Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

AidanDawn2000 wrote:Wow that is looking sweet Stacey!

It is amazing what some general cleaning followed by some sanding work and some primer and paint will do!
Now it is just always showing little specks of dust and dirt on it and it has not left my garage yet.

svwilbur wrote:Actually I also fairly much completed my major Timing chains, all sprockets, new swapped refurbed head with better cam stands, new ground B-Cam, new rockers, lashpads, head gasket and all the rest (pretty much all from JT68) He also helped guide me all the way along! Thanks JT!!!

and also painted the engine and engine bay and installed a new intake manifold, carb lines and such. I need to replace the carbs with the new refurbs soon but I am waiting to get some miles on the rockers and cam before I swap in the newer carbs as I don't want to have to dork with setting up the new carbs with the new rockers and cam in place before those get broken in more.

I also cleaned all the wiring, replaced some connectors and cleaned up everything under there.

I also installed some stickers and a new ID plate. Just trying to bring it all back to life as stuff was getting warn looking.

But basically this job is finally done. I need to start driving it now!!!!!!!

I just need the roads to get cleaned up and dry. We have had 70, yes seventy, inches of rain since Oct 1! the roads are literally falling off the hill on my main road in 3 places. Those wont get fixed until late summer if lucky but as long as they get a bit more dry and some of the dirt gets blown to the side I think I will start taking it out.

Nice work for sure! Super stocker clean!

frustrated wrote:I joined this forum. I am frustrated that I have put many dollars into bringing back a 1970 SRL from the dead. All mechanical renewals are completed in order to make it roadworthy. I am now stuck with a Solex problem, seemingly. It ran well for a while and then the slow speed running started misbehaving. Full throttle no problem. I took it back to the British car restorer who agreed to take on this resurection project to see if he could figure it out. He rebuilt the carbs. No change. #1 cylinder was not firing, evidently. He took it to his 'expert' to put their heads together and I got it back with #1 firing but #2 not. His comment was that he thinks it might be the head-gasket. Doesn't seem right to me and I sure don't want to remove the head on a 'might.' Any comments, suggestions? Anyone know of a shop in the mid-Atlantic region up to this? Specifically as close to Delaware as possible.
George Davis

Frustrated, it does sound like a head gasket problem or possibly a valve, but definitely don't tear into anything without doing a compression test. Two adjacent low ones is nearly always indicative of a bad head gasket. Compression testers are cheap!

Thanks. If I remember correctly, all four were about 165, but it could be that I was checking prior to the final situation. I'll do another.

Sometimes experts are just the opposite...
Sounds like we have a U20 with Solex carbs, correct? Please let me know if there are any other changes from stock (distributor, cam, ignition mods, etc). Also, status of tune (what's been done, adjusted, replaced)? What was the engines condition when you got it?
Also, what is your level of mechanical ability and understanding? Sounds like you know enough to do a compression check, which is a good place to start. What do the dead cylinder plugs look like? I understand the carbs have been "rebuilt" but what does that really mean?

Do the compression check and repost as that should tell you if the gasket is blown. We are here to help you, but it will be step by step and there may be a learning curve. You can do this! You may want to start a separate thread to get more members involved.

Thanks Gregg,
I am researching EI since that seemed a good time waster while avoiding doing any wrenching. I would say that I have a lot of over-the-shoulder watching experience, very little of doing the work myself. The engine is an amalgam of two. It was assembled by a friend, now deceased. The block came from and engine built by a mechanic with extensive Datsun knowledge. It should be bullet-proof. The head came from an engine maintained by the same mechanic but had a rally cam on it that was then switched out and installed on the block, I think. In other words the engine is a Frankenstein. I had the car in my garage and was not doing anything with it when my brother asked if he could have it. I gave it to him with the conditions that he keep it registered and would drive it regularly. About two years later I asked to see it. It was mostly destroyed. I asked him when he drove it last and he said over a year ago. I took it back and found someone who restores British cars who was willing to bring it back to life. He has gone as far as his expertise allows. The Datsun mechanic, who used to maintain the collector/antique cars of some duPonts here in Delaware, since moved to California and is now moving to Utah and having a knee replaced just after, has told me to wait for his recommendations before dropping any more money. He is talking months and since I have to learn sometime, I figured I might as well try on my own. So in short, things you would expect to have been changed to bring a moldering car back to life have been changed.

Disassembled a servo 5 speed where the shift forks locked up. Everything moves freely now...but will replace bearings, synchros and seals while it's apart.

After about 12 years of ownership, I drove my first 100 miles in my Roadster, and made it home in one piece! A big thanks to everybody on here who has helped along the way, from the vendors and other experts to fellow novice mechanics like me. I quite literally wouldn't have gotten to this point without the 311s.org community! The next time I go out I'll make sure to take photos!

Got the fuel sender (Speedhut) in, and almost have the gas tank installed. I'll post more pics in my build thread soon, I know the context is a little puzzling, more will be revealled (:



I hung the tank with two 2 inch polypropylene straps, with loops sewn in each end with heavy bonded polyester thread in a seat belt pattern. The tank is rounded (bent) where the straps hold, and I doubled the strap under the corners. With the smooth shank of a bolt in each end loop, I think most of the 800 lb per strap tensile rating is available. A full tank is 15 gal times 6 (gas) = 90lb, plus 4 lbs or so for the tank - 95/1600 seems adequate to account for shock loading, etc.
Michael

guyatou wrote:After about 12 years of ownership, I drove my first 100 miles in my Roadster, and made it home in one piece! A big thanks to everybody on here who has helped along the way, from the vendors and other experts to fellow novice mechanics like me. I quite literally wouldn't have gotten to this point without the 311s.org community! The next time I go out I'll make sure to take photos!

Congratulations Mike!

^^ Ditto! Congratulations on seeing the fruits of all your labor!

Congrats Guyatou, Mike, let's see some pics soon.
And let's raise a toast to novice mechanics!

Linda

So, I found some stuff at Home Depot last night that will work as a fuel tank strap insulator. It's 1.75" wide vinyl strip for door thresholds. It comes in 3' lengths. Tonight I'll be giving it a go and gluing pieces of it to my newly painted straps. I also plan on gluing two pieces to the top of the tank where it meets up with the bottom of the trunk floor.

Congrats mike on your successful 100mile outing!

Frustrated, see my PM...

Congrats Michael

Super jealous, looking forward to the pictures

Matthew