Datsun Roadster: 2020 Challenge Build

:: Robbie looks at rotting Roadster with no driveline ::

But seriously, looks good, and surprisingly not rotten at all!

Definitely looks better in the dark!

So...what's the blue Roadster's future, if you're setting this one on the cart frame?

In reply to maschinenbau :

Uh oh.

Dusterbd13-michael said:

Definitely looks better in the dark!

I've heard that before. 

maschinenbau said:

So...what's the blue Roadster's future, if you're setting this one on the cart frame?

This is a very very good question. I don't have an answer yet. I will probably need help.

In reply to Robbie :

I feel like you and nocones are on rhyming builds or something

65ish hours in now. Finally I just cut the tabs and welded them in the right spot. This was as I suspected a lot faster than trying to get the bends right. At least it's done. 

Also, this started happening:

So I called some local friends, and we quickly made this happen:

We got 2-3 more inches after that last night too, so I'm glad it all came together.

Looking great. I like the direction the bracket is going. Just remember that most "all thread" is pretty soft. 

Keep the great details comming

In reply to 03Panther :

Thanks! Yeah the all thread is kind of cheesy but it is a nice long rod about the right size for mockups. I have a motorcycle bolt that was meant for this hole, but it is a bit long so I need to try and thread it down a bit more and possibly cut the end off. I'm doing that of course because the bolt is already in budget. Buying a nice bolt the right size might be kinda spendy, haha.

Also, I had a couple minutes free and I just had to mock it up.

With no stock gas tank, the diffuser space looks nice...

Only 32 inches high and I'm still probably coming down 4ish inches

Yeah the steering wheel and pedals are gonna have to come backwards a bit.

In reply to Robbie :

You know, you could always turn the body around on the chassis and run it backwards. If you shaped the rollbar like the windshield frame, it would only look wrong when it's moving.

Bonus: Suicide doors!

Robbie said:

Also, I had a couple minutes free and I just had to mock it up.

With those wheels and tires, it reminds me of a carnival ride.

Hahaha yeah the wheels are a touch small. I think once I get the body all the way down however it will look quite a bit better.

Weld the doors shut, and cut enough off the bottom that you can make your own wheel openings.

Proof of concept:

Just had about an hour today, my brother in law and I cleaned out the interior of the car and started making cuts to get everything to fit.

In reply to wheelsmithy :

Oh, the doors are definitely getting welded shut. And the bottom might get cut. I still think the wheels aren't going to look as weird as everyone thinks in stock wheel openings.

In reply to Robbie :

If it helps I thought they would look fine but then again I have issues. 

They will look perfect when the body is 1.5" off the ground. Keep building!

Do you plan on making the body removable or is it going to be welded to the chassis?

Woody said:

Do you plan on making the body removable or is it going to be welded to the chassis?

Hopefully removable, or at least able to tip up out of the way like a funny car. However that is not priority #1. 

69 hours.

Car mocked. This is about as low as the body will go. I think it looks absolutely bad ass.

I made this cut to allow for clearance of the rear suspension, but I ended up just cutting off the bar that was fouling. If I think I need it for strength, I can weld it back on shorter.

Also check out how this angle of the bottom of the body starts a really nice diffuser...

In the front,  basically as low as I can go before major surgery. I did have to cut off the body mounts to get here. The passenger side was rusty. 

I might be welding in a patch panel here. 

The driver side was not rusty at all and therefore was much harder to cut off. But now the car sits with a really mean attitude. I love it!

Robbie said:

69 hours.

Car mocked. This is about as low as the body will go. I think it looks absolutely bad ass.

... But now the car sits with a really mean attitude. I love it!

Awesomeness.

I was trying to picture it with some flares and a lip. Found this:

Looks great! But its not low enough if the lift arms fit under without having to drive on blocks first.

Fladiver64 said:

Looks great! But its not low enough if the lift arms fit under without having to drive on blocks first.

TRUTH