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WPL312 Wagon. Needs a better name.


HOGIE

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Once again a sweet little gem popped up for sale, on Craigslist, and I grabbed it up. It was in Washougal, WA and my boss just happened to be in Vamcouver when I found it and I asked him to go pay the guy for it. And it worked.

 

I now own my first Datsun car, a 64 WPL312. The Naughty Gnome Wagon.

 

This is the pic some of you may have already seen

image_zpsmpbj2t7e.jpg

 

image_zpssn97l3rx.jpg

 

image_zps7zvxihba.jpg

 

image_zpsjx04spvb.jpg

 

 

Those are the only pics I have at this point because by the time I got home it was getting dark. I did have some time before it got dark to do an inventory of the goodies laying about the goon. The guy I got it from said he literally brought it home around 2000 and never touched it but whoever had it before him was clearly hot rodding it and had pulled a lot of exterior parts. There was a lot of the little important parts (door handles, headlight buckets and trim, taillight bezels and lenses, badges, ect.) but some of the biggest import was not there (bumpers, grill, fuel tank, drivers side back door trim and some glass. The drivers side back door glass and drivers side rear window are gone. Didn't take a pick of that side. Oh and the floors are bad.

 

All the other glass is intact and the guy I bought it from said he thinks he has the grill. Fingers and toes crossed I'll get a call saying he found it. He did have a few very full shops on his property. I think he had like 5 project cars, and two racecars he was working all at the same time plus the maybe dozen other cars around the property.

 

Plans that I came up with so far. I want to continue the hot rod theme but Datsun style. So sort of a hot rod track car.

 

-The flames are staying

-Sheet metal repair the floors

-Aseries motor swap

-Aftermarket fuel cell

-Disc brake all around upgrade with modern equipment

-Replumb with all new fuel and brake lines.

-Front coilovers

-4-Link rear end

-Lowered on 13's

-Source trim, glass gaskets, bumpers and grill (when pigs fly). Some other window gaskets could be made to work.

-Have flat glass cut for missing windows.

-Reupholster seats, door panels, head liner, tailgate and rear package area side panels.

 

But I'm also considering a body drop, because the floors are so bad already, and air bag suspension.

 

Big dreams for this project. It's going to take a while to get there but I think it's very possible.

Edited by HOGIE
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You say a door is missing, you could fill it in and make it a 2 door van instead of a 4 door wagon.

The bumpers are going to be tough to source, take your time and think about this one, know what you want to do before you start.

I really didn't want this, but I really wanted to see it in person, I was next in line to go get this if you bailed.

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You say a door is missing, you could fill it in and make it a 2 door van instead of a 4 door wagon.

The bumpers are going to be tough to source, take your time and think about this one, know what you want to do before you start.

I really didn't want this, but I really wanted to see it in person, I was next in line to go get this if you bailed.

Drivers side rear door GLASS is missing as well as the rear drivers side glass, so all glass on the drivers side passed the drivers door.

 

OP is edited.

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I read it a couple times and came to the conclusion the door was missing, but I could not tell from the photos as all the glass is solid green.

Flat glass is easy to replace, doors not so easy.

I hope he comes thru with more parts, this is one rare goon.

The front bumper might be doable, a 320 truck bumper might work, and they are on ebay but are expensive, same with the front turn signals/housings, the rear bumper is going to be a matter of time, you best look at other countries for that one, but the central part of this country has a few Bluebirds also, I believe Greg bought a 312 sedan several years ago, you might contact him and see if he is parting that one out, but I doubt it, maybe a front bumper will work on the rear.

IMG_2104_zps9tmijkdt.jpg

 

Datsun%201200%20Blubird_zpsjs03nibd.jpg

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It came with 3 Datsun1200 badges, same style as the NL. I thought this would've had Bluebird badges. Did 312's come with Bluebird badges to the States? Or maybe just the earlier ones? The badge in the picture above says Datsun

 

Wayno, what is Greg's handle here?

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Will need a close up of the type of side trim you have to see if I have any of it, at least any for the front fender, I have a few pieces of the wide stuff.

I wouldn't give up on the engine yet, my L320 has quite a bit of power, when I couldn't get the brakes to work properly it was burning out just trying to get it back in the garage.

 

I am curious what front suspension it has, is it like the 320/520/521 or is it like the 411/311 roadster, to me it looks like it could have coils with inner fenders like that?

My 320 inner fenders don't have bead lines in them like yours does, but my 311 Roadster does.

 

Were there hubcaps anywhere to be found?

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It does have coil springs. I didn't look too close for all the details. The fender trim is different than the NL, I'll get a pic up soon.

 

This car was posted on BAT a while back

http://bringatrailer.com/2013/04/05/never-seen-one-1962-datsun-312-wagon/

 

If you zoom in you can make out that it says Blubird on the fender badge but in another posting somewhere about this same car they said it came from Mexico so maybe Mexico got the bLuebird badge, or once again maybe it was a year to year change. It was a 62 and mine is a 64. Would love the those Bluebird badges.

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Drivers side rear door GLASS is missing as well as the rear drivers side glass, so all glass on the drivers side passed the drivers door.

 

OP is edited.

I believe that Wayno is talking about Greg (AZhitman) he owns the NICO CLUB websight.  I believe the 312 he purchased was from Australia.

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I believe that Wayno is talking about Greg (AZhitman) he owns the NICO CLUB websight.  I believe the 312 he purchased was from Australia.

Yes Greg, and the car in the photo, it was brought to my attention by Bob(arkdat) as I recall, I was trying to buy the grill off it, it came out of Oklahoma or somewhere else in that area, Greg bought it as a parts car, Bob also brought the U320 to my attention, I believe he was going to buy it, but then all of a sudden he got out of 320s all together as he could not get parts for them, he sold all his 320s and went back to Roadsters.

Greg may have imported a 312 from Australia, but that Bluebird I posted photos of was already in the US.

HOGIE, you can likely find Bluebird badges in Australia or other countries, here is a 510 Bluebird badge on Ebay Australia, you just have to keep searching everywhere all over the world to find what you need.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Datsun-1600-510-Bluebird-Coupe-Sedan-Wagon-SSS-Badge-NOS-X2-Repos-/192129460381?hash=item2cbbcee89d:g:iioAAOSwvzRX19cH

So the good news is you likely have a Datsun Roadster front suspension, the bad news that you likely have a Roadster front suspension, you can buy just about every part you need for it, but like a Corvette, everything is very expensive, but it is available from aftermarket sources, Mike might even be making/have parts so you can use cheaper parts than the expensive Roadster parts, I do know he was working on adapting cheaper 720??? balljoints to the Roadster.

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I still have Greg's email from when I gave him info on the NL for the 320 registry. Sent him an email

 

It would be great to find good aftermarket support on brake upgrades through the roadster realm. The rear axle is a full rearend housing with leaf springs just like the other model goons.

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Jelly of this car. Nice find...  Hogie has caught the rare datto bug.. only cure is a fat wallet.

One needs lots of energy also, it takes time/energy to find parts, one has to turn over every rock looking for parts, and all his friends have to also, one needs lots of friends in lots of countries, especially Australia when it comes to rare 320s.

I don't know what country got the most 312s, that would likely be worth finding out.

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Jelly of this car. Nice find...  Hogie has caught the rare datto bug.. only cure is a fat wallet.

  

 

Thanks man. I better get to to work on that wallet.

 

One needs lots of energy also, it takes time/energy to find parts, one has to turn over every rock looking for parts, and all his friends have to also, one needs lots of friends in lots of countries, especially Australia when it comes to rare 320s.

I don't know what country got the most 312s, that would likely be worth finding out.

Well I do have a lot of time being relatively young as I am. And besides being spontaneous in my Datsun buying in pretty patient in my Datsun building so I'm not expecting this car to come together over night and I already know I'm not going to find parts for it that fast.

 

I also need to get to work on making those friends all over the world, with parts

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Gonna be tough.. but so cool.

 

  

Thanks man. I better get to to work on that wallet.


Well I do have a lot of time being relatively young as I am. And besides being spontaneous in my Datsun buying in pretty patient in my Datsun building so I'm not expecting this car to come together over night and I already know I'm not going to find parts for it that fast.

I also need to get to work on making those friends all over the world, with parts

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