I ended up buying the Panasports that were already on the car and we loaded up the stock wheels, sans tires...where ever we coud fit them. I was concerned that my 6'2" frame would be a tight fit and my head would stick up over the low windshield...not at all. Getting seated up, I was looking right between the upper two-thirds of the windshield!
Satisfied that I could do a 400+ mile return trip down the Pacific Coast Highway in a 39 year old car, I headed out. I stopped at the gas station on the corner and filled up, excited about the trip. Getting back in the car, it wouldn't start. Turn the key...and you'd get a little engine turn, but not a full turn-over. I tried this a few times, then I remembered the start button. Sure enough, it fired right up and I was on my way.
Dan told me to take Skyline Road on the way down to the coast "'cause it was made for a roadster!"
There were cyclists everywhere and as I slowly passed the first batch, I hear, "Wow...check out that Datsun!!" Put a smile on my face! Then no more than 100 feet up the road, two guys on Harley's pulled up along side me and said, "Nice F-in roadster!!!" Okay, I'm starting to see what all the fuss is about. I got a chance to open her up on Skyline Road and wow...that thing just STICKS in the corners. I took it easy and would just add a little more speed in each turn on an unknown road and what a blast!I hit PCH going South and picked a pace of around 70 on the speedo. Smooth, yes, very smooth. It was chilly, so I pulled over and put on a long sleeve shirt and headed back with a nice ocean breeze all around me. Hey, this roadster thing is fun. I was getting thumbs up from people in other cars, kids alongside the highway and questions from people at my picture spots. "That's in great shape...what year is it?" "It's a 67." "How long have you owned it?" "Around two hours."
At one point, I was thinking that it must look really cool going down the road...like the way the front suspension and the lines of the body worked as I went over bumps inthe road. I stuck my head way out to take a look and lost my hat. Um, yeah. I saw it in the rear-view mirror...it took a couple of flips and landed on the side of the road. I did bring a spare for this eventuality, but that being my favorite...I backed up and got it. Nice.Down in Monterey I decided to take the 17-mile drive around Pebble Beach...maybe take some more pictures. It was another fun little jaunt around some twisty, scenic roads. I did the obligatory stop at the Lone Cypress for some pictures...I hadn't been there in years. The tree is still the same, growing out of a building-sized chunk of rock just 100 or so feet out in the ocean. Very cool. Anyway, I walk up the stairs back to my car and there's an entire Japanese tour bus of people standing around the car taking pictures! This was cool. One of them asked me something that I nodded and apparently agreed to. Her 20 year-old son wanted to sit behind the wheel to get his picture taken. He jumped in and the cameras were flashing. He was getting out and I told him to hold on a second...I wanted a picture of him in my car...getting his picture taken! This was a little surreal. He got out and his DAD got in...he posed for some pictures as well...I was then asked what company made my car (took me a while to figure this out). She asked if it was a Chevrolet. I then said Datsun! ...and she pointed to the emblem on the front quarter with little fanfare as if she's never heard of Datsun. It didn;t occur to me to say, "Nissan"...by then I was grinning too much and driving away.
The rest of the trip was as fun as the first half. Met a bunch of people on my route. People telling me stories about ones their dad had...One that an uncle used to race...y'know...with the tiny windshield...
I think I lost a carbuerator return spring along the route and spent some time hunting one down in the middle of nowhere. I convinced a Kragen Auto Parts employee to re-open at that hour and sell me a package of assorted return springs. I tipped him for being so nice. Popped it on there and the idle is *almost* right. I have roadster friend coming over this afternoon to check out the car and they're bringing proper springs. : )
I can already tell this is going to be a great adventure.
Cap'n Ron. . .
