The Roadsterstein Rust Rocket build thread!!!

[windy311]

I love what you have done so far.when i was reading your story and notice you call it a Datto just like an Aussie would i never see American's write it that way.
You can buy cheap spray guns and compressors online or harbour freight.

[Tomakze]

I love what you have done so far.when i was reading your story and notice you call it a Datto just like an Aussie would i never see American's write it that way.
You can buy cheap spray guns and compressors online or harbour freight.

Thanks!!! I am not sure when I started saying "Datto," maybe from reading so many Australian build threads online, lol! I never realized that was an Australian thing. I looked at Harbor Freight's compressors, but they don't have one in a size I like... I may pick up a Kobalt brand compressor from Lowes instead. I will have to do some research.

I think I might get some work done on the car today, I need to swap in the GM alternator after I fried mine. Then, in the next couple weeks, I will send the car in to finish building the rear brake brackets so I can actually finish the job! The car has been off the road now for well over a year!

I am also looking at upgrading my daily driver right now. My '92 Accord is getting pretty tired (247,000 miles!) so I am looking at getting a 2012 Kia Soul or a 2011 Kia Forte (5 door) to replace it. I want the extra storage space, and you just can't beat the price they are selling for! Plus, a six speed manual transmission sounds fun. I just need to make sure this doesn't halt the work on the Datto!

[Tomakze]

It has been a long time, but finally I have something new to report on the car! I sent it in to have the caliper mounts built about a year ago.I gave it to a guy who has been my friend and mechanic for about 6 years. It took him over a year to finish it! Not sure he will ever see the car again.... Anyway, he did get it done, and I have begun working on it again.

She sat for a very long time, and she is filthy now... The rattle can paint job has finally given up after 3 years. This is how it currently looks:



The new brakes in the rear:



Last night, I decided to do something fun and easy to get me back into the game since I haven't worked on it in so long, so I replaced the radio since the old one was a cassette player from the 80's or 90's...



This new radio has an AUX port, so I can play music from my phone! Best part, the radio was free! It is used, and the FM antenna doesn't work on it, but I never listen to the radio anyway, so I don't care. I also wired the car for speakers, which will be a later project. While I was back there, I had to pull the choke cable to remove the center console, and as a result, I discovered why my choke has never worked properly...



It is frayed very badly. I'm not even sure if one of the cables is still attached... I plan on using the instructions on the PMWIKI tech section to rebuild it, and will also relocate it to where the hand throttle cable currently is. I think the reason it frayed is because it got jammed behind the old radio. My hand throttle cable doesn't work anyhow, and I like that placement more. Problem solved!

I have also decided to try to repaint the car this fall, since the old paint has reached the end of its life. I plan to repaint the car its original color, which was white. I am going to do the Rustoleum in a paint gun thing, because I can get great results for about $50. Unfortunately, my car's body is a MESS. Rust, bondo, rust, fiberglass, bondo, bondo, bondo, lol! So, I am trying to figure out how best to tackle that problem... I have considered ZG style fender flares to replace the HORRIBLE rust around the wheel in the back (With front flares to match, obviously) and I have also considered replacing the front clip with the one from the yellow car.... here is why:



There are visible welds all over the place, rust holes, and poorly done fiberglass everywhere. It looks awful. The yellow car's front clip appears to have a little bondo, but it is not bad at all. Has anyone just replaced the front clip? How hard is it to do? I am not going for a perfect showcar, but is it really hard to get things to line up?

[Gregs672000]

Really enjoyed re-reading your posts! It is not hard to swap out the front fenders, and alignment is really a mater of time and patience. They will be different however, just based on the violations the car has experienced over the years, and you will have to address the side lights as well (to keep or to weld up). You will have to remove the doors to get at the fender bolts, and expect the bottom ones to break off. You will likely find a lot of at least surface rust in the wheel wells, if not big holes but all of that is fixable. Challenges like this don't appear to upset you so have at it! Looking forward to more posts on your Roadster adventure!

[Linda]

Just like to compliment you for being a young guy with so many resto skills! Very impressed!

Linda

[notoptoy]

Welcome Back to the game!

[Garm]

You've been off longer than I've been on -- welcome back, and keep up the great work!

[Tomakze]

Really enjoyed re-reading your posts! It is not hard to swap out the front fenders, and alignment is really a mater of time and patience. They will be different however, just based on the violations the car has experienced over the years, and you will have to address the side lights as well (to keep or to weld up). You will have to remove the doors to get at the fender bolts, and expect the bottom ones to break off. You will likely find a lot of at least surface rust in the wheel wells, if not big holes but all of that is fixable. Challenges like this don't appear to upset you so have at it! Looking forward to more posts on your Roadster adventure!

Thanks so much! I am glad you are enjoying my little adventure, lol. The biggest challenge I have right now, is that I still have no garage of my own to work in. Everything I do, I have to borrow my parent's garage to get it done. This greatly limits the scope of what I can do, because not only do they live in a different town, but they also want the car out by the end of the day, lol! This makes for slow going, but passion keeps me driven. My car is very important to me, obviously, and so is doing the work myself whenever possible.

Just like to compliment you for being a young guy with so many resto skills! Very impressed!

Linda

That is a great compliment!!! Thank you! Much of my "skills" come from reading this forum, and seeing the far more talented people's good work. I am kinda the only "do-it-yourselfer" in my family, so I keep learning as I go. Much of this car has been done on a tear it apart, and then figure out how to fix it basis! I have made dozens of mistakes, but that is part of why I wanted a somewhat ratty car, that way when I mess up, it is no real loss. I pulled her out of the grave anyway, so she is living on borrowed time. I suppose that is also why I like my car so much... like rescuing a sick puppy from a shelter, lol!

[Gregs672000]

Great way to learn! I really thought this was likely a family affair, where you and some other "experienced" adult was influencing and assisting, but you're on your own and that makes it even more impressive! I too did not have a family member who did the car thing AT ALL, so I relied on other like-minded friends and adults to teach me, or I taught myself (thank you Chiltons! My Datsun 620 Pick up manual was well worn! My dad was a great Psychologist, but his deep comments about the fact that the car would not fix itself until it truly wanted to be better did not help! ). When it is all said and done you will know that car inside and out, and that comes in handy when the lights go out for some reason and you are able to track it down in the dark in 30 seconds cause you know the car!

Happy to encourage, support and guide as needed... great community this is!

[Tomakze]

Thanks, Greg!

My Dad is also a psychologist, ironically!!! He is a car guy, and has a '72 Vette as a project car, but he doesn't do much more than drive it. When it needs work, he calls in help. I can't properly take pride in something unless I have had my hands all over it for some reason... Dad was pretty pissed when my automotive knowledge surpassed his, lol. Now he reluctantly comes to me for advice every now and then .

Cars aren't my Dad's biggest hobby, but they have been mine ever since I could talk. When everyone else wanted to be a fireman or police officer, I wanted to own my own car company, lol! My dreams have grown up a but since then, and now I have started going back to school for (probably) mechanical engineering. Right now I am getting all the basics out of the way while working full-time and supporting myself. This makes for slow going on the car, and a very limited budget. Getting my degree should help me in that area though... Hopefully I can start going to school full time instead, so I might graduate sometime before I need a nursing home, lol!

[pebbles]

I liked your paint so much, I was going to do a "weekender" on Andy. Well,,,,,that was in October,,,,,The only suggestion I can make is, do one panel at a time,,,,or It can get away from you.

[Tomakze]

I liked your paint so much, I was going to do a "weekender" on Andy. Well,,,,,that was in October,,,,,The only suggestion I can make is, do one panel at a time,,,,or It can get away from you.

I have been following your thread, and holy cow has it been inspirational! You sure went all out! I love reading all your new posts! If I had the garage space and time to do what you are doing, I would, but unfortunately, I am not so lucky. I get a few hours at a time in the garage. I hate to say it, but this car will likely get another bondo treatment just to get by... It will be disassembled at least partially for paint, just so I can get the door jams and such, but that is about it.

[Tomakze]

Well, I dove right in yesterday! I pulled the choke cable, removed the alternator, ordered a new air filter, removed the carbs, and installed speakers!



My buddy came over to work on his engine, too. He is building a turbo Honda Wagovan RT4WD, lol! Should be quite a sleeper.



The security system I purchased for the car... it has zone detection, so if someone reaches in the car (even with the top down,) the alarm will sound! I also bought power door locks, and will be deleting the key cylinders in the doors since I have no key (And they don't work,) in favor of the power ones with a key fob.



This is the choke cable... see how kinked it is? that is why the cables jammed, and ultimately frayed. The cable was stuck behind the radio. I will relocate the choke cable to avoid this.



This is damage I will be fixing today! The burned/corroded wire is the white power wire for the car. I will replace the damaged section and maybe beef it up a little since I have 8awg wire laying around. More on this later.



This alternator is IDENTICAL to the old one as far as pulley size and mounts. I don't think the old one was the original though, because it said "Mitsubishi" on the back.I plan to wire the new one up to the safety brake light in the dash. Now the "B" will mean "battery," lol.



NEW SPEAKERS!!!! These Kickers sound INCREDIBLE. They mounted right in the hole, with no mods other than screwing them in. This is the first time the car has had a working radio, and it is glorious. I hooked the battery up to a trickle charger and we jammed all night while we worked. Amazing bass from 5.25" speakers, they vibrate the whole car!



And does anyone know what this is/does? I am curious... I was cleaning up the engine bay, and wasn't sure. The old alternator had a lot of wires that won't be used any more, and I wondered if maybe this was an external regulator.

[Tomakze]

I changed the name of the thread, as a side note... My "budget roadster" has broken it's budget about a thousand times, and wants to some more. Besides, it has kinda become the Frankenstein monster, what with all the other car parts being used! I hope you don't mind, I think the new name has a nice ring to it!!!

[Gregs672000]

Lookin good man! The stock alts were made by mitsubishi. Check that white wire all the way to the amp guage as that is where the overloads end up going, and you can burn the amp guage. I highly recommend installing a 30amp or more inline fuse in that white wire to protect your guage, otherwise the guage itself acts as the fuse, and a rather expensive one at that... ask me how I know!
Check the wiki for details if needed.
Psych for dad? No wonder you're so well adjusted!