Many years ago when I had my first 240Z a mechanic I used told me the L
series engines were knockoffs of Mercedes designs and he should know as
I saw plenty of both of them in his shop.
-----Original Message-----
From: walter@omni.sps.mot.com [mailto:walter@omni.sps.mot.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2000 1:11 PM
To: datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Roadster's British heritage.
Mark,
Yes and no. The Early engines were built to Austin specs, but
derated at 1000cc for Japanese driving. 5 port heads, with a
siamese exhaust port in the middle.
So there was a close relationship between Austin and Nissan post
WWII on building vehicles.
As the engines evolved, they got much better.
By the late 1960's we have U20 (prince influence), L20 (six cylinder
OHC... later as a L16 four, and L24 in the Z).
Meanwhile the MG-B still had a five port cylinder head, with OHV
engine.
Oh, my 1200cc E1 motor Datsun Bluebird. Valve cover gasket is
right off a MG-B, as the manifold gasket. ;-) Egnine is not
a carbon copy, as crank, pistons, rods, pan gasket, etc are not
the same. Sigh.
>> Let me draw to your attention the first Nissan
>> product - a lisenced built Austin Seven. (a BRITISH car). This car put the
>> company "on the map" in the auto industry.
>
>Some years agos a mechanic (of dubious intelligence) told me that the
Roadster engine is a carbon copy of a Jag engine of that era. He said
that many of the parts were interchangeble. Anyone know if that's
true?
>
>
>Mark van der Hoek
>Houston, for now.
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