Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

A few year ago I agreed to do the body work and paint on my friend Bill's '70 1600. The car had been done a few years ago and looked pretty decent. When I removed the interior side panels just behind the doors and looked inside the inner fenders I discovered about 4-6 inches or more of sand filling the whole area on both sides... I have no idea how it all got in there. Took a lot of compressed air blasting and shop vacing to get that all out, and even when I thought I was done I would come back and find more that seemed to magically appear overnight!

Initial fit is uplifting. Andy was fighting me, he didnt want these peices to come back off! they fit so well. Some prep and paint on the backsides,,,then back on for the last time!!!,,,I may miss my Christmas schedule for paint,,,but at the same time, Andy and I are feeling good about the solid work we've accomplished! (the front of this car was so bad).

Who said we arent athletes!!

Fit looks great! Especially considering what it looked like before! Nice work.

The fit really does look fantastic, very consistent gaps. I envy those out there with such great body work skills!

Thanks guys. The Roadster has been challenging. My eyes are bigger than my stomach,,er pocketbook,,er something about a basket case,,,dont think about what it is ,,think about what it could be!!! my weakness,,,,
My thinking is that with ALL the fender bolts and grille bolts and hood rubber and such installed, it may give the car a little fiirmness/rigidity that it was lacking, (flex). Its comforting to know that stuff isnt flapping in the wind.

I only have to "resize" 3 holes out of about 40!! Thats a good fit.

Man, you do disgustingly nice work! I really enjoy watching your progress... could learn a lot from you.

Gregs672000 wrote:Man, you do disgustingly nice work! I really enjoy watching your progress... could learn a lot from you.

Thanks Greg.
You all have set the bar p-r-e-t-t-y high already ,,,just trying to follow along.

Cut a lil bitOroadster and made a lil bitOroadster.

Sometimes cleaning up is put off for way too long. Then again, it can be rewarding realizing the project is on to the next phase.
Off to the painter, woo hoo,,,,,,,,,oh wait,,

Stopped at the paint store today Have I been living under a rock? Or cutting and welding for far to long. One quart of lacquer for 125.00!!! The Nickel free stuff was 70.00. Guess Ill be tinting some of the old stock for cutting in the fenders.
Sanded this fenderwell with 80 then 180, sandblasted the lil rust spots. Ill prime the bare, then prime the whole thing, (fenderwell) scotchbrite that then 2 passes with the custom mix old stock lacquer. Then apply paintable undercoat/chipguard at some point. There is a small gap around the headlite bucket, I may seam seal after paint, or double up on the undercoat. Ill try a test panel with a double app.

More nice work, and yes, you must have been living under a rock, paint has been super pricey for a while now!

notoptoy wrote:More nice work, and yes, you must have been living under a rock, paint has been super pricey for a while now!

Hmm, I guess its like gasoline, I remember 34 cents a gallon.
Paint was 20.00 a quart and 60.00 for a gallon,,,unless it was red. then it was more.

I saw a matte black Z at Canby last summer. The owner stated that the paint alone was $1000.00!!

I painted my buddy Erics 660 Z with a Suby Chromabase/clear (2.5 gallons) a few years ago, and it was 500.00 for paint.

Guess Ill be careful not to spill any when the time comes.

Centari single stage, 531, 1 gallon $250.00, no cut, no rub.

Is that Centari single stage enamel? In CA it can no longer be used. You did mention lacquer, are you
perhaps using a lacquer paint for top coat?
I too am amazed at paint cost.

Linda

I don't know if it's total crap, but the Duplicolor Paintshop line is pretty reasonable, although color choice is limited. It's supposed to be very similar to old fashioned laquer and sprays out of the can. I saw one of the TV shows painted a few cars with it, looked nice, but they are a sponsor....

We used Centari single stage black with a lot of "wet look" hardener in it on my friend Tom's car. The "painter" (his friend with a paint gun basically) laid down a nice orange peel... hours of wet sanding and buffing however and it came out like a black mirror. It's good paint and can really come out nice.