1979 Datsun 810 Wagon Mild Custom

[ArchetypeDatsun]

Just put a new air filter in it should help a lot remember there isn't anything aftermarket for the 810 nore it's engine. The stock AFM is different from the 280z & 280zx but you can interchange parts as I've seen it done. In that case if you want more power out of it either put lots of money into the L24E or get a L28E and go from there. You could swap a L28ET turbo engine from a 280zx turbo but you will need to take the stock power steering box that's in the way and do a rack & pinion swap.

[tablebeast]

Right, Walker super turbo muffler! That is what I meant to say. Looks like a good deal and probably a lot more usable on the street than a glasspack. Is there a specific model that I should be on the lookout for?

 

As for power, I don't really care about getting more power. This car already has plenty. I LOVE the fuelie 2.4 and would never swap it out unless it was just dogged out. This one has one 113k well-cared-for miles so it has a LOT of life left in it. I really just want an air filter that mice can't live in is all. I am thinking about putting some kind of screen on the end of the air intake tube and jsut be done with it.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

For sure as well as mine the L24E's have some plenty of power. A screen would be a good idea would be good take everything apart like the intake box to see if don't have a mice nest in there.

[Z-train]

Look for the biggest body you can fit and get it with the proper sized in/out.Walkers are known for their quiet idle and cruise tones but bark when you wind it up.

[tablebeast]

 

After a good bath (well an adequate bath) AAAAnd a new set of wheels and tires, here is my daily driver as she sits. I like the stance, but I think an inch lower and a bit narrower in the front with the 280zx parts would tighten it up to where it is ideal. Next up I will be detrimming it and removing the bumpers. Plus I think I want to roll the fenders. With the ZX wheels and the 195 70r14s it is a tight fit unmodded. I haven't seen any rubbing yet, but I haven't really hotdogged it out on some back roads yet. So, it may still rub some if I leave it stock. In any case, I think the General Altimax RT's on the ZX 14x6" 6 spoke rims really turned out nice. What do you guys think?

 

 

 

 

[ArchetypeDatsun]

Looking good really shined it up you can cut the springs in the front and use lowering blocks in the back.

[Spoona_Jay21]

Looking good really shined it up you can cut the springs in the front and use lowering blocks in the back.

only problem with cutting, is if you cut too much or them wrong. it will handle like a school bus with a 3 ft lift.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

only problem with cutting, is if you cut too much or them wrong. it will handle like a school bus with a 3 ft lift.

Very true mine handles good not sports car like but it does the job, but yes gotta do it right or it will handle like crap.

[tablebeast]

I am not going to cut any springs, no matter what. I have had a bad experience with that in the past. Never again. Won't the 280zx struts lower it an inch already? That is all I need. I'm happy with it the way it is considering I live on a gravel road and need all the clearance I can get. Regardless, even IF I do lower the front, the rear isn't getting lowered at all.

[Z-train]

It is an open question right whether ZX tubes will bolt to the 810 steering knuckles.280Z SHOULD.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

I never seen anyone put ZX struts on a 810.

[Z-train]

If the knuckle pattern fits,then all you do is cut teh ZX tube down low and stich on the upper part of the 810 tube.This is a backburner project for me.

[tablebeast]

I never seen anyone put ZX struts on a 810.

 

I must have confused something. I thought this was a settled issue and that the ZX struts on an 810 is a regular mod. In any case, I don't need to do any kind of mod at all. I actually found some original KYB 810 strut inserts that will go in soon in light of this info. No need for me to do any experimenting there since I have the stock parts in hand.

[tablebeast]

By the way, I am toying with the idea of putting this car up for sale as it sits now before I start modding it. I figure since it is so original I would give anyone who wanted it the chance to buy it off me and restore it to stock if they wanted to. I have over 3K in the car right now (if I include parts bought but not yet installed), so I am going to ask $2600 for JUST the car as it sits or $3000 for the car with ALL my extra parts and literature for it. It is right now a reliable daily driver with a clear title. Anyone looking for a 1979 810 Wagon on the east coast?

[Z-train]

ZX struts on a 510 is a regular mod-not the 810's.THere is a couple inch height difference.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

ZX struts on a 510 is a regular mod-not the 810's.THere is a couple inch height difference.

That is correcto!

[ArchetypeDatsun]

By the way, I am toying with the idea of putting this car up for sale as it sits now before I start modding it. I figure since it is so original I would give anyone who wanted it the chance to buy it off me and restore it to stock if they wanted to. I have over 3K in the car right now (if I include parts bought but not yet installed), so I am going to ask $2600 for JUST the car as it sits or $3000 for the car with ALL my extra parts and literature for it. It is right now a reliable daily driver with a clear title. Anyone looking for a 1979 810 Wagon on the east coast?

Dang already? $2600 is quite a bit for an 810 maybe since it's on the east coast you'll get close to that. Put it up for sale on the classifieds, make sure to have all receipts in hand people are gonna definitely wanna see what was done to it since the last time it was for sale.

[tablebeast]

Dang already? $2600 is quite a bit for an 810 maybe since it's on the east coast you'll get close to that. Put it up for sale on the classifieds, make sure to have all receipts in hand people are gonna definitely wanna see what was done to it since the last time it was for sale.

 

I know, I really don't want to do it, but I have to move at the end of the month and right now the cash in my pocket would be better than a car in storage for a few months. $2600 a lot? 112k original miles on a local car? ONLY minor cosmetic rust (had undercoating from factory)? Daily Driver that NEEDS nothing? I think in this condition with all the work I've done, its a bargain. Show me another one that is in the same shape for less on the east coast, I'd like to see it. $2600 is exactly what I have in the car and I worked it out earlier just to be sure: $1200 for the car; $300 parts and labor for front bearings, rotors, pads, calipers, brake line; $300 parts and labor for rear bearings and shocks; $500 for new tires and wheels; $175 random other stuff like a new jack, 4-way, 2 new full size spare tires; and of course $125 for eBay's cut comes to exactly $2600. I have about $550 in additional parts not yet installed (mostly because it doesn't need the stuff yet) like: Grant steering wheel with adapter ($60), OEM radiator ($100), KYB front struts + bellows ($75), Full brake line set ($60), Master cylinder ($60), Water Pump ($30), Manuals ($50), and various other parts like filters, plugs, wires, + other tuneup stuff for the future ($100). Not to mention I still have the original tape deck add-on, hubcaps, used vintage crane cam, and more. I think $2999 for EVERYTHING is a great deal. If someone is looking for a nice 810 wagon, they are not going to find a better one for a better price on the east coast. And yeah, obviously if I sold it away from evilbay I'd knock off the $125 fee they charge.

 

I don't NEED to sell it and don't even want to sell it really. BUT, if someone wants to buy it from me I will not be losing any money on it. It is free to list on ebay so all it costs me is the time to clean her up, take some pictures, and put up a listing. If no one buys it at the price I am asking, then so be it. I mean how many of these are left AT ALL in my part of the country?

[ArchetypeDatsun]

It's east coast usually people pay more for Datsuns over there not saying it's a lot there but here on the west coast it would be. I seen plenty on the west coast get sold pretty cheap in good shape there are some out there that a pretty penny. last year on CL I seen a 78 810 wagon cleaner than even mine no rust all stock low miles sell for $1000. I'm sure someone looking for an 810 on the east coast will swoop yours up, but it does suck to it another member sell there 810.

[tablebeast]

New plan, buy up Datsuns cheap on the West Coast and ship them all back to the Northeast to flip! I figure as rare as they are here in the SOUTHeast, those poor bastards up north don't have ANY left with their love for salty roads.

 

$1000? Really? What a shame. Maybe Jay Leno needs to do an 810 Wagon to add to his other Datsun reviews! No doubt the 510 has jumped in value since he gushed about it recently.

 

Now, what I want to get IF I sell it is a nice Toyota RV. One of the smaller ones: a Chinook or Dolphin Mini. There are a few available here locally for decent prices so that has also given me reason to consider selling my Goon.

[Z-train]

WHere did you get new struts?No-one has ever made them for 77-79.

[tablebeast]

WHere did you get new struts?No-one has ever made them for 77-79.

 

I bought a set of Vintage NOS KYB's model KC4004 off of eBay, but I have not installed them yet. Here is a link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281090805048

 

And how do you figure no one ever made them? I means someone HAD to. Maybe these are the wrong ones, but the guy selling them assured me they would work or I could return them.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

No leave them here we need them just as bad lol! That's what some people have done in the past with there nice fully restored and modified 510's take them from here and sell them on the east coast for a profit. I'm glad we don't salt our roads here in Oregon or in the west coast very rarely do they do they do it.

 

A shame? Heck no I wouldn't want them to go way up theres already a few people trying to get a lot for a 810 that needs body work, paint, engine work, and missing parts. 810's just won't bring in a lot of money because there not popular and with not so many on the road today I don't think it will ever happen. The value is really low on these market value even less the only one i say is worth the money is a 810 coupes very rare to find those. Since 810 coupes were only made in 79 in low production numbers and even less in 80 I say finding one complete would bring in more than a wagon or sedan. Heck there's a 810 coupe in CL right selling for $100 bucks that will never happen again! Jay Leno's video 510 feature had nothing to do with the 510 going up in price it was already going up because of the popularity of the car everyone wants one now. 510 is a well known car now almost everywhere I look there's one or one for sale. Just my 810 alone the wheels are worth $2k without the tires the only known wheels here in the U.S. My 810 has almost no rust very few spots and knicks here and there. Mine having a few mods like lowered suspension, being a Manual which is rare these days in a 810 with the 5 speed from a 83 ZX, early 810 round headlight conversion, besides that it's all stock I would say $1500-1800 without the wheels. Of course once I get started on putting money in the engine that will be a different story.

 

Those campers are pretty cool a few members have them, there's actually a datsun 620 chinook for on CL as well as local datsun 521 with a camper on it.

[Z-train]

I bought a set of Vintage NOS KYB's model KC4004 off of eBay, but I have not installed them yet. Here is a link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281090805048

 

And how do you figure no one ever made them? I means someone HAD to. Maybe these are the wrong ones, but the guy selling them assured me they would work or I could return them.

I need new strut cartridges.No-one makes them.I had a long talk with KYB going over numbers & things.The best answer we came up with was to use a 280Z cartridge and make a spacer to take up the remaining space in the tube.I even had a conversation with Mike Klotz about doing the machining,but this project is on a back-burner that doesn't have the same zip code as i do at the moment.

 

No-one currently at KYB will know if they DID make them.But let's assume for arguements sake that they did.They would be nitrogen charged.Odds are that the gas has passed(pun intended).If so,they are worth-less.Do your homework real good.

 

Edit: i just looked at the E-rape ad you referenced.I have major issues with his "wording".Talk to KYB and get the cartridge length from a 280Z.Then compare that number against the length of what he is selling.If it is the same,those cartridges WILL NOT work without a spacer that i mentioned above.