The fellow who called Datsun 1600s "dogs" obviously wasn't there when they
were new and being raced. I owned both a 1966, 1600 and my first new car
was a very rare, pre-510, 411, 1600SSS saloon. The engine is a BMC
B-series, built under license, with an aluminiun head, twin Hitatchi SU
carbs with Chrysler/Prestolite electrics. The full synchro gearbox used
Porsche licenced synchronizers.
Sorry folks, but these cars both would blow away any stock MGB and the
roadsters were at the top of their class in SCCA racing. Sure they look
like a cross between an MGB and an El Toro lawn tractor, and that is
probably why they were worth so little for so long and so many got in such
bad condition that dem young fellers think that they ARE dogs, but . . .
there was a time!
My brother Ron (well known in Silicon Valley MIS circles and golf
tournament circles, rounds?) had a 2000 roadster that could outrun most V8
cars of the time in a drag race and was the first car I remember with a
5-speed o/d gearbox was so fast that I would run out of nerve before it
would run out of acceleration. It would do well over 100mph and become VERY
light at that speed. It was totally stock save for the roll bar, Pirelli
tyres and an ANSA exhaust.
As for the person who wanted to repower an MG, they are getting too
valuable to cut up and modification should be carefully considered. A
propely done Rover V8 conversion is considered "almost stock" by most
enthusiasts and works just great. I've seen Mazda RX7 rotiseries in both Bs
and TR4s and the povide a whole bunch of scoot without much body
molestation. As much fun as this is, you would have a hard time selling
one to anyone that wasn't a nut, and sometimes nuts are hard to find (no
trouser jokes please). See you on the Funway!
Rick Feibusch - Venice, CA
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