Ok, we are back into plan "B". The shop we were talking with to make the addition to the roll bar is busy. But they did make the pipe bender available. We have access to someone that can weld, he worked on my resurrected E30 and a 10 foot stick of 1 3/4 DOM is being sourced. My cohort in this project has the tool to notch the ends of the addition of what will be added to the roll bar.
This will happen. Yes, some more parts will have to be returned and new one ordered. It never ends, right?
The positive on this project is that it is now a running and driving Datsun. The first picture is of one of the kids that will at some point compete with the car, after she learns the use of the clutch. Driving a stick is part of the drill with this adventure, the girl can drive, she was very quick in her kart. My son will have his work cut out to keep up.
The car has made it's first gathering. I believe the first of many. As the miles increase the issues continue to be diagnosed and fixed as they arise. The voltage regulator has again required some attention and the stuck choke in carburetor number 2 is now fixed. The rear shocks need to be upgraded and the roll bar is going to need some attention. But the front brakes are the top of the list, what is in the car will not due the job as required.
In reply to jr02518 :
Nice work. I've always loved these cars.
Thank you. This car owes me lots of miles. It is and will always be a 20 footer. The soft photo hides its share of warts. I am very lucky with the limited amount of rust, on that I am very lucky.
Funny how it does not take many miles in a car to make an impression, this car is no exception. The effort to work through the check list on the motor has paid off. The car starts and idles without any issues. I would love to put this car on a dynamometer and confirm the horse power of the 1600 motor. From the factory the car made 96 . It feels like we have found and returned most of them to the car. The gear box is also a win. The RedLine MTL is doing its job and the shifter is not as bad as I have been led to expect.
But the front brakes are awful. No, I did not rebuild the calipers. That is an option but others are being explored. I, am signed up for an event the second weekend of August. Driving this car at the practice on Saturday is a goal that I would like to see happen. We shall see....
Inter net surfing can be both a source of information, a way to spend money, it's the end of the month and it all add's up to an opportunity to look busy. One of the continuing stories I am learning about is the limited production manufactured cars of the sixties, lots of purchasing was done at someones engineering expense.
It makes sense, the big guys with budgets would have things designed and built. The little guys would overlay what they were building and a part was specked in. With my Datsun Roadster, the Bilstein rear shocks might be such a part. Part number B46-0493 are from the listing for a 1953-62 Corvette. Yes they will be inverted in the installation in my Datsun, but that is addressed in the research I have done. When I purchased my car in 2020 these shocks were not in production. I filled the source of information for a later day and yesterday with almost nothing better to do I found that indeed the shocks were in stock. On sale and shipped free.
Being in sales, a Win Win. I also talked with the shop that was recommended to do the front end alignment, they will let me sit in the car while they do the work, again a win. 205 lbs of dead weight will have an effect in a car of this size. Yep.
One of the results of clean crisp pictures, realizing your car needs a session at a specialists that can work their magic on these dents.
Years of being immobile in a garage has taken a toll.
The belt line trim, that is also in need of some attention. And the bumpers...
The Bilsteins will go into the car, if you have the correct upper bushing, that you can order from Bilstein, once your know what size your need. In the coming week it looks like a front end alignment will happed. It just takes time. And...
The Bilsteins are in the car and a baseline alignment has been done. The setup to start, 5/8 negative on both sides and the toe is set at zero. The car feels very lite and nimble. Getting to and from the shop I was on one of our highways in Southern California, a four lane artery of transportation that on any given day the flow of traffic might be in excess of the posted limit. Yesterday was no different.
At an indicated 70 plus, the car pulled up to and past 80 without issue. Yes, a 4 speed car on 60 series 14" tires. No, the reading was nothing other that a guide. I was still getting passed by everyone. This is Southern California.
The temp. on the way to the shop was on the way north of 80, on the way home it was almost triple digits. The registered oil pressure and coolant temperature both remained well within the acceptable range. No issues.
The gear box and shifting where not an issue. Having a 5 speed would be a plus, but the motor does not have lots of torque so keeping the reves up is more fun.
The front brakes, are still an issue. Still investigating the options. Driving the car was fun, the number of people giving the car a second look is entertaining.
After giving it much thought, a 4 wheel alignment will be next on the list. I have the front end set with the camber equal set the same on both sides and the toe at zero, it anything the car would pull to the left with me in it but no, it is drifting to the right.
The rear end might be having an effect and I need to rule it out.
Now the front brakes, a plan is in motion. The Dunlop/ Sumitomo calipers were in their day, state of the art. These were used on a number of cars that you would recognize as the very fast cars of the day. They amount to a piston and a cup. A single piston on each side of a solid rotor, connected by a system of fixed hard brake lines that interconnected the two hafts. Please think of these as a Japanese, licensed copy, of a British design. Oh, these two brake pistons push on a pad that is less than 2 inches, square. But when they work , they were used on Jaguar's, Ferrari's, ECT.....
The calipers can be rebuilt. There is a shop in Southern California that comes recommended, the led time is at least 3 weeks. Having the car again on jack stands, taking up space and not movable, is an option that I was not looking forward too. So I asked around within the Datsun community for an alternative. Today, at the cost of a bottle of really good bourbon, I have a set of "spares" that will be rebuilt. When done more new parts that have to be purchased, can't/should reuse the old stuff, will be the Lego's to get the car on the road again.
It's a very small world. I have a contact that works at GTO Engineering in Southern California, They are also having to send their parts out for rebuild. Makes me smile!
These are not great photos but you get a view of the caliper components. The inner and outer are of a different size. I can only imagine that the piston is retracted into the cup when not under brake application, by the run out of the rotor.
State of the art, from the sixties.
Actually state of the art from the 50s. Same parts as MGA Twin Cam. Tale a set apart yourself. They are super simple and you can probably overhaul them for the price of kits and some time. If the bores are badly pitted a good machine shop can make you stainless steel sleeves. There is a knock back control in the center of the piston that rides on a pin in the center of the bore originally . These have been eliminated frequently to no detriment.
They are back, I will be posting pictures soon. Now I am waiting on a set of complete calipers that I will rebuild and detail for installation into my car. As for disassembling the caliper pieces to refresh them with new seals, no. With the the potential of needing selves and the center mounting pin being an issue I passed on a "do it your self" repair. With four separate components the odds were not with me.
I, am very good at taking things apart. The snap ring holding the rubber bellows in place on the caliper body, not an issue. Putting the stack of required parts in the correct order and not making a hash of the rubber bellows, during assemble is not a skill I have. The thought of buying an known number of kits to net four assembles is not what this is about, for me.
Having the car back in a configuration as delivered by the factory is not how I have taken on a challenge like this before. But I am looking forward to starting with this one stock. But then you have to look at the pads, they do make a "yellow stuff" option.
No, the front calipers are not rebuilt, yet. Wanting a set of cores to rebuild on the bench has slowed me down and not wanting to have the car once again immobile on jack stands is just as important.
Unfortunately, this delay has not saved me from thinking about the next project on the car. That would be the soft top. Now what is on the car will not be removed right away, it still works. It's the underlying frame that has my attention. What came from the factory is heavy, has too many flexing elements and is a pain to use.
One of the most simple and elegant frame systems I have ever used was on my 1964 Lotus Elan. Three parts. A fiber glass window frame for each side and a roof bow. I need to find some pictures for a reference.
In reply to jr02518 :
I think this is the first time I have ever heard an Elan top sited as a good component. Light weight, yes. Functional, not much, especially S1 or S2.
Back to the front calipers. On an earlier round of "can the front brakes be that bad" episode of this adventure it learned that yes, they need some help. What I have found is not in any way more that anecdotal, but I'm in sales and science/fact stuff sometimes muddies the water...
Yes, I have limited experience with the calipers/pucks. But the brake pads in these cars have me thinking something is not right. Up to this point every set of brake pads is wedged in the caliper bodies. I mean I have had to pry out and ruin every old brake pad to get them dislodged. Now the EBC brakes do float around, they will be installed next.
First step, the next collection of parts to try and fix this issue. 
This includes; new EBC brake pads, rebuilt pucks and calipers found that have been in dry storage for years. What is on my car are not reparable and having the luxury of keeping the car a roller until I in fact have a rebuilt caliper , completely worth it. The car is stored at a friends and having it tucked in a corner and mobile keeps this project doable.
Two things of note when doing this. First, the individual parts of these calipers are a combination of state of the art and stone age.
The sheet metal pieces formed for the bottom and top of the caliper, to hold in the brake pads are perfect for their job. But I can not imagine the amount of labor that was required to fine tune the stamping for that bottom piece that slides into the grove at the bottom of the caliper body. Then there is the tube for the brake fluid flow between the two caliper half's. The best way to get this thing back together was to start the threading of the tube before bolting down the two pucks to the caliper body.
But they are done, almost. Time to take up the garage and get them in the car.
I have needed a reason to finish this phase of the "must get the Datsun running adventure" and I think I have found it. Yes, the car is running and I have driven it but to date not much. Now that the front brakes are refreshed, still need to put them on the car, I need a reason to finish them and drive it.
To that end, VARA University at Buttonwillow is only a few weeks away and today I signed up for the event. Yes I have a number of other alternatives if this does not work out, but why not try? I have driven in horsepower cars as well as momentum cars. I am not racing. Why not?
One recent thing done to the car was a harness bar added to the roll bar.
Now we have a five point belt system and a proper seat that has you sitting low enough. It should get me through tech given that this is a street car.
An adventure, again.
The rebuilt calipers and brakes are on the car. In truth, taking the set off the car high lilted that my handy work, on the first attempt of attaching the exterior hard lines, had them 180 degrees out of the correct installation. Yes, I got them installed but they where never going to work on the car. Getting the line attached from the car to the brake puck was the first tell.
But this car has offered numerous teaching moments, add this to the list. On that note, after you think you have every thing back as it should be, spin the tire on the hub. The grinding you hear might be the hard lines rubbing on the inside of the rim barrel.
Again, I had a 50 percent chance to get it right. I did not.
Having the calipers on the car as a reference was a yet again proof that spending some money for a set to rebuild off the car has paid dividends. The question is do I sell the cores on to the next person or add them to the pile of spares I am building from this project?
I should add that on this rebuilding of the front brakes I installed EBC Green Stuff pads. The installation of the shoes was not an issue. The 3M backing material, included in the box did require trimming the material to fit the pads. That was not an issue. The system as been bleed and the tast drive is next.
Today, a few more details have been completed. They include finishing up the installation of the belts and getting some time at the wheel.
Next more drive time is required to work out the brakes. The car, when it warms up it is running great. It's shifting without issue. I have a couple of weekends to workout the details and my attendance at the event may happen.
The car is not going to set the world on fire. But if the reaction of driving it around today is any indication, it will attract some smiles!
A good friend has a '67 2000 roadster (with the short windshield), and it's a lot of fun to drive. I'm enjoying follwing this thread!
The check list to get this finished is slowly getting shorter. The purest will not approve but I have reused the battery hold down, from my 1994 Nissan Pathfinder. Before I donated the truck I saved almost 5 gallons of gas and the battery/hold down combination. The battery was turned in at Auto Zone for a store credit. Win/win.
The steering wheel was rubbing on the plastic bezel surround of the steering colum ignition. Trimming this two part plastic assembly had me stumped. Not that you can not find almost any thing for these cars, the cost of the trim parts is getting awful. So I very carefully sanded the two parts, as assembled and it worked. The Racemark hub is now working in the car.
The center consul is back together. The required length of the trim fasteners now makes sense. You are are doing a combination of pushing, pulling and toughing it get it back as it should be. Nothing new, other than the original crew that worked on this car was no ware as big as the current owner with hands that might not be as small as those of the past. The quality and placement of the fine pitch fasteners in this car confirms to me that this car was not designed to come apart unless you wanted it too.
The coming weekend at VARA University, the event is at the Buttonwillow Raceway in central California just off the Hwy 5 near the 58 is coming together. My registration for the event is in place. I have rented a garage for the weekend and yes this is not a necessity but I lived in the valley as a Navy junior. Being out of the cool damp of the central valley in winter is worth it.
The truck has a punch list. The trailer has a punch list. And of corse the Datsun still has a couple of lingering issues. But our son is off to a winter camp for the weekend. My wife has a weekend of activities around her hay processing unit and we are all good to go.
I will be one of the slowest cars at the event, but I will be having the most fun. I can not wait!
This car has come a very long way.
The event this weekend is going to happen. There are over 100 drivers signed up. There are going to be four run groups with everything from novices to those that aspire to future adventures at racing events. I have had the opportunity of driving this event and I approve of the format and how they offer this adventure. After the last round of getting ready, I rescind my prediction of being the slowest.
First, the car will now start without electrical gremlin drama. The short story, the push button starter is now wired to work, all of the time. The brakes are now bled and working. They will be again during the weekend. That the Mag wheels will have to come off to service the system will again remind me that having to tolerate the lug nuts, will be one more reason to find an alternative rim.
But on a positive note, cleaning out the trunk...
I was rewarded with these.
Finding the back lights is one more item that will be reinstalled and the opportunity to not have to buy them is greatly appreciated.
The car is running great...
With everything loaded up on Friday afternoon, only three hours behind schedule and ready to head into the traffic of Southern California. As it might happen the drive was not an issue. A little over four hours latter I had arrived, unloaded and had dinner with friends. This had been a load of work and it was coming together.
Sunrise at the racetrack. The car started with out an issue. It was just cold. The final preparation included topping off the car with VP 91 from the track, only $6.00 a gallon. But after all, when at a race track...
Tech inspection was next and then the first of a number of classroom sessions for the weekend. I have been at these events before and the anticipation of my first driving session was building but I was familiar with the drill. The call for my run group was a routine I was ready for. The car was going to be a momentum car at best, letting the majority of the group line up first allowed me the hide in the back and let the others run away if they were so inclined. The event includes the brave soles that are instructors for the weekend and mine introduced him self. He had owned a MGB and was familiar with what to expect.
The grid count down again is familiar. The count down from five raised finger to the wavy onto the track might have to do with minutes but I think not. As I expected we were going to get a number of parade laps behind the pace car for our first session. It was at the end of the second lap of this procession, that I was given the black flag.
I was not making parts or dropping fluids. It was the height of roll bar. It was not tall enough. The broom stick test, with the helmet on was my undoing. Now what...
If you are at an event and you keep your first reaction in check, things can have a positive outcome. My day turned out on a positive note.
This was my ride for the balance of Saturday. Yes, it was not free but it was doable. As it turned out on Sunday I was driving a prepped Miata that the owner was asking for some input on. He was a "drift" driver and he was looking for set up conformation. He had the car serviced at a shop. The fluids were fresh. He had a fresh set of Falken 615's on the car and the BC coil overs were a recent addition.
I suggested a set up and we shared to car for the day. One of my instructors for the day was a Mazda Cup driver. He was a wealth of knowledge and having him in the car was like a master class in many thing Miata at speed. No, I was not on Hossiers tires at his speeds but he gave the line and worked with me on what to expect. I was stocked. This wold not have happened without the combination of issues to that point.
Dam broom stick.
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