NOTE: I sold this car and my other Datsuns in 2005, but I didn't have the heart to remove my CarDomain page. I check in here from time to time but for the most part consider this a historical record.

Welcome to the home of the first Datsun 411 on CarDomain! Mine is a 1966 Datsun PL411 sedan. The 410/411 is the predecessor of the Datsun 510. It's unibody like the 510 but has a solid rear axle. The E1 engine (1200cc, a whopping 60hp) was carried over from earlier cars; mine was a 1300cc (same bore, longer stroke, otherwise basically the same). They are licensed copies of BMC B-series motors like in the MGB but with smaller displacement. Only the R16 found in the RL411 is a bit more modern. Still OHV but lightweight aluminum head and very short stroke. It's the same 1600cc engine in the 1600 Roadster. The RL411 scoots pretty well in stock form. Mine moves well now too, but I've done a bit to get it there.

When I bought the car in early 2002, I didn't intend to customize it. It was very clean with the original drivetrain, but developed a nasty bearing squeal so a major repair was in order. A friend told me there was a J15 engine in a truck at a local Pick-N-Pull, so I pulled that engine out of the sad looking PL521 and went straight to the machine shop to have it rebuilt. Motor Power, Inc. is THE place to buy engine rebuild parts for these cars. Great prices, great service, and quick delivery.

It's got .030 over pistons (~1511cc), Delta Cams "KB" mild street regrind (an MGB profile), and lightened flywheel. The J15 also has bigger valves than the J13. In stock form, the J15 devleops 77hp compared to 67 for the J13, but my engine isn't stock... After the rebuild, I put dual HS4 SUs on an MGB intake manifold but that interfered with the brake master cylinder. I modified a PL521 m/c, which worked, but the brake pedal feel wasn't quite as good due to its smaller bore. I miss the SUs though.

Bolted to the engine is a stock MGB exhaust manifold and Weber DGV carburetor. Other mods include 2" exhaust to a MagnaFlow straight-through muffler (loud and agressive!), stock Roadster front springs (drops the front about 2"), Pertronix Ignitor, electric fuel pump, tachometer and air/fuel ratio gauges, and 14" tires on 14x5.5 +25mm mid-80's Nissan 200sx alloy wheels. I had to use longer wheel studs to fit the correct lugnuts without breaking the nuts in half (BTDT); finding appropriate lugnuts and installing them was an experience.

Other than that the car is stock, down to the radio block-off plate, four wheel drum brakes and 4.11:1 rear end. Future mods include a custom header to better clear the front suspension and allow me to run the mechanical fuel pump, a Weber DGES (synchronous 38mm vs. progressive 32/36), and maybe the old J13 head with J15 valves; I think it'll give me ~9.5:1 CR vs. 8.3:1 stock for a J15. More compression = more power! Sign my guestbook if you have a 410 or 411. I'm always on the lookout for a clean RL411 sedan or wagon!