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SPL311 returning to the family!


DatWifey

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Nearly 20 years ago (May 1992, to be exact) my dad was in the market for a small convertible. He checked out a few before swooping up a 1966 1600 Roadster. He never got it with the mind-set of specifically wanting a Datsun, but more to have a fun car to tool around in for the nicer months of the year in Central Washington. Throughout the years he'd have slight issues here and there, but always was quick to fix them and get her back on the road. And it was never an absolute beauty, but it also was in damn fine shape considering its age. He also never hesitated to allow (hell, he even encouraged) my brother or I to drive it while we were in high school.

About 6 years ago, both my brother and I were long gone from living at home, and my parents were both retiring, so my dad decided to sell the car. I was bummed, as Brodster and I had no money to try to buy it ourselves, nor anywhere to even keep it. But, to my slight relief, some neighbors that I had babysat for when I was younger ended up buying it. I was actually pretty surprised that they had bought it though, as they have a ton of money, and don't own a single tool to be able to work on a car of this age, but I still figured it was a good thing for me, as I would still possibly have the chance to get it back some day.

Last winter Brody and I were at my parents' place for Christmas and I ran into my neighbor and his son. I asked the neighbor if they still had the Roadster, and he rolled his eyes almost in disgust, and said that they did. Apparently it had become his wife's "project" and she had taken it to get restored at a local mechanic's. She had recently driven by the shop and saw the car parked outside, in the rain/snow and was not happy, and made this clear to the mechanic. I made it very clear to my neighbor that if she ever came to the point of wanting to sell it, that I would really like to be notified, as we would like to at least have the opportunity to buy it before someone else. I knew that it was a long-shot, as she was looking to dump a good amount of money into it, but I at least had to put it out there.

I haven't been home to my parents' since that conversation, until this past Saturday morning. We were headed up to my parents' lake place, and stopped at their house for a pitstop and a few hours sleep. Brody and I roll up to my parents' empty house at 4:30 am, tired as hell and only yearning for a bed to sleep on. Brody takes our dog out of the car to take a shit, and I grab some stuff that we needed and proceeded to carry it through the garage and into the house.

I step into the garage and had to do an immediate double-take...... the Roadster was sitting where it had lived for about 14 years! I was alone in the garage, and was trying to even say something aloud, but was completely speechless. I had so much running through my head.... "What the hell is this doing here?" "Why is this back?" "What the FUCK did they do to the car?!"

I went into the house quickly, dropped what was in my arms on the floor and went back to the garage just in time to see Brody walk in and pretty much have the EXACT same reaction as I just had.

Both of us are just tossing questions back and forth now, trying to figure out what the car was doing here, who owned it, if it had changed hands again, why my parents' hadn't even mentioned a peep about it being back at their place, and most importantly, what had happened to the car in the last 6 years. The side molding has been ripped off, the carbs are sitting in a box, some vinyl around the back platform area looks hastily ripped out, the cleats for the soft-top are ripped out, it looks filthy overall, and on and on.

Saturday afternoon we were up at my parents' lake place and I finally get the courage to ask them what the hell is going on and why the Roadster is back. My mom erupts in laughter and tells me to ask my dad, that it's a long story. So, long story short, the neighbors find out that the mechanic now wants $25,000 to fully restore the car.... and of course they don't want to pay that much. So, the neighbor guy comes over and asks my dad if he wants the car back. My dad, being retired and not really living at their house much anymore, says no, that he doesn't want to buy it back. The neighbor offers to GIVE it to him. They don't want it, and he knows that I had been interested. Again, my dad says no. He doesn't want a project (aka money pit), and he doesn't want it living in his garage for years on end until we can take it. (Little back-story here: Brody is headed to grad-school in September, we're in the process of trying to buy a house, and don't really have much spare money, so not entirely in a position to take on another car.... much less a huge project that this is now). The neighbor leaves, and my dad thinks about it for about 20 minutes and goes over and tells him he'll take it. They get a tow-truck to pick it up, and had it delivered to the house.

The car is a bit in shambles. The SU carbs have been completely disassembled, the side molding was lost, and the brakes are pretty seized up. So, my parents didn't tell us they had it, as they didn't want us to stress about trying to figure out how to get it out of their garage to free up the space again, or any of that. But, the title is in the works of being transferred to us, and the car is ours.... and will be a long-term project for us throughout the next few years or so. I'm bummed that it's been so neglected, but at the same time, so glad that it's finally back in some loving hands that will get it back to where it needs to be.... and beyond.

And now, I present the required oics!! I don't have any actual photos of the car back in our early years of owning it, but I will see if my mom can track any down when she's home again in October and post them up. But, here are a few of the car as it sat at 4:30 Saturday morning in my parents' garage.

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Our Datsun family is rounding itself out nicely. We own Brody's dad's former 510, and will soon own my dad's former Roadster. B)

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I'm a big fan of original 60/70s colors, but I'll admit I hate yellow on any car of any year... But it's a Datsun so I'm on with it. I'm sure this is going to be a slow build and you won't even start on it for some time, but excited to see what you do.

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Yeah, it may get painted at some point way down the road, but it definitely won't be a top priority. This paint job is actually relatively clean, and that's what matters to keep the rust off for now.

 

And yes, this will be a SUPER slllloooooowwwwww resto. We were actually talking about possibly buying one more Datto (411, 320, early 520, etc) and making it a long-term project, so this has taken that spot now. Can't beat a free project with personal history :w00t:

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im with tristin yellow sucks but nice car... give me that su carb air cleaner ....a friend of mine just bought one and is looking for someone to do carb work on his su;'s isaid there easy just rebuild them your self .....at one point he wanted to take the su's off but even as greedy as i am i couldnt let that happen..

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Yep first mission is rust prevention! Got to map out the nasty spots. Luckily the car spent most of its life in dry climate and driven during the summer. As far as I can tell the rust is better than our 510.

 

Depending on the condition of stock parts, I have been considering going the "pseudo-stock" route: Make it look stock, improve performance mechanically and electrically, and don't go overboard.

 

Considering upgrading to 5-speed, electronic ignition, converting the SU carbs to TBIs (because I don't like carbs).

Keep the stock wheels, etc.

 

We will see how this turns out. Like Jenn said, our plates are already overflowing. We still have to dial in the 510 further and do and engine swap on the 521. :wacko:

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looks like a very solid start!! congratz

Thanks! Now to actually get the car into our possession!

im with tristin yellow sucks but nice car... give me that su carb air cleaner ....a friend of mine just bought one and is looking for someone to do carb work on his su;'s isaid there easy just rebuild them your self .....at one point he wanted to take the su's off but even as greedy as i am i couldnt let that happen..

You may have to wait a bit on the air cleaner.... depending on which direction we even decide to go with it. It could be upwards of 6 months before we get it over here. My dad has offered to work on it a bit this fall/winter to get it in running order again (ie. rebuilding/replacing the carbs and replacing the seized up rear drum brakes) being as we won't have a whole lot of time, but we haven't decided if we want to pay for the parts to get it running or just trailer it over and, save money on the parts and go a different direction with the TBIs and rear disc brakes.
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its ok , i got some cone top k and n s for mine .....it just would be nice to have a stock cleaner to at some point i think they look kinda cool...wish i lived closer to u guys ......have access to trailer and love hauling other peoples stuff...plus i got a kodiak box van we could move u to your place (casa de dat...)in half a day, plus i could get that tank to u guys...but i agree if u guys are gettin ready to set up camp at casa de dat then i would just wait it out and if there's anything someone wants to do for free .... shoot cant argue with progress

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Well, I'll be sure that my dad doesn't toss it when he starts cleaning up the car.

 

Uhhhh, I wish you lived closer as well with access to all that shit! It was a hell of a time using the 521 load after load between the rental house we moved out of to the storage units. We broke down and got a Uhaul one day to move the large pieces of furniture though. Couldn't put the mini work pony through that much stress.

 

And being as you threw it out there, just know that I'm going to keep you in mind and might hit you up and see if we can't pay you for a day of your time and gas and possibly get it sometime down the road if we decided to just bring it over without getting it running. ;)

 

Right now there's about a 50/50 chance it won't be running. I fully appreciate my dad's offer, but he does some half-assed fixes sometimes, so we're still trying to decide what to do.

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u put diesel in her my time is free...and i can put shit on high shelf's and change light bulbs like a mug....

 

 

 

 

 

 

put me down for fridge lifting.... we will have to call tristin and get my fork lift arm straps back from him... :rofl: we could ask him to pitch in but i think he maxes out on ironing and folding laundry...j/k...that will get him in here.. :thumbup:

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u put diesel in her my time is free...and i can put shit on high shelf's and change light bulbs like a mug....

put me down for fridge lifting.... we will have to call tristin and get my fork lift arm straps back from him... :rofl: we could ask him to pitch in but i think he maxes out on ironing and folding laundry...j/k...that will get him in here.. :thumbup:

Wow, I wouldn't have pegged you as one to offer your services for free! :lol:

lol throw away a su air cleaner.... funny one... :sick: :sneaky:

Honestly, I wouldn't put it past him sometimes.

i love this story!

and looks to be in great shape!

Thanks. I'm still in a little shock about it. Now I just want to actually be able to look at it each day in my own garage! :hyper:
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They're like 15% spandex... Full range of motion. I have some though that I can't lift my leg high enough to put my foot on the bumper.

 

 

 

gheyest shit i heard in a week...two things a man that owns a datsun should never say....spandex anything...or spandex alone

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