Eddie Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Wholly cow Datsuns last a long time!!! One of my front brake calipers finally decided to show very slight leakage...I mean SLIGHT, after 42 years and over 340,000 miles. For piece of mind I'm rebuilding both (just finished cleanup and waiting for brake cleaner to dry off before assembly), and replacing the original and still completely functioning master cylinder. That is a damn long time!!! Quote Link to comment
Ratwagon1600 Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Wholly cow Datsuns last a long time!!! One of my front brake calipers finally decided to show very slight leakage...I mean SLIGHT, after 42 years and over 340,000 miles. For piece of mind I'm rebuilding both (just finished cleanup and waiting for brake cleaner to dry off before assembly), and replacing the original and still completely functioning master cylinder. That is a damn long time!!!Waithing for brake cleaner to dry off before assembly? Really? What pray tell did you use as Brake Cleaner? Every proper brake cleaner ive used evaporates in a matter of minutes once sprayed on the bits! Quote Link to comment
TorinWalhood Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Wholly cow Datsuns last a long time!!! One of my front brake calipers finally decided to show very slight leakage...I mean SLIGHT, after 42 years and over 340,000 miles. For piece of mind I'm rebuilding both (just finished cleanup and waiting for brake cleaner to dry off before assembly), and replacing the original and still completely functioning master cylinder. That is a damn long time!!! I think their longevity varies a lot with how well they are treated. Mine's only got 186,000, and I have had to rebuild, the front and rear brakes, replace the clutch slave and master, and do the head gasket. And I am pretty sure I am the fifth guy to do it... Quote Link to comment
Eddie Posted January 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 By no means is mine all bone stock and original...I was always looking for an excuse to replace a part and upgrade. I'm just amazed that the "bad" caliper piston has lasted this long, and that the other good one and the master cylinder are still functioning well. And yes the brake cleaner dries fast but just to be sure absolutely all traces are gone I figured I might as well take a break for 30 minutes. I rubbed the seal grooves and the bore clean with Never-Dull, and I sprayed the crap out of them to be sure all traces of lint and micro-metal flakes are gone. I needed a break from the fumes! Quote Link to comment
Ratwagon1600 Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 And yes the brake cleaner dries fast but just to be sure absolutely all traces are gone I figured I might as well take a break for 30 minutes. I rubbed the seal grooves and the bore clean with Never-Dull, and I sprayed the crap out of them to be sure all traces of lint and micro-metal flakes are gone. I needed a break from the fumes! Fair enough! Dont mind me, i'm just a sceptical grumpy prick some/most days. Methalayted spirits will do the same job as brake cleaner for a lot less of the cost. Pics of your ride will win you lots of bonus points around here. Welcome from downunder. Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 How long do they last, well some of them are older than their owners. :lol: 1 Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 They will last as long as you treat them right, sometimes longer. Welcome aboard Eddie :) Quote Link to comment
captaingamez Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Are you the original owner? Are you SURE they have never been replaced before? Also, brake systems tend to deteriorate with age and sitting still. If the car was driven its entire life, and new fluid kept in it, and never parked for a few years, then its totally plausible those original seals would last that long. Its non-use that kills stuff alot of times, not over use. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Datsuns tend to be over engineered. Most things were simple, easy to fix and very robust in construction. There's an old story about Henry Ford cruising the junk yards in the '30s. He would ask the owners 'What Model A or T part did people never come in to buy?" The owners inevitably answered the tie rods. Henry went back to his engineers and yelled "Make the tie rods smaller!!!" Well looking at todays cars I have to wonder how many will be around in 40 odd years with a quarter million miles on them? Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Datsuns tend to be over engineered. Most things were simple, easy to fix and very robust in construction. There's an old story about Henry Ford cruising the junk yards in the '30s. He would ask the owners 'What Model A or T part did people never come in to buy?" The owners inevitably answered the tie rods. Henry went back to his engineers and yelled "Make the tie rods smaller!!!" Well looking at todays cars I have to wonder how many will be around in 40 odd years with a quarter million miles on them? can u imagine, 3o years from now trying to find a crank shaft position sensor for a corolla... or trouble shooting the miles and miles of wires and electronic hubaju in todays cars? nope.. but then again, finding parts for our then 60 year old datsuns.... probably be able to 3d print them! 2 Quote Link to comment
jvb5577 Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 can u imagine, 3o years from now trying to find a crank shaft position sensor for a corolla... or trouble shooting the miles and miles of wires and electronic hubaju in todays cars? nope.. but then again, finding parts for our then 60 year old datsuns.... probably be able to 3d print them! In 30 years we will be able to 3d print a whole datsun! :lol: That technology is booming right now. I would hope to own one 30 years from now. No more PicknPull! 1 Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 just head on down to kinkos and order up a new fender 2 Quote Link to comment
elmerfudpucker Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 There is really no reason you cant 3d print parts now, other than cost of the equipment :sick: there are some cats that have a metal, fully 3d printed 1911 and have fired over 100 rounds with no issues Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 ...and are we in the wrong thread???? Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 ...and are we in the wrong thread???? bout to jump tracks... not quite there yet... its wobbly.... better post some tits Quote Link to comment
The Taterhead Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Is that the kid Mitch from dazed and confused? 3 Quote Link to comment
OneFastRat Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Perfect size :thumbup: Quote Link to comment
Figbuck Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 I could never get away without replacing all the brake parts and all cylinders regularly. I abused it regularly and systematically commuting in the '70s. Then it was retired, but pressed back into service towing utility trailers in the '90s. I warped brand new drums in 29K mi. Looking back I can't believe it took me 40 years to get front disc brakes! Best thing ever. Am I understanding that you rebuilt your master and wheel cylinders? Seems kinda ghetto to me. A lot of the after market stuff is junk. Most of the stuff at Discunt Auto Imports has not worked out for me well. I had a rear cylinder fail after 9K miles, but the new set I got through Car Quest were not expensive, good quality and in stock. So far I have driven my Datsun into the ground twice. Each time it sat for a year while until I had time to wrench on it. It's going to have it's 41st build day at the end of this month and it has 341K on the same block, pistons, crank. I blew a head gasket two years ago, towing a trailer that weighed as much as my truck. So there are only a few thousand miles on a new head. Right now it's running so well and getting 24 to 26mpg! So well it's scary. Jason yello620 told me one time, "They always run so good just before they blow up!" I've really been taking it easy... uh, to save on gas and don't get in wrecks or tickets. But sometimes it just feels good to spin an L16 up. There are some little sections of back road that are too much fun not to blast. It would be cool to have more HP, but I don't think this engine is going to give up on me anytime soon for a swap. It doesn't burn oil or loose coolant. It was sitting out for a week below freezing and it started to two pumps of the throttle... warmed up and dropped back down to idle. If it ain't broke I don't want to fix it. i have replaced just about everything at least once. The only things I haven't been into are the transmission and rear end. As long as it doesn't get hit again or I don't wreck it blasting around out in the hills, it should last another 40 years. I'm pretty sure I won't last 40 more years. I killed all the rusts, gave it a great paint job and under coating. But things are changing so fast and it seems like technology and innovation is changing our lives at an exponential rate too. Would it be too wild an assumption to say that most of the jobs, businesses that people will be involved in... let's say ten years... haven't been invented yet? One of my friends used to work for Maxtor on a team that developed the hard drive technology for PCs back in 1980s. He just told me about a project that he is a contractor for, working on optical recognition systems that use a contact lens or maybe a lens implant for user interface. Operate your car with your iPhone? Fuck that... Siri, transport me to the coordinates for Datzen Mike's place, and send us a couple of pints of McMinnimum's Ruby Ale too. POOF! I'm there with cold beers! My iPhone 15 rearranged me on a molecular level, exploitung weakness in the fabric of time... transporting us where ever we want. You will have to get special permits to run gasoline powered engines in five years. It doesn't matter much because all the street, roads and inter-states have weeds growing up through the pavement. Everybody is traveling through their phones. Siri... if the surf is up in Santa Cruz take me there... if not take me to my favorite spot on Maui. Oh yeah, deliver the usual too. How long will my Datsun last? A long time If I don't drive it. 1 Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 and just like that... train wreck avoided. back on topic Quote Link to comment
captaingamez Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 They last Foarevar!!!!!! Quote Link to comment
Fat510 Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 They last Foarevar!!!!!! Fararovaar!!! Quote Link to comment
Ranman72 Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 they last as long as you feed them fuel / oil / water / and sometimes some new used or rebuilt parts Quote Link to comment
exit64 Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 How long do they last, well most of them are older than their owners. :lol: Fixed Quote Link to comment
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