New World Datsuns...

So Wynona is a heavy pig! I'm sure I added at least 50 pounds with the Ford diff, maybe more. 3400 with a full tank with me in it.

Subtracting my fully clothed 187 pounds, the wagon weighs 3213 pounds. Still don't have the center console in, that'll probably add a few, round it up to 3215. Not terrible but definitely not 510 wagon weight.

Hit 127 mph at 5500 rpm tonight before running out of room due to a car in front of me. (Allegedly) Not sure if wind resistance will let me get to 140 (6100), but I should be pretty close.

Thats a real heavy pig. Kinda shocked. But it is before computers could optimize frames to reduce sheet metal use.

If I'd done a 4 cylinder SR swap I would have saved at least 200 pounds, lol. But I do love the 6 cylinder sound. I was actually surprised. I though it was going to be 2800-2900. Apparently not! I think this means I need a bigger turbo and injectors. My buddy just did a 6.0 swap in his Chevy, has a nice cam, about 425 hp. He was riding my ass through second at 1/2 throttle. Pretty sure I would have gotten him by the end of 3rd, but not very far off, and even though he has near 6000 pounds, that's a lot of torque. He hasn't gotten past the 500 mile mark so he didn't go too hard, but I'm curious. The wagon is definitely quick, but I'm wondering if we'd be dead even. And worse yet, what if I lose?! Soooo, bigger turbo, more power?

Alright, so on my list to fix is the puking rear axle vent for the 8.8. Apparently this is a pretty common issue. So far, the best fix according to internet digging from a guy who tracked his Mustang is the boss rear finned aluminum cover with the vent relocated to the top. It also has a giant baffle for that vent. I'm going to have to measure clearance as the finned cover sticks out quite a bit more. If I don't have the clearance, then I'll take the steel cover off and make a baffle for the vent inside which should help. I'd rather like an aluminum cover that was better to keep things cool as I do like to go fast in the wagon. Still need to go beyond 130. I want to get 140 in the car. (On a closed course, of course!)

https://www.steeda.com/steeda-mustang-f ... -8142.html

Overthinking it. High mounted Coors catchcan. Certified for 160+.

Bleh, lol. I haven't had Coors since college! I was going to do that, but I think if I don't buy the nice aluminum can, I'll probably just modify my current cover. And I have lots of sheet steel, I can cut some fins out of that and weld them on to the cover too. Just be out of steel instead of aluminum. I'll have to measure tomorrow.

Ghetto

I'm pretty sure I can make it look pretty.

I checked. I have plenty of clearance. I'm just going to buy the nice aluminum cover.

The steeda cover came today. It's a factory Ford diff cover. Even has the Ford emblem and that part number stamped in the side. The difference is this has magnetic drain and fill plugs. The big difference is the baffle plate and the relocated vent so I can run a regular breather style like on the Datsun R differentials that will do the job just great and not spooge fluid everywhere.

They sell this with a note in the description that it comes with a block off plug for that top vent and just use the regular axle vent. That sounds like clown choose to me I don't know why everyone wouldn't just buy the little vent for the top and use the baffle plate as intended. From what I read on the Mustang forums, the regular vent on this Boss cover is good for track days and not venting fluid. if you read up on all the other varieties of axle tube vents there's nothing but Band-Aid fixes and install a catch can kind of crap. Also, this thing weighs 6 pounds! Pretty hefty considering the stamped thin steel cover is like 2 pounds.

Sorry about the mechanic gang symbols on my hand LOL.

Quit teasing the dog and throw the damn frisbee.

Lol Weasel only catches the frisbee after Rue has gotten about 10 "good girl, good catch!" in a row. Then he gets jealous and decides he can play with the frisbee.

All right, got the wagon started up and rolled down to the shop today to fix my problem of excessive oil out the vent on the cover. If I get excited I'm probably going to fiddle with the upper control arms because I got new heim joints from QA1 from Speedway, or were they from Summit? anyway they're much beefier and more likely to be quiet and noise absorbing than the other ones I have on currently. I was going to bring the center console and do that but I think I'm just going to concentrate on at least getting two things done and not spending the entire day here at the shop.

I had one small seepage leak I was curious about and sure enough it's water not oil. if you look at the short section of 5/8 of two hose clamps there's a little bit of leftovers on those so I'm pretty sure they decided to not seal as well during the winter. The radiator isn't down more than a quarter inch so nothing I'm really concerned about but I will try and put a couple more turns on the clamps and just keep an eye on them.

Oh yeah and small world! I had a customer come in the other day with a commercial van that needed plugs and coils that were doing on Monday and we were talking about Datsuns and all sorts of things, and he mentioned his cousin had started a website back in the day called ratsun.net. I said so who's your cousin and sure enough it was pumpkin Dave! So that was kind of funny. RIP Pumpkin, I'm sure you're watching me work on the wagon right now. Too bad you weren't here cuz I bet you'd make me laugh.

Everything looks good so far.

This is the not so shiny part of the car the whole back has surface rust nothing terrible yet but I'm going to need to sandblast it sooner than later I think and get it painted. The rockers are starting to show through at the seams also. not terrible but it's something I should probably put on the list to save up a few thousand and take it to a body shop.

The diff breather barely clears the frame rail but it clears so booyah! It's funny how you think back to what you learned over the years. I had to install the cover twice I was tightening up the bolts and I saw a little glisten on the very bottom middle and sure enough it was gear oil. My old self, my younger self, would have said screw it it'll be fine. While my now older self realizes nope that's going to leak, let's just take it off now while it's still soft.

Testing for diff overflow leakage etc and then I'll go back and rotate the tires as well. Wynona wants some 91 non ethanol. also just rolled on with about a 15 or 16 WRX and I got to say I was just a hair slower not very much though.

So I just went digging for 14 through 16 WRX non STI quarter mile times and apparently they're 13.6 to 13.7. and I would say if we did a quarter I'd probably be half a car length or possibly a car length or so behind which I'm guessing would probably put me in the low to mid 14s. I'm ok with that. I certainly wouldn't mind an upgraded turbo, but nearly stock is the easiest way not to break things. Maybe if I get all the other projects perfect, then I'll start going for more horsepower.