Cooper - 1969 1600SSS Bluebird Coupe

[carterb]

We spent the next hour driving to every auto parts store in Kelso trying to find a slave cylinder. Not only did no one have one - no one could even order one. Except for one store, a mom & pop type places called Baxter Auto Parts. They could order one and have it ready the next day - Sunday (for real!). That would mean leaving the car in Kelso which would be less than ideal so we said thanks and put our hopes into finding one at Canby. Then I could drive back up to Kelso, swap it in, and drive back down again Saturday night and all would be well.

We went back to the coupe and I tried to get it to the freeway thinking I could possibly drive it down with no clutch but it was no use. I couldn't even get it out of the parking lot. There was some event that had just let out and the traffic was so bad I was going to hurt me, the car, or someone else if I tried any longer so I gave up, re-parked, consilidated everything in the wagon and away we went.

Once we hit the freeway, Brenda got on the phone and called Dave Bothwell who tried to track down a slave cylinder for us in the swap meet. Closest we could get was something from James "the510keeper" but it turned out to be for a truck or somethign else and the soft line connected in a different place. He let me hold on to it for insurance...

After we were sure our options were exhausted, I called Baxters back and asked if they could still order the part which they could and said it would be there around noon on Sunday. So now we could just relax and enjoy the show.

Here is a link to my Canby 2011 photo album: http://datsun510.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=3751

[carterb]

After the awards and raffles were over, we packed up the wagon and headed back North. True to their word, Baxter's got in the part!

So we headed over to the coupe so I could make the swap. Let me tell you, this was not the easist job to do on a lowered Datsun!

And of course, it started raining. Look! You can see how my pants shrunk! :blush:

But before you knew it, I had it swapped out, bled, tools put away, and we were back on the road.

The ride home was a little nerve-racking. I hadn't yet tried the headlights or the wipers and I was afraid to pull one of the switches and have the car die or something. :hyper:

Except from the rain leaking through the windshield seal or cowl or something into the footwell, the trip was trouble free from there but man was I glad to get back home!

[carterb]

The next day I bled the brakes again, I had air in the master cylinder. The one in the car when I got it was so dead, one of the two circuits would not move fluid at all so I swapped in a replacement. Unfortunately, US style replacements put the bleader screws rigth into the strut tower. They were so difficult to access I didn't bother bleading it. And remember, I *thought* I had a decent pedal 'till I hit the freeway. Anyway, I somehow managed to crack the bleeders, get the air out, and found a nice firm pedal. Then, I took the time to photograph the car. I hadn't done that yet since putting it back on the road. Enjoy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

After that, I just drove it daily up to mid December when I bought Blanco the Winter Wagon so I did't have to drive the coupe on salt and ice. I started driving it again this spring and although I have bought a bunch more parts for it, it hasn't changed from the photos above so if I make it to Canby this year, you will be sure to recognize it.

I was suposed miss Canby 2012 on account of a business trip but that has been pushed back so my family and I are going to try to make it down after all. I hope to see many of you there! Hopefully I won't be on the side of the road under the car this time!

--carter

[Laecaon]

Awesome! FYI, Baxter's is hardly a mom and pop store. They easily rival Napa for knowledge, ability to get parts, and general feel for the store, just not as big of a chain. I believe they are owned by "Performance Warehouse" which at least the local one here supplies many shops with parts and of course Baxter's directly. I can actually get gasket kits at Baxter's cheaper than through my work, and finally, Datsuns NW offers a discount to Baxter's if you are a member. They are easily my favorite parts stores, (Napa doesnt win because they like to charge more than retail on so many items)

[carterb]

Let me asure you, they were certainly my favorite parts store on that day!

We don't have any Baxter's up here so that's why I assumed they were not a big chain store.

We used to have a place in Shelton where I grew up called Cut Rate Auto Parts (CRAP) They had a hot rod toilet in the store display window. That type of place always seems to sell more knowlege than the big chains.

[pondking]

thats fucking beautiful

[carterb]

Well, we made the trip down to Canby and back this year without drama. I think my hearing may be permanently damaged from the howling bearing in 5th gear but other than that, the trip was great. Here was Cooper at the show, parked between Pat Green's FJ20 2dr and James's rusty coupe

 

 

I have a whole album of Canby photos if you want to take a look:

http://datsun510.com...ry.php?cat=3807

 

We had to make a day trip of it this year - Sunday only - so it was very nice to get home. We were tired!

 

Looking forward to Canby 2013!

[jrock4224]

dude seriously......a coupe too..... your my idol.......

[peanutbuttercups]

I am jelly. Enjoy that bird, and let me know when you want to sell it lok

[carterb]

Cooper is holding up great continuing daily driver duty for me this Summer. It now has over 50K kilometers on the odometer. I check fluids now and then and that's it. It is solid!

 

I had to swap garages yesterday to make room for the next steps on the VG33 wagon so I took a couple of photos.

 

 

 

When I parked it in the other garage, Brenda said I should take a photo since the two coupes are now side by side for a while.

 

 

Kind of my own little nissan dream garage

 

[DatWifey]

When I parked it in the other garage, Brenda said I should take a photo since the two coupes are now side by side for a while.

 

So much envy!! And such a great idea by Brenda for a pic ;) Most of us only ever even dream of owning one of these...... let alone two! B)

[jrock4224]

carter will u marry me... i will foot the bill on a sex change... i hope u dont mind a 6-7" she male... :geek: :crying: :sneaky: :rofl:

[ProjectFeint]

How I envy your garage... both the coupes and the space :rofl:

[bananahamuck]

Why am i thinking it was faded green,, do you have another one that is ?

 

Am i losing my mind?

answer is choice #2 even if it is faded green but it looks like faded silver to me

It's a multitude of colors really, but none of them really resemble green. It's the original silver but most of the roof is faded/oxidized to the primer which is kind of black.

 

 

Kinda a while ago but,, threads drop so fast in here ( which is a good thing ) that i didn`t see response..

 

I could have swore that when i was there the car you threatened to punch me in the face, like Mike Tyson, if i got that car seat even somewhat close to, was a faded greenish color.. My brain is apparently a used up husk of a thing , cuz it was obviously a silver car.......always.

 

 

i`m still picturing it in my mind as green . :lol:

[carterb]

I could have swore that when i was there the car you threatened to punch me in the face, like Mike Tyson, if i got that car seat even somewhat close to, was a faded greenish color.. My brain is apparently a used up husk of a thing , cuz it was obviously a silver car.......always.

 

 

i`m still picturing it in my mind as green . :lol:

 

Huh?

I'm not exactly sure what you are saying but I can assure you, I have never threatened to punch you or anyone else in the face... You can sit in the car any time you like.

[bananahamuck]

I know over on the realm joking around is frowned upon ,,,but that was what i was doing.. :blush:

( again a joke )

 

 

When I ( fat long haired dude ) came to your house with my brother ( old bald dude ) to buy a windshield ,, you had a black and a white seat and a couple brown seat covers ( apparently out of the wagon you sold to a member named Goatchi ) for sale also.. I was going to carry them from that adjoining room off the garage to my mini-van of science,, You said " i would rather carry them over and around coupe,, that way if I scratch car I won`t have anybody but myself to be mad at ." .. But that story , as you can see, is much less entertaining.

 

 

 

We were there again buying a orange drivers door for my brothers 4 door,,again in a 2005 dodge mini van but since my family has 2 that are the same just different colors, i`m not sure which one i drove either time...That time the car was out in the yard or in the driveway ,,hell i don`t remember , but it was in broad daylight..

[carterb]

Got it. No wonder I didn't remember. You look nothing like your avatar! You are much taller in person. :rolleyes:

[jrock4224]

to jog your memory ... he was probably wearing a shirt the day u saw him..

 

.

[bananahamuck]

:rofl:

 

You almost got coffee out the nose on that one.

[carterb]

Well Summer has come to an end here in the PNW... That means rain and lots of it and the bluebird is not handling it well. Last fall/winter I had a garage to start out in every morning so it started each day dry and was able to dry out again at night if it got wet during the day (which it did often) but this year, I'm out in the elements 24hrs a day. It is getting wet inside and I can't stay on top of the fogged windows so it has become unsafe to drive. I have two problems really:

Problem 1 - I have a leak somewhere allowing water in the front floors

Problem 2 - I don't have a set of 68 defrost tubes.

 

For Problem 2 - I McGuyver'd a set a couple weeks ago which worked fine on the passengers side but not at all on the drivers side due to conflicts with the heater cables, e-brake mechanism, dash wiring, etc. I will try again this weekend if I have time.

 

For Problem 1 - I need to do some investigating to find the source. When I first noticed the problem, the drivers side floor was wet so I pulled the carpet. Now, during a good rain, the passenger side floor gets wet as well.

 

But not nearly as wet as the drivers side. It rained really hard a couple nights ago and when I checked in the morning, there was almost 2" of water in the front of the drivers side foot-well (I'm parked slightly down-hill) unfortunately (or fortunately) most of it was gone before I could take this photo

 

That boat would have floated if I had tried it in the morning... Anyway, my first thought was that I am leaking through the windshield seal as it is cracked, rock-hard, and lifted up in the top corners

 

and a little at the bottom as well

 

But not TOO bad... It could be the fresh air vents as well correct? I figured parking nose down would eliminate those from the suspect list but maybe not. What have you guys found to be the typical source(s) of water ingress in a 510?

[goichi1]

Hey Carter! long time no talk!! I gotta get back over to visit with you soon! As for the water intrusion, if its that much, you might want to look inside the wiper cowl, pour a bucket of water in it and see if any makes it to the inside floor. if so, you got some rust issues in there or the rubber drain hoses are torn up. hopefully it's the rubber hoses that drain that water out of the cowl area down by the fenders.

[philcas1987]

want to trade cars carter? I have a nice blue one you can finish your way...

[DISLEXICDIME]

check the bottom corners of the door near the front kick panel i have had water collect in the doors and leak in the door seal and in to the floor board

[carterb]

thanks for the suggestions. I'll be methodical with the water application and see if I can find out where it is coming in.

--carter

[carterb]

I was mostly driving the Winter Wagon since my last post and Cooper's been dry in the garage.  I checked the cowl drains but they are in great shape.  No easy fix then so I need something to keep up with the fogging windows.  I pulled the carpets (they need to be replaced anyway) and then set out to fix the defrost.  As you know, hot air is supposed to come out of here:

 

and go through here:

 

But the hoses were missing when I got the car and I have never been able to find a set.  (They are different than the 69-73 US vent hoses)

 

*WARNING - THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS MAY NOT BE EASY ON THE EYES*

 

This may not be the best looking solution but it is a solution none-the-less and should allow me to see while I'm driving.  Which - I believe - is a good thing! 

 

I found a scrap of 2" vacuum hose at work:

 

This fits the upper duct perfectly but doesn't fit the outlet on the heater box so I cut a slit in the hose so I could expand it:

 

Now I could fit it in place:

 

And seal the split with some of Macgyver's favorite!:

 

If anyone out there has a set of NISSAN vent hoses for a 69 coupe (same as 68 US models?) please let me know.