Duncan's 71 "Oz" Goon

[Stewiefied]

looks great!!

[datrod]

Hey FUCKER!!!!! I haven't been on here for a minute. Wagon looks fanfuckintastic...

[datsunfreak]

Either you are a wiz, or this beautiful car doesn't need one...   ^_^

 

Some photos of it out in the sun.  Remember I'm no photo wiz..

 

[Duncan]

Thanks fellas.  My Ratsun Bros have been a huge help.  And thanks for the regulars who have watched this thing progress PAINFULLY slow over the years..

 

Found an editor, and here's the first spin..

 

 

[Draker]

Wow.. good job all the way around.

[Duncan]

After months of getting in and out of the driver's door, I noticed that the door was getting increasing hard to get to close and latch.  The door catch broke after putting the car back in the shop after my test drive the other day.  Murphy's Law dictates that since I have two left front assemblies in my shed, the right side is the one that breaks..

 

SO:

If anyone has a right front door mechanism, please let me know.  I placed an ad in the classifieds, also.

 

Thanks!

 

[Duncan]

Good news is I found my stash of door parts, and there are right and left pieces from both front and rear doors.

 

 

Bad news is I have to take the fucking door off and pull it all apart to replace the door latch mechanism.  Fuck..

[datsunfreak]

You don't think it's possible with the door on? Or just too fiddly?

[Duncan]

You don't think it's possible with the door on? Or just too fiddly?

 

The glass has to come out, along with the regulator and window track, but I might take that apart on the car and see how it goes.  The rod that goes to the door handle is really a bitch on a work table, and I'm not sure I can attach it while the door is in a horizontal position.  I might take it apart on the car and see how it goes. Either way, it's really gonna suck...

[Duncan]

Got real lucky.  I used aftermarket plastic clips when I assembled the doors.  They worked, but I wasn't real happy with them at the time.  One of them broke, and the control rod slipped off the door handle.  Because I have SO many mechanisms from all the doors I bought, I was able to figure out how to successfully remove some of the factory clips that were in good shape and re-use them.  

 

It's working good, but I'm leaving the interior door panels off for now while I do the shakedown driving.  (And yes, the job was still the mother of all fuckers, regardless)

 

 

I took the striker plate off and some extra washers fell out.  Since I routed the door mounting holes to put the door slightly forward, I forgot that I used some washers as temporary shims to move the striker plate out (forward) as well. 

 

I was going to go back and make a thicker shim than the factory one, but immediately forgot about it.  The factory shim is quite thin.  This one I made today is about 1/16" or so.  The door closes and opens quite a bit smoother now. 

 

 

One door fixed, (hopefully for good) and I need to look at the passenger door.  I'm not happy how the window on that one rolls up..

[hobospyder]

For some reason all I'm reading is "it's damn good but I want it perfect"

 

Glad you're able to do shake down driving and wish I could see this thing in person.

[Duncan]

It's far from perfect.  The driver's door would close but not latch.  The front passenger window would roll up, but you had to press on the glass to guide into the door felt. (That turned out to be a very simple adjustment)

 

I don't think that's being terribly nit-picky...

 

It really did need the thicker shim I made.  I don't like to be surprised by doors opening on me while I'm driving.  I've had it happen once or twice before, and it's (usually) not fun :)

 

 

For some reason all I'm reading is "it's damn good but I want it perfect"
 

[hobospyder]

You're not affecting my statement any. Though I do understand not wanting doors to open at random. Wanna do mine next?

[Duncan]

No thanks, getting too old for this kind of work anymore :blush: 

 

You're not affecting my statement any. Though I do understand not wanting doors to open at random. Wanna do mine next?

[hobospyder]

well you're doing a damn fine job of showing my lazy ass how worthless i am

[Duncan]

Really getting this thing wrapped up to come home.  I adjusted the the rod that goes from the brake pedal to the master, it has a MUCH better pedal feel, and the brakes engage near the top of the pedal versus the lower portion of the pedal now..(I like brakes!)

 

I also had a tunnel that was hacked up.  I sort of welded it back up, but driving it recently showed how bad it was.  Lots of heat and noise would enter through the shifter hole.

 

 

 

I made a temporary plate to help make the car a bit more comfortable to drive in the meantime.  My console has a shift boot on it, but this plate may stay there.  I'm sure it will help keep moisture, exhaust, and other road mung from getting in through the tunnel. It's very thin aluminum and super low height..

 

 

I haven't driven it yet, but I assume this will improve things by quite a bit..

[mrbigtanker]

Mark I got a center console as well with a boot, but trust me that will help a lot. Thats next on my list for me.

[Duncan]

Ray, the tunnel plate made a very big difference.  For sure, it is staying..

 

 

Finally got this thing home.  I still have lots of issues with it. it I keep slugging away on it..

[mrbigtanker]

Alright looking good. JCCS this year. Goon squad will be out and about. :thumbup:

[Duncan]

It give it about 50/50 for me right now.  I might go to Nissan Jam, depending on where it is in June, though..  We'll see...

 

Alright looking good. JCCS this year. Goon squad will be out and about. :thumbup:

[mrbigtanker]

It give it about 50/50 for me right now.  I might go to Nissan Jam, depending on where it is in June, though..  We'll see...

Is it on, i thought they cancelled it.

[Duncan]

I just assumed it would happen in June.  Didn't hear about it being cancelled. 

 

Is it on, i thought they cancelled it.

[mrbigtanker]

I just assumed it would happen in June.  Didn't hear about it being cancelled. 

Yeah Koji was telling me its to much for them in one year.

[Duncan]

Well, it's been a while.  Been driving this around my neighborhood a little bit.  Once I started driving it, I noticed a slight bit of rubbing on extremely hard steering lock. (Like pulling out of a parking place, or getting around my wife's car in the driveway.)  I chased that down to the inside of the tire just "not quite" clearing the strut. 

 

It's very usable under "normal" driving, but I wasn't happy with it, so I got a 5mm spacer and that seemed to do the trick. Now, (of course) I wasn't happy with the smaller amount of thread engagement on the lug nuts, so I'm chasing down some longer wheel studs.  I'm not generally crazy about using wheel spacers, but these are 3/16" and they are hub centric, so they don't seem to be too bad.

 

 

Truth be told, I've never been quite happy with the fender to door gap, (It's too tight) so a bit of rework and repaint has been the plan once the wagon got home. This side actually has the bigger gap.  The passenger side is much tighter, even though the door clears....but just by hairs :)

 

Since my front wheels are moving 3/16" closer to the fender, I took a rubber-coated hammer to the front fender lip.  

 

 

No body work was harmed, but a lot of paint chips came off where the edge was bent up.  Not too big a deal since a repaint was going to happen anyway.

 

So, until I get this all sorted and establish the front ride height, no alignment or other stuff until this is done.  :(

 

So once again, 510 experts: How far down the fender do I roll the inner edges.  Right now, I rolled the front part to about where the front bumper meets the fender, and the back is at the same height.  Should I roll it all the way down, or is this far enough?  Don't want to do all this, then find out it's wrong after it's painted..  

 

Thanks again!

[mrbigtanker]

Well, it's been a while.  Been driving this around my neighborhood a little bit.  Once I started driving it, I noticed a slight bit of rubbing on extremely hard steering lock. (Like pulling out of a parking place, or getting around my wife's car in the driveway.)  I chased that down to the inside of the tire just "not quite" clearing the strut. 

 

It's very usable under "normal" driving, but I wasn't happy with it, so I got a 5mm spacer and that seemed to do the trick. Now, (of course) I wasn't happy with the smaller amount of thread engagement on the lug nuts, so I'm chasing down some longer wheel studs.  I'm not generally crazy about using wheel spacers, but these are 3/16" and they are hub centric, so they don't seem to be too bad.

 

 

Truth be told, I've never been quite happy with the fender to door gap, (It's too tight) so a bit of rework and repaint has been the plan once the wagon got home. This side actually has the bigger gap.  The passenger side is much tighter, even though the door clears....but just by hairs :)

 

Since my front wheels are moving 3/16" closer to the fender, I took a rubber-coated hammer to the front fender lip.  

 

 

No body work was harmed, but a lot of paint chips came off where the edge was bent up.  Not too big a deal since a repaint was going to happen anyway.

 

So, until I get this all sorted and establish the front ride height, no alignment or other stuff until this is done.  :(

 

So once again, 510 experts: How far down the fender do I roll the inner edges.  Right now, I rolled the front part to about where the front bumper meets the fender, and the back is at the same height.  Should I roll it all the way down, or is this far enough?  Don't want to do all this, then find out it's wrong after it's painted..  

 

Thanks again!

Just do it once. You have a lot of time in that paint job. No sense do it again and again.