Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Congratulations, sounds good, post a video from your first drive. Your patience (24 years!) finally pays off!

funkaholik wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 9:58 am … Working on building an exhaust today. Then I'll put the doors on and go for a first drive.

Can’t imagine how great of a moment that will be for you!

Woo hoo, congrats! It's been a very long time indeed.

Sounds great muffler or not. That had to be a good feeling for sure.

S

Well. A big HOG is 1600cc. Pretty close sounding without a muffler.
Congratulations!! Your ages ahead of me getting it the car back together!

So incredibly awesome!

You've done everything right, and deserve every bit of joy you'll get out of this car.

Much respect.
pm

Funkaholik: I also read Spyder's post about doing this and have all the parts to do the same for my 1600 (spare mech tach, 7K RPM tach from Autometer). What I need is a means to generate a signal to calibrate the needle to the faceplate. I have no bench-top signal generator. What was your "ignition box" that you used to generate a steady signal for 4K RPM?

-jt

I used a digital HP box from Pertronix. Since I was wiring it up on the car anyway, it was convenient that it has a feature that can generate a steady signal and show any rpm you choose in order to test your tach.

Here is a link:
https://pertronixbrands.com/products/di ... 7294858276

You're in San Jose? I used to prowl the streets of San Jo in the 90's in my 1600, before I moved to Santa Monica. You know, back when gas was cheap and housing was affordable...

In the immortal words of Kurtis Blow:

Breaks run cold and breaks run hot
Some folks got 'em and some have not

Well, right now I am firmly in the "not" category. Bleeding the back brakes went just fine. Went to bleed the front and found that the bleeder screw on the passenger's caliper was stripped and wouldn't seal. So, I went and had some lunch. I returned to find a growing puddle under the car, and discovered that the larger, front brake reservoir had leaked all out of the bottom of the master cylinder.

This is the part where I thanked myself for using dot 5 fluid in my system. Half the firewall, parts of the frame, the lift and the floor were now covered in fluid. It would have been an epic disaster if it had been dot 3 or 4 fluid. All that paint would be ruined, and I'd be in a fetal position for a few days.

I ordered a new caliper. And the person I got the master from was very apologetic and sent me a replacement right away.

In the meantime, I decided to do something that made me smile. So I installed the freshly chromed grille and headlight scoops.



After that, I grilled some fresh-caught oysters with garlic, butter, white wine, and pecorino romano.



Life is much better now.

Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo

Got the new caliper and new master installed & bled.

No leaks!! Hallelujah!

Also got the exhaust pipe through the second part of the frame done & welded to the muffler.

Chipping away at the list.

Such a bummer about the first brakes go 'round, but it sounds like you've got it all sorted out!

Photos look great.

Sooo close, and very excited for you.

Go, Erik, Go!

Did you totally flush the old brake fluid with something prior to putting dot5 Jin? Or just keep topping the reservoir and pumping the petal till it was cleared out?

funkaholik wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 12:03 am

In the meantime, I decided to do something that made me smile. So I installed the freshly chromed grille and headlight scoops.

Nice patina. That actually looks really good. Are you going to keep it like that? Cool.

Since all the brake components are new, from master to lines to calipers and wheel cylinders, I didn't really need to flush. Just fill, bleed, leak, replace, refill, rebleed.

My car has most of what's left of the original paint from 1970, though much of it is down to the red primer or surface rust. I think "patina" is being generous. I would call it patina plus, or maybe psycho calico. I am leaving the outside just as it is for now. I painted the engine bay, since everything was out, and the front center valance, since it was NOS and stripped to bare metal. I just want to drive and enjoy her for a while. Plus I won't obsess over any scratches! Once I can get the car in line to be worked on by the guy who's doing my friend's roadster in San Jose, I'll go for body & paint. See page 14 of this thread for pics of his work.

Got the carbs balanced today using a "snail" type synchronizer. Anyone with dual carbs should buy one immediately. Unlike the flat Uni-Syn that chokes the airflow down, this thing can just sit on there while you make adjustments. And, it's really easy to read. Anyways, it was running rough and the carbs were way off. Much smoother and more responsive now. Got the idle mixture screws adjusted to the best of my ability on cylinders 1, 2 & 3, then I had to quit for dinner. #4 will get done tomorrow. Then I guess I'll put the doors on and hit the streets for the first time since 1998. Sure, it only has half an exhaust system, but at least its the front half...

Snail:
https://www.amazon.com/Latest-Rage-5385 ... 4882&psc=1

Post a video of tge first drive! I’m envious as I ve a heap of things to do yet,

Have a blast w/o the muffler!!