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Dang Roadsters!


fryanbacon

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I'm so white trash!

haha.

I already have a dime and a 521 (and a parts vehicle for each) and so I found this guy who's got a nice 520 with a blown j13 and I was going to buy it and eventually throw an L motor into it... but now a 1970 roadster spl311 has caught my attention and I don't think I'll be able to resist. :eek: It runs good, has a straight body, barely any rust, new soft top, new tires and throttle cable.

but it needs brakes. like everything.

if you care, and have the time, a few questions:

What do you guys think? any opinions? :confused:

are roadsters worth the time/money to put into them? I noticed their resale is ridiculous compared to the 510 and especially the trucks.

are they as fun to drive as the 510 or the z cars?

will you still be my friends if I get one?:o

haha:D

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yeah.

I'm leaning that direction. the 520 is in better condition than my ratty 521. I was going to have it replace my 521 but I suppose I would be doing just as much work putting a L motor in the 520 and swapping out the bed as I will eventually do in body work for the 521. plus I've always wanted a roadster

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if you are serious about buying a roadster go over it with a fine tooth comb unless you need a project. i recently bought a roadster it looked good it was a 50/50 basket case meaning the body LOOKED GOOD and the intior need to be cleaned up.So on day 1 we looked over it and started it (it had not been started in 5 years so i was told )day 2 decided we wanted a diffrent color so i started to sand the car ran into a little rust on the front half day 3 started on the rear of the car. its 1970 1600 roadster and the previous owner had flared the rear flares omg what a fucking mess now my little project has turned into a 5 month deal and i still can see the light at the end of the tunnel. i have had to cut out most of the rear wheel wells and have to fad up my own flare.So just be careful the dont make a lot of replacement parts for the body that i can find. i sitll ennjoy driving it around the neighbor hood. if you would lie to see some pics i have a cardomain under

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2993298

Good Luck

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Roadsters are like Pringle's chips, you can't have just one. I have a 67.5 1600 waiting for the SR swap, a 69 2000 that I am just finishing up the mechanicals on and a 70 1600 that is the daily driver. The 70 gets driven a lot and averages 30-32 mpg on the open road. Never breaks down and is fun to drive. My advice is to check out http://www.311s.org and all will be revealed.:cool: The good side is almost all the parts are available either from Nissan or a dealer. The bad side, you need brakes and they ain't cheap. The 1600's are cheaper to fix than the 2000's. You blow up a 2L and you are looking at around 4-5K to rebuild it right. Almost better to do an SR swap at that point. I am building a 1600 stroker right now and will be into it for about 32 Franklins when it is all said and done. Cheap, no. Fun, you bet. Good luck.

Mike

aka exit64

 

Next weekend is the Hood River Roadster Run if you want to really get the urge to own one of these.

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thanks for the input guys! I'm going to get it.

the guy I'm buying it from is a fellow datsun freak.

on the NWDE forum he was a long time member (named "Labdork") and I bought my 521 from him.

I'll post pictures when I get it home!

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My roadster has been on jackstands since 2006 waiting on brakes....and other stuff. My brakes turned out to be totally shot. I'm lucky I didn't kill myself and/or someone else the few times I drove it before teardown.

 

Roadster brake parts are the one "YOU'VEGOTTOBEKIDDINGTHEYCOSTWHAT???!!!!" :eek: compared to other Dattos. The two big ticket items are:

 

$300 - calipers

$200 - rotors

 

There's also the cross-over tubes at $15 & $25 each.

 

FWIW, the '70 roadster is considered by some the red-headed step child of the roadster family.....big hurking DOT-mandated side markers are the major spotting feature.

 

But, hey, one drive and I was hooked. And be careful...they multiply like rabbits -- just ask Mike and Leigh, hehehehe. :rolleyes:

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My roadster has been on jackstands since 2006 waiting on brakes....and other stuff. My brakes turned out to be totally shot. I'm lucky I didn't kill myself and/or someone else the few times I drove it before teardown.

 

Roadster brake parts are the one "YOU'VEGOTTOBEKIDDINGTHEYCOSTWHAT???!!!!" :eek: compared to other Dattos. The two big ticket items are:

 

$300 - calipers

$200 - rotors

 

There's also the cross-over tubes at $15 & $25 each.

 

FWIW, the '70 roadster is considered by some the red-headed step child of the roadster family.....big hurking DOT-mandated side markers are the major spotting feature.

 

But, hey, one drive and I was hooked. And be careful...they multiply like rabbits -- just ask Mike and Leigh, hehehehe. :rolleyes:

 

haha! all points taken!

I just got a decent deal on it and am grateful to even have a red-headed step child!

I might do the volvo caliper conversion to save some dough.

 

but...

 

I picked it up yesterday!

I'll upload some pics later tonight

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Looks really clean & all there [does it have a top]? Funny to see the batt. ground on the valve cover :D

yeah it's got some surface rust(especially the grille) and yeah that is funny having ground there but I don't know jack about roadsters. and yeah he gave me the old top frame and a new vinyl top not yet installed.

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Fry,

Check those ground straps and replace as needed. Your amp meter in that car acts as a fusable link, and believe me, that's nothing you want to fuse. You let the smoke out of that system and you are in for learning a whole new vocabulary. Ground battery to frame, frame to block. Also ground starter to frame on the other side. I use the woven ground straps. If your lights are dim, check your ground straps. Should also put one frame to body at the rear of the car. Check out the tread about grounding over at 311s.org.

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Fry,

Check those ground straps and replace as needed. Your amp meter in that car acts as a fusable link, and believe me, that's nothing you want to fuse. You let the smoke out of that system and you are in for learning a whole new vocabulary. Ground battery to frame, frame to block. Also ground starter to frame on the other side. I use the woven ground straps. If your lights are dim, check your ground straps. Should also put one frame to body at the rear of the car. Check out the tread about grounding over at 311s.org.

 

hey man, thanks for the info!

that's definitely something I need to do!

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  • 1 month later...
I love it Bryan! Makes me want one!

 

thanks fisch! I'm really stoked about it and it was nice to acquire a datsun and have it on the road so soon! (since my 510 swap is going on two years)

I always appreciate the enthusiasm you have for everyone else's projects.

I pray for many datsun blessings in your future ;)

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Thanks for the kind words Bryan.:)

 

As Icehouse once said. There isn't enough time or room for me to own one of everything, and being on ratsun allows me to virtually enjoy so many different models. This place and the people here RULE.

 

And let me add that you've also been a very positive presence on the forum, and I too appreciate it!

 

thanks fisch! I'm really stoked about it and it was nice to acquire a datsun and have it on the road so soon! (since my 510 swap is going on two years)

I always appreciate the enthusiasm you have for everyone else's projects.

I pray for many datsun blessings in your future ;)

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Thanks for the kind words Bryan.:)

 

As Icehouse once said. There isn't enough time or room for me to own one of everything, and being on ratsun allows me to virtually enjoy so many different models. This place and the people here RULE.

 

And let me add that you've also been a very positive presence on the forum, and I too appreciate it!

 

thanks!

haha

I, too, live out my datsun dreams vicariously through the sweet rides on ratsun :D

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