Will

Yeahhhhh. It would look pretty sweet. They really fit the back of the car nicely - I think most countries didn't get them for cost-cutting reasons - they have a bit more chrome trim than the early tail lights.

I don't think they were used in the Americas - we only seemed to get the early style that look like this:... even after the sedan got its notchback restyling.

Ooooh. JDM sedan taillights on ebay. Unfortunately, quite pricey. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NISSAN-DATSUN-Violet-710-tail-lights-lamps-LH-RH-IKI-MADE-IN-JAPAN-/251463306787

Actually it seems like the 160U was available as a 4-door sedan and a 2-door hardtop - I think "160U" is just what they called the 710/Violet/140J/160J in South Africa. They ended up with some pretty unique Datsuns down there (like the 160Z and 140Z L-series B-210s!)

I had one that was in rough shape that fixed up pretty nicely. It is essentially thick cardboard, so I used some wood glue, wood putty, and paint to fix it up. You can even glue in some thick (non-corrugated) cardboard to make patches for the speaker holes and broken edge if you want.

I'm not sure but I noticed a few things - badges, unusual (locally-sourced?) seats, dog-dish hubcaps, a 4-door SSS model, more pastel paint colors...

Yeah - that might be it - I've been running it with a pretty standard matchbox ignition, and it's been trouble-free other than a slow oil leak somewhere near the front of the engine. (leak near the fan = drops of oil get blown everywheres.)

I had some idle time today... time to look up 710s on overseas classifieds sites and such. 160U SSS with twin carbs: Apparently a 160J SSS appeared in "American Ninja 4: The Annihilation." ...and another nice South African 160U:

I started taking care of the rust on the new front sheetmetal - the fenders are NOS stuff that has gotten a bit dinged and rusty from age, but the valence panel has been used and abused. I stripped off the paint from the valence today, and it had just about everything - paint over undercoating... bondo... a large ding filled with LEAD... Luckily despite all of the damage it will only need a tiny bit of welding. ...well, I have always wanted to learn how to work a hammer & dolly.

I don't know anyone out here that has one of those infrared guns, but maybe a meat thermometer would do the trick?

Orange 710 sedan - Gettysburg, PA: http://york.craigslist.org/pts/4287442934.html

I fiddled with the connections a bit and my headlights are working normally - seemed to be something with the fuses or connections around the relays. I also finally got a chance to install the JDM taillight that Indy510 passed along to me (though I don't have the matching one for the passengers side!)

...finally got around to fixing the temperature gauge. Checked it out by grounding the wire leading to the sending unit and the gauge read hot, so I replaced the sender and now it works, but the gauge reads all the way on the cold end of the "okay" space on the gauge. I'm not sure if the gauge is poorly calibrated - the heater does seem a little weak. I put in a new 180 thermostat this morning and the temperature gauge needle is still in the same spot. Another weird problem popped up - tonight when I turned on my headlights I only got high beams regardless of where the turn signal lever was switched. Parking lights still work normally - but I can only get the high beams now. ...odd.

Ratsun: The only place on the internet where is is safe to click on a link titled: "Excited: My B"

...but I DO have a soft spot for sheetmetal freaks!

Seldom have so many ejaculatory euphemisms been on display in only one commercial.

Sometimes I wish I had a wagon...

That's odd - on my 710, the parking brake cable hooks up the the rear axle on the passengers side instead of the drivers side.

Yeah - that 710 certainly looks like a stalled project. I'm wondering if the interior was left behind in the guy's garage when the scrappers towed the shell away.

Aluminum Datsun wheels - with free car included!

...if anyone in the UK needs some really nice interior parts for a 180B/610: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C448874#

A 74... did you get the front bumper? What yard is this?

Yeah - hopefully I'll make it this year. It happened few days after I arrived on the west coast last year, but I really want to go - my girlfriend has never visited the northwest, and I really want to visit the dunes and everything and make a road trip out of it.

Thanks! I hope I've been able to highlight all of the points that slowed down the project, so that it will go more smoothly for anyone else that tries this swap out. I'm really happy with it now that it is all finished! ...now on to the next project: Carb rebiuld / fuel pump? (when I start the car after it has been sitting for more than a few hours, it takes a lot of cranking for the gas to reach the carb.) New exhaust manifold gasket (it sounds like a tractor sometimes.) Fix the dead temp gauge (I have a few spare clusters to use for parts...) Swap the front sheetmetal (those fenders are taking up a lot of space in my clothes closet!) Fix the crossmember mounts (one of the captured nuts snapped free, so I'll either need to drill two holes from the bottom and MIG it in place, or drill from the top and bolt it in place with regular bolts.) Shorten the front struts /use shorter cartridges so that I can lower the front a little more - the spring are loose at full droop. Choke cable hookup (don't need it too much out in California...) Seat covers / carpet / soundproofing / paint (bottom of the list classy stuff.)

Parking brake: functional.