,500 miles home like that. It was the dual rotor in the distributor, the primary bank was not firing. It cuts the secondary four plugs out at 3,000 RPM. If I had had my Haynes manual with me I would have known. Switched coil A to B and ran fine till I got the new rotor.

That is a napsZ engine, we jokingly call it the Nissan Anti Performance System, if it came out of a truck, it had that weird carb with an ECU, if it came out of a car like the 200SX it had fuel injection.
I have that engine in a 1970 Datsun 521 I am selling, it runs alright with the weber carb it has, but it's not anything to brag about.
BTW, when you do a tune-up, re-torque the head bolts, no particular pattern, just loosen every one of them one at a time and re-torque them, otherwise you will eventually blow the headgasket, that engine is well known for blowing headgaskets.
If it came out of an 84-86 it is likely a Z24, the attached photo is of mine in the Datsun 521.
Are you going to use the 720 engine wiring harness?
That engine has a lot of pollution crap and hoses, I hope your familiar with that engine.
That engine doesn't like to rev over 4000rpms, it has the torque to turn 330 gears in the truck with the mileage option(Z20 block), so you need to use an H190 axle, the thing is that the 86 axle is fairly wide, so you may need to find another axle closer to the width of your axle in your midget, if you measure how wide your axle is from rim mounting surface to rim mounting surface, I can tell you which axle is the closest, I have everything from the early 320 H190 axle to the late 86 720 H190 axle to measure.
Also the 1985/86 Nissan 720 regular cab/short box came with a short shaft 5 speed transmission(26 inches), while all the other vehicles came with a long shaft 5 speed transmission(31 inches), the short shaft shift lever is 5 inches farther forward, which transmission you have?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-29 07:13 PM by Wayno.

Wayne, not sure of the particulars yet, but the pic of your motor looks to be the same as mine. And as it stands now, I'll be using the original motor wiring. I am wondering if i can put side draft carbs on this engine? vinnie

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Vinnie , from Red Bluff,CA

Been a while, but I guess a few of you still recall the bugeye that I cut my teeth on!

I posted this picture on another thread showing a Volvo P1800 ES going on to a Miata chassis, since this thread relates to engine swaps I will post it here. I have become a fan of the chassis swap when doing radical transplants. This method solves a lot of the engineering and ergonomic challenges.



If I were looking to do a radical drivetrain swap into a Midget, I would either go this route or start with a clean slate and do a tube frame from the get-go.