New Member from Quebec

[AC77]

I'm here for the points

Here ya go +1

[Linda]

You bet, Alvin!
Points can be given by yourself, as well as others It's a win-win
However if you are buying a car in boxes, it is apparent how failure to finish (DNF) can be painful. Sorta like all those people climbing Mt Everest who have to stop before the summit and turn around...Noooo!!!
Yes, I agree with JT, odds may not be in your favor.
But that's why you get the points, it is a small and exclusive club
Best to go into it with eyes wide open.
Good luck.
Linda

[Pjackb]

I know JT means well and want to help me get the best possible car however he is just underestimating 3 important facts about me

• -My abilities to work on the car myself and capability to learn new things
  -My access to extremely knowledgeable Datsun and Roadster specialists
  -My resolve when I start something

If you look at when this thread was started you’ll see I started on this journey exactly 1 year ago today, at that time while it was love at first sight I knew nothing about these cars but just knew I wanted/needed one

Since then I have probably seen in person around 7-8 cars that were for sale and have had the opportunity to drive everything except a swapped engine car . I’ve looked at projects, drivers and restored cars and if I have not purchased one it is because I have not yet found the right combination that fits within my budget . I feel A lot of seller are over evaluating the value of what they have and asking too much or simply the quality of work that was done to the car is suspect.

This particular car i’m Looking at right now is a 69 2000 Canadian car in very decent shape and at the right price , it has an old paint job that needs to be redone but no rust and no apparent filler, the car has been stored for a number of years but was running perfectly when it was parked. other than the aforementioned parts it has a complete new interior , rebuilt brakes and many other needed parts

The only thing is that is keeping us from doing a deal is that the owner is still hesitant about selling or fixing it himself so I’m working him slowly

[2mAn]

I dont think JT was underestimating YOU, just sharing his experience of what he has seen. I, like you, was a "love at first sight" guy but I also waited a while before I picked up my car. Mine is by no means a "complete- restored" car, but its a runner and driver. I didnt want a complete car and that was the main reason why I passed on Garms old car, even though it was "complete" and the price was good. It was hard, but I like to build and restore, but I know my skill set.I chose mine because after getting help from Will, I think Im overall capable to handle the rest myself. Rebuilding carbs? No way. Swapping suspension and restoring the interior to what I want? Absolutely

SO without us knowing your specific skill set and space/ time situation its hard to really give advice on a particular car. It has to just be general.

Heres my advice. Hurry up and buy one! haha

[JT68]

With all due respect to the point system, (about as useful as a broken distributor cap)....you are right Jack, I'm just trying to help you out and avoid many of the follies of other roadster owners.

I'd ask yourself:

Can I remove and replace an engine myself?
Can I rebuild an engine myself?
Can I change a clutch myself?
Can i rebuild su/solex myself?
Am I good at rebuilding wiring?
Am I good at paint and body work myself?
Could I repair a transmission myself?
Can I rebuild a suspension myself? (Safely)
Can I rebuild brakes and brake cylinders myself (Safely)
Can I repair virtually every system on car
Do i like stripping, refinishing, and polishing 100's of little parts?
Do i mind if all this takes multiple years?

Cars that have been sitting for years don't fare all that well. Every system in the car will need work.

If the answer is no to many of the questions above and you end up paying someone else to do it, it will take far longer than you expect and cost 2x or 3x more.

Remember, lots of DNF's Linda mentioned before you had skills, resolve and money too...


Here's are great example from Mike Young. In full disclosure, I don't know exactly what he is asking for it, so this isn't a "for sale ad", just an example. I get absolutely nothing for passing this info to you or if you buy it!. There is ZERO in this for me, its just good advice. Contact Mike directly.

No disrespect, you would be way way ahead to buy this car:


70k Original miles. Rust-free California car. Mechanically excellent. Volvo front Brake, Ventilated rotors. New Engine room wiring harness. Coated header. New starter, alternator, runs and shifts very well. New softop,zip-down window.

[AC77]

Certainly a beautiful car and I'm sure mechanically sound. Curious what he's asking.

[cole455]

You don’t build a roadster with your hands, you build a roadster with this ....



and money, lots of money!

[theunz]

You don’t build a roadster with your hands, you build a roadster with this ....



and money, lots of money!

Well put!

[JT68]

I don't think having a running/driving car means you love your roadster any less, probably the opposite. Yes, I'd say guys who are zooming around are just as passionate!

I just tend to be more data driven. The odds are basically 99% Jack would be driving in the spring if he buys one of Mike's or Kevin's, or Michaels or Ross', or my or any other decent example.

If he starts buying random parts, a dead car and has never turned a wrench on a 2L, the odds are approaching zero of the same outcome...

If his goal is to do a restoration himself, that's totally cool of course, but it didn't seem that was ever his goal, rather a great driver.

Anyway, hopefully the advice will help someone! Feel free to delete it all if it isn't spot on.

[Linda]

JT , you don't have to do all that stuff yourself. Jack is not on a deserted island. He could get some help, pay someone to do it, or do it himself.
With varying degrees of help I have done almost everything on your list except rebuild the tranny, just changed the countershaft and bearings. I gave myself points for everything I have done. I am the participant and I am the judge in my car show of one. It's a great system, love it! Don't care who else likes it. Irrelevant.
If I can, anybody can, but life, losing interest and illness are all wild cards even if you are an ace mechanic. So despite the statistics, I say go for it if you think you know yourself well enough. And Jack, you have stated your skills and perseverance. Who am I to doubt you? Otherwise you have been warned.
And no one is saying anything about the intent of any poster, we all know everyone is trying to help, but we may have different opinions. It's all good.
Linda

[JT68]

Yes, it's all good, just trying to help him out.

Of course you don't need to be able to do all those things.

The list was just to point out SOME of what he's likely to run into with a car that comes in boxes of parts or has been sitting a long time. 311's is full of horror stories on every topic listed....can't make a distributor work, can't balance carbs, solexes that don't work, pages of frustrating electrical issues, transmissions that don't shift, or leak, or growl, master cylinder folly, engine mechanical issues, instrument problems, rust issues, leaking hydraulics, on and on...Linda you know as well as I do a great running, sorted out car has A LOT going for it.

The point was if he can't do it himself, it will cost him far more $$$ to pay someone to do those things one at a time as he finds them. If he has the money, that's great!

If he buys a GOOD runner driver, much will have been done already and the condition of many systems can be easily assessed by driving.

I thought Jack's intention was a great runner driver, not a restoration by him based on personal discussions with him. Buying a great runner is an excellent way to that end. If his objective has changed, that's fine too, the odds just aren't in his favor for success.

That Mike Young car is looking better and better!

[Linda]

Guess we might add that many guys who have done an extensive restoration do not want to climb that mountain again.... But then there are mountain climbers, that is all they want one restoration after another..!.... I must confess knowing what I know now I would be leaning towards writing the check if I could afford it if I had to do it over again. But I would always feel I did not
earn the car, I bought it. Fixing is a definite part of the hobby, for me.
Linda

[Pjackb]

I was and I am still looking first and foremost for a driver but this does not mean I would preclude from buying a car that would need a little work to get her back on the road.

I'm not interested in a full restoration of a car that would require ALL of the skills listed by JT or very deep pockets , but somehow reading the last page or so it feels like you guys I'm looking at a project car in boxes for a ground up full restoration. , that's definitely not the case

Right now I'm focusing my search to cars that are already in Canada and preferably on the east coast , surprisingly there are quite a few and the owners are open to discussion about selling their cars , obviously there are some real POS out there but I know enough to avoid them.

The 69 I was referring to has been parked for about 4 years because of loss of interest as the seller got into sailing ,

Just before it was parked

7EF0E128-05AE-4EBF-9FE8-D8462E241289.jpeg

011E049F-E371-4C26-B3FD-EB94E215A51D.jpeg

As seen 2weeks ago

E4A6F3C8-8C43-4457-B885-B6F1473F131F.jpeg

[Pjackb]

That Mike young car is very nice and I did speak to him about it price would be about 14k-15K which is very reasonable for what it is but as my other Canadian countrymen will tell you it has to really be an incredible deal right now to buy a US car

here are the breakdown of cost for me to buy that car

Car: $14 500 estimated
Duties : $885 (6.1%)
Taxes : $2 171 (14.975% GST/PST)
Other : $200 Registrar fee
Inspection: $175

SubTotal: $17 931
Shipping $2200 (enclosed transport at this time of year )

Total: $20 131

Exchange Rate + fees 1.31
Total Canadian dollars $26 372

If I could spend that type of money (30K) there is a gentleman that's offering his fully restored by Ross 68
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/chi ... 1285508533

[spl310]

Jt, I agree with everything that you have said.