Draker's 1972 1200 Sedan - "The Pickle"

[Duncan]

I didn't realize that car was an automatic.  That trans just sucks most of the fun out of a 1200. 

 

You'll enjoy it SO much more once the swap is done..

 

 

 

 

[Duncan]

wow.  board fail

 

 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2019 by Duncan

[Duncan]

and yet again

 

 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2019 by Duncan

[Draker]

38 minutes ago, Duncan said:

I didn't realize that car was an automatic.  That trans just sucks most of the fun out of a 1200. 

 

You'll enjoy it SO much more once the swap is done..

 

 

55 mph for life.

[Draker]

8 hours ago, Morrisun said:

Sometimes grouping the bits of the project into jobs that kinda sorta go together

:

Perhaps start with the pulling the dash, installing a stock 1200 tach is MUCH easier with the dash out of the car.

Then the rest of the wiring.

 

Same with the front suspension and camber plates, install lowering blocks on rear springs, have it aligned- drive the car!

 

I try to keep the jobs to what I can do in three days- drive the car!

 

The five speed swap in a bit more involved, and yes it is tempting to replace the pedal box with the dash out but the car is down for longer and easy to get bogged down.

 

You may also consider installing the clutch master cylinder bolts through the firewall with the dash out, so they are there when you need them.

 

Familiarize yourself with the bolts that attached the pedal box, take pictures with the dash out- its helpful when under the dash later.

 

If it's not the way you want it- then you are not driving the shit-out-of-it, & that what 1200's are all about!

 

 

You're absolutely right. Starting with the dash is a good idea but it will get a little tricky since the wiring has been hacked and melted to death. It all works, but there are two after market fuse boxes, a lot of blue wire. It connects to a engine bay harness that is melted to all hell, but still works. I've got a full dash and complete harness, but without doing the engine bay at the same time I'll have to take a little extra time mapping out connections in the engine bay. Most likely it would be fine.

 

For the starting point, I've begun cleaning and organizing my garage. Post move the garage has been a wreck full of boxes that need sorted. I bought a storage rack from costco and begun filling it up with storage totes. The goal is to have everything in boxes, labeled and organized. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Farmer]

On 12/13/2019 at 9:32 AM, Draker said:

Been collecting parts for this thing.. lots and lots of parts. The question is, when will I be motivated enough to install them.

 

- 5 speed swap

- tach

- side mirrors

- new wheels

- dash

- wiring harness

- blocks for the low

- all the parts for 280zx strut swap

- t3 camber plates

 

I need to find some new seats.

You need to have a work party

 

[Draker]

1 minute ago, Farmer said:

You need to have a work party

 

 

Not a bad idea! 

[Morrisun]

Would a engine bay wiring harness in fairly good shape help?? I MAY have one, let me know it's a need, before I start unloading totes.

 

Getting organized is looking great, not wasting time  digging through unmarked boxes, helps keep you on track- looking good.

 

Plus it's easy to get caught-up in silly season, the first of the New Year is close at hand- resolutions?? Maybe not that committed.

[Draker]

2 hours ago, Morrisun said:

Would a engine bay wiring harness in fairly good shape help?? I MAY have one, let me know it's a need, before I start unloading totes.

 

Getting organized is looking great, not wasting time  digging through unmarked boxes, helps keep you on track- looking good.

 

Plus it's easy to get caught-up in silly season, the first of the New Year is close at hand- resolutions?? Maybe not that committed.

Thank you for the offer but I have a replacement. It’s for a manual car, so I assume there might be a slight difference.

[Draker]

No New Years resolutions for me. Just need to find time for Datsun stuff.

[KELMO]

I do the tote storage thing also. In addition to that I have a excel sheet in the computer to help locate parts.

 

 

Wish I would have done that a long time ago.

[Duncan]

4 hours ago, KELMO said:

I do the tote storage thing also. In addition to that I have a excel sheet in the computer to help locate parts.

 

 

That's a great idea.  Wish I was that motivated...

 

 

[datsunrides]

The totes are great except its hard to keep track of everything in them. I don't know how many times I go rooting thru them looking for a specific item. I determined once I get fully organized from my move I will make a list of the items in the respective tote and then zip tie that in one of those sheet protectors to the tote so I can just read what is on that particular tote. To keep this somewhat on topic, I hope to have my coupe back on the road this year. Its been off the road way too long.

[Draker]

1 hour ago, datsunrides said:

The totes are great except its hard to keep track of everything in them. I don't know how many times I go rooting thru them looking for a specific item. I determined once I get fully organized from my move I will make a list of the items in the respective tote and then zip tie that in one of those sheet protectors to the tote so I can just read what is on that particular tote. To keep this somewhat on topic, I hope to have my coupe back on the road this year. Its been off the road way too long.

 

6 hours ago, KELMO said:

I do the tote storage thing also. In addition to that I have a excel sheet in the computer to help locate parts.

 

 

Wish I would have done that a long time ago.

 

I bought adhesive sleeves to hold 3x5 index cards for inventory of the box. Long term I'm going to build a parts (and other) database using some open source warehouse software. The garage will be mostly house stuff. I've got other storage for all my parts, and it's pretty ugly... needs the same organization treatment. I'll get there!

 

For the time being I just need to get the garage cleaned up so I can tee up some car projects.

[Draker]

these arrived today

 

[Draker]

Swapped vinyl to new wood.

halfway installed 2” blocks. Waiting for new u bolts.

 

finished sample door card. Came out great!

 

replaced door sill trim. Old on the right, newer on the left. No installed pics yet.

 

rebuilding the doors, new wing rubber. Waiting for new rubber from down under.

door card rebuild.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Draker
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[Draker]

Been working on the 1200 during some down time. Rebuilding the doors with newer regulators, new rubber, swapping vinyl to new backings and thinking about dying them black.

[Draker]

Next up is lowering the car. Installed blocks in the rear and found out the kit had the wrong size u bolts. Got news ones on the way. 
 

front will be 280zx struts because the stock brakes are not great at all. 

[pdp8]

On 4/19/2020 at 1:56 AM, Draker said:

Been working on the 1200 during some down time. Rebuilding the doors with newer regulators, new rubber, swapping vinyl to new backings and thinking about dying them black.

Where did you get the door card backing material?  Mine are disintegrating badly.

[datsunfreak]

12 hours ago, pdp8 said:

Where did you get the door card backing material?  Mine are disintegrating badly.

 

Stock ones are made of "fiber board", aka masonite, available at any home improvement store.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hardboard-Tempered-Panel-Common-1-8-in-4-ft-x-8-ft-Actual-0-115-in-x-47-7-in-x-95-7-in-832777/202189720

 

I usually get the 2'x4' piece and cut them using the stock one as a pattern. 

[Draker]

Correct ^^
 

1/8” inch 4 x 2 ft fiber board. It was about $10 per sheet and does 1 panel. 
 

also everything else he said ^^

[thisismatt]

Or order this for better quality:

https://www.perfectfit.com/product.aspx?d_id=15347&p_id=154532

[datsunfreak]

On 4/27/2020 at 10:06 PM, thisismatt said:

Or order this for better quality:

https://www.perfectfit.com/product.aspx?d_id=15347&p_id=154532

 

Yeah, waterproof is a good idea. Especially if you haven't replaced all the door seals yet.   😄

[Draker]

I thought about going waterproof. I'll just make sure the vapor barrier is in good shape and I'm already doing all the door seals. That's if datsport would give a fucking quote already. Turns out the world is buying datsun weather seals while in lockdown.

[KELMO]

Waterproof is a good idea. I usually don't get my 1200 out in the weather...well, except that one time in Williams AZ when it effing snowed.

 

I placed an order for my wagon rubbers earlier this week from Dastsport. Requested  a quote on Sunday, got a response on Monday.

 

Do you have to mod the 280ZX struts like what is needed  to make them work on a 510?