Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Hi i'm new to the forum. I'm in the market for a roadster to get a little fun in the sun and for some nostalgic reasons.I found a 1966 listed on another site and went to have a look. The owner listed an extensive list of changes he's made to the car mechanically because of him using it for autocross. Basically what i'm trying to make for myself is a decent looking and livable daily driver for basically everything but winter. I got a chance to drive the car around the storage facility it's been in for the last 6-9 months. It drove very well and I don't doubt his claims about the various changes he has made. Last time we spoke the price was $7k does that sound like a fair deal?

Mechanical notes
He swapped in a later r-16 block which was bored and has a u20 crank (he's calling it around 2100cc). He has a pair of Weber side drafts rubber mounted on what he says is a Datsun competition intake(i don't know how to tell). The head is the original off the '66 block that has been professionally ported polished and shaved with complete Datsun competition valvetrain. He also installed what he called a 3/4 cam (which i found out is an old hot rodder term for a milder/streetable race cam). Also installed is a tubular header with a new exhaust all the way back. The car idles at around 1200rpm and rocks the thing around quite a bit. He has cut the springs in the front to drop it about an inch and changed some of the rear leaf springs. He told me the set of datsun comp. springs he put on resulted in too much understeer. The Frame is solid. He has a new clutch master and brake master on the car and he did the stock brakes all around within the year. He also modified a larger diameter sway bar for the front. He also deleted the heater.

Cosmetics
The car doesn't have any major visible damage. The drivers side rear around the tail lights has a bondo job which is many years old and starting to fall apart. There are some rust holes in corners of the rear fenders. Every single body panel has at least one ding and some of them several and the paint is basically done for. Almost all of the chrome on the car is heavily pitted and rusty. The interior is complete except for some racing seats he swapped in that have seen better days but aren't totally destroyed. Weatherstripping around the whole car is basically ruined. Soft top and hardtop are included with the car and both are in functional condition as well as a tonneau cover

Parts
included with the deal are quite a few spares including the original 3 main block and original carbs, engine internal parts, suspension, the heater core ,and tons of others.

It's tough to tell value sight unseen, and with only a few pictures, but, Based on what your stated goal is, a driver, I think you can get a better car for your money (at $7K). Unless you are looking for a race car, I personally would not buy one. I think you can find better candidates. Spend some time here to learn as much as possible, and look through the buyers guide so you know what to look for.

The high idle and rocking point to improperly balanced carbs

I would say don't buy unless you are capable and desire to work on her yourself.
Sounds like a bit of work to get her to a driver quality.
Also depends on where you live and how rough the roads are that you might be driving.
On AutoX cars, the tires and wheels are very important, I am not seeing an AutoX car, just a weekend toy.

Of hand, I would feel that 4K, with your needing to spend the rest to clean her up for a driver and that is only if you want to work on her yourself.

If not, I would look for a very clean driver in the 10K range.

A little closer look, she does look to have "Z" car wheels and new longer wheel studs.
I still can't imagine what class she is built to run. I would check on that with the local AutoX group to fill in the back story.
Was it built to be a legal car? It gives you a better idea of the seller.

Kind of hard to say without more detail, but a stroker with the comp intake (assuming not a Pierce manifold) and webers is worth more than 1/2 the asking price. (it would cost you more to start from scratch and a lot of time too.)

Keep in mind 2k doesn't buy much of anything in the way of a roadster, so that is basically the price of admission.

If the engine was professionally built, I'd say north of 5500, if just some guy, I'd agree you are back in the 4's.

The deciding factor for me would be the amount of rust. If you find some every where you look, walk away because there is usually a lot more hiding. j

I checked the frame for rust and it appeared to be solid, my father was with me as well and took a look at everything. The guy said he built the bottom end of the motor himself about 15 years ago and the top end was a professional job last year. The idle I just attributed to the extra torque of the stroker but I could manage a carb balance if that's what it needs. It is a running driving car, though due to the condition of the tires I didn't take it out on the street. What I'm gathering is that the car seems to be about 2-3k over priced?

That is the Nissan comp manifold. A cool piece.

I think if you could get him down to $5000 it would be a good deal. Try talking him down with the $1200 dash repair and $4000 for new paint plus $800 for a good new front bumper.

looks to be missing the grill.
That's another few hundred.
Does it have a welded rear axle?

It would be somewhat concerning to me that the guy didn't make the effort to balance the carbs, or apparently to paint the block (even if it has been 15yrs, the paint should still be good I would think). My modified U20 with its non-stock cam can idle just fine at 900 and not rock much. How well was this done? I know that just because it's not pretty does not mean it was not done right, just like a pretty engine does not mean it's solid... However, at first blush I would trust the work done more if what had been done was executed better and the guy knew how to (or took the time to) balance carbs. Balancing is only the beginning of what it takes to get the Webers working right. Still, it has some good points, but at the $ levels others have suggested. My 2c!

It has some interesting "Old School" approach to AutoX.
I especially like the hose and clamps to keep from blowing the dip stick out and leaking oil under high Revs.

The coil looks new. At 1200 RPM the engine should be smooth. Could also be a bad/sticky distributor/advance mechanism.
Still don't know were you are located, so the value is hard to pin down. I can place that Altima's Plate, too out of focus, maybe Virginia?
If it really is 2.1 L, than the block needs to have been bored at least 89.2 mm (2075 cc) that's 2 mm oversize roadster pistons and U20 rods. I think the engine rebuild is too old to be 89.5mm using VG30 pistons and stock R16 rods for 2089 cc.

Phil, the car was on Bainbridge Island last year. I spoke with Robin at length about the car. He was well versed in the performance aspect. No idea where the car is now.
It was the ad with "dual rubbers" (webers).

These are better pictures, than the ones on Greg's site.
Those are gone, but the Altima Plate could be from Washington State.

Little things indicate he knows a thing or two.
If it had a 5 speed and 4.38 to 5.13 gears with a LSD. That would bump the price a bit.

Yes this is Robin's car. Its in a storage unit in Poulsbo. I really love the approach to the mechanics. I'm just trying to make sure I'm not getting taken for a ride. 7k is in budget for me and it basically the route I would take one if I was doing the wrenching. Other localish roadsters are basically disassembled and one is going for 5500 and another for 1200.