Muttley

[mojojojo78]

What tires are you running? And what size?

I wanted to do a rally style like this with my first 71 4 door.

[Tedman]

On 3/3/2025 at 2:36 PM, mojojojo78 said:

What tires are you running? And what size?

I wanted to do a rally style like this with my first 71 4 door.

Forceum M/T 08 size 165/80R13. 

[Tedman]

Muttley gets a nicer, freshly scrubbed cam cover, and a new, taller, air cleaner. Woof! I have been refurb'ing this set of SSS SUs for a future Muttley induction upgrade. Some of the final parts for the SU setup have arrived. 

[Tedman]

Abstract art?

[Tedman]

Painted the exhaust manifold. Thought I had some black BBQ paint, but it was silver, so silver it is.  

[Tedman]

New, stock-style teardrop shift knob from Futofab. 

[banzai510(hainz)]

I would get rid of those points if you still have them in there.I went Pertronix and still kept the stock coil and ballast resisitor. I have alot of single point dist so I stay with the Pertronix.

Just helps me troubel shoot ezer as now the ignition never goes bad exect for a worn out dist shaft(needs new bushing as it wiggles too much)

[Tedman]

On 3/22/2025 at 12:23 PM, banzai510(hainz) said:

I would get rid of those points if you still have them in there.I went Pertronix and still kept the stock coil and ballast resisitor. I have alot of single point dist so I stay with the Pertronix.

Just helps me troubel shoot ezer as now the ignition never goes bad exect for a worn out dist shaft(needs new bushing as it wiggles too much)

 

This car is running just fine on points, but I carry a Pertronix in the glovebox, just in case. I've been running Pertronix or matchbox dizzys in my 510s for 35 years. I used to carry points in the glovebox just in case, but never had a Pertronix or matchbox crap out...

[Tedman]

More miscellaneous details. Re-painted grille, '71 style. Tee to run a mechanical oil pressure gauge AND the factory idiot light sender, located under the dash behind the glovebox. Custom spacers to fit replacement cartridges into the Safari strut tubes which are EXTERNALLY threaded for internally threaded gland nuts. Gates filler neck hose is the perfect size to replace the short tank section. New old stock aftermarket parts haul. Fire bottle and shovel mounting.

[Tedman]

The shovel mounting was more sophisticated in the BRE Sugar Daddy Baja 1000 car.

 

Edited March 24, 2025 by Tedman

[Tedman]

Spray bombed the LF quarter to match the RF, and hit the hood with some flat black after sanding. Muttley is now more or less two-toned. Also fit the DP Racing steering box brace.

[Tedman]

Took Muttley on a little road trip last week. 1058 miles over three days, spent mostly on the back roads of California's central coast. Overall, Muttley exceeded my expectations. We did have a few minor issues. We drove the entire day three with the coolant thermostat stuck wide open. We lost some oil out the dipstick tube thanks to a poor dipstick seal.  And the speedo cable crapped out, causing the needle to bounce wildy, sometimes indicating ~150 mph! Otherwise, Muttley ran great! Overall, the L16 averaged ~ 26 mpg. 

[Tedman]

Looking for a late L20B PCV hose (620, 200SX, HL510/A10), P/N 11828-N5805

[Tedman]

So that's where the fuel smell was coming from! I thought it was one of the fuel vent hoses, but it turns out there was a pinhole leak in the fuel tank. I plugged it with some JB Weld, and so far that seems to have worked. I also installed a new speedo cable ($7.40 from Rockauto) which has corrected the bouncy speedo needle condition.   

 

Edited May 4, 2025 by Tedman

[datzenmike]

Block vent hose to PCV ends are different diameter. One L series came to me with heater hose on one end and a smaller length of garden hose stuffed in the other. It worked but I got the correct one.

 

I would think all L20B hoses should work. 11828-U6701 from '75 up 610s and 710s should fit

[ggzilla]

15 hours ago, Tedman said:

So that's where the fuel smell was coming from! I thought it was one of the fuel vent hoses, but it turns out there was a pinhole leak in the fuel tank. I plugged it with some JB Weld, and so far that seems to have worked...

 

 

Good on ya! It's hard to track down fuel smells, and that tank looks good except for the one spot. I would have missed it

[Tedman]

Installed a new repro washer bottle and got the windshield washers working. Also, replaced a leaky rear transmission seal. Atsugi fuel pump was leaking oil from the weep hole. Replaced it with a good used Nikki pump from my stash. No more leaks! 

 

 

 

New rear transmission seal: 

 

Leaking Atsugi pump at left and used Nikki pump, partially disassembled for inspection and cleaning prior to installation:

 

Installed washer nozzles and new tubing, along with a new repro washer bottle:

[Tedman]

Took Muttley down to San Clemente for the South OC Cars & Coffee a few weeks ago:

[Tedman]

Spray bombed a stenciled DATSUN logo on the hood, similar to the BRE Baja 510s.

[Tedman]

 A few updates to Muttley's engine bay:

 

-Improvised a coolant recovery bottle (a used gear oil bottle) mounted with a bicycle water bottle cage 

-Installed a set of used but still good translucent blue NGK plug wires after giving them a good scrubbing

-Cleaned up and re-installed the blue distributor cap (brass contacts) that was on the engine when I bought the car

-Swapped out the ignition points in the SSS distributor for a Pertronix Ignitor

 

The car was still running flawlessly on points, but I decided to swap in the Ignitor for reliability's sake as I'm planning to take Muttley on an extended road trip later this summer. I will carry the points and condenser in the glove box in case the Ignitor fails, but they have been dead reliable in my experience. I'll also pack along the removed black plug wires and distributor cap as spares for my trip.  When I went to reset the timing to 10 deg BTDC, I had to advance the distributor ~ 20 deg (crank), so I will include a note to that effect should I need to revert to points roadside. 

 

 

 

[NC85ST]

Love the coolant recovery bottle.

[Tedman]

Been a while since I've checked in here. Update on a few things I've done to Muttley in the meantime. We fabricated a rock guard/splash pan from 1/8" aluminum sheet.

 

 

 

[Tedman]

Brushed on a top coat of black paint over the white primer on the rear seat shelf, and installed fresh rubber plugs.

 

[Tedman]

Bought a yard of black loop pile carpet and cut to fit the transmission tunnel. Tossed in the matching passenger side cocoa mat. Starting to look somewhat civilized. 

 

[Tedman]

Installed a pin switch and lamp for the glovebox. I ended up choosing the red lamp boot over the green.

 

Vintage pin switch from a late '70s alarm system has been rattling around in my toolbox forever.  

 

Upper RH corner seemed like a good place for the lamp. I have since swapped out the green boot for red.

 

OE Nissan lamp holder and wiring pigtail is a remnant from the Autech S15 Silvia donor wiring harness that came with the SR20DE/6-speed that is installed in my other 510.

Edited May 17 by Tedman