Long overdue update (oics)

[67Stiffy]

So its been a while since i updated Darla (she has a name now). But i gotta say its awesome how many people ask about not to mention one stopped me going into the store to see if iwould sell it! he offered five grand and got pissed when i didn't want to sell it. he said hed been looking for 10 years which i thought to be obsured when i found one in 9 months with 1/3 of his budgetanyhoo i directed him towards Ratsun and he went on his way. Gotta say i love my Darla!

here are some pics plus what i have done so far.

o and i appoligize becausee in doing alot of this stuff i didnt think to take pics only the finish

 

Nothing done to the outside as of yet, was looking for some old slotted mags but havent found any that were 14x7 4 lug....

 

First off the best thing I've done was switch to electronic distributer. Easyier starts and it doesnt pop out of the carb because my vacume advance works now!

 

 

 

Next was stereo, can deal without music! i wanted to keep the original because it's vintage, and a modern stereo just wouldnt look right to me so i cut two holes in the glove box for my wire harness and rca plugs = Easy. Next part alittle tricky. i talked to a friend who works a the sound room in turlock and we decided to move the gas tank back and sink it into the spare wheel well and put the box right behind the back seat and between the towers mainly because that was the best place for it without having to deal with rattles and other noises. (plus i think the car is more sturdy) With my calculations the box would have enough airspace to be ported out through the top deck but of course i was off and didn't have enough space so sealed box it is. The gas fill neck was the next issue, i havent quite fished that part for now it is in the trunk and not the gas door. i need to find the gas door back plate rubber gasket then ill reroute it back to normal. Cut four plates to mount gas tank, welded them in, and bolted them in. Then issue, the box covers the two back plate holes, but the box actually pinches the gas tank to the plates so theres no movement with everything bolted down. Close one i know. Could have pulled box back out and filed it down abit but exhaustion and lack of time was the blame for that. Next i Peewee'd a Slot in the wheel well and ran the fuel lines in. tank complete. Car is drivable again. A week later i built the top deck for 4 6x9's. it is very flawed but its my first one so i'd say i did well, also carpet hides alot! I ran my electrical and installed the amp under my seat and cranked it up Done. Then came the engine noise thourgh the speakers which took a while but after checking everything and two days later it only ended up being a connector was loose on my dizzy. So this is what it looks like.

Fuel lines

 

Couple easy things I installed a grant steering wheel and made the adapter from the britle stock one so my cancelors work too. Wheel was laying around my garage and a home made adaptor and hour later the whole project was a Feebie :w00t: o yeah gotta find a decent horn cap. possibly a 5$ project.

 

I also changed the shifter handle and shaft to that off a hurst set up. My pop had robbed parts off of it to fix another so i did the same. Its funny everyone i talk to thinks its amazing to see it in a datsun and after i told the first dozen that is just the handle i gave up...i guess it kind of took away from them so i figure who am i to break their hearts...

 

Last week i decided to make my own Door panels and heres what i got. its layered: flames are recessed, Datsun logo stands out, flat foam in middle i guess. This was time consuming and especially cutting the letters out perfectly, and with no avail the vinyl and foam didn't stick and because otthe foam it doesnt fit in the trim piece. trial and error....another first for me. Im trying to get them done before the datsloco event in Manteca or atleast a pair but we'll see.

Make shift drink holder(roll-o-duck-tape)

Thats about it. hope you guys like it

 

cody

 

Its 8:55PM do you know where your Datsun is?

[68Datsun510]

Nice work, my only concern is the fuel tank. You removed the tank from the safe zone between the fenders, and stuck it in the spare tire well. THink ford pinto. You put your fuel tank directly in the line of impact and crush zone...

[philcas1987]

5K AND YOU DIDN'T TAKE IT? HAHA

[Mr. BOHICA]

+1 on the gas tank location. I was notified of the exact thing a few months ago. Check out the oics from my thread:

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/39202-memoirs-of-a-new-510-owner/page__st__20

 

 

[67Stiffy]

@ 68DATSUN510 Ya gotta say completely overlooked that. I thought about it for a while and I need to build a braket for the spare tire(i don't like the fact that if i take it it lays on the gas tank)so if i make a braket for it maybe I could add some bracing around the tank that way in the event of a rear end collision the fuel tank would be better protected. Possibly crush proof, deffinatly not puncture proof tho. I know I should put the tank back to stock but I'll look at all of my options first.

 

@ Bohica nice build so far!

[datzenmike]

Nice work, my only concern is the fuel tank. You removed the tank from the safe zone between the fenders, and stuck it in the spare tire well. THink ford pinto. You put your fuel tank directly in the line of impact and crush zone...

 

The best place would be above the axle but where it is isn't like a pinto. The pinto was outside the car and exposed just below the rear bumper.

 

 

The filler hoses and neck were easily torn off or the tank punctured by bolts on the differential. This is not the case here as the tank is well surrounded by metal and a large crumple zone. In addition the filler neck is inside and less likely to be torn off.

 

68Datsun510... good looking out. You are right, this is not the best place.

 

 

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