This kit is ONLY made right now to fit the common 1275 with 5/8" OD pilot bushing. I haven't worked yet to make it fit anything else since that is all that I have right now.
Datsun materials required:
- transmission with shifter and throwout bearing (I don't modify the trans at all except to grind away a little on the inside to clear the oil pump housing and the "rhino horn" on top). I do have to remove the back-up switch and replace it with a plug just like all of the other kits.
- clutch,pressure plate (stock Datsun but fitting the trans-210,B210 or 1200,on the Webat"driveline.com")
- Datsun pilot bushing (slightly modified)
- Datsun drive shaft shortened so that u-joint to u-joint length is same as Sprite.
- Datsun ring gear (off of flywheel). It is just a press fit on and taps off pretty easily.
- Datsun truck clutch slave cylinder (NAPA no: 38117)
- Datsun starter motor
- Datsun rear (2) transmission bolts and nuts (bolts shortened by 1/4")
Fasteners required: (all to be grade 5 or 8)
-5/16-24 unf x 1.25 long hex head cap screw (need 4)
-5/16-24 unf x 1.25 long flat head cap screw (uses "Allen wrench" to tighten) (need 5)
-5/16-18 unc x 2.50" long flat head cap screw w/ nuts and lock washers (need 5)
-5/16-18 unc x 1.25 long flat head cap screw w/ nut and lock washer (need 2)
There is NO cutting or bending of the Spridget body required. The only destruction to the Spridget is cutting away some of the stock backing plate to allow the new starter motor. To return the Spridget to the stock trans a new backing plate WOULD be required. The stock flywheel is modified to accept the Datsun ringgear and the Datsun pressure plate but it would be easy to return them to stock (a new Spridget ringgear WOULD be required).
A few folks have said that it isn't worth it to convert without going to a 5 speed trans but I just saw in the Victoria British catalogue that for $230.00 you can get a 3.5 rear end for the Spridget and that with a good 4 speed sounds OK to me (10% vs 20% speed reduction but relative to the cost sounds pretty good).
-Driveshaft-There are two ways to go on this, the easiest is to shorten the Datsun driveshaft to the same length as the Spridget; the other is to fit the Datsun front yoke onto the Spridget driveshaft. Both have their relative merits and problems.
In case you don't know- the Datsun driveshaft bolts up to the Spridget differential perfectly.
The problem with shortening the Datsun one is that the u-joints are "non-replaceable" and once they go bad you have to shorten another one. There is a way to put replaceable u-joints in but I haven't pursued that yet.
-How to shorten Datsun drive shaft:
1/ I used a huge pipe cutter (does 3" pipe) from Harbor Freight to cut out about 20" from the middle of the shaft (final length MUST match that of Spridget within �" u-joint to u-joint) and then layed two 18" long pieces of bed rail (angle iron) side-by-side to form a cradle to hold the remaining pieces of the drive shaft, then tacked the shaft in three places (120 degrees apart), verified straightness and then continued to tack around until it was done. It worked very nicely and I have almost no runout. (with such a short ,thick driveshaft it doesn't vibrate at all).
-Pilot bushing
The only modification required for this (the Datsun pilot bushing) is to turn down � of the length of the OD to .627"+/- .001" and tap it into the Spridget pilot hole.
-If there is any problem getting either pilot bushing out just pack the inside of the bushing VERY full of grease and tap a tight fitting dowel into the ID with a hammer. If the cavity is FULL of grease then the grease will push the bushing out. (old machinists trick).
-Flywheel
This is the most complex operation of the job;
-1/ first you need to pull the pressure plate locating pins out and keep them in case you ever want to go back to the stock transmission.
-2/ you need to face the front of the flywheel flat and smooth (a carbide bit is best for this).
-3/ locate the 6 bolt holes for the Datsun pressure plate (on an 8.490" bolt circle) and the two locator pin holes (also on 8.490" BC). The remaining locator pin is NOT on 8.490" and I do not use it (this works to "key" the pressure plate). I tap the bolt holes (through) at 5/16-24 unf and use the English bolts but you can use the 8mm threads and Datsun bolts. I drill the locator holes at �" by .30" deep and make pins that are �" on one end and .234" dia on the other with the �" end just being long enough to hide under the surface and just the .234 end stick above.
-4/ from the OTHER side of the flywheel you need to turn THROUGH the ring gear (a carbide cutter is required for this, the ringgear is hardened) and into the flywheel �" deep by 9.464" +/-.002" diameter. These dimensions are important since the Datsun ringgear must pressfit onto this diameter. I do have a machine shop here who did a beautiful job on the flywheel for me but it cost $50.00 complete.
-5/ Tap on the Datsun ringgear.