Fisch's 1959 Datsun 1000 project! Peeking in the oilpan!

[fisch]

Hey man...I know that there are a ton of options for oil pressure and temp guages, but I think very highly of VDO stuff...electric instead of manual...simple installation...and available from most junk yards in several different Audi/Volkswagon cars for very little money...

 

I love that car of yours...man it is so good to hear it running!:D

 

I really would just get it going, fix the brakes and tires...freshen some stuff up and drive that cute little car!

 

The enjoyment is what makes all the effort worth it.:)

 

Thanks Denver! I will have to check into this VDO stuff! I know nothing of installing gauges.

 

Yup, now that the engine seems pretty solid, the plan is to get it on the road as is and enjoy it for a while, stock as a clock! I have long list in front of me to get it legal enough to pass inspection. But at least I won't worry too much about the engine for a bit! (Knock on wood!)

 

As I was just telling Mike, why is is so much easier to research the hypothetical, than to focus on the stuff it really needs?

 

-Clutch cylinders

-brakes

-headlights

-taillight lenses

-hood/trunk latch

-wiper motor

-windshield

-side glass

-Lug nuts (each has only 2 or 3 currently)

-Wheel/ tires (tires for the stockies)

 

I need to forget about google searching a mythical J18 engines, 5-speeds, moss superchargers, carb setups, crossflow heads, ca18et engines, and BMW cycle DOHC head swaps and get back to the real stuff above that is needed before it can even hit the street! Hell I don't even have head light bulbs that fit it yet or buckets to put them in! Time to go back to the basics!

 

The good news is I have leads and ideas for about everything listed. Just need to save teh cash for it all and do it! It is going to be a long winter though. Snow is on the ground. The current work schedule doesn't leave much time for anything but art (which is a good thing!) I hope to stockpile parts and get a running start at it come spring.

[denveratsun]

Boy, I sure feel you there! What a freegin hassle it is to keep focused! :lol:

 

I believe you got a really great starter car with a lot going for you as far as resources...both hardware and software:D...you can do it man!

 

I too find myself all over the place as I imagine what my Simca could look like and drive like if it were done...my 521 too...and my old motorcycles too...and the 1969 Dodge van too...:lol:

 

One thing at a time man. :rolleyes:

 

Peace to you in this new year.

[purple]

I've had my 59 for 10 years now, and I'm still doing things to it. A small budget and lack of focus does that. Every time I have it running I drive it instead of fixing the other problems or making stuff better. I just love it too much. I haven't had it on the road for a year now but I'll slap it together to drive to the new house when we move. Of course we have so many other distractions around here like other cars too.

[fisch]

Just scored a little something on ebay! It is a 1958 Datsun parts price book. Like 90 pages w/ a 16 page insert. I probably should have saved the cash for actual parts, as I imagine the parts #'s are useless. But how often will I see one of these! I mean, it is a 1958 book after all (actually I am not sure it was printed in 58, but still!), there were like 2 dealerships in the country at the time, how many of these books can still be around?!

 

Can't wait to see how cheap things were back then!

 

[slam_dat_sun]

Just scored a little something on ebay! It is a 1958 Datsun parts price book. Like 90 pages w/ a 16 page insert. I probably should have saved the cash for actual parts, as I imagine the parts #'s are useless. But how often will I see one of these! I mean, it is a 1958 book after all (actually I am not sure it was printed in 58, but still!), there were like 2 dealerships in the country at the time, how many of these books can still be around?!

 

Can't wait to see how cheap things were back then!

 

 

OMG very nics piece

[Jester]

Judging by the condition of the corners of that book, I would say it didn't get used very much. Nice score.

[purple]

Simply amazing what still exists out there.

[Skib]

Fisch I cant wait till you drive this thing to Canby one day :D

[Pedro]

Found this and had to post it, interesting there is a place still making these

[fisch]

Thanks guys! Can't wait till it gets here. Pedro I've totally been watching those little cars, and have been itching to buy one, but knowing how many 'real' parts I need for this '59 has held me off. What I have seen though is a very rare model of this car, like the kind yo have to glue together. I think it was some sort of dealership promotion item, but have only seen one on the web ever.

 

I almost bought a model of a 1960 bluebird the other day, but it is a later body style than the '59. Still would be cool to have!

[Jester]

Pedro, You have a link to those cars?

[RadioRedline]

Have you started any thinking about bodywork/color? Like your Art I assume?

 

Radio

[greengoon]

Fisch, I noticed on another thread that your wheel requirements were a little different than normal. I ran across these guys and hadn't heard of them before. Maybe they can make something for you. Great work on the car so far!

 

http://www.diamondracingwheels.com/drwcustom.html

[sparkle]

good work fisch!!! Time for a grumpy J18 now bud!!!

[fisch]

Hey guys! For some reason I am not getting notifications on this thread, sorry I missed the comments. But thanks for checking in on the '59! Alas other than sticking different rims on there to measure how much clearance I have, and measuring what kind of clearance I can make between the steering column and the headers (for future upgrades), I haven't done anything to it. I am looking forward to spring and picking up a bunch of parts from Purple.

 

I did post another thread where I did some photoshopping for the fun of it, so I should add it here too! Fun to dream, right!

 

At the moment this is what I will be doing for the paint. I like patina rods, so I thought I'd retain most of the original paint, but do the roof blue (w/ flake?) and rock a hand painted dragon down the side of it! I may do a full paintjob down the road, but this would be fun for a while!

 

I'd also LOVE some of these wheels. Summit Racing is selling them in a 17X8 with up to a 5.25" backspacing. Called '141 series Legend 6'. A cool option for you Datto truck guys with 6-lugs like the '59!

 

Summit 141 series Legend 6

 

 

[Skib]

 

 

hahaha :lol: I cant even express the epic awesomeness of this picture Scott

[jonesy510]

i agree with skib that is an amazing picture!!

[denveratsun]

I love the little 59! :) It's gonna be so sick when it's on the road man!

 

140 a piece is just too much for me for rims :rolleyes: but those are sweet!

 

I talked to an old-school Low-rider guy about shootin some flake on the roof of my 521...I don't know if i could find the right color combo or not, but I really like the idea of makin it look even older.

[sparkle]

heres some inspiration bud,

[fisch]

AAAARRRRRGH!!!!! I can not get these rear drum/hubs off!!!!

 

I am really going crazy dudes. Here is where I am at:

 

The '59 has drums and hubs that are one unit, so the drums never come off the hubs and you have to remove the spindle nut to get them off.

 

-Got the spindle nuts off with no problem.

-undid e-brake so there is no drag.

-loosened adjuster wheels so there is no drag.

-Heated up drum/hub with map gas so hot the the axle tube was even hot on the back side.

-beat the SH****T out of them with a 3 pound sledge.

-I built a hub puller with 1 1/4 square tubing and have torqued it down so hard that the tightening/stop nut is bulging out the square tubing.

 

 

Another thing, it seems really hard to find a puller for 6X5.5 lug patterns as there has to be like 6" as you need 6" between the outside of the studs and most pullers I'd seen stop at just over 5".

 

Here is some documentation from the shop manual (THANKS JERRY!!!)

 

Any thought you guys have? No matter what I do they don't move at all, not even a little, and they spin as if I never did anything to them, no rubbing. I am scared to brake these drum/hubs as there is NO replacing them. And I am about at my wits end!!!

 

 

 

 

[bonvo]

so the drums are in essance the hubs and they come off as one unit kinda like my chevy they should just slide off since the bearing and races are what hold it on

[mklotz70]

my suggestion......

 

It's gonna take a lot of heat. Aimed at the snout of the hub so that it expands and separates from the taper on the axle. Wedge a couple of screw drivers or pry bars behind the drum to keep some pressure on it as to pop it off the axle. Leave the nut on the end of the axle....as loose as you can, but still fully engage the threads to protect them. You'll want an 1/8 to 1/4" gap between the nut and the end of the hub...if possible. Now, heat the daylights out of the hub. If you're lucky, the tension on the pry bars will make it pop when it breaks free. If it doesn't pop after about 5 min, tap on the end of the axle...the nut should stick out just enough so that you're hitting the nut, not the axle threads....you can replace the nut :) I would highly suggest two propane torches for the heating process since I kinda doubt you have oxy/acetylene. Those hubs have a ton of mass to them....so it's going to take A LOT OF HEAT!! :) Good luck.

[fisch]

Thanks guys! That gives me something else to try Mike. Keeping the nut threaded on there would also be a good idea just to catch it when it comes shooting off! I was scared to get in front of it today in case it shot off!

 

The outer rear lip on the drum would make it pretty hard to get a prybar in there. And the lip is spot welded on and not cast into the drum, so I'd fear it would brake off. I can't imagine how much pressure the hub already has on it with the puller I made.

 

I will totally try the dual torch thing. Yeah I am stuck with propane. And I haven't tried hitting the end of the spindle yet, so that is a new target! (The drums could use a break!)

 

In good news:

 

-I got the driver front drum off with no problem! And it looks like standard 1 1/16 rubber cylinder caps will work on the wheel cylinder! (I am hoping the same for the rears if I can ever get to them!)

 

-Also the Clutch master cylinder will take a standard 521 rebuild kit!

 

-The Brake M/C is a heavy cast iron unit (Clutch is aluminum.) and appears to take standard a 7/8 american-type piston. I think even a wilwood 7/8 kit would fit it! Unfortunately the wall of the M/C is pitted. So I have to decide if I want to spend $100 bucks to have it resleeved or to just buy a replacement. It'd be nice to keep the original since everything else in the car pretty much is. And the Clutch and the Brake M/C's have the cups cast right into the units.

[mklotz70]

I like keeping a lot of stuff stock too.....but when it comes to safety, I go modern. I looked at it this way when I created the first disc set for Paula's 521....I had all the drum brake stuff on hand already...but the truck was fairly rare and had to get parts for.... and nearly every single car out there can stop quicker than the 521 with stock brakes. So, the only option for me was to create the disc setup. It's one thing to get them working enough to move it around, but if you want to keep the front end nice and your family safe in it....I don't see stock brakes as an option....at least not the front ones. That includes the master cylinder...I really think it needs to be a dual res m/c. ESPECIALLY if you run stock drum brakes. If a wheel seal pops, you've lost all brakes. Not trying to be hard...just clear. I know you want to drive the daylights out of it....much better to do it right the first time. Besides....I think the truck spindles will go right on :)

 

As for the rear drum prob....the wheel puller should put enough pressure on it so don't worry about trying to pry it. :)

[fisch]

I agree Mike! I still want to go disk on it, I was just hoping to drive it a little as original, to see what it was like! (And because I imagine I will want to drive it before I am ready to do a spindle and disk swap.) But $100 for a resleeve is a bunch when I want to swap eventually.

 

BTW what bore M/C do I use withe the Klotz brake swap?