Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Hi! This is Eric. I'm from northwest Ohio. I don't own a roadster yet, but am seriously looking into buying one. I found a couple later (68-69)SPL311s on craigslist- $1000 for a project and $2000 for a runner that will need a clutch. I prefer the runner since I can just pop in a new clutch, drive it and do little improvements as I find needed. I've sworn not to do a full tear down again until I'm retired or have the space for it. My question is, what should I look out for? Thanks in advance.

There is a really good buyers guide on this site in the WIKI section. It came in handy when I was looking for my car. As always, get the best one you can afford.

DnCrs13 wrote:As always, get the best one you can afford

I second that. And in my opinion Rust is the single most expensive item to remedy - avoid it or choose the one with the least amount if a choice between two!!

datu wrote: I've sworn not to do a full tear down again until I'm retired or have the space or it.

Hot Damn! You are the man!! That is the best plan that you can have when buying ANY car that is not a daily driver.

That being said, a couple of questions.

What is your end plan for the car? Original or modified?

What is your level of skill? Great body man, awesome mechanic, upholsterer extraordinaire?

How deep are your pockets? Do you need to stay under a couple of grand, or is the sky the limit?

How hard do you drive? Closet Mario Andretti, or low and slow?

Do you like more luxury, more of a classic look, or a more vintage feel to your interior?

Are you tall (over about 6') or shorter?

Do you want to have something unique among the uniques, or do you want to be more of a mainstream guy? (yes, I know that Roadsters are not mainstream, but I think you know what I mean here)

Those will drive which direction you need to go. Once you HONESTLY answer those to yourself, find the BEST candidate that you can possibly afford to fit in your budget. Realize that unless you are a world class scrounger the car will end up costing 3-4 times (or more) what you are planning. If you want to share the answers to the above, then I will be happy to give you my opinion on the best direction to go.

notoptoy wrote:Those will drive which direction you need to go. Once you HONESTLY answer those to yourself, find the BEST candidate that you can possibly afford to fit in your budget. Realize that unless you are a world class scrounger the car will end up costing 3-4 times (or more) what you are planning

Once you answer all those questions, remember that every answer will likely change once you get into the project and reality set in! And 3-5 times the planned or estimated cost is probably conservative!!

Were it me, I would watch the classifieds for West Coast or Southern cars and pay the premium for having it transported. Fuel prices are a bit lower now, so not as bad as last year. The lack of rust will more than pay for itself in the long run. Roadster math is tricky. It may cost $5000.00 to make a $2000.00 car into a car that you can buy for $5000.00. The difference gets wider as the value/quality goes up. If you are planning on spending "$X" amount now for purchase and then "$Y" for repairs, in the long run you're better off spending the close to the total money for the initial purchase and less on refurb.

Here's my Basic roadster guide.
The order I put the cars in below is the normal progression of the disease, with a purchase not always following a sale. There is no cure, treatments can be expensive, spouses usually are immune.

68-70 models Plastic dash, More headroom. 70's tend to be cheapest, as some don't like the taillights.
66-67.5 1600 Metal dash, 1600 engine classic looks
63-64 310 1500 3 seats, very vintage looking, tougher to find some model specific parts, 4 wheel drum brakes
65 1500..Sort of a halfway car, I like them.
67.5 2000 classic looks, bigger engine biggest price

If I had to pick only one for me as an only/first roadster, I'd get a 66-67.5 1600, best bang for the buck and the older classic styling. The 1600 4 speed is very nice for all but long highway trips.

Market pricing trends
68-70 1600Cheapest and available
68-70 2000Faster, not as cheap and very available..
66-67.5 1600 Nice, classic style medium price by condition
63-65 1500'sCool, different, prices vary widely by condition
67.5 2000, big buy in.

Great tips, Sid and Dave.
and nice (and in places painfully accurate) summary, Dave. Sid's constant reminder to new owners to "drive it for 1-2 years before you decide on the direction you want to go" is sage advice as well (or is that thyme-ly?), as while all the car-addict world revolves around "more hp", it is only until you experience the fun, zippy enjoyment of a nicely turned out 1600 that you can decide on the right path forward. (even if it is to stroke that 1600 and not tell anyone else...)

Oh, one last thing. If Pat Mahoney ever does another offering of "bolt packs" (bagged, labeled kits of new bolts for each location on the car), don't pass it up. I just finished a front suspension teardown, and those kits are worth their weight in GOLD!

FergO2k wrote:Oh, one last thing. If Pat Mahoney ever does another offering of "bolt packs" (bagged, labeled kits of new bolts for each location on the car), don't pass it up. I just finished a front suspension teardown, and those kits are worth their weight in GOLD!

I believe bolt packs are available from FairladyParts.com

Thanks for your inputs! I've decided to pass up on the cars I've mentioned and keep contributing to my roadster fund until I have enough for a clean low windscreen 1600. But who knows, if I come across a parts car I may pick it up just to take it apart and learn from the experience.

That is a sensible approach. Keep your eyes open through the winter, especially around February. Credit card bills from the Holidays arrive and sometimes cars get sold in a hurry for cheap.

Well, this is what I ended up with:


68 2000, brought it home yesterday. I'll keep you guys updated.

Congrats! When you have time, post more pics and details.

That looks really good, for a start! Looks like a great headstart with a solid body.

Looks good, and as far as I can tell I have not owned that car, which is a good thing where did you find it?

Let us know how it looks when you get into it

Looks much better than mine at the start. The only thing mine had at the start in it's favor was NO RUST! Welcome to Roadster ownership!