Project Unicorn, the resurrection of 1967.5 Datsun 2000 SRL-00342

[ppeters914]

Getting a Little Color

A quick update from the paint shop--

The undercoating on this car was in excellent condition, just needed a refresh of color, so that was done on the rotisserie:

More updates soon!

Michael

Color me jealous. Looks way better than my paint job, which is nice, but I'm guessing this one cost 3x or more what I paid.

[spriso]

Getting Closer

Checked in on the 67.5 tonight-- and it's getting close to getting some color on it-- hopefully should have some exterior color on it this week:



Dash top:



Underside of the dashboard:



Inside of trunk:



Getting closer...

Michael

[ppeters914]

Geez... amazing. Even the trunk looks almost mirror smooth. Guess it's not the stock black.

[spriso]

Pete wrote:

Guess it's not the stock black.

It's Thunder Black (code 505), but will probably pop a lot more the way that modern paint can be finished these days.

Michael

[ppeters914]

Pete wrote:

Guess it's not the stock black.

It's Thunder Black (code 505), but will probably pop a lot more the way that modern paint can be finished these days.

Michael

Well, that and all the prep work.

[Alvin]

Excited for more updates I love it! Really interested in how the interior/chassis/drivetrain come together

[spriso]

Putting it Back Together

The frame is back from powder coating-- it needed a severe steam clean to get the caked oil off of it-- let's just call it a protective layer of corrosion protection!



But now that is all behind us, and now we can concentrate on bolting all the bits back together... The frame has been setup in a clean, well lit area, and this weekend I will be working on the front suspension and steering components:



The jigsaw puzzle of parts has been laid out, ready to be installed, one-by-one:



I have a big box of components to bolt onto the frame, so this should keep me busy most of the weekend...

Michael

[RCMike]

Putting it Back Together


I have a big box of components to bolt onto the frame, so this should keep me busy most of the weekend...

Michael

I love this part when it's all clean like this.. makes it such a fun job..

[Gregs672000]

Must be hard to go to sleep as you imagine the car coming together... so fun, and beautiful!

[spriso]

More progress on the Unicorn this weekend.

Powder coating the frame is always rewarding, and seeing that perfect finish is awesome, but you must remember that the powder coating gets nearly everywhere, and places like where there are threads need cleaning out to get the residue off before attempting to bolt in new hardware:



This is a great time to chase out the threads with a tap, and I use a little WD-40 before and after to help lubricate the threads:



After that was completed, I broke out one of Pat's (Dynaguy) bolt kits-- which really make bolting all this stuff back together a dream.



Then the rebuilt steering box and idler were installed:





New upper and lower ball joints, and cross spindles and bushings installed:



Then the stock caliper mounts and rotor backing plates were installed-- it has been years since I have put stock brakes back on a roadster, so that was a little different:



So, now all that is left is to rebuild the front hubs, and get some new stock brakes on the front end. I am considering putting on a set of JT's Bilstein shocks on this too, even though we are trying to keep this as stock as possible-- easily reverted back to stock if someone insisted, but the improvement in driving quality is worth this minor mod, IMHO-- we will see what the customer says.

More soon,

Michael

[ACote]

Wow, looks better than new! Truly a dream car build

[spriso]

Thunder Black!

Got a great update from the paint shop today, with some shots of the car as it came out of the booth in its new coat of Thunder Black!









And now the color sanding can begin-- seems weird, but this is how we get the ultra fine finish on the exterior of the car.

The car was painted a couple weeks ago, with 3 layers of tinted primer, 3 layers of black paint, and 5 coats of clear. After 48-hours the top coat of clear was sanded down, and left open for 2-weeks to allow the paint to outgas and breathe. Jayme starts with 800-grit sand paper, then goes to 1000, 1500, 2000, and then finally 3000 grit. This will be a month long process, with him being very methodical, taking his time, and making sure that everything is perfect. You may note that he does not sand close to the edges-- that will occur in the final stages of sanding, so not to burn thru the paint.

Tonight I visited the car and saw it sanded back with the 800-grit:









Panels lined up on the body racks, waiting to be color sanded, and then will be installed and gaped to make sure everything lines up perfectly.



More soon!

Michael

[Shamus980]

Mike Spriso... do I see a camaro ss in the background above??? Ha, You are one lucky guy to be surrounded by classics!! Btw., does your fastener supplier Pat (dynaguy) sell those nuts & bolt packages to the public?? If so., can you forward me his contact info? I would like to replace all the fasteners with new ones on my 69. Thanks in advance. Great work., your unicorn project is inspirational.... shamus.

[notoptoy]

This is turning out amazing, your paint and body guy is top notch!

[Shamus980]

Nevermind Mike. I recognized that name. Pat (dynaguy). His supply is sold out., he’s retired, I believe I spoke to him months ago and he sent me in the right direction. Thanks anyways... shamus.