Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

I like to find some more information about this roadster.
It seems that this is Al James old roadster nr 7 (Portland, Oregon) from the 1970s.
If somebody can help me with photos or copy's so that I can restore it as it was.
Thanks Richard

Thats a cool car. Does Fairlady.org have any info on it? Good luck with the research project. You never know, you might have a really cool unknown car, perhaps a factory lightweight (no way to tell for sure.) If you weigh it and it comes up really light, you might be onto something. There really is no concrete way to verify that its a lightweight however. The other way to perhaps speculate is if you jack the car up and the door gaps get huge. I'm not in any way saying that it is, but the odds are there that it could be since lightweights came off the production line just like the normal ones did.

Will

I thought that the lightweights had a purple finish on the inside metal of the door skins...

actually there are a few ways to tell a lightweight. Look for aluminum hinges for the hood and trunk and the pedals for the clutch Brake and gas are clearly different. After that you do need to weigh the cars. And, last but not least, they were bodies in white, not purple.

R

No, I wasn't talking about paint. The panels had a purple cast to them - they were referred to as purple panel cars as a result. It was only where bare metal was seen...

After looking at Tim Arnett's Zoadster, we didn't find the light door hinges, nor did the panels have a purple tint to it. I don't think it had any white paint to it either, but when he scrapped the body it was a LOT lighter than the other cars he has scrapped. Tim did a ton of research to try to verify that it was or wasn't a lightweight car. The best he could do was perhaps it was. I took a ton of pics when Les brought Adam Corolla's lightweight up here for the BRE reunion and Motoring J-style a few years ago. There were lots of little things that both cars had, and a few that didn't match.


Over the years, things break and get replaced with other stuff so that makes it harder to make a positive ID.

Will

RC240z wrote:actually there are a few ways to tell a lightweight. Look for aluminum hinges for the hood and trunk and the pedals for the clutch Brake and gas are clearly different. After that you do need to weigh the cars. And, last but not least, they were bodies in white, not purple.

R

I heard that there were red ones also ( now in San Diego being restored ).

The two that I know of in San Diego are a little different, but not a lot. Only one has it's original frame the other is on a different frame.

Purple Drank!

That would be Gary's lightweight, which is a lightweight body on a "standard" frame. For a driver or a race car this is probably the best combo as the lightweight frame is really flimsy and does not hold up well.

That note explains the purple to which I was referring.

Hello im Todd Colvin my Father Vern Colvin Built the engiens and prept this car. I was raised in on and around this car. I dont know the last year Al drove this car I think the last National run offs Al was in was 1987. At one time Al was wanting to buy this car back but i have not spoke to him in a long time about it. I have some picks i can send but getting a hold of Al him self would be your best bet. He is living in South Washington. Its great that you have this car i cant count the times i almoust went flying out off it on a victory lap at P.I.R.

toddco wrote:Hello im Todd Colvin my Father Vern Colvin Built the engiens and prept this car. I was raised in on and around this car. I dont know the last year Al drove this car I think the last National run offs Al was in was 1987. At one time Al was wanting to buy this car back but i have not spoke to him in a long time about it. I have some picks i can send but getting a hold of Al him self would be your best bet. He is living in South Washington. Its great that you have this car i cant count the times i almoust went flying out off it on a victory lap at P.I.R.

Hi Todd.
Nice to hear from you.
It's still on the hood power by Colvin!
I think the car is almost the same as 25 years ago although I am not sure about the fiberglass fenders.
The rollbar is also changed over the years.
There is no engine and transmission and the last owners did a bad welding job were the brake master cylinder is located.
So all information is welcome.
Technical information about the engine (1600 or 2000 used) and transmission , photos or copy's , a log book etc?
I've got a color copy from Les Cannaday (see pic)
Most of it is still the same, power switch, mirror on the dash, small windscreen, color and I think even the number seven is from that period.
And I found this on the net:
http://www.datsun.org/fairlady/AlJames.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Richard

Richard, we have spoken before, I owned the car for awhile and I retained the logbooks and the body molds as part of the sale. I believe I still have the log books which were offered forsale with the car years ago and the buyer declined. The body molds for that complete body are forsale also. I have some photos and information on the car. you can reach me at Joe@toptechmotorsports.com or 503-502-4671 anytime. I have lot of actual racing experience with these cars and have restored one of the factory lighweight cars that still resides in longview washington. Anyway if I can help with info or you need an engine built for that car I would be happy to do what I can. I also own the old Vern Colvin, Stuska water break Dyno that the engines for this car and Scovilles cars were run on. This unit will be up forsale as I have not used it in many years..It would really complete the history on that car or the scoville cars should anyone be interested.

PS Will it is not a lightweight car, There is alot of misinformation about those cars spread around all the time.

Yes the seven in the pick is correct. Al had the fenders changed when SCCA allowed wider tires when he sold the car the moldes for the fenders whent with it. Al said all the race recordes went with the car and were very extensive, lap times and so on . Along with several limited slip diffs...
That is his son jumping in the car for a victory lap at PIR. Al ran the 1600 and at one time, just for fun had a 2 litter R and changed back to the 1600. ........ wasnt as much fun as he thought. If you can find it ABC,s Wide World Of Sports was covering the 1987 runoffs, i think it was at Road Atlanta and shows Al battling for first place. Dad had flown back at the last minute the help Jack, and Jeff Sckovile with some bent valves. Dad was in the Nissan tent straightening valves with a hamer and a staightedge. Said he got lots of laughs for it and i think Jeff ran 3 thens faster than any other Nissan after the fact finishing second to a big $$$$Toyota