69 4door 510 in Maine

[smelt240]

Yeah, people go nuts here.  Every time I drive mine I have people flagging me to roll my window down at lights and stop signs.  Last summer, Stephen King said "Nice little Datsun" when I stopped at the intersection right near his house lol.  I could have sold it a dozen times over anyhow. 

 

Maybe a Datsun meet would be good?  I put mine in the Bangor car show last summer, it would be nice to have another Datto there.

 

Anyhow, best of luck.  I am still looking for someone to help me with finishing the body work (I painted the bay when I did my KA swap, also did the fenders etc).  Everyone here just does either shitty rust repair work or insurance work only.  

I just saw this as well.  PM me, Im about 75 mins south of you, but I know a great body and paint guy here in Litchfield.  And yes, we NEED to have a Maine meet!

[wildmaninid]

I just saw this as well.  PM me, Im about 75 mins south of you, but I know a great body and paint guy here in Litchfield.  And yes, we NEED to have a Maine meet!

Are you the guy trying to sell the red 411 with rising sun livery on Craigslist?

[housew]

maine datsun meet would be stellar :)

[housew]

I just saw this as well.  PM me, Im about 75 mins south of you, but I know a great body and paint guy here in Litchfield.  And yes, we NEED to have a Maine meet!

 

i know the body guy stuff was for wildmaninid but i may be in the market too. I have some cancer starting on the passenger side lower rear quarter i'd like to get addressed. There are some other blemishes, couple spots missing paint and surface rusted, and i want to fill the holes on the door for the mirror and move em to the fenders so i'd probably end up getting it sprayed after. also wouldn't mind rolling the fenders before paint, that way i cant chip or crack it.

 

I have NO clue what body work like this costs. I could potentially do the work myself, but i'd like to leave at least the paiting to a pro. Litchfeild isn't far and i do have a trailer so i could drop it off easily and still get myself home

[smelt240]

Well, just for an example (and nobody take this the wrong way, I am a odd car nut- if its odd, Ill own/ drive it) I just picked up a 1979 Monte Carlo lowrider, looks just like the car in Training Day... yes  spokes, hydraulics the whole thing... had to have it- perfect Maine car... back to the story.  The previous owner went NUTS with a DA sander on 4 previous repaints. Then sprayed it black , up close, the car looks like sh*t.  My body guy is taking it down (by hand) to metal, priming (4 coats), blocking, sealing, base and clear (black). He has a bad case of OCD or something, and says it will not leave his shop til its laser straight.  $1300. Cant be beat. his work is amazing.  my buddy had a 1992 turbo legacy done by him. Showstopper.

 

 And yes, ive had the 411(and the 510s) on and off CL, a member from NC on here wants to come and get it once our wonderful weather changes. I really hate to sell it, but I havent driven it lately, and he sounds quite excited to have one. It would free up some Datsun money to finish up the grey 510. I ripped my arm up pretty bad, and working on car is a lot harder for me to do now, so i pay to get some stuff done that I would have done before...

 

 And finally, we need to pick a car show toward the middle of summer, and try to meet up.  A really cool spot is Ainslee's market in Gardiner. they do a thursday night cruise-in, gets a couple hundered cars on a nice afternoon. We wouldnt fit in, but those street rod guys are 90% cool with old imports. I wouldnt want to pull in with a Civic with a shopping cart wing, but think we would be OK.   Bit of a haul from Bangor 1.5 hours, but kind of close to Auburn or Gray... Litchfield also has a pretty big show in August.

[housew]

thursday night (s) would work great for me, and thats a good distance.

 

price doesn't sound half bad for the body work and how much effort it will take. Do you know if he would cut out and replace a panel before paint? Or would all the prep be on me. Or you could PM me his contact info and i can see how it works out schedule / money wise.

 

I have a local guy i trust too, BUT hes not all that free schedule wise.

[wildmaninid]

I would be very interested in the body guy as well, especially if he's doing good work at a fair price. It's a little further away than I wanted to be (because ideally I would be doing this all myself, had I a shop) but I would like to see some of his work, maybe have him look at the truck.  The hard work is done, there's just a few hours in the box and 2 soft dents on the roof that need some love.  No rust to deal with on mine, just some refinishing.  

 

Anyhow, I am not on this forum much at all. If you guys are on the book of face, hit me up : Bill Suldovsky or email me billsuldovsky@yahoo.com.  It would be neat to get a few dattos together over here, especially some that aren't Z cars ;)

[smelt240]

Ok, after more, more, and then more thought, I need to see your 510 soon.  Ive had 3 SR powered 240sx coupes, and think this is what i need in my grey car.   Im buying another L16 this weekend, just because its there, but that could go in my blue car for my wife.  If we are going to have any sort of 510 group, I cant be slow.  Also, I would trade a ride in your car for a ride in my lowrider Monte. Possibly more rare in these parts than the Datsuns. you bring the Dr Dre cds.

[housew]

haha im in with a meet up, and sadly i do have some Dr dre cds (chronic & aftermath) :rofl:

I don't have much seat time in it yet but i think the stock sr20det is all the car needs power wise due to the weight. I have some other tuner toys that cost many times more, and this guy is just as much fun.

 

I have never been in a lowrider monte before so that would be a first for me, although i've been in many a slammed chevys. But nothing with hydraulics ever. If i end up driving all over the north east looking for a Donk after the ride it will be your fault.

 

well have to wait for the roads / weather to cooperate, but your close enough we could even do a weekday after work, Litchfeild is only a half hour from my work, even closer if we met in the middle.

[housew]

im interested in swapping the steering wheel on the 510. preferably something less ugly, wooden, and sweet. Problem being i need a hub and im getting confused.

 

what do i need to look for in a hub? spline count / size? offset? blinker canceling pins?. I have a puller, but i'd need to figure out a way to get t othe nut.

 

im looking to run a nardi or an old school momo probably, i don't know if i need to get the correct bolt pattern boss/hub/adaptor. Anyone thats swapped one before want to shed some light on it for me?

[housew]

Bombed the car around for the first time yester day. All i can say is HOLY CRAP.

 

It is OBNOXIOUS B)

 

Way too low for maine roads. I bottomed out getting out of the storage yard parking lot. Im hoping stepping up from 155/55r14s to bigger 195/50/15s or the like will help (1" or a 30% increase in ride height right there)

 

way to little traction from those tires / diff for the sr20det. I "fed her the hot suppa" as we like to say up here and managed not a chirp, but a tire smoldering burn out going into 4th gear. I don't doubt it would do it in 5th but i was scurred.

 

OMG does it vibrate and rattle. I'd like to tone it down a bit, probably very possible with some new door seals, striker adjustment ect. Also need to talk to the PO about how the driveshaft was shortened. She vibrates even worse at speed, and its not load related.

 

so yea, its ratty, loud, fast, and i freaking love it :thumbup:

 

driving it definitely gives me some directions i want to take it in, but my #1 goal is to not take it off the road too long if at all. Just drive it ratty and enjoy the crap out of it. But of course i'd like a smaller steering wheel, wider 15" wheels, less rattle, new paint, rust hole behind tire fixed, fendor mirrors, glove box cover, new headliner, world peace ect

[smelt240]

Ive been away for a bit... I think i have a few old NOS grant wheel adapters in my endless boxes of parts...  Ill take a look next time Im going thru stuff down there.  I have the old 3 spoke chrome jobs on my grey 510 and the 620, the blue one still has the "ships wheel"   The Monte goes for paint next week, then the 510 gets my nearly full attention.  I got 2 pieces of paper saying my arm and thumb injuries are "permanent impairment", so the hopes for a real recovery are getting smaller, but I can still pick away at things.  biggest problem is the weakness makes it really hard to power shift anything.   I guess I need to go RHD.....

[yealla 521]

eveything shoukld clear

[housew]

sorry to hear about the weakness, i've always had a soft spot for the RHD stuff, if you could make that happen it would be super cool, reguardless of weather you "needed" it or not.

 

if your willing to sell one of those adapters i'd be a pretty happy customer. I know my blinkner cancelation pins don't do jack now so i can't make it any worse when swapping to a new wheel. Do you know anything about wheel mounting patterns? Does grant have their own or do they share with most and nardi is a black sheep or something? Im really interested in getting a smaller wheel on there, it would improve the feel a LOT for me.

 

im also looking for a wheelrite tool so i can get my tire sizing, rim width, and offset right. Seem to run $75+ shipping new, and i could use it on a few different cars so im thinking about pulling the trigger on that, BUT it would be better if i could borrow one.

[housew]

Visited the car today to start making a list of pieces I need.

I need a speedo cable and manual speed sensor to make that work.

I need to find or but a gage panel so I can add a tach, oil pressure, and boost gauge. And maybe more (fuel level, fuel pressure, water temp, volts)

I need a air filter to fit a 3" flange

and I need to make a tool to get the lug nuts off (not included by PO) so I can take measurements. Looks like it may just be 1/2" 12pt

I also installed a horn on my bov, and picked up my spare valve cover so I can fab up a coil cover

[housew]

found this
http://maine.craigslist.org/for/4351023893.html

 

might rent that bad larry and make as much space as i can for proper wheel fitment

[housew]

found a local fender roller i can borrow from a guy in my autocross club, hoping to get to it in the near future. Anyone have any experience rolling 4 door dime fenders?

[r0p0doe]

found a local fender roller i can borrow from a guy in my autocross club, hoping to get to it in the near future. Anyone have any experience rolling 4 door dime fenders?

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/44138-rear-fender-pull-roll-trim-on-68-510-sedan/

[housew]

yea, i've been reading and posting in there. Looking to do a healthy roll, and measure and see if i can fit some 16s in there

leaning towards 16x8 +12 diamond racing steelies with 215 40 16s if i can stuff them.

 

previous owner sold me the car with tuner lugs and no key, so i bought that one i hope will fit online today, hopefully get that next week so I can get the nuts off (the easy way) and get to rolling . measuring.

 

I also scored a steering wheel over the weekend. Its a black aluminum / leather one (not a sweet wooded one like i wanted) but i like it, size feels right off the car, and the price was right. Need to get a hub so i can swap it out with the ginormous stock one

[housew]

lug key received and it fits. Looking to pop off the wheels, roll the fenders, and measure the crap out of it next weekend. :)

[housew]

made myself a coil cover for the sr20det. Not really a necessary part, but it will look cleaner with it on there.

 

still learning all sorts of stuff about the car. Got another 4" of snow / slush up here too, but its the first day of spring so it should be seeing some more use VERY soon.

[housew]

got a fender roller, lug nut key, got the car on my flatbed trailer cause my driveway is too muddy /rutted for the dime to make it up :blush:, got it home and my floor jack is too tall to fit under it........

 

so I have ~2.5" under the pinch seams, 3" under the rockers, front cross member and oil pan, and ~1.25" under the exhaust. Seeing pictures, there are plenty of dimes this low, how are you guys jacking them up to work on them?

 

low profile floor jacks work? I found one that would go to 2-7/8, I could probably wiggle that under there if I lifted up on the body. Anyone using the VW one sided scissor jack things? they look like they go super low, but I don't have one to measure.

[INDY510]

I have to drive onto low car ramps (a couple of 2x6's nailed together) ... or use two jacks, if the car can't drive

 

[housew]

thanks indy! That's what my research lead me to this am. I actually already have them to get the car in and out of the storage unit so im pretty embarrassed I didn't think of that.

 

hopefully making some up tonight so I can get the wheels off.

 

The car has 3rd gen Camaro (iroc) coilovers in the rear and I think the spring may be my limiting factor for wheel width in the back. I'll know more when I get the wheel off. But I feel a lot better rolling the fenders and measuring before I go buying wheels. And im glad I didn't already buy 16x8s if there is nowhere for then to go towards the inside.

[housew]

made ramps and got it up on them last night. Now the jack fits under it and then I ran out of time :/

 

ramps worked good though. and they are light and small enough I wouldn't hesitate to just keep them in the car.