Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

SNr. 29678, my 70 SPL was brought home for driving pleasure from Albuquerque. I moved my build to this topic section for reasons which will soon become apparent. I'm sure none of you have heard a story as this, so bear with me.
After trying diligently to make my car roadworthy for several months, I was in the process of reliability testing and driving to work, a short 35 mi. round trip a couple times a week. After many attempts at timing and getting the carbs adjusted, I got the motor to run acceptably. Started going for drives with cktrap, having fun, singing love me tender..... mine on the left, cktrap's gorgeous sora blue 2000 on the right...

no comments on the bumpers please...it's embarrasing.....

So one night coming home from work in the cold with no top, I'm doing about 80, 4k rpm, when I notice a marked drop in power, then BAMM!!!! I could see in the rear view I laying down a D Day smokescreen mixed with sparks and lots of noise. I thought I was on fire and jumped out of the car thinking it would burn to the ground. I had to make a decision then to part out or not.... Well, I didn't buy the car to part but to drive. The fateful decision had been made. This is what I found the next morning...

here's another view after Keith helped me pull the motor. Note the piston skirt....

And another of where the rod hit the inside of the header....
Just a reminder. This was a violent event that scared the s.%$ out of me... Think of the force required to go through the block and then crease a round tubular steel header the way it did... It was the nr. 2 crank journal. Look at how black and fried it is. Apparently a common prob with older motors with unknown history (abuse).

Ouch! So sorry to see this!

It hurt me believe me...

here's some of the refurb pics... rear of cluster was pitted so, off to Steve Pettersen for rebuild...

before and after

before and after

Jim Tyler exhaust and flex pipe



R16 iron head

on the stand 1st carb rebuild

refurb your insulators... Steve Pettersen 5 speed on the new R16

ready to stick I got one...