Hello, fellow GOONS! 510 GOON from CA checking in!

haha ok...I'm not calling you all goons, but that's how 510 wagons are often referred to. I don't know if the term goon goes past Datsuns.

I'm Goki , and I have a 1972 Datsun 510 Wagon, powered by a 1995 Nissan 240sx 2.4l engine....the KA24DE. My aim was to keep it simple. Everything looks stock..sleeper style...down to the stock gauges, rolling on Enkei Apache IV rims ...except the KA engine sittin' pretty in the engine bay.
Ok..time for pictures...(because everyone loves pictures) :


everything is the same except for the shifter (this photo was taken pre-op)

my dog and my goon chillin' in the backyard.


I also made GOON SQUAD stickers if anyone is interested. They look like this:

Colors available: BLACK, WHITE, RED and GREEN


-goki

 

Thanks for the warm welcome!
There are a few SR20DET 510s i've seen at meets and shows and i think there might be 1 or 2 SR wagons.
Decision on the KA was because a friend was able to get the motor for $600. I was really planning to keep it stock and use it as a 2nd daily driver but just found that having a 35+ year old engine isn't reliable enough for me.
Sooo...long story short and $3000 TOTAL later (for labor), I have a KA24DE GOON "KA-GOON"
My friend and his buddy were the ones that did the swap. From what I know, cross-member needs to be flipped to clear the front sump oil pan, stock drive shaft needs to be shortened (to match up with KA gearbox), gearbox mount fab up, then of course...everyone's favorite...WIRING. hahaha As of now, I'm running a straight pipe...no catalytic converter and blow thru muffler (im even hesitant to call it a muffler because i doesnt muffle anything), so my goon is LOUD! I put a silencer on it so its a little quieter. :T

My friend and his buddy already have experience doing KA swaps, so they took a few weeks to button everything up.

 

Welcome Guki! I could never tell the difference between a 1965 or a 1972. Great looking Datsun wagon.

 

Hey Stormin' Thanks for the warm welcome!
Btw, the PL510 (the generation I have) was available in the US from '68-'73. 68-69 had minor differences like trim, lights, dash etc, otherwise they're about the same. 68-69 being rare and 72 being the most common. Just a little Datto trivia

 

Back in 1966, there was a Fina gas station across from my house, who was an authourized VW repair shop. He took on a Datsun dealership in 1965, and my dad had 4 big Chrysler and Imperial sedans, a 1951 Chevy sedan-delivery wagon, and we ran a junkyard. We'd walk over in the evening and sneak a peak at all these little wagons, barebones simplicity, coated with preservative wax for the overseas trip, and dad would say that the Japanese finally overcame their cheap radio reputation. He'd tell me that I was looking at the future of cars.

When the 240Z came out in 1975, dad and I were driving Hemi-powered convertibles, and watching these road-jets pass us! Of course we were getting 6 MPG, compared to 18 MPG in the Zs.

 

What do you mean goons? Those 510's are great cars although interior materials are crap. Fantastic looking to me.

 

Welcome to the forum, Goki. Sorry I didn't have a chance to see your 510 when I lived down in the OC (Orange). Nice car. Nice engine swap. Did you leave an automatic behind it?

I noticed that silver car parked to the right of the 510 in the first photo and I'm having trouble identifying it - looks something like an old 610 coupe, but I don't think so.........

 

Thanks! The term "Goon" comes from a play on words wagoon..or wagon. Since the other Datsun 510 enthusiasts are more into the 2 door and the 4 door sedans, they call us wagons "Goons".

Lately, there seems to be a more interest in wagons or "goons". This weekend, there is a Japanese Classic Car Show in Irvine, CA, and for the first time, there is going to be a group specific to wagons! Naturally, I have to join. :banana:

 

Hi and thanks! I feel so honored with so many warm welcomes! Thanks guys!

No, I ditched the automatic 3speed slushbox for a 5 speed manual (the interior pic i posted was "pre-op") The 5 speed came with my KA24DE.

Close...the silver car next to mine in the pic is my friend's (....drum roll....) 1971 Nissan Skyline GTR. Ultra rare...never available in the US...true import...right hand drive...etc...etc. Its a show stopper everytime.

 

Welcome to the forum. I love the 510 wagons. There was one local to here on Craigslist that was being converted for a V-8. made me think for a bit. But I am happy with what I have and don't need another project to divert funds from my baby.

 

Yah...it was hard for the Japanese to compete with big American motors at the time. The release of the 240Z in 1970 really changed that. ...i can go on and on about that...

I'm a HUGE Z fanatic. I also have a 1977 280Z 2+2...the 4 seater (which kinda makes it the wagon of the Z...hahaha) pics:



-goki

 

oh man...i totally know what you mean! But..fortunately, I was pretty much done with my Z so I jumped on another project...the 510 GOON

 

Boy, that brings back (bad) memories. Back in '78, my wife and I were looking for a house, and we hooked up with a realtor who drove one of those 280Z 2+2's. I had to sit in the back seat for about 3 hours - from the south bay all the way out to Palmdale and back.......I think it gave me arthritis......