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1978 Datsun B210 - Vintage Race Tribute Build Thread & Questions


5280Datsun

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Hi All,

 

Picked up my 1978 Datsun B210 last week off the ol' Craigslist for my daily driver while I finish my 240SX convertible build; thanks to my patient wife.

 

Came with 67,000 Miles on it and light rust in the wells but under carriage looks great, as it has been a CO car it's whole life.

 

Picked this up for $1200 and am the 3rd registered owner. The original owner was the "second owners" neighbor and she bought it new in '78. It has sat since 2001 and he bought it from her 3 years ago and only buzzed it around the block a couple times.

 

The guy is a retired "tinker'r" and had done a lot to get it road worthy again while it sat in his yard. New MBC, carb rebuild, cap, and some wiring.

 

I installed a new battery, have tires coming and installed some racing seats to go along with my tribute. (Original seats were trashed, but I will make some garage chairs from them.)

 

How she started:
 

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The tribute part of this build is going to be a "BRE B210"

 

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As this is my "beater car" the house financial manger has limited funding for this car, as the S13 is getting the full treatment, so things will be done in true "ratsun" fashion.

 

Found a TON of info here and on the FB group and hope to put it into action in the coming weeks.

 

Step 1:

Is to fit my 15" 280ZX Turbo Snow Flakes on there with 195/50/15s all around.

Step 2:

Address Front Suspension Height and flatten rear leafs with new shocks.

Step 3:

"$50 Paint Job" with Datsun Racing stripes and get fix some rust bubbles.

Step 4: 

Weather Stripping on trunk and rear windows.

Step 5: 

Weber Carbs (or Holley 5200) and new exhaust.

 

 

Here is my plans for the front suspension, please correct or improve it:

B110 Strut Tower Hats (lowers it an inch with out affecting travel?)

Remove bottom perch and adjust height OEM perch with 2" clamps.

New Strut inserts (recommendations?)

Possible Roll Center Correction adapters?

Install Sway Bars

 

Also what strut tower bars fit? Found one for the B110 but unsure if it is the same width across the B210's towers...

 

 

Thanks !

 

-CJ

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Installed the new seats last night, had to fab some bracket adapters since the OEM seats are 15" and the buckets are 14", plus the '78 has uneven mounts.

 

Scored them for $100 from CL, little faded on the back (they were in a Jeep) but look and feel like new.

 

They sit a bit higher than I like, but I am geting a new steering wheel any day now, plus I ain't a tall fellow.

 

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Also, which model did this grill come from and does it bolt right in?

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Thanks guys, has some rear crappy gas mileage around 20 MPG. Found out that the gas cap wasn't worth a damn! got 5 buck replacement (no lock, hopefully I don't get siphoned! haha) and will report back on the status of the mileage.

 

That leads me to my next question, how does the tank vent and is a certain amount of pressure required for the fuel pump? I am used to electric fuel pumps so forgive the ignorance.

 

 

Also I appear to have the notorious dead Temp and Fuel gauges, so I will test out the yellow wire for the gauge.

 

This site is great!!

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Whelp, need a new clutch. Ordered it today.

 

Re did the seals for rear seat pop out windows, much better on the highway with wind noise. Going to order some trunk seal next. It is cheaper than the Thailand eBay seller and should get here much faster too.

 

87-92 Camaro Firebird Weatherstrip Seal- Metro TK46F 

 

Have a hub adapter for the new wheel coming too with some fender mirrors and some new lock levers. 

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Whelp, need a new clutch. Ordered it today.

 

Re did the seals for rear seat pop out windows, much better on the highway with wind noise. Going to order some trunk seal next. It is cheaper than the Thailand eBay seller and should get here much faster too.

 

87-92 Camaro Firebird Weatherstrip Seal- Metro TK46F 

 

Have a hub adapter for the new wheel coming too with some fender mirrors and some new lock levers.

 

Did you order new pop window seals or just glued them back into place for better fit.? Also is that trunk weatherstrip a match to the original Datsun weatherstrip.?
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Here is what I got, I got mine through Advance Auto, but all the shops had it. It is universal and fits around the edge of the body and the "bulb" on the strip seals the window. 

 

I removed the whole glass and reinstalled it after the stripping, some light surface rust was addressed as well.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Metro-Moulded-IS-MW00100-Door-Seal/dp/B000MKEKX6/ref=pd_sim_263_8?ie=UTF8&dpID=41JArzFvWzL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0RKHG7W5M059WBHP691C

 

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As far as I can tell, the trunk seal I ordered is universal but is a VERY similar design to what is on there now.

 

New:

 

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Thailand Replacement:

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For the pop out window seal, I used the seal of a Nissan Sentra. The seal it self is a little too long for the B210 but you can trim it in order to fit the B210 window. It fits quite well. Easy cheap fix. Just go to your local junk yard and pick up a pair.

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For the pop out window seal, I used the seal of a Nissan Sentra. The seal it self is a little too long for the B210 but you can trim it in order to fit the B210 window. It fits quite well. Easy cheap fix. Just go to your local junk yard and pick up a pair.

What year Sentra.?

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All Sentra's have the same seal as long as they have a pop up window.

I would encourage you to find the newest one on the yard that way you get more life out of it on your own B210 :thumbup:

Awesome.!!

Kool to know there's an alternative way to fix a problem..

Thanks Edgar..!!!

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Awesome info.!!

Thanks for sharing..

One more request.. Can you post some pictures of the seals applied or mounted on you ride.

Please.

Thanks again.

 

 

Did you order new pop window seals or just glued them back into place for better fit.? Also is that trunk weatherstrip a match to the original Datsun weatherstrip.?

Here is the seals. These are form Advance Auto Parts.

 

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Installed:

 

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Also got some little things in the mail and my clutch!!

 

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Had some free time this weekend thanks to Grandma AKA the babysitter and got some little things done; with my little helper too.

 

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Gave it a "wash" with degreaser and a pressure washer, although there wasn't much of an improvement to bring the paint back (maybe a wax next), but it does look a lot better! Plus, since I will be 'painting' it in the spring I don't mind for now.

 

Also put this in the "how-to" section to stop my dumbass from running my battery dead:

 

Headlight Buzzer Reminder!

 

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/67945-headlight-reminder-buzzer/

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