OK, it looks as if I'm talking to myself here, but that never stopped me before! I started to run my '86 B11 Sentra at some rallycross events here in the northeast, and got tired of bottoming out the exhuast system. I needed some stiffer front springs. To stay with the low dollar approach, I had to search the boneyard for something that would fit. Well, I found that front struts and springs from an M10 Stanza wagon will work, with slight modification. First, you'll need to cut 1.5 coils off of the springs, for proper ride height. I found this out by cutting off a half a coil at a time until I got it right. Secondly, you have to use the strut tops off of the original B11 struts. That's right, the coil springs are the same diameter, it all goes together fine. Lastly, the M10 struts are about a ¼" wider at the bottom mounting points, where the two bolts go through the spindle. I had to make ¼" steel shims and drill two mounting bolt holes in them. Now, for practically pennies, I had some serious rally springs up front. Keep in mind, this is a gutted race car, so I don't know what it would ride like on the street. I also built a tubular steel skid plate, to protect my Pacesetter header. Now, for the front brake upgrade. Most people don't know that Nissan made B11 diesel Sentras. They have better front brakes than a gas B11. They offer thicker 18mm vented rotors, and larger AD20V calipers. The pads have 30% more area. The front hubs are different, so you'll need them too. You can buy the set-up used at the junkyard, or buy it all new, from Nissan motorsport. Here's another small upgrade for the clutch. My clutch started to slip after I built up my E16. The disc was fine. I saw in the Motorsport catalog, that the clutch assy. from the B11's were interchangeable with the Datsun 210 [B310]. So I went to factory shop manuals, and looked up the pressures of the clutch covers, As expected, the RWD 210 cover offered a higher clamping force, than the FWD B11. I had a new 210 clutch cover in my basement, so I put it in, and never had the clutch slip again. I also upgraded the driver's seat to one from an N12 Pulsar. They are a direct fit, and have much more bolster support than a crappy B11 seat. I could do without the tiger-striped upholstery though! I still run my B11 race car occaisionally, but I have to admit that I now am getting into B13's, because they are now older, and affordable. I have got a pile of B11 and B12 high performance parts. Things like Motorsport engine insulators [motor mounts for E-engines], 4.17 ring and pinion gears, for the B11 five speeds, [stock gears in a B11 range from 3.55 to 3.89]. I also have an extra [new in box] E16 Motorsport "Fuel injection" big valve head part# 11041-15M00, with all new valves. I have two E16 Isky cams, and also, a very trick downdraft carburetor intake manifold, that I custom built. I can scan pictures of it, and email to you guys if you want a look at it. It is based on an old Ford Pinto aluminum intake, which has four individual runners coming off a common plenum, instead of the E16's two small siamesed runners, that split again right at the ports. I also have some pictures of a supercharger intake that I never heli-arced together. I built it for my 70 cu. in. two lobe roots blower. Yeah, I know what your thinking, he's nuts!
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We all know that no one ever made a performance downdraft intake manifold for our beloved E-engines. The stock piece only has a single runner coming out of the carb plenum, which splits into two, right before the cyl head. Not a very good design, from a performance standpoint. I had no choice but to build a custom manifold. I looked at other O.E. 4 cyl. intakes. I found that the old 2.0L Pinto intake had nearly correct port spacing, and four individual port runners coming out of the carb plenum. This is the same intake used on Formula Ford spec racers. I got one for $25 at the junkyard. I glass beaded it, and sawed off the stock manifold flange. Next, I used a piece of ½" aluminum stock to make a new flange out of. I scribed the outline of the E16 gasket on it. Then I milled out the holes on a milling machine. Then I had it heliarced together, which was followed by some porting to blend the welds and match the ports in the E16 head. It worked out great! I ran a larger carb off of an '83 Nissan pickup [Z24 engine] and the thing pulls hard to about 6,700 rpm. Sometimes when you want something bad enough, you've got to make it yourself. To see the pics go to:
http://www.printroom.com/ViewAlbum.a...lbum_id=69157. Click on the pics twice to get the full size pic.