TURTLE POWER!!!

[MicroMachinery]

[MicroMachinery]

Today after work, the estrogen levels were higher than usual in the house, so I made for my last refuge: my shop. Getting some things rounded up for Blue Lake, I decided to do some tidying up on the newest member of the family. I installed a steering column clamshell, the radio blanking plate/coin tray, some missing trim, and a few screws that kept various dash pieces stationary.

 

On top of that, I remembered that I was missing my passenger side "J-Line" trim, so I decided to do something about that. I've found that one this particular model, the fasteners that hold these fancy stainless trims on get weak and brittle over time, and disintegrate. As it starts to hang off, all it needs is someone walking by to snag or grab onto it, and it's history. This was a problem on my 76', so I knew just how to deal with it.

 

As you can see, the side of the car just looks incomplete without it:

 

So whatcha gotta do is start by punching out the remnants of the old fasteners. I used a scribe.

 

If they're brittle enough, they should just dissolve under the pressure of a pick or scribe. These ones were weak enough to break, but strong enough to fight me. With a little work, I was able to push them into the deep abyss, where they will suffer everlasting punishment in unending darkness. A just reward for their incompetence.

 

 

The next step was to take a spare J-Line(if you're without one of these, no amount of words can comfort you)...

...and remove one of the end plugs..

 

I always choose to go with the lower one. To remove this, there is a small tang that needs to be bent up. CAREFULLY pry it up so as to allow the plastic plug to slide..

 

Once the tang is bent up, you can use a thin headed screwdriver to put pressure on the backside. It should slide right out.

 

Now that you have that out, it's time for the fresh new fasteners. For this, I chose Balkamp 665-1384 that I sourced through my local Napa.

 

While these do take minor modifications to work, it's nothing more than cutting the two flat spots off with a pair of side cutters.

 

The one in the pic was cut too extreme, and will not hold as effectively as a carefully measured and trimmed fastener. Measure twice, cut once. Once you have 4 trimmed to appropriate size, slide them into the gutter on the backside of the J-Line trim.

 

Get them into position according to the location of the holes on the J-line, and prepare to add them to your 6-series.

 

Once they're semi close to where you want them, reinstall your end plug, and carefully bend the retaining tang back down to hold it in position.

 

Line the trim up with the holes in the J-line. You're almost done now; good hands, don't choke!

 

Make sure that both ends of the trim are lined up, and won't interfere with the rain gutter trim, as well as the opening and shutting of the door. This is your last chance to correct any misalignment, so don't get in a hurry and dummy this up. With a firm push with your paw, push the front-most fastener in, followed by the 2nd, 3rd, then the one at the top/rear.

 

BOOYEAH.

 

greater than

 

[I'm BLUE]

 

Oh ... My .... :sneaky:

 

You do an excellent step by step detailed orientation with your projects

 

I feel like I am right there casting those evil old stainless rivet thingys into an oblivion of darkness Haha :) ( I hate those little bass turds Haha )

 

I look forward to reading these.

 

Thanks for sharing bro and keep it up :thumbup:

[MicroMachinery]

I did this, too.

[zerow]

 

 

Looks Good!...but, for all things holy...LOWER THIS CAR!

I could park underneath it...

[MicroMachinery]

I was gonna get to it.. somewhere in the midst of my 60+ hour work week and keeping the woman happy. However, after all the shit that was talked at Blue Lake, I'm starting to enjoy the feeling of getting hated on.. it's an acquired taste.

 

Hate on. :)

[Silky_Johnson]

I was gonna get to it.. somewhere in the midst of my 60+ hour work week and keeping the woman happy. However, after all the shit that was talked at Blue Lake, I'm starting to enjoy the feeling of getting hated on.. it's an acquired taste.

 

Hate on. :)

 

This is actually where I got my screen/dirt-biking name:

 

[zerow]

I was gonna get to it.. somewhere in the midst of my 60+ hour work week and keeping the woman happy. However, after all the shit that was talked at Blue Lake, I'm starting to enjoy the feeling of getting hated on.. it's an acquired taste.

 

Hate on. :)

No hate, brother...just after having a 4x4 610 for so long when I was in high school, I can't see these cars stock height any more.

[INDY510]

I actually love how it looks .... Datsun paid engineers to design these cars... they were not designed to drive much lower than that

 

Stock height is a blast to drive on all terrains, and without stock wheels, the car handles about as good as it ever will for a cross country road trip on un-known roads/off-roads

 

one inch lower than stock is all that "used to be" safe back in the day for 510's ... now everyone say's RCA's are "bump-steer" spacers :rofl:

[I'm BLUE]

Yes !!! Getting harder to find 610 + rare jdm "proto" type wheels... Brings out the lines in the car = win !!

 

The hotwheels look is badass !!! :cool:

[MicroMachinery]

I actually love how it looks .... Datsun paid engineers to design these cars... they were not designed to drive much lower than that

 

Stock height is a blast to drive on all terrains, and without stock wheels, the car handles about as good as it ever will for a cross country road trip on un-known roads/off-roads

 

one inch lower than stock is all that "used to be" safe back in the day for 510's ... now everyone say's RCA's are "bump-steer" spacers :rofl:

 

How I feel exactly.

 

I think "slammed" has been over done. It's been adopted that unless your car is on it's balls, you're doing it wrong. I lowered my 76', and while most Oooo'd and Ahhh'd, I'm thinking.. "Shit, I went overboard and now I look like a friggin' clown." I still need to make it right...

 

 

Nothing wrong with tastefully lowering your car. I'm happy with how my wagon sits.

 

[zerow]

Both look equally good...I feel that the lowering process is still a direct relation to the rim size...

I am running 14" 200SX wheels...a solid 2 inch drop all around. I wanted where I could put my hand on the tire and not touch fenderwell...where would it be with 15 inch or larger wheels? I have no clue. But, I am happy with it. I corner better, I dont feel like the car is going to roll off the frame (I know they are unibody...), but the stock height when I was growing up plus a huge gust of wind meant serious sway...

[Burabuda]

preaching to the choir... my next ride will have an 80's rake to it.. :devil:

[MicroMachinery]

Got a few things done over the past week, but been too busy to post about it.

First off, the exhaust had a few leaks before and after this..


As you can see in the following pictures, there are holes at the front and back.



This was easily dealt with.. the sawsall, a piece of flex tubing, and some clamps made for a 5 minute, temporary patch job.



Next, I wanted to fill that empty spot that covers the gas cap..



Last year at the Portland Swap Meet, I ran into a guy that was selling off some random 610 pieces. He had a locking fuel door for a Sport Coupe, so I snagged it.



I got a different steering wheel to try out from ggzilla at Blue Lake, so I thought I'd try it on. For anyone who is thinking about changing a wheel out on a 610 or 710, and is unsure about how to do it, I took pictures while doing it, step by step.



There's nothing to it, really. Just grab the top pad around the edges..



.. and begin pulling near the edges, in order to separate the two halves of the steering wheel.



Once you have pulled it out far enough to get your fingers in behind, you're there. Just pull each of the 3 points out of their clips like so..



Once you get the pad removed, you should see a sight like this.



Remove the retaining nut. Next, install your handy-dandy steering wheel puller.



It shouldn't be on too tight, so I just used my fingers to spin it off.



And that's that. While I had it off, I took the time to clean and re-grease the turn signal switch and horn contacts. I used dielectric grease, so as to protect as well as lubricate the switch.



So as to not leave a job half done, I also cleaned and re-greased the contact for the horn on the back of the new steering wheel..



The new wheel installed..



Lastly, I finished it off with the stock horn button.



I must say, these 720 ST steering wheels don't seem to get alot of love, but I'm pretty stoked on mine. It's a vast improvement over the stock wheel, in feel and appearance.

[bonvo]

little late to the ride height discussion but for me i lowered my car to the point that i though it looked good yet remained funtional i still have suspension travel at all 4 corners and no wheel well gap

 

zerow and micro have both seen my car its really not much lower then stock

[MicroMachinery]

Specs?

[Draynor]

That steering wheel looks great man. 720 ST you say? I might have to do this to my goon.

[bonvo]

specs on my suspension? nothing special 1.5 coils out of the rear 2.5 out of the front later its gonna get coil overs in the front and a slotted crossmember as well as some kind of swap

 

edit: wheel specs front 14x6 zero? offset 184/60/14 rear 14x8 zero? offset with 195/ 70/14

[ProjectFeint]

Cool write up on the steering wheel and nice score on the locking gas door

[MicroMachinery]

Found some factory matching brown carpet at the wrecking yard.

 

 

It's probably not long for this world, but it will be good enough to rest my feet on.

 

Also picked up some window cranks out of the same car.

 

 

I was able to utilize some armrests that I got from DREWSDIME for the rear, which the car was missing as well.

 

 

WHAMMO

 

 

.. and now, the window cranks.

 

 

Not many things give the same instant gratification as knowing that you no longer have to share a single window crank for an entire car... I felt like Royalty.

[Eagle_Adam]

lookn good micro! gotta love the little things that complete the interior. Did you make it to the wagon at PnP?

[MicroMachinery]

Yessir :) Stopped in and grabbed a few odds 'n' ends.. gotta save what we can.

[MicroMachinery]

Stock mirror, with no day/night adjustment...

 

 

Gotta love upgrading with factory parts. ;)

 

[RedBanner]

Cowabunga yo!

[Eagle_Adam]

DO WANT THAT MIRROR FOR MAH TRUCK!!!!!!!!