datsunfreak Posted July 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 And if you're curious (you're probably not) what really changed my mind, it's my unhealthy obsession with owning a 68/69 Dodge Charger... 2 Quote Link to comment
Duncan Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, datsunfreak said: And if you're curious (you're probably not) what really changed my mind, it's my unhealthy obsession with owning a 68/69 Dodge Charger... Who doesn't want one of those? I really like the '68, and the pistol-grip 4-spd is the only thing that would make that better... Edited July 29, 2021 by Duncan 1 Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted July 30, 2021 Report Share Posted July 30, 2021 Me. I don't want one of those. I want a 1st gen, 66-67. I love me some fastback and the gauges in that car are the single best looking gauge set ever produced by an OEM in my personal opinion 😄. But yeah, I think you will find that the slightly tilted gauges in the dash isn't really a big deal. As long as they aren't point downward then I think it will function and look just fine. Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2021 42 minutes ago, Lockleaf said: I don't want one of those. I want a 1st gen, 66-67. I love me some fastback You know, I used to hate these. Just something about them rubbed me the wrong way. They look goofy on stock wheels (hippo on roller skates), then every modded one I saw was a jacked up mullet machine... Now that I have seen a few low "pro touring" versions lately, I have done a complete 180 and low key want one... 😄 3 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted July 30, 2021 Report Share Posted July 30, 2021 2 hours ago, datsunfreak said: You know, I used to hate these. Just something about them rubbed me the wrong way. They look goofy on stock wheels (hippo on roller skates), then every modded one I saw was a jacked up mullet machine... Now that I have seen a few low "pro touring" versions lately, I have done a complete 180 and low key want one... 😄 Meh, I'm still not a fan. But not everyone can have my impeccable taste! 3 Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted July 30, 2021 Report Share Posted July 30, 2021 DF, I agree on the pro touring stance being the most suited to them. Dimlight, I apologize for failing your taste test. Wait, that seems awkward..........screw it, I'm leaving it in there. You heard what I said! 3 Quote Link to comment
EDM620 Posted August 2, 2021 Report Share Posted August 2, 2021 On 7/29/2021 at 2:16 PM, Duncan said: pistol-grip 4-spd Yup, that was cool... Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted August 22, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2021 I didn't like the fake carbon look on the harness slots of the Recaro seats, so I tried to redo them in in wrinkle finish black back in January. As it turns out, you can't paint things wrinkle black when it's 45 degrees... 😄 Since it's nearly 100 degrees here now... It definitely wrinkled better this time... Need to clean the seats so I can reinstall them Wednesday. 👍 I also need to try and do the dash now while it's hot out... 2 Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted August 23, 2021 Report Share Posted August 23, 2021 I have never in my life worked with a paint more particular about ambient temperature than that stuff. I've messed up a few things by trying to paint it too cold and had to wait and do it all over again later. And in other random news, I helped a good buddy of mine pick up a 67 Fairlane 2 door on Saturday. Has patina about the quality of yours. Sweet car that has been sitting in his Mother in laws barn for 15-20 years. I don't know how much bigger galaxies are over fairlanes, but I was surprised how not big the car seemed. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted August 24, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2021 (edited) 19 hours ago, Lockleaf said: I have never in my life worked with a paint more particular about ambient temperature than that stuff. I've messed up a few things by trying to paint it too cold and had to wait and do it all over again later. Yeah, it's funny they say only use it between 70F and 90F but I have found the hotter it is, the better. When it's 100F+, it works great. I have previously had good success painting it below 60F by going over it with a heat gun, but that did not work on these parts. 19 hours ago, Lockleaf said: I helped a good buddy of mine pick up a 67 Fairlane 2 door on Saturday. Has patina about the quality of yours. Sweet car that has been sitting in his Mother in laws barn for 15-20 years. I don't know how much bigger galaxies are over fairlanes, but I was surprised how not big the car seemed. It's not a lot bigger. The Galaxie is 15" longer (mostly due to longer overhangs at the ends), but only 5" wider overall. The wheelbase of the Galaxie is only 3" longer, so interior space is pretty comparable. Weight difference isn't very much since they came with similar engines/options. I do sort of dig the shape of the Fairlane a bit more, but I prefer the Galaxie because it has a much better suspension (4-link in back, double a-arm up front). Edited August 24, 2021 by datsunfreak Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2021 Finally put the harness slots back on today... Also got the seat rails remade (decided to start over on them to move the seat back 2" farther) and got the corresponding holes drilled in the floor to mount them. Gonna give them a test fit/sit on Wednesday. Not going to actually install them until the carpet is in... 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2021 Decided to put the glove box door back on so I could paint the right half of the dash with some wrinkle paint. It came out decent, except on the top edge where it tiger striped a bit. Probably going to redo it... 2 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 24, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2021 If, in the betting pool, you had "I bet it will be less than 24 hours before he repaints that dash so he can sleep at night", then you won. 😁 Also reinstalled the trim to see how it looks... The bottom looks a little funky because it is still wet in that pic and hasn't fully wrinkled yet. And I think I might want to come up with some snazzy way to cover those holes in the bottom that used to hold the big chunky trim pieces on. Probably a few pieces of carbon fiber cut to fit so there's one long line of carbon fiber all the way across the dash... 4 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted September 26, 2021 Report Share Posted September 26, 2021 LOL, I just spent eight hours at the shop today and totally forgot to go grok this. Sorry dude. I'm a self centered jerk someti... ok, always. 1 Quote Link to comment
Racer X 69 Posted September 27, 2021 Report Share Posted September 27, 2021 Coming along. So, how did the Galaxy come into your life? 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2021 (edited) 6 hours ago, Racer X 69 said: Coming along. So, how did the Galaxy come into your life? My friend Jeff bought it as a project to build for his wife. It was a secret so he kept it at our shop instead of at home in his shop. She had previously told him she was really interested in a 65-67 Galaxie hardtop. Well, we got a little done on it, and then she told him instead of a Galaxie, what she really wants is a 77-79 Trans Am. 😋 So he went out and bought her a Trans Am that was a little farther along (it was at least a runner). He took that to a shop local to me that specializes in them to be finished and sort of "abandoned" the Galaxie at our shop. Fast forward a year or so and I had bought a Mitsubishi Starion for a project car that he really liked. In a moment of weakness (when the Starion was pissing me off) I asked him if he wanted to trade, so we did. I don't really regret it much, but the Starion was a little closer to "finished". This has been a bit of a slog because a lot of the stuff I want for it has been out of my budget, so progress has been painfully slow. Fortunately, I have other stuff to work on to keep me busy when I can't work on this. I think the car budget might get a bump in a few weeks, so you may see more progress soon. Getting the dash finished (which is fairly close), and the engine installed would be the big milestone that would put me on the downhill slide. What I keep debating is if I want to freshen up the 302 with a big cam and a few other bits before it goes in, or just use it as is. That slows progress on getting it in, but may be smarter in the long run. The original plan was always use the 302 as is, then once it's driving start on building a beefed up 351W (or roller/stroker 302) for it. So that is also an option... Edited September 27, 2021 by datsunfreak 3 Quote Link to comment
Duncan Posted September 27, 2021 Report Share Posted September 27, 2021 7 hours ago, datsunfreak said: The original plan was always use the 302 as is, then once it's driving start on building a beefed up 351W (or roller/stroker 302) for it. So that is also an option... The fun part about doing a build is making changes. Originally, my wagon was going to be hugger orange 🙂 I was happy when I changed my mind.. IMHO, as always. Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 12 hours ago, Duncan said: The fun part about doing a build is making changes. The main reason I waffle on it is that I think there's a chance that with just a mostly stock 302 it will be "fun enough" to drive. It would definitely make all the right sounds, and I don't really like drag racing anyway, so... 2 Quote Link to comment
Duncan Posted September 28, 2021 Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 2 hours ago, datsunfreak said: and I don't really like drag racing anyway, so... +1 1 Quote Link to comment
Mattndew76 Posted September 28, 2021 Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 5 hours ago, datsunfreak said: The main reason I waffle on it is that I think there's a chance that with just a mostly stock 302 it will be "fun enough" to drive. It would definitely make all the right sounds, and I don't really like drag racing anyway, so... My sentiment to the T. I would build a race car if that's what I wanted. I want a fun vehicle to daily or weekend drive for fun. Rumble, consumes gas, and looks cool doing it. Quote Link to comment
Duncan Posted September 28, 2021 Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 10 minutes ago, Mattndew76 said: My sentiment to the T. I would build a race car if that's what I wanted. I want a fun vehicle to daily or weekend drive for fun. Rumble, consumes gas, and looks cool doing it. Mine too. The '40 Ford I recently bought has aluminum heads, and semi-lumpy cam, and new Eldebrock intake and carb. Despite it's looks, it's a bigger, heavy car, and the only time I even come close to getting on it is maybe getting up to speed a little quicker than normal on the freeway on ramp. Strictly a fun cruiser, fair weather pleasure car. My wife would never get into my Datsuns, but she loves cruising in the Ford. 2 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 Yeah, I think for now it's just gonna be a better carb/intake, better ignition system, maybe some headers, and call it good. 👍 2 Quote Link to comment
Mattndew76 Posted September 28, 2021 Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 I will have to drive down once I move to South Dakota 1 Quote Link to comment
Racer X 69 Posted September 29, 2021 Report Share Posted September 29, 2021 20 hours ago, Duncan said: My wife would never get into my Datsuns, but she loves cruising in the Ford. My woman loves the Datsuns, so I can’t get away from her that way. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2021 16 hours ago, Mattndew76 said: I will have to drive down once I move to South Dakota That's definitely a lot closer than Oregon. 😋 And you're welcome any time. 👍 1 Quote Link to comment
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