Little D... the 79 B210 project for a Newb.

[chailey1970]

Well... here it is.  The day I start documenting the project that is Little D.  My name is Charles.  I recently bought a 1979 Datsun 210 here in Portland.  I did so after originally getting hold of a 1976 Fiat 128 that had some serious issues.  Namely, non-existent parts since the Fiats were made with seriously inferior sheet metal in the 70s and they all rusted through and ended up being replaced by cars like the Civic, the Corolla and... the Datsun B210.  I was sad to say goodbye to the Fiat since it had such sexy lines (very similar to the earlier 70s 1200s and the BMW 2002s and an Italian pedigree.  But... I "graduated" to the world of the Datsun with my new purchase.  When I first got Little D, it had no muffler.  It had a terrible interior (still does) and no working audio, the suspension was (and is) dead and the brakes were (are) dying.  I immediately started to take care of things I could control... a muffler, a good cleaning, new air filter, new oil and filter, new spark plugs, and the only thing I've ever actually done to cars: car audio.  Little D now purrs quietly, and bumps clearly and loudly (700W of Alpine and Rockford Fostage controlled by an Audio Control EQS and an Optima Yellow Top).  This morning, I committed to an interior color scheme for the car.  The carpet will be red nylon loop with black flecks and will be underlain by sound dampener and jute.  The original seats will be redone with deeper bolsters on the hips and shoulders with black vinyl edging and a black with red flecks inner fabric.  I haven't committed, but I am seriously leaning toward House of Kolor PBC49 Silver White for the exterior with a black (carbon fiber, if I can find one) hood and rear spoiler, fender mirrors, race-tuned suspension, upgraded brakes (I ain't trusting the Midas touch), and color-matched powder-coated wheels (perhaps using the 13" that are currently on the car).  If VIP Performance finds that the A14 can't be taken to a 100+ HP place, then I'll consider an engine swap.  I'm not rich... don't let the dreaming fool ya.  I do, however, have the means to shop out a few things (I totally support local businesses when I can).  Others, I will do myself - hopefully learning as much as I can along the way and acquiring some skills.  I'll appreciate any offers of help or suggestions and feedback at any point along this journey.  As the title says, I'm a Newb and need the guidance.  Following is a link to my Flickr pics (ignore Pete, my first build project - my Cyclocross bike):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/92104532@N08/

 

[datzenmike]

You must have one of the last Bs make that year. From October on they were known as 210s or officially a B-310. It's always a good idea to start a build thread. It's self energizing and a record of work done and when.

[chailey1970]

I've been wondering about that.  It seems the 1979 is the forgotten child... I think it is actually a B310 branded as a 210.  When looking for parts, lots of sites list the B210 as up to 1978 and the B310 as 1980 and after... no 1979.  Weird.  I'm not sure at all what it is. Ha.

[chailey1970]

Sigh... the place I went to talk paint did the same thing the place I went to talk performance did: smirk.  Neither of them could justify, in their own minds, any investment in a 1979 Datsun 210.  They didn't say so, but I could see it in their eyes.  They would do the work, because they want and need the money, but they're not into it... the former because it's not a Rod, the latter because it's not a rocket.  Damn it, it sucks to have no skills.  I'll need to do a lot of the work myself and I just don't know how.  Whine.  Time to pull the silver spoon out of my mouth and learn to wrench!  

[Ranbat]

I love the smirk. :D There are a lot of ways to learn just about anything thanks to the internet. If you want to learn to paint, look for vids on YouTube or Google 'how to paint your car'.  But, before you start to painting, look up some videos/tutorials for prepping your car for paint. Prep work is key to a good paint job. Believe me, you would rather  fix a botched paint job over good prep work, than fix botched prep work under a good paint job.

[Z-train]

I just saw a hatchback 210 on the 10 yesterday.All original and the taillight surrounds were black.It looked like this car hadn't been touched other-wise.

[chailey1970]

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So, this happened two weeks and less than 200 miles on these new Monroe shocks.  Sheesh.  

[chailey1970]

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A much happier pic than the last.

[chailey1970]

Whew... all morning in the car.  The seat belts are out.  The carpet is nearly out.  The amps and EQ aren't tacked up into place yet - the idea I had didn't work like I wanted it to, so it's time for a rethink.  There was nasty wet mold under the passenger floorboard.  The sleeve around the gear shifter was damn near corroded through.  Easy stuff to fix, for sure.  For a Newb, that's a good morning's work, I think.  I want to put a new short shifter in.  I want new seat belts (the ones I just took out were a mish-mash).  The new carpet goes in next Wednesday.  The performance inspection/eval is tomorrow morning.  There's lots more going on, but I have only a second to type... and no pics to offer. Sorry.  Maybe tonight.

[chailey1970]

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Well... a couple hours at VIP and I know some things.  Turns out the third cylinder is showing no compression.  The mechanic thinks it is likely a burned or bent intake valve.  The radiator is leaking and the hoses need replacing.  The air pump belt is bad.  There's a valve cover leak.  The base plate carburetor gasket might be leaking, as well.  I need new brakes and struts.  All vacuum hoses are being replaced as I type.  

 

I have some thinking to do.  VIP gave me an estimate to fix everything I just listed.  That's IF the cylinder issue is, in fact, a valve issue and the radiator can be fixed rather than replaced.  I'm actually comfortable with that estimate, but it's just to get it running well - has nothing to do with performance upgrading.  I think here is where I need a reality check... it's time to decide what I want to put into the car (time, effort, money).  I have no skills under the hood, like the majority of you guys, so... Hmmm... ouch... I don't like thinking. :-)

[Laecaon]

You might check your valve adjustment too. may just be your compression issue...

 

http://datsun1200.com/modules/mediawiki/index.php?title=Valve_adjustment

 

BTW, I really like your 210. 210 2dr sedans are one of my favorite Datsuns.

[chailey1970]

Thanks! 

[Dirttrack510]

If you have to pull the head off it's actually pretty easy. We've all done it and most of us learned how to do from reading other members build threads. Check out the engine section on this site. I'm sure you'll be able to do it in a couple hours if you need to.

Nice car though, good luck on the build.

Even if you need to swap motors, that's a job that can be easily done in a afternoon. These cars are cake to work on. :)

[CWhip]

What was the quote? I've got a A15/5 speed, rad, hoses, weber... I just pulled to do my KA swap. Maybe we could work something out.

[Ranbat]

Do you want to learn? Do you have anybody you know that can help you get started? A project like this is a good way to learn, especially if you have any buddies that can help. Don't be afraid.

[chailey1970]

I really do want to learn.  I keep thinking, "I sure hope my kids learn the basics of cars, because I didn't (even though I had a father that rebuilt several '40 Fords and others - we weren't close)."  What better way to get them on that path than for me to also finally learn how to maintain (more than maintain) a car?

 

It's funny someone mentioned that these cars are pieces of cake.  I originally bought a 1976 Fiat 128 and read through the Haynes manual and really understood a lot of what was in it.  The manual on the 1978-82 210 reads like Mandarin Chinese to me... it just seems so much more complicated.  I try to read through some portions and I come away with a headache.  

 

I have a fear of knowing that a certified mechanic can instantly fix something, but if I try to fix it I'll just end up making it worse and then the same mechanic will have to fix my fix.  Irrational fear, perhaps, but it's there nonetheless.  

 

I'm in a town on the other side of the country from where I live.  I don't live in Portland - I'm only here temporarily.  I'm from North Carolina, and any folks that I know that could help me work on this car are 3000 miles away.  

 

The quote to have the cylinder head removed and sent to a specialist to be rebuilt, plus a new head gasket set, plus a new thermostat and new spark plugs, plus an oil flush and change is for just under $1500.  I feel a little bit weird listing the amount, but there it is.

 

Can a car survive for very long on three of four cylinders?  What am I doing to the engine when I drive it now?  

[Z-train]

The A motor does not respond well to improvements like the L-motor.So get any substantial HP increeases out of your head.Get everything"right" and drive it.They are good little cars,light years ahead of any Fiat piece of shit.

[chailey1970]

Ha... I wondered who would be first to chime in regarding the Fiat :-)  

 

I also asked the owner of VIP whether he'd seen anyone actually using the stock A14 in their performance cars, expecting to start a conversation about the SR20 or K24, but he said he's seen a lot of guys use the A14 for hill-climbs.  I took that conversation no further, because I'd be out of my element discussing that and because we had limited time and lots to talk about.  

 

I was just in the garage and had Little D running, and I'm kind of unhappy.  Today, the vacuum hoses were all replaced and I was lead to believe that it would run slightly better - enough to give me encouragement to keep driving forward and fixing all the other things.  The car sounds and acts "sicker" now, though, like fixing one small portion only made the other broken parts angrier.  And boy, does that engine shake when it runs.  I was trying to get a look down into the carb's throat and I couldn't see anything for the vibrations.  And there's so much shit attached to the air cleaner, it's hard to even see the carburetor.  

 

My head is filled with two different ideas... fix it/sell it.

 

Damn.

[Lonestar]

Eyup, got to love the emission crap they bolted on to that yeah? Whelp, has for your motor problems...if they told you 1500 for all of that, you'd be better either swapping out to an L motor or an a15.

 

L swaps are not hard for the 210, they bolt right in. You just need a 510 cross member. If your looking to keep an A motor in it, I'll be taking the complete drive train out mine soon and it all has only 40,000 Original miles on it. There's a lot of things you can do to get her fixed and it's not hard at all to do yourself.

 

Seeing as your part of the Ratsun family, you'll never be far from good sound advice and people who WILL help you keep that Datsun on the road for you to enjoy driving. Just ask and ye shall receive!

[Z-train]

Ha... I wondered who would be first to chime in regarding the Fiat :-)  

 

I also asked the owner of VIP whether he'd seen anyone actually using the stock A14 in their performance cars, expecting to start a conversation about the SR20 or K24, but he said he's seen a lot of guys use the A14 for hill-climbs.   

My head is filled with two different ideas... fix it/sell it.

 

Damn.

What he didn't tell you is how much $$$$$$$$$$$ was in those hill climb motors.ANd with the availability and superiority of the L series,using the A's for hill climbing doesn't make much sense.Un-less it's a CI issue.

[chailey1970]

Yeah... Wryann is honest, but accustomed to money being dumped into some very, very powerful machines coming through and out of his shop.  I don't have gobs of cash.  And... I'm probably the dreaded Can't-Make-Up-His-Mind customer, to boot.

[chailey1970]

I made the hard decision this morning to strictly work Little D into a daily driver... no worrying about performance upgrades and potential track racing, just reliability and efficiency and comfort.  So... he's in the shop getting brakes right now and will get the OEM replacement struts soon.  I will try to find a radiator shop that can replace or repair both quickly and cost-effectively, because:

 

I'm leaving for Boulder, CO in a week - accepted a job just a bit ago.  Little D has to be made ready for travel.  I still don't know whether driving any distance is "okay" with only three cylinders working, but I've read that doing so isn't dangerous, it's just not smart because you can destroy both the oxygen sensor and the catalytic converter (which I won't be needing in Colorado, anyway, I think).  

 

He's getting a full roof rack set-up after the brakes this afternoon... bike and cargo.  I'm still getting the carpet redone, but now only in a more cost-effective grey cut pile, but the seats are going to stay mangled for the time being.  A good set of seat covers should do the trick.  

 

It's not as interesting, I suppose, to have a daily driver crafted by multiple shops rather than doing the work yourself on a performance-oriented Rat, but... I like my Little D and hope I'll have him for another 117K miles, and I'm good with 65HP. :-)

[Lonestar]

I made the hard decision this morning to strictly work Little D into a daily driver... no worrying about performance upgrades and potential track racing, just reliability and efficiency and comfort.  So... he's in the shop getting brakes right now and will get the OEM replacement struts soon.  I will try to find a radiator shop that can replace or repair both quickly and cost-effectively, because:

 

I'm leaving for Boulder, CO in a week - accepted a job just a bit ago.  Little D has to be made ready for travel.  I still don't know whether driving any distance is "okay" with only three cylinders working, but I've read that doing so isn't dangerous, it's just not smart because you can destroy both the oxygen sensor and the catalytic converter (which I won't be needing in Colorado, anyway, I think).  

 

He's getting a full roof rack set-up after the brakes this afternoon... bike and cargo.  I'm still getting the carpet redone, but now only in a more cost-effective grey cut pile, but the seats are going to stay mangled for the time being.  A good set of seat covers should do the trick.  

 

It's not as interesting, I suppose, to have a daily driver crafted by multiple shops rather than doing the work yourself on a performance-oriented Rat, but... I like my Little D and hope I'll have him for another 117K miles, and I'm good with 65HP. :-)

 

 Even tho little D has essmissions, the 210's don't have a cat or O2 sensors. It was still way to early for them. If you do have a cat by chance, just cut it off and be done with it. :P As for your rad, I had this problem too, you can get the Rad for an atuo 210 79-82 years (I think). It will work just fine but you'll need to get an ele fan because you won't be able to use the fan shourd or the Rad over flow bottle. =\ I still have mine but I don't have 300 bucks to get it fixed right yet. X3

 

As for running on 3 cylinders, your gas mileage and power is going to take a big hit but has long you haven't broken or bent a valve, the dead cylinder shouldn't really be any cause for alarm. the A and L motor are just about dam near bullet proof. Just ask some of the guys around here what they have driven (and the distance they it) with alot more than just a dead cylinder.

[chailey1970]

It's the CA model and has a catalytic converter.  I've been shopping around for radiators today, and nobody has aluminum bolt-on models available soon (all would have to be ordered).  There are companies here who can recondition the copper OE radiator for somewhere around $200.  I don't feel too good about this, because the aftermarket aluminum models brand new are around that.  At this point, I'm looking into putting it on a trailer and pulling it, just to keep it safe.