Cpl620 Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 woah! sweet door "handles " 1 Quote Link to comment
BlackBird620 Posted November 26, 2013 Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 Got a link for those latches? Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted November 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 I actually 'acquired' these when I left the Air Force back in 2007. I just haven't had a use for them until now :-) You can probably find similar ones on e-bay; just search for Hartwell Latches. Quote Link to comment
Alex Datsun Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 Forget it when this is running and an awesome event on your side of the country comes up. We gon tap doors! 1 Quote Link to comment
Stupid_fast Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 So rat. So mad max. Can't tell if like or not. Forget it when this is running and an awesome event on your side of the country comes up. We gon tap doors! An then Thomas is gonna come in and T-bone both of you. 1 Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted November 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 Thanks for the comments. I'm glad people are starting to like it more and more. As the build progresses, and it gets body and paint work done, I'm sure more people will like it too. Quote Link to comment
FricFrac Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 So cool... It would be awesome to see another Datsun at drift night.. Do you drift your Roadster - please tell me you have some videos... Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted December 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2013 1 Quote Link to comment
Cpl620 Posted December 8, 2013 Report Share Posted December 8, 2013 bash bar of death! that angle iron makes it look mean. you should put spikes on it for lulz. Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted December 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2013 Haha, spikes...I may just do that. But yeah, the idea is a bash bar of death for sure. If someone brake checks me, I want them to pay for it :-) Though, the spikes may cause some issues if I happen to bump someone. I envision the spikes sticking and causing me to spin out. Since the front end of the car is so damn long, and I will need to always be cognizant of where it is, I will be constructing some iron sights as a hood ornament of sorts lol Yes, a GoPro will for sure be looking down the sights as I drift. 1 Quote Link to comment
Stupid_fast Posted December 11, 2013 Report Share Posted December 11, 2013 Spikes a problem ?? Just put on speed-racer style SAWS. Quote Link to comment
westonstonehocker Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 updates soon? Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted January 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2014 I haven't really had much free-time in December. Hopefully I'll be able make some more progress this month. Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted January 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2014 I have also added the following information to the build section on my website http://www.nostalgicimaging.com/Project-SR71/SR-71/ The goal of this build is to drift a Datsun 240Z. I've had a Nissan S13 Silvia in Japan, as well as a Nissan S13 240SX here in the states. Being that I'm accustomed to that S13 chassis, feel, and suspension setup, I felt it only proper to incorporate as much of that as possible into the Datsun 240Z. After two years, I feel that I have done just that. While the build still has a long way to go before it's road worthy, the work I have put into it thus far was by far the most difficult. Prior to this build, I had no welding nor fabrication experience...I just taught myself as I went along. There is a story behind my current unique build... I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan with the Air Force from 2004-2007, and it was there that I became addicted to drifting. I owned a 1990 Nissan Silvia and went to the track every chance I could. When I got out of the Air Force, they would not let me take the car with me. Because of this I decided to completely strip the entire car down to the shell and pack everything in footlockers to have them ship the parts back to the states. When I finally got back to the states and settled in, I bought a 1990 Nissan 240SX. Once our household goods shipment came in (which included all my car parts), I went to work building my car far better than it was in Japan. I was a few weeks away from putting a roll cage in the car...then on May 30th 2008 I was driving it to work and got hit by a truck. I spent almost 3 months in the hospital. I had multiple injuries: - Crushed left foot - Compound fracture of my right wrist - Fractured bones in my face - 3 broke ribs - Both lungs collapsed - Lacerated organs - Ruptured spleen that was removed - I had a few blood transfusions After a few days I developed ARDS, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, which is where the lungs completely fill with fluid and turn to mush. I had to be place in an induced coma and paralyzed state until hopefully my lungs would heal. I stayed this way for about two months or so, and then one day my lungs just started healing. A few days later they slowly started taking me off of all the drugs they had me on and I woke up. It was a long and difficult road to overcome all of that, but I did and I feel that I'm better than I was before the wreck. If you care to see the scene photos of the wreck, please check them out here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.153764614798970.1073741831.153602634815168&type=3 Luckily my wife wouldn't let them junk my car; she had the car taken to her Dads house. The car sat for about three years until I finally decided to do something with it. I wanted to drift again; however, I wanted the car to be different and unique, so that presented a challenge. I thought about it for quite sometime and decided to look for a Datsun 240Z because I've always loved those cars. After a few months I located one locally that had minimal rust. I bought it for $900 and brought it home. As for my wrecked car, well, the truck essentially hit me in the driver door so the engine, transmission, suspension, rear end, etc were all fine. My research indicated that the Datsun 240Z's were really poor at drifting due to their short wheelbase and lack of heavy aftermarket support for it. I knew that my Nissan 240SX would handle and drift excessively well...so I thought, how can I merge the two? I had no idea what I was about to get into! None of the suspension components from my Nissan would bolt into the Datsun. I could not find any write up on the Internet where someone had successfully accomplished what I wanted to do--that was both stressful and exciting at the same time. I had never welded nor fabricated anything before; I didn't even own a welder. I eventually bought a welder and taught myself how to weld, and after two years I'm still learning. As far as what has been done to the Datsun, here is a very short list of the major modifications: - S13 rear subframe with complete IRS setup. - Custom rear strut towers to accommodate the S13 coilovers - Custom rear strut tower along with supplemental bracing to the subframe - Cut out front strut towers and moved them forward 7.5", this also effectively extended the wheelbase - Custom front strut towers - Custom front strut brace - sr20det red top - Custom solid motor mounts - Custom transmission mount - S13 front crossmember so I can use all of the S13 suspension and steering components - Extended fenders and hood - Made hood open normal as opposed to the Datsun way - Gutted doors - Custom aircraft door latches/openers - Custom bash bar This is an excerpt from a post I made on my build page concerning the build itself: "Here is the deal with this build... Virtually the entire build so far has been done with scrap metal, hardware that friends have given me, parts from my s13 that I almost died in, a cheap harbor freight flux core welder (until recently that is), and anything else that I could use, get, or otherwise obtain for cheap, trade, or barter. I have bought very few things to make this work; it's really just an extreme budget, 1 car garage, junk yard parts, limited tools, mad max, rat rod build. Hell, prior to this I had zero fabrication nor welding experience. I'm glad people like this build, and I'm glad people hate it--there will always be haters. The car may look, on the surface, rough in its current state; however, in the end, I guarantee that it will be awesome and extremely unique. This is far from a show car, but rather a track car (with a story) that will get beat on. No one will ever like 100% of anything on any car; it's just the nature of being human." Hopefully I haven't bombarded you with too much information off the start, but I’m looking for some type of sponsorship, due to my severe lack of funds, in order to complete this unique build. There are numerous parts that I will be needing in order to get the car running, driving, and safe; however, without the funds to purchase these parts, the car will end up just sitting for no telling how long. The project does have a ways to go before it's complete, but I just take my time and accomplish what I can, when I can. While it's slow going, it will get finished. Respectfully, Kenny Alexander To keep up to date with the build, please visit the facebook build page and click the Like button: https://www.facebook.com/ProjectSR71 If you would like to Donate to the build, please do: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=QW3545PXKGTJW 1 Quote Link to comment
r0p0doe Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 Holy shit dude my hats off to you man your a trooper that wreck looks horrifying. A sponsor would be great I want to see this car done you should spread the word on your story I'm sure someone would be willing to help fund this. 2 Quote Link to comment
aintnobiscuit Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Jesus. Just read all that and looked at your pictures. Glad you're ok! That's a miraculous recovery right there. 1 Quote Link to comment
73240z Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I just wanted to clarify that I was never once hating on this car. I think it is epic. Just at the time I didn't feel the hinges flowed well with the rest of it haha. I also work in Aviation and I ended up acquiring a few things like those pins and some other random aircraft parts before leaving the Army, that would have other wise been scrapped. You should buy a cyclic grip to use as a shift knob and wire in all the switches to control lights and stuff on the car. Great work so far on this, and the back story just makes it that much more amazing, I'm glad that you came out okay from that accident. Keep up the good work. 1 Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted January 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 Since the front end is insanely long, I needed a way to tell where it was while drifting. I decided to make a hood ornament that resembles an old gun sight, but with my own unique design. So this thing will be mounted to the front of the bash bar as a means to help me determine where the front end is lol Yes, a GoPro looking through the gun sight would be pretty damn cool! 4 Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 The rear of the fender looks rough, but those gaps were crazy. My paint & body guy told me just weld a few area and he will fix the rest. Trust me when I say...once he does the paint & body, you won't be able to tell; it will just look like one solid fender. I still have to do the passenger side as well. 2 Quote Link to comment
Watson Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 I love how this project is continuing on even with scrap metal and bits laying around. Its refreshing to see a build as creative and innovative as this. Can't wait to see it in person! 1 Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted February 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 Thanks Watson, I appreciate that. Yeah, hopefully you can see the project soon; no telling what stage it will be at when you see it. Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted February 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 A few minor changes to the build section of my website:http://www.nostalgicimaging.com/Project-SR71/SR-71/I try to update both the website and facebook as much as possible. 1 Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted March 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted March 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Both fenders are patched up and now they have the custom coilover access panel which is fully functional. The fenders may look rough now, but later down the road the body work will get done and you won't be able to tell because it will all look like one solid fender. And as for the hood ornament, aka my gun sight, it's honestly just to be funny. Plus, video will look cool as hell with a GoPro sitting behind it--it also serves as a reference point for the front end of the car...so I always know where the insanely long front end is. Quote Link to comment
boost_dependent Posted March 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 This is the scrap metal I started out with. It's off of a truck bed topper....and it was free. Beginning of making a fuel cell cradle Beginning of fuel cell sump cage Starting to mount it in the datsun ...the aftermath. While the cell is mounted, it's far from complete. I still need to add more bracing and supports for it as well as fill in the open areas with sheetmetal. Quote Link to comment
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