The Quick/Small/(Stupid?) Question Thread.

[Mainer311]

thanks to all 3 of you - 1 is missing on both sides as well as the rubber 'boot' - worked for 30K+ so I guess it will have to do.
Appreciate the help - will sort it today.

If it's any consolation, mine are f'd up too.

[70-1600]

Broad questions regarding a paint job --

I have been posting in "General Discussions: What did you do for your Roadster today?" some notes about general work I've been doing on the exterior of my 70 1600. I've been working on small dent repair, bumper chroming, lights, new badges, etc. My next big step on the exterior is a full paint job. The guy who came out and repaired a body dent (paint-less mobile guy) made a strong suggestion to have the entire body media blasted. He stated that doing so would uncover any areas of the body where major rust required some metal repair and any previous bondo areas that needed fixing. It would also get rid of both coats of paint (PO had her re-painted 30+ years ago) and prevent any subsurface issues that would cause future issues. He also strongly recommended NOT doing this as we enter the fall/winter, to avoid humidity getting on the bare metal and starting new rusting problems. He said April/May when the winter has passed as a suggested starting time. So I'm in no big hurry...I want to connect with the right sources and plan well.

I am in San Jose, CA and need some recommendations on a source for media-blasting the body, and then a good painter. Could be one-in-the-same. I'm looking for a "reasonable" cost for it all. I'll be taking all the externals off myself, so no labor on their part to remove bits and pieces, except remove and re-instal the windshield.

Fire away friends!

-jt

[Gregs672000]

Well... it really depends on what your budget is and what you can determine from a visual evaluation. For example, "hidden" rust can often be found by looking in the trunk wheel wells for example, down inside the holes in the interior side panel area, removing the front fenders and evaluating them as well as the inner body parts, using dry ice to freeze and remove the sound deadening material on the floors (spread ice all over, wait a bit and hit it with a hammer... it usually fractures off). Granted, by media blasting you can potentially find body work that was done before, but if it is still in good shape why recreate the wheel (i.e. redo it) unless your worried about the fact that it is older technology vs today's plastic fillers? What kind of paint is on the car now? What kind of shape is that paint in? The car will need to be sealed anyway, so a good primer/sealer over old paint that is properly prepped should be ok, with the only concern being that if it was easy to chip it may chip when hit by rocks more easily than if it were taken to metal (past experience with poorly applied paint by PO). On a budget, when I first did my car I sanded it (all 6 coats of paint) using an orbital sander down to initial primer but left the bodywork that was still good, and that was fine for years and years.
So, it depends on what you expect from your car, what your budget is, how much work you want to do (doesn't media blasting require the body be off the frame?). What do you have for tools? Spraying primer is not hard if you have the space, primer gun and compressor with simple water filters, and you could do one section at a time and keep it from rusting. If it develops a little surface rust, that can be lightly sanded off and the area treated with rust converter if needed (I used Sems Rust Seal... awesome stuff)... you're probably going to want to rust treat some areas anyway. If the car is a CA all its life the rust is less likely to be horrible vs other states. A big part of the cost is the labor involved. If you are on a budget, you can save a lot by doing it yourself. I did all the prep work on several cars and then took them to yes, Earl Scheib (all they do is shoot cars all day) and after a cut and buff it looked like a $4000 paint job (black) and not the $400 I paid. It lasted for a very long time, and the only reason I redid my car was that my skills had improved.
It it were my car I would dig in and evaluate it further, or have a Roadster person come by and give an opinion (?).

[tjp]

My brake master is leaking from either the hard line connection or the part of the fixture that screws into the body of the master. I really don't want to pull the master again until I pull the drive train next year for a new tranny.

Is there ANYTHING I can use to seal this from the outside?

Thanks

[greydog]

No.
Dan

[tjp]

No.
Dan

yea, I didn't think so. sigh. three masters in one year. bloody hell

[Curtis]

No.
Dan

yea, I didn't think so. sigh. three masters in one year. bloody hell

That's some kind of bad luck. I've had the same OEM master for several years.

[70-1600]

...what you can determine from a visual evaluation...What kind of paint is on the car now? What kind of shape is that paint in?...
So, it depends on what you expect from your car...If the car is a CA all its life the rust is less likely to be horrible vs other states.

Thanks for all the tips! From my visual exams so far I know there is some rust on the rear quarter panels at the trailing edge of the wheel well, both sides. It "looks" to be surface rust, as I don't see it bleeding through to the inside of the wheel wells or trunk areas. No rust signs on the bottom of the wells in the trunk either. There is definitely some bondo work - I can see the bleed through in drilled holes on a few internal spots, and there are some spider cracks along the surface on the exterior. The paint on the car now is single stage - painted over the original. A number of areas are starting to peel off, primarily around masked off points around the body. It's not in "horrible" shape, but with numerous spots where a previous hard top left indentations and rock chips, and some scratches down to the primer, it's time has come. What I expect from my car...? Not looking for a $15,000 paint job to win "best in show" at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Looking for solid new paint that will require minimal maintenance and look sweet for at least another 20 years. BTW, the car is a CA car all its life; no problems with floor pans or luggage shelf, no "rust through" locations anywhere I've looked, so that's the good news. I don't have the set up and/or skills to take on paint myself, so off to a shop I will go!

Thanks!

John

[greydog]

I'd clean with carb cleaner and get some baby powder. Pump the pedal a couple times, put some powder in yor open hand and blow it on the master. Do that a few times and you'll see where it's leaking. Then you can decide what to try.
Dan

[mlwebb]

Have any of you folks put in seat heaters? A friend of mine insists its a great idea, I have been eyeballing some of the ebay carbon fiber kits, am getting stuff together to upholster the seats, have sufficient alternator and wiring for it, - so would it be worth it? (no shortage of stuff to spend money on ): I could see it being nice on a cool day...
Michael

[tjp]

I'd clean with carb cleaner and get some baby powder. Pump the pedal a couple times, put some powder in your open hand and blow it on the master. Do that a few times and you'll see where it's leaking. Then you can decide what to try.
Dan

Thanks for this suggestion Dan. This will tell me if it is worse during use. Right now it is a slow seep that drains the reservoir while sitting--I think it took around a month to be less than half full so it won't sit over winter without draining and then putting air into that half of the system. I am guessing the washer didn't seat correctly for the fitting that receives the hard line.

[syne']

hey guys , does anyone know how much the body weighs if completely stipped? if is light enough for 4 ppl to carry over a 6' fence ? lol yea i know they're weird questions.

[svwilbur]

hey guys , does anyone know how much the body weighs if completely stipped? if is light enough for 4 ppl to carry over a 6' fence ? lol yea i know they're weird questions.

Sounds like you are stealing it?
Otherwise one would think that you got it in there somehow other than carrying it over the fence of was the fence an after thought and had forgotten to make a gate big enough for getting the datsun out?

I have seen 4 people move them around but to hold it over their head may depend on their fitness (jerk and press capabilities) with emphasis on their press ability versus just their jerk ability. Holding it even or over their heads is a lot harder.

Having 6 people may make more sense.

I did find this. Not sure how accurate it is:
http://www.team.net/html/datsun-roadste ... 00181.html

"The body is close to 400 pounds. The frame is close to 400 pounds. The engine
is close to 400 pounds. Everything else (fenders, hood, deck lid, carpet,
seats, etc...) is close to 600 pounds. 2000 pounds total. Roughly.

I used an engine hoist several times. I used two nylon tie down straps. one
went straight across between the holes in front of the door jamb where the hold
open bar resides. The other went straight across between the large holes
beside the package tray. They were both attached to the hook on the engine
hoist. I was able to adjust the front one tighter and the rear one looser in
order to get the body to lift evenly. Ratcheting tie down straps work best for
fine tuning the body angle.

The body on my car only weighs 150 pounds give or take. I have gutted most
everything and cut everything off in front of the firewall and behind the step
up to the package tray.

Andy"


This part "Everything else (fenders, hood, deck lid, carpet,
seats, etc...) is close to 600 pounds. " seems a bit heavy to me. Maybe the fenders are a lot heavier than I am thinking but when I put some up on the top self it was not that hard to do. I think that lot may be more like 400 lbs. and the body more like 500?

But I have no idea really.

But make sure it is supported well with doors in place and locked or it will bend in the middle. Or have a brace in place.
More information here: http://www.311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.ph ... ht#p179582




Some more here:
http://www.311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.ph ... ht#p124757
"I really wish I could help Tim.
Its 13'X4', so the weight is spread out a bit. 4 people that can lift 100lbs each, can lift it. If it has a roll bar, and lift at that point, the cowl fwd is nearly weightless, with no fenders, grille etc. My 69 body stressed the rafter and come-along nearly the same as the U20 and 5 speed.
I would GUESS (sorry) 400lbs BARE, really bare, doors and glass add at least 100lbs."

[svwilbur]

hey guys , does anyone know how much the body weighs if completely stipped? if is light enough for 4 ppl to carry over a 6' fence ? lol yea i know they're weird questions.

According to this http://www.311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.ph ... ht#p123672

It says a 67 1600 is 1984lb total weight.
Frame 1092
engine 341.7 (1600) (U20 353 lb)

The body by itself would be the total - frame - engine (1984-1092 - 341.7) so about 551 lbs including the interior and windows and doors. (not stripped).

Roadster specs detailed: http://dsoanews.tripod.com/technical_data.htm
1967 1600 specs http://dsoanews.tripod.com/specs_67_1600.htm
1967 2000 specs http://dsoanews.tripod.com/specs_67_2000.htm


Another post mentioned just lifting it off the frame. they did it with 3 people. 1 in the engine bay area and two on the rear.
http://www.311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.ph ... ght#p27751

"Postby Jorge022770 » Sat Apr 15, 2006 12:33 am
I did mine one guy in the front(he was lifting from inside the engine bay) and two guys on the back (lifting from the sides, facing the rear fenders). To put it back on the frame, same thing.... "

So you may want extra people to the rear versus evenly in front and rear or the guys in the rear may drop it and the guys in the front will say what gives?????

Or have the front guys back a bit closer to the jack point or something.

[Fetch]

I have a '64, does anyone rebuild the fuel sending unit?
Thanks.