1967 SRL311-00529 - Bringing her back

[datsun65]

Thanks for the suggestion, Linda.

Now I'm a bit torn....

The Car was originally Thunder Black with a red interior. Now the car is Red with a Tan interior. Longest term, I'd like to invest on bringing the car back to its original color scheme.

You are correct.. the seats have a bit of a pewter hue to them with the Brown piping.



Though the current carpets are filthy, they are tan & generally not too worn out. Unfortunately, the light tan color just doesn't match up well with the seats.

Here are the options I'm thinking about:

1) Order the brown carpet kit and keep everything else the same. Keep tan seats, door panels, vinyl trim throughout.

• Pros: The brown matches well and brings the color scheme together.Would only require about $220 investment(ie, swapping out carpet)
  Cons: Tan/Brown isn't factory...and for a 67 2000, there is value in keeping it factory color (ie, black)

2) Order a Black carpet kit and new black door panels. Use a set of 'spare' factory covered factory black seats. Use Black VHT vinyl dye to recolor all the rest of the vinyl black

• Pros: Bring car back to factory color scheme. New Black door panels will look more OEM
  Cons: VHT colored vinyl is okay, but would eventually need to be replaced. Even though the interior would then be black, the car would still have the tan top.

Decisions, decisions....

[notoptoy]

I think it will look fine with the Brown carpet. Wear everything out, or save your pennies for a total re-do in black at some point.

[datsun65]

Starting point:

I think it will look fine with the Brown carpet.

I brought the seat in the house and put the sample of brown carpet next to it...It looks pretty good.

Carpet kit ordered 8/10/14 !



Took the passenger seat out and realized that the seats have been moved back about an inch or so. Ran into a problem with the left Hand side (using the Right hand seat). One of the bolts is now positioned directly above the frame and is blocked from access by the exhaust pipe. Picked up a close loop ratcheting wrench, and still couldn't get it.

Need to head back the hardware store in the morning and buy a stubby open ended ratcheting wrench.

[OldYeller]

Great project!

Fwiw, I think if you stick with the current tan interior, stay within the value range color wise but don't try to be the same exact color as the seat or top. It'll be too monotone and nothing will pop. Your current choices look pretty darn good btw!

[datsun65]

Thanks Steven.

Productive Sunday.

Jacked the car up and was able to very slowly remove the remaining bolt from the driver's side seat. Took forever!

And...a little revelation...Thought the seats were reversed (ie, Passenger seat on LHD). Well...I was only half right...

The drivers side & Passenger seats BOTTOMS were in the correct positions. However, the seat backs (with the 67.5 seat locking lever) were on the wrong sides! The Drivers side seat bottom had a passenger side seat back!

Removed the remaining carpet, jut padding and glue. Happy to report the floorboards are in outstanding condition with no rust or soft spots. In the process of dismantling the custom radio console. Everything came apart, but there is an aftermarket choke cable and hood release connected to the center radio console. Will need to disconnect these from the engine bay.



Also...Did a quick test fit of Black 67.5 seats..

[jamesw]

Great progress Dan. And it was smoking hot in Houston yesterday - I hope you were working somewhere shady and with a big fan.

The seats, seat bottoms and seat rails are still a mystery to me. They always seem to come put together wrong - or I put them together wrong. Or the upholstery puts them back together wrong...

Cheers
James

[OldYeller]

red and black is alluring. Never loved the tan in the roadster. Seems off somehow, maybe because it was never offered. Maybe because it looks more MG than Datsun...

[datsun65]

Busy evening. Tonight's task was to remove the windshield frame from #529 in preparation to replace the windshield (had a crack) & was missing support bar. Should have been straight forward...except that the large bolts on either side of the windshield frame (2 on each side) had been replaced with Carriage Bolts and nuts! What a PITA to remove.

Then struggled to remove the brown dashpad (to repaint back to black), but after a few hours...success.



Pictured: Aftermarket dash pad (Brown) vs 67.5 SRL311 factory dashpad.



Oh...and one last update...Called the Interior vendor, and switched the carpet to black, instead of brown. Think I'm going to use my spare 67.5 seats with factory black seat covers.

[datsun65]

The current rear view mirror on the car is actually an aftermarket top of the windshield/attached unit. Looked very weird mounted to the dash.

I found a cool looking unit made for British cars that attaches to the center rod. Still searching for an original 67.5 rearview mirror, though.

[datsun65]

Put an order in for several paints & dyes.

VHT SP942 - Satin Black Vinyl Dye - This will be used to color the dash pad from Brown, back to Black. Will be used for several sections of vinyl in the car.



VHT SP201 VHT Wrinkle Plus Coating - Will be use to repaint the dash panel & radio console

VHT SP671 VHT Roll Bar & Chassis Paint - Will be used for cleaning up the chasis, and possibly the engine bay.

Also received news that the new Carpet Kit in Black has already shipped and should be in Texas by this weekend!

[Datsun.David]

Glad you went to black Dan! Then if you go back to thunder black, you can sell the black interior if it isn't worn out and use it to help with the red interior budget. 558 was thunder black with red interior too... But seriously worn out everywhere...

[datsun65]

Yeah, I temporarily fitted a black dash pad to the roadster, and going back to a stock color looks so much better.

This evening, I removed the Grant Steering Wheel that had been fitted to the vehicle. Wheel was very loose / Spine nut was loose because it was missing its washer...Yikes!

Anyhow, wheel isn't bad...just not my style..



Went to fit the replacement Datsun 510 SSS wheel, but had no luck. It is the right spline, but the roadster spline sits too far back for the steering to thread the shaft.

[datsun65]

Back to the drawing board on the steering wheel.

Tried out an original unrestored EMPI GT Steering wheel from the late 60's / early 70's. Fit perfect. Now if I could only find a stock horn button/base...

[Datsun.David]

Talk to Bob2... He has a secret Empi pipeline as near as I can tell...

dw

[Datsun.David]

Or, drill and tap a bolt into the center of the shaft and use a washer to hold on the SSS wheel...