A Certain Blue 510

[Dguy210]

Hmm... I think I still have all 4 of these, tires are too big to likely test fit them though and I'd need to dig up a set of the correct shank lug nuts to run them.

American Racing Vector "turbine" style wheels.

 

 

 

Of course if I run those with a blue car.. it needs a number on the side of the door an American flag on the roof and I will call it the General Sherman (AI did some interesting things with that pic here).

Edited February 22 by Dguy210

[Dguy210]

Parking brake wasn't working and I thought it was just the cable being too loose...well some tightening later and a bit of playing around with it turns out the cables are rusted solid inside the housing that goes over the rear subframe to the back hubs. Pulled them and having them soaking in a mix of ATF and PB blaster currently but I'm feeling like they will probably just need to be replaced. First time I've seen that though, they were a right bitch to pull out too as the clips and everything associated with them was stuck.

 

 

Edit: was able to find some NOS 610 rear parking brake cables which *look* close enough to work. Still have the other cables soaking, probably will toss them into the ultrasonic cleaner if I can remember where I moved it too. But not holding out a lot of hope for them ever freeing up.

Edited February 22 by Dguy210

[Rustbin]

I have had the brake cables rusted solid on many of my Datsuns over the years so now I usually don't use the park brake regardless of what I'm driving.

[datzenmike]

On 2/19/2026 at 4:37 PM, Dguy210 said:

 

....and really search out deals because I'm a cheapskate.

 

 

 You wouldn't be a Datsun owner if you weren't. 

[tr8er]

On 2/21/2026 at 3:09 PM, Dguy210 said:

Hmm... I think I still have all 4 of these, tires are too big to likely test fit them though and I'd need to dig up a set of the correct shank lug nuts to run them.

American Racing Vector "turbine" style wheels.

 

 

 

Of course if I run those with a blue car.. it needs a number on the side of the door an American flag on the roof and I will call it the General Sherman (AI did some interesting things with that pic here).

lol.  I do like the wheels though.  

[banzai510(hainz)]

[banzai510(hainz)]

I got these trying to get rid of. 500 bucks local pick up needs new rear tire minimum Covington to Wa.

15x7 +25mm for stock 510 strut.                    NOT 280ZX strut(rim will hit strut)

[Dguy210]

5 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

I got these trying to get rid of. 500 bucks local pick up needs new rear tire minimum Covington to Wa.

15x7 +25mm for stock 510 strut.                    NOT 280ZX strut(rim will hit strut)

 

That's a good price, however I have 280zx struts on pretty much everything I own :)

[banzai510(hainz)]

Prices really went up on wheels but $500 is still too much for the average Datsun guy.

Jeff Hino(Icehouse on here) told me once

 

you can put nice wheels on a beat to fuck 510 and it will be GANGSTA

you can have a $5000-10K    510 and put some dated wheels on there and it killed the value of the whole car

[Dguy210]

19 minutes ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

Prices really went up on wheels but $500 is still too much for the average Datsun guy.

Jeff Hino(Icehouse on here) told me once

 

you can put nice wheels on a beat to fuck 510 and it will be GANGSTA

you can have a $5000-10K    510 and put some dated wheels on there and it killed the value of the whole car

 

Lol, it's $400-$500 just for some non-shit tier tires these days, installation alone is $100 over the price of the tire. I'm kinda just leaning towards playing musical chairs with the wheels I have as I can only drive 1 car at a time anyways. 

[Draker]

6 hours ago, Dguy210 said:

 

Lol, it's $400-$500 just for some non-shit tier tires these days, installation alone is $100 over the price of the tire. I'm kinda just leaning towards playing musical chairs with the wheels I have as I can only drive 1 car at a time anyways. 

I’ve been buying shit grade tires on eBay and mounting myself. Cheap and round. Maybe not the best tire, but holds air. If it fails, and they probably will.. buy another set. Otherwise they are insanely priced!

[DARIN 510]

How much you getting tires for? I could use some shit tires 🤣

[datzenmike]

Back in the day I would check out the used tires at the tire stores. Often there were many miles left on them and the shop had to pay to have them taken away anyway. Give them a good look over on the inside for plugs or damage on the outside and sidewalls and reject those. Usually they were replaced in pairs. Now there are hardly any 14" tires used. I would swap the rubber by hand and only have to pay for the balancing. 

[Dguy210]

On 3/6/2026 at 4:06 PM, datzenmike said:

Back in the day I would check out the used tires at the tire stores. Often there were many miles left on them and the shop had to pay to have them taken away anyway. Give them a good look over on the inside for plugs or damage on the outside and sidewalls and reject those. Usually they were replaced in pairs. Now there are hardly any 14" tires used. I would swap the rubber by hand and only have to pay for the balancing. 

 No deals much any more, especially for 14s.

 

**WARNING***RANT INCOMING ***

 

The local Pick N Pull around here pulls and sells separately all halfway decent tires usually in a pretty rough way (often have gouges in the bead) and they want almost new prices for crap. The couple of local shops that have used tires will sell stuff that should probably not be on the road and seem to be smoking crack with their prices. Mounting is half the cost of the tire and they all have a bunch of extra disposal fees and taxes slapped on. Why the hell am I paying a tire disposal fee when I bring in a bare rim again? 

 

Edit: I sucked it up and bought the 2nd shittiest tire Discount tire sells (Westlake Foray RP218) as I realized I really don't put a ton of miles on the Datsuns between 3 cars and rarely drive them except when the weather is decent. Should be in tomorrow. 

 

Edit 2: Bumpsteer spacers are in progress. Critical dimensions machined in, now it is just a matter of rough removing the excess bulk material and then cleaning it up on the mill. Got too late to make that much noise though. Technically they are runnable as is currently (well I do need to order the M12x1.25 10.9 bolts of the right length still) as it fits and clears on a spare 280ZX spindle I've been using to test fit. Just looks ugly as hell currently as just rough cuts on the outer surfaces. Will get some pictures when I pretty them up a bit. 

 

Edit 3: Meh.. close enough, I got tired of working these and making aluminum chips everywhere. Not pretty but they fit and are sized to account for total drop on the coilover. 

Edited March 10 by Dguy210

[Dguy210]

Ended up using 610 parking brake cables which seem to be identical or at least interchangeable to the 510 so now the parking brake works.

 

Still needs the bumpsteer spacers installed. Tires are 185/65R14. Probably still needs some minor suspension adjustment.

 

I've got a center cap designed up and test printed, just need to print up 4 of them. Been testing them printed in TPU and PCTG not sure which I like better at the moment though. 

 

Been pushing on this lately as I'm aiming to have this drivable to Powerland in July but will need some road hours on it first. Next up on the big costs will be insurance and registration.

Edited March 16 by Dguy210

[jbirds510]

On 3/6/2026 at 6:33 PM, Dguy210 said:

 No deals much any more, especially for 14s.

 

**WARNING***RANT INCOMING ***

 

The local Pick N Pull around here pulls and sells separately all halfway decent tires usually in a pretty rough way (often have gouges in the bead) and they want almost new prices for crap. The couple of local shops that have used tires will sell stuff that should probably not be on the road and seem to be smoking crack with their prices. Mounting is half the cost of the tire and they all have a bunch of extra disposal fees and taxes slapped on. Why the hell am I paying a tire disposal fee when I bring in a bare rim again? 

 

Edit: I sucked it up and bought the 2nd shittiest tire Discount tire sells (Westlake Foray RP218) as I realized I really don't put a ton of miles on the Datsuns between 3 cars and rarely drive them except when the weather is decent. Should be in tomorrow. 

 

Edit 2: Bumpsteer spacers are in progress. Critical dimensions machined in, now it is just a matter of rough removing the excess bulk material and then cleaning it up on the mill. Got too late to make that much noise though. Technically they are runnable as is currently (well I do need to order the M12x1.25 10.9 bolts of the right length still) as it fits and clears on a spare 280ZX spindle I've been using to test fit. Just looks ugly as hell currently as just rough cuts on the outer surfaces. Will get some pictures when I pretty them up a bit. 

 

Edit 3: Meh.. close enough, I got tired of working these and making aluminum chips everywhere. Not pretty but they fit and are sized to account for total drop on the coilover. 

Shoulda just called kelvin 😂

[iceman510]

But then he'd have to wait for his check to clear...

 

Wonder if he still sells them for that price.

[Draker]

On 3/15/2026 at 8:04 PM, Dguy210 said:

Ended up using 610 parking brake cables which seem to be identical or at least interchangeable to the 510 so now the parking brake works.

 

Still needs the bumpsteer spacers installed. Tires are 185/65R14. Probably still needs some minor suspension adjustment.

 

I've got a center cap designed up and test printed, just need to print up 4 of them. Been testing them printed in TPU and PCTG not sure which I like better at the moment though. 

 

Been pushing on this lately as I'm aiming to have this drivable to Powerland in July but will need some road hours on it first. Next up on the big costs will be insurance and registration.

 

 

Can't wait to see it in person!

[Dguy210]

On 3/19/2026 at 10:20 AM, Draker said:

 

Can't wait to see it in person!

 

510 is now registered and insured! Now, we just need to see if they approve the custom license plate I asked for....😁

[Dguy210]

Weather was great today so out came the 510 and later the B210.

Did a test drive on some of the back roads earlier today with my youngest riding copilot with a logbook for things that need to be addressed. Carb adjustment and the brakes and clutch still need some bleeding done it feels like. Got the carb adjusted and will likely soon be crawling under the car to rebleed the brakes.

 

Now have front end trim still need the eyebrows it looks like unless I find some in the parts stash. I just need to figure out which hood bit is in the best shape and clean it and the lower piece up. 

 

 

 

[Dguy210]

Got some time in the shop so cleaned up and mounted the trim bits. For the eyebrow trim I weirdly have two driver sides in very good shape and no passenger side. Edit: installed the one side I had.

Edited April 7 by Dguy210

[Draker]

On 4/3/2026 at 5:24 PM, Dguy210 said:

 

510 is now registered and insured! Now, we just need to see if they approve the custom license plate I asked for....😁

 

luv 4est ?

[Rustbin]

I remember reading in a car magazine back in the '70's about a guy who was into fixing up Ford model "T"s and couldn't find good right hand fenders so he got dies made and had McDonald Douglas to press out runs of fenders when ever he sold out. The right fenders would get damaged more than left fenders in collisions and when people went into the ditch, which was much more common because drinking and driving was not illegal in the era of model "T"s. So maybe right hand Datsun 510 fender trim pieces are also more likely to be damaged than left ones.

[Draker]

I probably have a brow.

[Dguy210]

Well, had to pull the alternator as the voltage regulator is misbehaving, been getting 15.3-15.6v lately which is a bit too high (battery cranks well and holds 12.3 so not a dead battery overcharge issue as far as I can tell). Annoying too as the alternator is a new rebuild from OReilly which has been sitting in a box for years (alt looks pristine). Luckily I still have the original box and receipt.. from 2013. Going to see if they will still honor the lifetime warranty tomorrow. If not Rockauto will be getting an order. Hopefully I can get this sorted tomorrow as with the nicer weather I'd like to do some more test drives this weekend. Still waiting on license plate and tags to show up too.