bob72gts

I don't think he digs that look. He mentioned not wanting to buy those. I agree with him, but to each his own

I figured I should build a small scale version of what I have in mind before I lay my sawzall on this car. So, I bought one of these last night. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOREV-1-43-DATSUN-BlueBird-1961-/111160318801?pt=Diecast_Vehicles&hash=item19e1abdb51 and I just found this now so I bought 2 of them. http://www.ebay.com/itm/321329188695?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 I will go ahead and build one or more of these as hot rods and see which way I like it.

Yes, the front and rear wheel openings have been cut, badly. There are fender lips from some other car screwed to the front fenders and the rear doors were also cut. Just one more reason to cut it up into a hotrod. Thanks guys for the J info.

Minor update. Did some cleaning and inspecting today. Looks like this is the 39th 1962 Bluebird off the assembly line. I can now open 3 of the 4 doors Somebody swapped a J series engine into this thing. Does anybody know if the J is a descendant of the E, like a NAPS Z from an L? I'm assuming it is since the original column shift trans is bolted to the J series engine in the car. The sheetmetal rust is even worse than I thought, but the frame and suspension looks great. Seems like I read the front suspension for this car is the same as early roadsters, can anyone confirm? This is definitely going to be a hot rod of some type and will be going onto a different frame.

I had to use the direct link and Chrome to get them to post. The IMG on photobucket didn't work with IE or Chrome

Google Chrome to the rescue????

That didn't work right either. *Sigh* :confused:

http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz341/bob72gts/rustyhighboy.jpg http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz341/bob72gts/morrisgasser.jpg http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz341/bob72gts/140213_0004.jpg http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz341/bob72gts/140213_0002.jpg http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz341/bob72gts/140213_0003.jpg http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz341/bob72gts/140213_0005.jpg http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz341/bob72gts/140213_0006.jpg http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz341/bob72gts/140213_0007.jpg Hmmmm I have done this before but I can't get the pics to post tonight. I'll just put up the links like a noob. What I'm workin' with. And what I might do.

Ok, I tried for 2 years to get the owner of this car to sell it to me. I finally convinced him to let it go and it is now sitting in my driveway. It has been sitting for about 34 years according to the most recent registration sticker on the plate (1980). All these years in the Arizona sun have not been kind to any of the soft parts, I didn't think cardboard could shrink. There is a significant amount of rust, by southwestern USA standards anyway. I personally consider the car to be "non-restorable". The good news is the car appears to have had regular maintenance up until it was parked. The oil looks like it just came out of the bottle, which probably would have been a cardboard can at the time. The frame and suspension components all appear solid. The bad news is that even though it has been in AZ since at least 1977, the level of "patina"(rust) this car has means I will never put a real paint job on it. Don't get me wrong, this car is WAY more solid than some of the stuff I have seen rebuilt here on Ratsun. I probably spent an hour the other night looking through the build of a 510 that only had a decent roof and a VIN, but there is a shit ton more restoration parts available for a 510 than there are for my 312. I have not yet decided which direction this project will go. IF the engine will run and the rest of the running gear is in decent shape then I will drive it and just live with the rust because driving a rusty old Datsun is AWESOME. If it won't run I am thinking either Ratrod Highboy Roadster or Gasser. I know "Pics or it didn't happen" they will be in post #2.

Old thread back to the top. Desert Gold Hound, it has been 2 years, I know you aren't in Havasu anymore, but this truck still is. I drive past it about once a month. Sell it to me. It wants to be at my house. I promise to take good care of it.

Yeah if I remember right I was selling the fenders for $40 or $50 but the shipping from AZ up to you was stupid expensive. They came off of a Hardbody (D21) and that is the gas door that will fit, I never had one.

By the way that is a good lookin' Bee. You probably have the last non rusty one in Maine.

My understanding on the vinyl roof Datsuns is that it was not uncommon for a car or truck to get damaged in transit between the factory and dealers here in the US. The roof of many a car has been damaged by double stack car carrier trucks. Rather than try to match and blend the paint on a brand new car many dealers would remove any dents that might be there and then install a vinyl roof. Vinyl was popular on high end cars at the time so Datsun dealers could claim these damaged cars had a "luxury" vinyl roof upgrade. The dealers would win twice in this situation. They got paid for fixing the car, either from Datsun/Nissan or the trucking company, and then they would ad the vinyl roof to the price of the car

I haven't been on Ratsun in quite a while. Not even sure why I logged on today, but I just went through all 19 pages of your awesome build. :thumbup: You have totally raised the bar for my projects, I think I might hate you. :rofl:

A little bit of self necrothreadia here. If you have looked throught this thread you have seen the bad ass white standard cab 620 on 18" chrome QX56s........well...... it's for sale. Factory Paint, Factory A/C, Factory floor mat, 5 speed swap, Webber, about 1000 miles on Webber, rings, bearings, gaskets, and water pump, and front and rear brakes, new brake master cylinder not yet installed, about $400 worth on new weatherstripping. Truck is very solid. The only rust damage is the passenger side floor(center of floor away from body mounts and rocker panel) easily cut out and patched. Soft floor was caused by windshield gasket, I have a replacement gasket new in package. 909 519 9799 Truck is in Havasu $3100 I have seen what is out there and i know you couldn't get to this point any cheaper so price is firmish. Willing to consider part trades but need half cash minimum.