Double checking identification tag of the 1974 Datsun 160J SSS KP710 Violet Turbo

Was having a look under the hood and it occurred to me that I've never looked at the identification tag of the Datsun so here goes...

ID Tag is a little faded but the important chassis no. is imprinted on!

Figure 1
Engine No L16-827710
Car No KP710-008363

Engine no. L16-827710
Chassis no. KP710-008363

Well it is confirmed to be the same as auction details. :-)

Final thing to check is the engine block number...

Figure 2
L16 838618

Opps! looks like the original engine was swapped at some stage with all the sending back to Japan after each race. I did read in the news that after the 1974 April Selangor GP both the 160J SSS engines were sent back to Japan to be inspected/datalogged/refreshed for the final event in September. Anyway this being a factory race car, engine swaps would have been the order of the day and there is no necessity in keeping to the original block for any reason.

One final point to note is that although the block is stamped L16, it is actually an L18 block. Datsun L18 blocks can be bored out to 2 litres. This is not to be confused with Datsun's own 2-litre L20B engine. The reason I say that its an L18 block is the extra rib on the rear right hand side of the block.

Figure 4
Extra rib indicating this is an L18 block and not L16.
Block was subsequently sprayed blue.

Figure 5
Extra rib running down center of figure indicates an L18 block. The L16 is not reinforced in this manner.

Cheers!