Resurrection of the Datsun 510

[angryrobots]

where have you been!

post lots of updates. i remember when you painted the rising sun, glad it's getting resurrected.

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted by zhent

I still have to get the back of the car in the air to drain the gas... It's too low for my floor jack...

I have heard a half dozen different "before dry starting" procedures and so on, but honestly this is a Datsun... I'll hand roll the crank once, but it's been sitting with Mobil1 in it, so the only fluid I'm worried about is the crap gas in the carbs.

These motors are known for sitting for years and given good gas an oil firing and running on the first turn of the key...

OK, i'll give you the abbreviated "don't wipe the cam!" version. This is an OHC/DOHC engine, right? (I don't really know Datsuns, and don't remember what the engine is.) It's simple: when you change the oil before firing it (you ARE going to do that, right?), pull the cam cover, and drizzle oil on the cam(s) and valvetrain. Also, pulling the fuel pump fuze (or coil wire) and cranking it half a dozen times couldn't hurt.

[Four27]

Awesome. Glad to hear you're going to resurrect her. I just got the delSol back on the road after it had sat for awhile after an accident. It's a good feeling. keep us posted.

[NitrouStang96]

Long time, man! Can't wait to see updated pics.

[zhent]

Mocked it up yesterday before finishing stripping the old core support.



We're going to get it on a frame puller and pull the corner out before removing the old core support and putting the new one on. It's about 4 inches back of where it should be.

Ordered a replacement brake master this morning. The one in the car is leaking, so will need to be replaced before it passes the zhent inspection.

[zhent]

Drained the gas tank last night. The good news is that Datsun put a drain plug in the lowest spot on the tank, so getting it done was easy. Just get the (already too low for a floor jack) rear-end up in the air, support it on jack stands, get the catch bucket in place and pull the plug...



Damn does bad gas stink. I can still smell it 12 hours and two showers later...

[Markus]

Originally Posted by zhent

Damn does bad gas stink. I can still smell it 12 hours and two showers later...

No shit! i smelt like gas for about 3 days even after about 5 shours when we did the fuel lines on the camaro

[lemming]

Thanks for reminding me of my least-favorite smell--raw gas through a hot catalyst. That stays with you for hours, too.

[zhent]

With the purchase of the '72, the project is moving in a different direction. The '71 is now the parts car...

So far I have moved over the sun visors, rear view mirror, door sill plates and strut tower bar. I have the rear sway bar pulled out for installation, but am stuck on getting the front bar out. It looks like when I had the shop do it they used the subframe to anchor the center bushings.

But the one thing that everyone has asked for is underway...

The rising sun hood will return...



The whole thing is rattle can, but since I really wanted to leave the white hood currently on the car alone, this one was done with the spare... Now to add the hood latch hardware and mount it for the summer...

(and I know it's not perfect, it's rattle can...)

[angryrobots]

sweet!

no use getting those dings out, you'd just be pissed when it sprouted some new ones over time. i've never had a show car.