I'm nearly ready to go, except for the steering drag link.

As expected - the standard setup fouls the gearbox.

I've found the one on Maddat's site that seems to fit the bill. - Except that the New Zealand vehicle certification standard says:

"Cast or forged components which will perform a critical function, or will be used in a critical location, may not be modified or heated"

Which is obviously a major problem. Has anyone else in NZ cert'ed a CA or SR conversion using a modified drag link like this? And if so, how did you get away with it?

Cheers.

Anita,

Most engineers (in Australia) will be satisfied with either a detailed description of the procedure used to bend the rod, and/or a copy of the magna-flux testing to show it has no internal faults/cracks.

Talk to your engineer.
Regards,

Dave

_________________
USA Daily: 2014 Nissan GT-R, very minor modifications for the track
USA Project: 1978 280Z, minor suspension upgrades, VK56DE conversion in progress. SOLD
AUS Race Car: 1973 240Z, L28ET, Autronic, GT35R. SOLD
AUS Project: 1972 1600, 3200km old S15 SR20DET, ground up rebuild. SOLD

Check with Craig at Maddat but I'm reasonably sure the modified linkage comes with an Engineers Report.
Whether it will be accepted in the East Island (NZ) is another matter

_________________
Regards, Graeme
Just trying to help...
http://nissanman.shutterfly.com/
graemes@internode.on.net

Hey,
I'm also doing a CA18DET in my 1600...I always thought you didn't have to do the drag link with CA's....but mine fouls the gearbox bracket too....it only hits by a tiny bit tho.....so I will probably just take the grinder to the gearbox bracket to make some clearence.
my mate here in chch has just got his SR20DET 1600 going.....the way he has done it was to get someone to make a new custom one.
It goes straight accross with no bends, and is threaded at each end like a big tie rod. the end peices are factory 1600 stuff.
I can take a pxt sometime if you got a pxt ph?
but with my CA at least...it doesn't hit by much at all....so won't have to grind much.

_________________
1970 Datsun 1600 CA18DET - SOLD!
1970 KP510 SSS Bluebird coupe
http://www.nzdatsun.com/forums/

I know what you mean.
I ground off part of the head of one of the bolts on the gearbox brace to allow some clearance for the cross rod.
The rod doesn't just go from side to side, it also lifts and drops from lock to lock

_________________
Regards, Graeme
Just trying to help...
http://nissanman.shutterfly.com/
graemes@internode.on.net

I ground the RH bracket back quite a lot with mine and replaced the gbox mounting bolts with button head cap screws (which are now somewhere on the garage floor). Also adjusted the steering stop on the fr. susp arms slightly and it doesn't hit at all. Depends how your engine is mounted. If you went with the MAddat link and had the documents etc.. they would have no reason not to pass you. Look at some of the screwed up steering linkages on some hot-rods and clubmans and you'll feel a lot better.

Surely you mean the LH bracket?

I took another look at my drag link - and it was already slightly bent (the wrong way - very bizarre). I fished out another one, and it doesn't seem so bad now.

I'm thinking, take a big chunk out of the LH bracket, and weld 8mm studs into to the low bracket holes, so that there's no bolt heads at all to worry about, and it should all be sweet.

And perhaps maybe straighten out the factory bends a touch to give another few mm.

Good idea about adjusting the stops. Cheers.

BTW, I simply mounted the engine using 20mm ish spacer plates on the side of the block, stock 3 bolt 180SX mount brackets, all sitting on the 1600 rubber mounts.

LH bracket if you are looking at the engine from the front of the car....but its actually called the RH bracket.
plus....you have mounted yours a lot different I guess.

_________________
1970 Datsun 1600 CA18DET - SOLD!
1970 KP510 SSS Bluebird coupe
http://www.nzdatsun.com/forums/

Definitely the LH bracket looking from the back of the car. I guess we mounted our engines on different angles.

Is your gearbox rotated at all?

my motor is mounted exactly the same as the maddat kits mount them....so it should be how it was in the s13

_________________
1970 Datsun 1600 CA18DET - SOLD!
1970 KP510 SSS Bluebird coupe
http://www.nzdatsun.com/forums/