Jump to content

'81 210 sedan Project, aka Joel


Recommended Posts

As you may have caught on to by now, all of my cars are named after the previous owner...   :rofl:

 

I've known Joel (the guy) for almost ten years, ever since I saw him driving this car on the street. I flagged him down and talked to him for 30 minutes about the car. He was super excited to not only meet someone who appreciated it, but also had a lot of parts/knowledge he needed. 

 

During his first few years of owning it, it was bone stock. Until he met me. See, this is one of the base model "fuel saver" specials they built with an A12a engine and a 4 speed trans. So over the years I helped him swap in a 5 speed, then we swapped in an A15, then added a Weber 32/36 carb to it. You know, the usual stuff. Did a brake job on it once. Added '81 200SX front and rear rear sway bars to it at some point. Little here, little there, we just built it into a super fun car for him to daily. Joel not being super mechanically inclined, I ended up doing most of the work...   ^_^

 

About a year ago, it blew a head gasket. I asked him to bring it by the shop so we take a look at it, but he said "No, I can handle it myself"..He took the head off, cleaned it up, put on a new gasket and off he went. About a month later it blew a head gasket again. This time, on my urging, he took the head to a machine shop to have them go through it and make sure it was good to go. $325 later and a clean bill of health from said machine shop, he popped it back on. About two months later, I get a text from him... 

 

Joel: Head gasket blew again.

 

Me. That sucks. Need any help fixing it?

 

Joel: Are you at the shop?

 

Me: Yes, you coming by?

 

No response...

 

 

 

About 45 minutes later a tow truck pulls up out front with Joel's 210 on the back of it, and another car following behind (what I later found out was Joel's wife's car). Tow truck driver starts to unload the car, Joel comes over to me, hands me the title to the car and says "hope you can fix it better than I did". Pays the tow driver, hops in his wife's car and leaves...    :P

 

So at the time I had a 210 coupe project so I thought I could at least use it for parts for that. During the great purge of late 2016, I passed the 210 coupe on to a (new) friend in east Texas, but I held on to this car for some weird reason. There it sat, in the corner of the parking lot for the last 18 months, gathering dust...

 

Well, another one of my friend's with a 210 project also has a 4 speed in his car. He asked if I had a 5 speed he could put in it and I said "Joel's old car has a good one in it, so come help me pull it out and you can have it?". 

 

It was sitting on four flats (had borrowed it's "good" wheels/tires for another car at some point), so I jacked it up and put the old set of wheels from my 1200 on it so it would roll around and we could pull the trans. As soon as I saw it on those deep dish Bassettts though, the gears started turning...

 

Being a man of my word, I still gave him the transmission, but now I'm thinking of turning this into a full blown project. See, after we jacked it up and pulled the transmission I started poking around a bit, and this is a really solid car. I have an A10 crossmember that would allow me to swap in my spare L18 pretty easily, and I have an L dogleg that would also be a bolt in, so...    B)

 

It may not look like much, but the body is fairly decent. It needs work on the beat up rockers, and maybe a new left fender, but otherwise it's not bad at all. 

 

17155187_10154556200737983_2540136140448

  • Like 6
Link to comment
  • Replies 139
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Probably going to keep these wheels on it, drop it maybe 3" in the back and 4" in the front, get the L18 and 5 speed in it and just rock the shit out of it for awhile...

 

At some point I will procure some JDM bumpers for it, and then it'll get a fresh coat of paint and some needed interior dress up...

  • Like 2
Link to comment

I have the JDM sunny grille with the "S" badge sitting at my place if you want one, was going into my sedan but I think I want to swap mine for the round front (if I could ever find one). Also already have a lead on those bumpers for ya, just trying to get a hold of the guy. 

Link to comment

Is that the same fucking car or a render

 

 

what he said ^

 

Neither, just a kickass look into my future (hopefully) I found on a European website...   ^_^

 

One of the best examples of a two door that I've seen, you going with that color? 

 

Thinking about it. This is actually my 7th 210 so far. #2 was a root beer brown metallic wagon, and #5 was a 4dr in the same color. 

 

normal_210wallpaper.jpg

 

 

Of course I am just now this very second realizing that 6 out of 7 were some shade of brown...    :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:

 

The very first one, my high school car, was this funky non-metallic orange/brown color...

 

6667810006_large.jpg

 

datsun-210-09.jpg

 

 

 

I am definitely leaning brown, and not this sort of flesh-colored brown on it now. It's a little too "gray" for my taste. That stock brown on my 4 door and wagon with the gold metallic in it is super dope...  

Link to comment

Not sure if metallics are your thing

 

When it comes to browns, yes. Quite.   B)

 

As I mentioned, my wagon and my 4dr were the dark brown with a gold metallic in it. I loved that color...

 

What I don't love is painting metallics. So I'll probably just do the jambs and have a pro do the overall paint work...

 

 

but in 2015 both ram tucks and Tundras had really nice browns. 

 

Metallic browns are having quite a renaissance right now, actually. Lots of OEs have done them in the last few years.  :thumbup:

 

BMW Pyrite Brown

BMW-Individual-M4-240.jpg

 

 

Porsche Macadamia Metallic

2354562.jpg

 

 

 

Audi Teak Brown

63547598.jpg

 

 

 

Mercedes Dolomite Brown

73921687.jpg

 

 

Lexus Sunset Brown

TigersEyeSC_003copy.jpg

 

 

 

And it goes on for awhile from there...    :rofl:

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I really hate 210 seats, so got some brown 280Z seats...

 

17201317_10154586589392983_1306041074975

 

 

The interior was full from bottom to top with random car parts and junk. Took the driver's seat out...

 

17203098_10154586589512983_2287913143572

 

 

Spending almost two years with 200+ pounds of junk on the back seat crushed it, but at least the car came with another seat bottom...

 

17265245_10154586589277983_7051612903462

 

 

 

Passenger seat out and notice that there's a brown steering wheel under the seat?

 

17264939_10154586589302983_2566913009887{

 

 

 

But the car has a blue wheel on it?!?   ^_^

 

17155936_10154586589147983_1072075311953

 

 

280Z seat brackets are nowhere close to fitting. Will need some mods to fit...

 

17202754_10154586590037983_3576299098229

 

 

Need a gas door. I thought perhaps somewhere in the pile of junk I would find it, but no...   :lol:

 

17202800_10154586590017983_6720878761307

 

 

 

Tail lights are garbage, but that's to be expected. And they can be had new for a reasonable amount...

 

17264546_10154586590532983_4496743973922

 

 

 

Anyone need a decent set of hubcaps?

 

17201444_10154586590042983_2825274583070

 

 

 

Next up, all this goes in the scrap bin. If you see something you need...

 

17203249_10154586590572983_6274221723894

  • Like 2
Link to comment

A series goodies, Who can say no to that? If you're just going to junk it, send it all my way.

 

I also have a gas door if you want it/don't take Kelmo up on his offer. I also have a few interior pieces from my sedan if you need anything, although I don't remember the colour or condition, might get lucky.  

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.