I have been told that a head from a datsun 1200 will bolt onto an A series block with very little modification. Is there any substance to this theory?

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69 mini K and a really hip 82 poo brown nissan urvan

While there are similarities in the design and I believe the A series basic design was used/pilferred by Datsun I haven't seen or heard reliably of anyonne that managed to do a conversion using the head . Anybody else with first hand knowledge of it being done , I've heard of people claiming they knew someone who'd seen it done but never any proof .

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Thats exactly the type of info I have had. Sounds like a reasonable idea if true, a well flowed aluminium head. Its seems that datsun 1200's are getting pretty thin on ground though and not the cheap option it would have been 15 years ago.

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69 mini K and a really hip 82 poo brown nissan urvan

Which sort of makes me think that if it was a realistic option nearly every 3rd mini would have one of the heads on them . I know a lot of people had thought of it but I haven't seen or heard of one being done . Anybody got a datto 1200 head they can compare ?

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I've heard the same - always 2nd or 3rd hand info. Over here several classes of speedway cars (eg ministocks) use the 1200's so they're not thin on the ground, they're gone completely.

How many ports on the 1200 head?

The Datsun A seris engine is a direct copy of the morris B series engine, so there's no chance of a datsun 1200 head fitting onto a mini, Pity though they are absoultley bullet proof engines, my Datsun 1200 rally car had a 1188cc engine with 12.5 to 1 compression, the good GX oval port head & twin 40mm webers, it would rev to 9,500 rpm all rally long & blow away bigger engine cars with ease, aaaahhh i miss that little toy.

So the answer to your question is false.

Doogie

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I won Hay once, here's the pic to prove it..


Hay, it's not about the car, it's not about the venue, it's about the people that come here. Peter Dwyer, Mayor of Hay NSW.

But u saying that they would fit on a MGB?

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*Reasonable pricing
*I come to you..
Jay: 0431404607

well I understand that the datto head is reliable. But bolting it onto an a series? Japanese and English. The head will be that reliable the block would break in the little a series. their just not built for that kind of reliability in england anyway

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-doing a Degree in Mechanical Engineering,
and a few conversions:
13B Extend in a 1600
4EFTE in a mini ute (all slowly)

Ahem "A series" and "Not Reliable" in the same sentance?

Where do these urban legends come from???

Correct me if I am wrong but A series' are 1275cc and in more recent times, up to and including 1430cc in the case of stroking and boring. A datsun is 1200cc, so why would the datsun break a "little" A series engine?? I am confused? The datsun in this case would be the "smaller" of the two?

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

I think he is talkingabout the durability of the Datto head is too much for the A series block.
If there was an engine failure it would be the block.
I can also attest to the strenght of these little Datto engines have owned a 1200ute for a number of years previously.

Have replaced plenty of Dato 1200 heads in my years of owning general workshops but would never say they were unreliable, its just like all older cars, they are getting old and they do wear out and just like a lot of things getting good replacemnet bits can sometimes be a challenge.

Jon

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Roundies and Clubbies(except vans) are both ugly that is why I have Midas and a van
1293 Mini Midas Bronze,1275 Clubman van

This one is an old evergreen....
Datto 1200 has camshaft and pushrods on RH side of motor, so no way this head will fit either A or B series.
It's got 8 ports because the Jap designers refrained fom bunging the pushrods in between them like BMC did..

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.