Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Is that rear deck panel rusted out? It actually looks like the trunk might have been rusted out and someone replaced that sheet metal and cut the package shelf area. It's really odd that that piece would be rusted thru, yet the package shelf and trunk look great (the trunk metal looks really clean)...they are both flat surfaces that would hold water (like your floor pans) but instead the vertical metal rusted? I had a Sports Imports floor panel in one of my Roadsters and the fit was perfect and install was easy. It looks like your moving right along...keep us updated!

v/r
Buddy

Yea the vertical panel is rusted at the bottom. The trunk panel isn't in that great of shape. It looks like water got in the trunk and sat there and rusted out the bottom of the vertical panel. I feel the body is going to need about 90% of the internal panels replaced. I know I could probably find a donor body in better shape but one of the reason I wanted to take on this project was to really learn full body restore. This will definitely be a full body restore and more.....

Well that's a great attitude, and you will certainly learn a lot of skills replacing those panels. Thanks for posting, enjoying watching your progress.
Tom

Hey guys, To am trying to get the windshield and dash out before I lift the body. I the four bolts on the side of the frame are obvious but I don't see the two underneath. I looked at the picture of this one being sold on ebay but I don't see the studs on the frame everyone talks about in other posts on the site. What am I missing? Where are these two extra bolts under the dash?

Here are the pics I was looking at http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datsun-Roadster ... 738wt_1163

And then how is the dash held on? Will it come out in one section?

I bought the datsun books but the detail on things like this are minimal. Was there an actual shop manual that Datsun created?

Thanks!

Going from memory, they should be about a 1/3 of the way in from each side, and stick straigh down from the frame into the body. I think one is behind the glove box area and the other is around the Steering wheel area, obviously in line with the windshield frame. The one in the picture lools like they are missing!

the two studs are nearer the middle of the windshield and are near the wiper motor and thereshould be 7/16 nut on each stud. soak them with a good shot of WD40 or Moovit because you dont want to break them off.

Ross
sports imports

I just did this recently.

There are two nuts that you need to remove - they are around 7/16" but I'm not sure exactly. If you get up under the dash, you should see them just fwd of the wiper motor.

Good luck!

James

Thanks guys! I finally found this image:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/ful ... 3787YwjwfH

Made some progress last night. Got the body off the frame. The frame is actually in pretty decent shape. I am surprised considering the shape of the body. The only bad place I found was at the cross member right under the driver side floor. This isn't surprising seeing how there was no driver side floor! We attached the straps to the seat belt bolt location and then to the door supports I made. It balanced out pretty nice!

Lifting it up!



Shot of the body next to the frame.



I think I am going to look for a rotiserre to do the body restore. I think it will make my life much easier!

Later guys and Happy New Year!

Looking good! There was a thread, or at least a reference to a rotissere set-up here somewhere - a pretty neat set-up and inexpensive - you may want to do a search on the term.

Mark Sedlack's site under inspirational links..detailed instructions. It looks like you're off and running...good luck with the resto.

v/r
Buddy

Well I usually have time for my projects but life has been a little crazier than normal. Luckily I finally picked this project back up and I am ready to tear into it. I pulled a piece of the floor and decided that I really need this thing to be on a rotisserie so I decided to fix the front body mounts in the engine compartment to mount it to the spinner.

This is what I started with. Passengers side:





Drivers side:



Luckliy the mount for the passenger side can be reused but the drivers side is gone. I will have to rebuild that.

I started on the passenger side. Got the sheet metal on the inside of the wheel well cut out and ready to be tacked in:





I will rebuild the entire channel and then remount the body mount. After I get these two done I will be able to mount it on the spinner and get to the rest of the body work.

Hopefully now that I have started I will be able to keep a steady pace on it.

Later

Ugh! That was worse than mine, and that's saying a lot! You're smart to do a frame off. Is the top cap on the frame rusted through too? Good thing you can weld. I had to rivet in mine, but 26yrs later it is still solid as a rock. You're missing some of the battery mount, and other pieces have been added. I just removed the part of the battery hold down bracket that bolts next to the frame mount on the firewall side as I have moved my battery to the trunk and no longer need it... at least so far, and while not rare or anything if you need one you can have it (yep, Greg is giving away parts off his car again, but I figure I will never need it, and if I do someone will have one for me!). Yours has some kind of plate welded or bolted in that spot per the pic.

Guess you don't have to worry about cutting out the driver's side plate for easier access to the starter!!!

That is a good point on the starter. I was wondering why that was missing. I assumed it just completely rusted out but someone might of removed it to get to the starter.

Since I am doing an SR20 swap I plan on putting it back. It is a pretty hefty piece of steel and seems to offer a fair amount of support to that mount.

I haven't purchased the S20 yet but I am pretty sure the started is on the other side of the stock 1600.