Ratsun to Datsun Makeover San Diego Edition

[datrod]

yeah, the one on my Z car leaks like mad. Puts black streaks all over the back of the car,

[Guest jaimesix]

HOORAY ! ! ! !

 

Who??? Ray!!!!

 

Hey 72240Z?????? Where's the criticism now???? What??? You had to eat Your words??? Or are You just lurking on here and not big enough to admit that Mark KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING?!?!?!!!!!

 

Mark, You are one of the coolest people I've had the pleasure to meet! Thank You FROM ME for helping Mario out!! You are a blessing to those of Us that know You!!!

 

What kind of reply is this? What is this about? Is this about intimidation of members ? or is it that a fellow member can not give his opinion about one aspect of a project?

I never read any disclaimer on this thread that says that comments have to be approved by someone , constructive criticism is well taken and needed. On the contrary, this kind of inflamatory replies have no place in a civilized site.

Are you going to take it on me now? Am I the wolf that is spoiling your hatred party?

 

This car looks nice, very cool. Any cool, nice car, has issues. Even brand new vehicles are found to be faulty when the media studies a new model. Porsches, Maseratis, Ferraris, and closer to home, the GTR Nissan, the 350Z and the subsequent model, the 370Z have flaws in the eyes of the pundits. What is wrong with a person telling about a perceived defect on a project?

 

If you can not handle criticism, keep your stuff at home, in a group were adults share information, you are going to find criticism.

Edited December 16, 2008 by jaimesix

[motavated]

If this keeps up. People will just start leaving Ratsun.

Just let it go....

 

It feels like jukeizm fiasco but for something really retarded.

 

Was it done right or not, was he disrespectful or not. I dont care.... Just move on....

 

Nice car BTW!!!!

[]2eDeYe]

Get over it people... :rolleyes:

 

Nice Dime :D

[71DIMER]

Datrod: Yeah I need to clean it up since it just won't wipe off, it smears. 3M makes this great product "Adhesive Remover" but I haven't been able to find it again. I'm going to use it in the truck area first incase it messes up the finish. :)

 

Motavated & ]2eDeYe: Thanks for the compliments! :)

 

Jaimesix (and others), have you not read any of my last few posts? I'm kind of tired of guys coming on here and starting an arguement when there isn't anything to argue about anymore, especialy when I started this thread to show you guys what I and Mark were doing. I didn't ask for inputs other than what you guys thought color I should consider. I know we all love threads with pics so I wanted to have pictures document the project that's all. Then unfortunately there was poorly communicated criticism which was since been settled...we really don't need any more fuel poured into the smoldering ashes of it ok?

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Mario...like the struts. Where did you get them & do you have a part # ?

[71DIMER]

Ok it's been a while since I put up any pics so here's a few more guys.

So I needed to put the bumpers back on but they were painted black by the prev. owner which I was not a fan of but I didn't know what they'd look like underneath..so I figured there was only one way to find out!

 

Here they are before:

 

 

Here's a close up of one of the corners:

 

Bubbling paint with Jasco 5 minute paint stripper:

 

So after a few coats of paint bubbling up and primer...here's what it was looking like...kind of promising doncha think?:

 

 

The bumpers came back to life pretty well huh? oh and I know I need to get around to putting in the side markers on for Mark's sake. :P

 

 

Here's my 2 dimes parked at home.

Edited January 29, 2009 by 71DIMER

[Pacific coast Datsun]

oh and I know I need to get around to putting in the side markers on for Mark's sake. :P

Flush mounted of course....:thumbsup:

[71DIMER]

oh and I know I need to get around to putting in the side markers on for Mark's sake. :P

Flush mounted of course....:thumbsup:

 

Hahaha...maybe, just maybe.

 

I also got 2 new shoes for my dime...the front tires were bald big time. The passenger side was past the belts and was beginning to 'ballon' out :blink: YIKES.

 

Oh and I also got busy with the sweet license plate frame I scored at a swap meet.

 

As it was when I got it:

 

After wire brushing it and JB welding the back between the U and N in DATSUN:

 

Masking it off:

 

Primerd then painted background silver:

 

More masking/paint/etc:

 

I thought I would like the raised letters left alone with the metal shined up:

 

But I decided white letters would be the way to go instead:

Edited January 30, 2009 by 71DIMER

[71DIMER]

Ok so yesterday was a long day. Woke up early to meet Clayton (69FJWagon) at the local yard for a sucessful find for him. Then I went straight from the yard to Hollister over to my buddy's to make up some seat brackets for my 350Z seats. I've had the seats for a LONG time out in my patio collecting dust and what not...I was relieved they cleaned up so well using Turtle wax foaming upholstery cleaner.

 

Then after all that they fired up the wood burning grill and bbq'ed up some great sausages (regular and deer), chicken, tri tip, complete with potato salad, garlic bread, soda, beer, tequila, and triple chocolate brownies for dessert. It was a great day.

 

I still need to clean up the carpet/mats and more detail to complete the interior but man are the seats a huge interior upgrade.

 

Anyway on to the pics.

 

Seats taken apart to not mess them up with all the welding going on

My buddy at work (notice the rear of his baja race truck in his garage):

Seats installed (I need to cut some of the seat plastic trim to make them look cleaner and hide the mechanical parts)

Edited February 1, 2009 by 71DIMER

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Wow major facelift Mario. Im gonna miss those springs pokin through the old seats...;)

[Icehouse]

Wow haven't checked in a while, damn the car is looking good! I can't believe how nice the bumpers came out!!! Super nice car dude!! The paint and everything looks good!

[71DIMER]

Pacman/Iceman: Thanks for the compliments. I'm loving the seats and bumpers. :P

 

Ice: I just sent you a PM too. :)

[Lopez916]

how much does a paint job run in tijuana? :o

Get a nice looking street quality paint job for 500

[inline4]

Get a nice looking street quality paint job for 500

 

heh, but mine needs body work.

 

i wonder if they could just pound the shit out of it and make it look good.

 

 

[71DIMER]

[inline4]

sorry :D

 

so what else are you planning on doing with your car?

 

how is it setup? all I remember seeing was pictures of when it was for sale

 

 

 

also any pics of the brackets and how they were modified? :o

[71DIMER]

Nah I've been dying to use that picture...I think it's funny as $hit. For sale? I've never posted it for sale. I just plan on keeping it a relatively sedate KA and just keeping it reliable since I've been thinning out my car fleet and I plan on using my Datsuns more and more. I do have to replace the motor mounts as one of them is gone so I will just do them both at the same time. I'd like to swap out the muffler for something less audible....so if anyone wants to trade hit me up. :)

 

I was in a hurry with the seat brackets so I didn't take many pictures like I normally do...I was basically holding up my buddy start his planned BBQ so I didn't want to hold it up anymore than I had to. The brackets were straight forward 3/16" flat bar/beam. We drilled a hole at the stock bolt hole locations and welded screw studs (with no bolt head) to match the stock bolt hole locations which were then welded onto the seat sliders after we cut off all the seat's 'feet' and rivets (we welded to reinforce those locations). It would have gone faster but when you're hanging out with your high school buddy things go slower as you BS about a lot of stuff.

Edited February 2, 2009 by 71DIMER

[Pedro]

First of all, great car and transformation, love seeing these kind of threads.

 

Secondly, don't suppose you can supply me an exact link to where you got those gas struts for the bonnet?

 

Need to get some but being across the other side of the world makes it hard to know what size to get etc.

 

cheers!

 

But today me and my friend Hector hooked me up with some struts so we put them on.

Struts and supplies:

All done:

 

Still a lot of things left to do to it...in time :)

[Pacific coast Datsun]

I'd like to swap out the muffler for something less audible....so if anyone wants to trade hit me up. :)

I have 1st dibs on it :D

[71DIMER]

Ok it's been a while since I last posted so here's a few more recent pics.

 

I had to remove the front air dam to be able to lift the sucker up to replace both motor mounts and the front tension rod bushings. The motor mounts were in bad bad shape.

 

Finally got around to putting on the final grill trim, the lower chrome part, the Pansport center caps (damn things were a pain in the ass to put on for the first time), my Thule roof rack with cool Ratsun sticker, and last but not least the side marker lights just for Mark's sake :P

 

 

 

The air dam back on...I put some cheezy tape on the bottom to at least give it some color break from it being all blue. I kind of dig the non air damn look too...decisions decisions...on or off? :confused:

 

[fisch]

MAn what a sweet dime!!!! And I LOVE that you wrote Ratsun 510 on the back. She's a beaut!

[zhent]

Looking Great!

 

Keep the air-dam. Unless you want to send it to Texas, I can always paint it white...

[CorAce]

It looks great; you guys did a sweet job. You defiantly scored with the bumpers. I

[Pacific coast Datsun]

As always lookin good Mario. The racks are a nice touch & oh yeah...keep the damm on :D