Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Now that there is some visible progress I figured that it was long past time that I shared an update with the faithful.

The calendar tells me that I have owned this project approaching one year although the visual of the car had not looked much different until this week. In fairness, 33 came home with me a month before our new beagle puppy who required much more time than I remembered of our last new dog 15 years ago.

Parts of my U20 have made the trip to Rebello in Antioch CA, returning looking strangely similar but with my wallet lighter and the promise internal combustion wizardry in their subtle transformation. More on that later.

About 4 weeks ago I towed the rolling chassis to a friend where work began on the body. This week as the shell mounted to the rotisserie the full frame saw the light of day for the first time in 49 years. I am enamored with the idea that I am seeing metal that was last eyed half a world and half a century away.

We towed the frame home today and despite the record heat I could not wait to get a closer look at the condition of the frame. A 'Lady does not give her secrets away easily, and '33 is no exception as I am finding myself fighting through a layer of weapons grade frame gunk that is more than a half inch thick in places. The sticky combination of motor oil, dirt, and sand appears to have been both primitive yet highly effective undercoating as the layer of Nissan frame black still shines underneath.

Over the next several months my dad and I will be focused on the rolling chassis before and then the drivetrain. Looking forward to making progress!

Congratulations on the progress. That frame looks pretty dang solid too!

Looking good, have you considered just having it sand blasted? Much easier and does a better job as well. Mike

I will definitely be media blasting the frame, but the same guys blast and powder coat. I need to inspect the frame and do a couple repairs first. When the frame goes it away it will come back done and ready to rebuild.

Today I spent some quality time on the operators end of scraper this time getting the body in a position for hole repairs and blasting. After initial body work it is clear that the lower part of the right front fender (the bumper extension) should be replaced - if anyone has one please PM me!

Rear deck lid and fenders were put in epoxy primer - car is actually making progress!

That chassis looks really nice! When I yanked the body off 42, some good, quality time with a welder was enjoyed by all!

Quick post today because the progress is a semi-clean garage for the first time in a year. There is literally nothing left to disassemble - 00033 is as far apart as a roadster can be, and the chassis went off to powder coat today.

I have also invested in a blast cabinet to help defray the cost of refinishing. Now, if only POR-15 and Eastwood Chassis black were available in a 55 gallon drum...

Great progress its looking good!

nolastyankee wrote:Quick post today because the progress is a semi-clean garage for the first time in a year. There is literally nothing left to disassemble - 00033 is as far apart as a roadster can be, and the chassis went off to powder coat today.

I have also invested in a blast cabinet to help defray the cost of refinishing. Now, if only POR-15 and Eastwood Chassis black were available in a 55 gallon drum...

By chassis I assume you are referring to what I call a frame? You are getting it powder coated? I have a lot of powder coated stuff around here, and it is great for some and just awful for others. If the coating gets nicked to bare metal it seems like the rust advances under the coating at a rate of inches per day. Maybe something like a frame they prime first with a really strong binding primer like epoxy?

Where I grew up chassis and frame were interchangeable, but yes we are talking the same thing. I have had great experience with powder coat, I have not ever seen it over an intentional primer layer. I will use the Eastwood inner frame protectant and the frame is blasted and cleaned before the curing oven. My Cobra frame looks like new after 10 years of driving, I have no doubt the frame coating will outlast me.

33 frame back from powder and looking (semi) shiny and black. Time to reverse the disassembly process and begin the road to life as a restored car.

Subscribed. Chassis is beautiful!

That looks great! What color black did you ask for? I am about to send my frame in for coating as well.

Quick update on SRL 33 - I bought a sandblast cabinet last fall and have been spending (seemingly) every spare moment cleaning and painting suspension pieces. We are finally starting to put parts back onto the frame! Hoping to have the frame in the next month or so it can go back to the painter where the body is ready to have doors put back on and aligned.

Parts are getting two coats of POR-15 and two coats of Eastwood chassis black!

Absolutely gorgeous!