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[post_date] => 2011-06-11 00:10:07
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[post_content] => Aaaaaand, we're back!
Y'know, I've always said - I could get a lot of work done if I didn't have to work.
So, with the work on the individual components of the rear subframe completed, and everything reassembled, it was time to mate the entire subframe back to the car. This looks daunting, because it's an awkward (and heavy!) assembly. However, if you use a 2x4, you can do it yourself, if you balance the whole thing on a jack and a pair of jackstands. Just lift it one notch at a time, until the rear differential mount bushings AND the subframe mount bushings are aligned with their respective bolt pins. Don't forget to add some lubricant to the INSIDE of the bushings, to eliminate any chance of squeaking later on. Once the assembly is high enough that the bolt pins start peeking through the bushings, you can reinstall your bushing caps (large washers) and snug it up the rest of the way with a ratchet or air wrench (don't forget to use anti-seize!).
NOTE: If you're a real 510 pro, you may have caught my faux pas in the last installment. When assembling the differential to the crossmember, insert the long bolts through the diff and crossmember from the bottom, with the nuts on top. This way, you can easily drop the differential later without removing the entire crossmember assembly. I goofed, and inserted them from the top - but I don't plan on pulling it all apart anytime soon!
Here's the rear crossmember assembly bolted up in place:
Next up, the brakes. All of the brake hardware had already been through the tumbler and polisher, and the backing plates were painted. Now, it's time to fit the upgrades. Since the drum brakes were going to be retained, we're going to want everything to work perfectly. No sense spending all this time cleaning things if they're not going to function exactly as they did when brand new. So, I replaced the rear wheel cylinders for good measure. These can be rebuilt, but the price of a rebuild kit and the time spent just doesn't justify messing with them. The adjusters can be refurbished, however. It's a simple matter of removing the assembly, unthreading the adjustment shaft, removing the two wedge-shaped pistons, and cleaning everything in solvent. Once they're spotless, use some good high-temp brake grease (I use the red Hawk grease) on both pistons and the shaft. Assemble it with the adjuster completely retracted, and reinstall on the backing plate. The spring clips can then be reinstalled on the backing plate. Then, I placed a dab of grease on the contact points where the edges of the brake shoes would touch the backing plate. Installing the brake shoes is tricky, but once you've done it a few times, it's simple. A helper, and a couple pair of strong needle-nosed pliers comes in handy here. Here's a look at all those components as they came together:
[gallery link="file" order="DESC" columns="4"]
Datsun 510 owners have always had problems finding the perfect rear spring setup for their cars. Because the 510 uses a rear coil with a small outside diameter, very few springs will work for this application. Cutting springs is for chumps, and there's not a lot of aftermarket options. However, the 510 seems to sit *just* right in the rear by using a set of Roadster Sport Comp FRONT springs. They fit nicely into the spring pocket, lower the rear perfectly, and have sufficient spring rate to prevent bottoming out (and they match up nicely with the Megan coilovers already installed up front). A set of fresh axles were leftover from the 240Z build (it pays to hang onto extra parts if you're building more than one Datsun), so those were bolted in place. A set of new KYB GR-2 rear shocks and the rear suspension is good to go.
Finally, a pair of finned aluminum drums from an early Z would provide a little more cooling, as well as some weight reduction. A half-hour date with the bead blaster, some high-temp clear coat, and they turned out good as new.
Here's a few pics of everything in the rear suspension buttoned up and ready to roll:
[gallery include="13854,13855,13856,13857" link="file" columns="4"]
I hope everyone had fun watching this phase of the build. In the next episode, we'll test-fit the wheels and tires, get the wiring harness taken care of, and maybe even get the engine and trans ready to install!
Click here to read Part 5 of the Datsun 510 build!
[post_title] => Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan - Part 4
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[post_date] => 2011-10-24 23:15:58
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[post_content] => Getting close to the end of a restoration project is an interesting time... For some people, it's super-exciting, and they tend to rush things towards the end, just to hurry up and get it out on the road. For others, like me, it's bittersweet.
Once the project is this far along, it's too late to go back and redo major things, but it's also a time when you find all the errors, mistakes, and failures. So, my excitement is tempered by the knowledge that the next month or so is going to be stressful and frustrating - as I find all the things that don't quite work perfectly, parts that don't play nice together, or worst yet, finding out the car doesn't do exactly what I wanted it to do.
SO, I approach the latter stages of a project with a little more care, and trepidation, than most folks. How about we get a hood on this gal and get her ready to fire up for the first time?
The hood on our 510 was super-sexy on the top, but the underside still looked like the "before" engine bay pictures. Why someone would dump months of bodywork and paint into a car, and not refinish the underside of the hood, is beyond my comprehension - but we're gonna work with it.
Because the metal between the bracing is thin, we want the hood to be a little more "substantial" - but putting sound deadening on a classic hood just doesn't look right. So, let's go back to our old friend, truck bedliner! I wanted the hood to have a little character - let's face it - there's a lot of satin black on this car, and it needed something to break up the darkness. I chose a desert tan material for the hood, which will contrast nicely with the hood bracing, and reflect a little more light down onto our L20b in the bay. A freshly bead-blasted latch and clean hardware finished it off nicely - don't you think?
Once the hood was finished, Doc and I spent a little time talking with the guys over at Pierce Manifolds. They're a wealth of knowledge for all things related to carburetion and linkages, and they've helped me out several times in the past. There were several problems with the setup you saw in the last episode, such as:
The stamped steel arms we got from Redline are crap. Sorry, guys, but there's just no other way to describe it. They're far from precision, and they don't really tighten on a linkage rod very well due to their design. They bend easily, and after a few adjustments, they simply wouldn't clamp the drive rod consistently under hard throttle opening / closing. This throws the carbs out of sync, and just isn't acceptable.
The linkage rod thickness (3/8") is too thin to resist bending. The whole idea of using a bellcrank and a linkage rod is to translate the movement of the pedal into a left-right motion, which is then translated into rotational force on the rod. In our case, the bellcrank was placing lateral pressure on the end of the rod and flexing it ever-so-slightly, which caused binding and uneven application of rotational motion to the carb linkages. Not gonna work.
Lastly, the entire linkage was mounted to the manifold via the Heim joints. The problem here is that any time we had to make an adjustment that required removing the carbs, the entire linkage assembly had to be taken apart. This wears the threads in the soft aluminum manifold, and eventually will require a helicoil insert. PLUS, it means we have to re-adjust ALL of the linkage points again, which is a colossal pain in the ass. No thanks.
TO address this, we're going to need to get creative. Doc and I decided to make the entire linkage removable as ONE component, which meant mounting it on its own pedestal. A chunk of aluminum stock was drilled to match the mounting holes in the manifold, and mocked up to serve as a "stand" for the linkage assembly. Then, I radiused the ends (for appearance), gave it a nice brushed finish with some 400-grit paper, and clear-coated it for durability.
Next, we ordered a 5/8" T-316 (marine-grade) stainless steel rod, which is significantly stronger and more resistant to bending, than standard T-304 stainless, or the lower-grade stuff you find in local stores. It wasn't cheap, but it will do the job perfectly AND it won't mar or nick from tightening the throttle arms on it. I spent some time polishing it to a high-gloss finish, and ordered a new, larger set of Heim joints from Grainger to fit it.
Finally, we added a set of billet aluminum throttle arms from our friends at Pierce Manifolds. These things are stiff, beefy, and have a properly-designed clamping mechanism that won't loosen up or slip on the throttle rod. Putting it all together on the pedestal, which will be removable as one complete piece, left me thinking we should have done it this way in the first place!
I actually found a set of air horns for some Mikuni carbs in one of the boxes of stuff I bought at the beginning of the project, so I refinished them with a polishing wheel and attached them for the finishing touch. I think it turned out pretty nice.
In the picture above, you'll also notice the strut tower brace. There's maybe one or two companies making a brace for the 510, and some will say it's not really necessary. However... read on.
While we were at it, I found a set of "feet" from an abandoned strut tower brace project that just happened to match the strut tower pattern on the 510. (They're either 240sx or Honda, I can't recall. Maybe someone else can help?) I had a piece of heavy-gauge hollow steel bar stock with threaded ends (no idea what that was for, but it was in my garage!), so I asked Jason to section and sleeve it to the proper length. I then ordered another set of Heim joints from Grainger that threaded into the ends, and used some leftover nylon spacers and seat belt bolts to finish up the ends. It's adjustable for preload tension, and it's WAY more beefy than the aluminum crap that some retailers are selling. It's not pretty, but it has a "all-business" look. PLUS, the price was right!
I'm thinking we should probably fire this thing up and try to get it rolling under its own power - Whatcha think? Let's get it on! Project 510 - Part 13
[post_title] => Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan - Part 12
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[post_content] => Now that Project 510 is all assembled, I think it's time to take it out and see if it'll move under its own power. After a few cranks, she fired right up - and the sound was nothing short of ungodly! Remember, we haven't installed an exhaust system yet, so she's running a lumpy cam and an open header.
Trying to set the timing and synchronize the carburetors (and adjust the air-fuel mixture) was deafening. Thanks to Doc's steady hand (and the fact that he doesn't hear so well, haha), with a few tweaks she settled into a rough, but workable, idle.
Not wanting to miss an opportunity to piss off the neighbors, I eased her into gear and rolled out into the driveway, testing the steering and brakes at low speed. Once everything seemed to be in working order, I made a preliminary lap around the neighborhood. It's hard to make mental notes on things that need to be addressed when you can't hear yourself think, but Doc and I both took a loop around the block anyway.
Since it had been over a year since she'd seen the light of day, I decided it was a good time for her to get her first bath.
This gave me some time to mentally sort out all of the issues I took note of during the drive. She was bogging badly on acceleration, the brakes felt spongy, she tracked terribly, and of course needed an exhaust.
On the plus side, the suspension felt fantastic - even as low as it is, I could tell this was going to be a very comfortable and well-handling car.
With just two weeks left until she would be making her "public debut" at the JennaBears Car Show, I knew I had to hustle to get the other issues addressed.
Now's a good time to mention (again) how instrumental my friend Doc (Richard Lowell) was with getting this car done. As I said before, he's been building great 510's since they were new, and even though he's in his 70's, he would make the 1.5-hour drive across the Valley to wrench on Betty. That's a true friend, and this car wouldn't be anywhere CLOSE to finished without his expert assistance.
A lot more tinkering with the carbs, a distributor swap, and a few other tweaks got her running smoothly. A quick trip up to Network Alignment here in Phoenix got her rolling straight and true. Incidentally, once the alignment was set to the preferred "street / performance" specs per the rest of the 510 community, I found that I had picked up a little more space in the rear fenders for wider tires! The 195/45/15's looked great, but I prefer a little meatier rubber on my cars, and this thing was going to need all the traction it could get. There was no time to swap them out right now, but we'll come back to the tire decision a little later.
The 2.5" exhaust was modeled after the system we at BRM Exhaust have been building for the 240sx for over a decade. An oval-bodied Magnaflow canister was selected and tucked up under the rear bumper area. Perfect fit, and now Betty sounds like a proper Japanese musclecar, with a healthy, deep loping idle and a threatening roar under high-throttle load.
With the brakes re-bled, we realized there was a poor interface with one of the lines at the master cylinder, which made for a messy job - Re-tapping the threads and adding a it of thread sealant straightened that issue out.
A week left to go - and we still didn't have "the look" I was after! Well, Alex Lopez from SkyPrintMedia came to the rescue. I showed him some pictures of the BRE 510's of the 70's, and asked him to cut some vinyl stripes that would match the wheel centers. With a short timeframe, he came through, and at the end of the day, I had this:
I think we can take her to her first event now, without embarrassment. With a bunch of NICO folks coming in from out-of-state to help out, we didn't have much time to spare... and just as time was running out, another setback almost spoiled our plans... Join us for Part 14 of Project 510 Build!
[post_title] => Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan - Part 13
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[post_content] => Now that the 510 was running better, it was time to put some additional "shakedown" miles on it, just to find the little things that might go wrong when it's driven harder. Well, the day prior to heading out for the local show, we found one: The header had developed cracks on three of the four pipes, just outside of the weld at the flange.
Fortunately, all the guys were here at HQ, helping get the cars cleaned up and ready to roll... It was decided to execute a "quick fix" by pulling the header and having it welded, and reinstalling it the same day. Easier said than done. After wrestling and fighting with it for a couple hours out in the heat, we finally decided to bite the bullet and lift the engine. We might have been better off pulling the engine completely, because it had to be raised a good 5" to pull the header off. By the time it was welded and ready to reinstall, it was already getting late, and thanks to Kenny (MaximA32) and David (Razi), the repaired header was back in by midnight. A quick wash before bed, and we were ready to roll.
The show went well, and the 510 was well-received. All the cars made the trip without incident, and even though our only trophy was for our Model A, we still had a great time.
Not two weeks after the show, more problems: The 2nd-gear synchro in the trans was shot, and the header cracked again. A few phone calls resulted in finding a close-ratio 5-speed that needed a new home, so I bought that and set it aside. As the owner of an exhaust shop (www.brmexhaust.com), I always recommend against headers for street cars. They're almost never worth the hassle, for the few horsepower you might gain... apparently, I needed to heed my own advice. I procured a stock manifold from one of the locals, bead-blasted it, coated it with Eastwood's cast iron manifold coating, and set it aside. Another opportunity to pull the engine, but at least this time, it would likely be the last for a long time.
Both parts made a ton of difference. The cast manifold didn't result in a noticeable loss of horsepower, and the car sounded way better. The close-ratio 5-speed really seemed to work well with the 3.90 rear end, and shifts were much crisper and more precise. All in all, it was well worth one more engine pull.
Over the next couple weeks, I did a lot of little things on the Project 510 that don't really lend themselves to including in the build article. A new set of modern 3-point seat belts from Westco were installed, as well as a trio of basic gauges in order to monitor engine functions. We decided, that since this car would see some daily-driving duty, it would need the windows tinted... so it got fresh tint on all the glass. A BRE-style Spook front lip with functional front brake ducts was added.
Also, the tires that were on it were starting to show their age. As I mentioned earlier, the alignment gave me a little more room in the rear, so I decided to step up to a set of 205/50's on all four corners. As it turns out, my MazdaSpeed Miata had a fairly new set of 205/50's on it, but I had been wanting to buy a sticky set of high-performance tires - so a three-way swap commenced. The Miata got some new Direzza Zii tires, the 510 got the Miata's hand-me-downs, and someone on Craigslist got a free set of 195/45's.
In the meantime, the date for the next Japanese Classic Car Show was almost upon us, so I focused on making sure all the cars would be ready to go. It was 'crunch time' again, and this time, we had an additional challenge: The week following JCCS, we would be driving all of the classic Datsuns to a huge Datsun show in Williams, AZ... so, not only did they need to look good, they needed to be able to make a 5-hour drive up the mountain and back.
No pressure. We got this. In fact, I even took time to shoot some more pics of the 510.
We'll be attending JCCS next, and you can come along. Then, we'll take a drive up to the best Datsun show of the year... and another BIG change for Project 510. Join us for the next episode!
[post_title] => Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan - Part 14
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[post_date] => 2011-10-27 20:43:10
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[post_content] => With two big shows (JCCS and the Multi-State Datsun Classic in Williams) coming up on back-to-back weekends, some fine-tuning on the 510 and a few more updates were needed... Little stuff, such as adjusting the rear sway bar, replacing a fussy ignition switch, and replacing some dash cluster bulbs.
Time flies when you're preparing for these events, and before we knew it, it was time to load up for JCCS. Because of California's ridiculous laws affecting big rigs entering the state, most carriers have nearly DOUBLED their prices to transport cars into CA. If we were going to get four cars to JCCS, we'd have to handle this trip on our own. Fortunately, we have a truck and a trailer, and friends with trucks and trailers, so we would have three cars towed out, and Becky would drive the Z.
We left Thursday evening with the Bluebird, the 411 Wagon, and the Z, and our good friend James (greenblurr93) would leave Friday, towing the 510. The trip out was uneventful, but not for James - It seems the hood latch hardware loosened up during the drive, and the hood flipped up at freeway speed, bending it badly and damaging the cowl panel and hinges. Undeterred, he pulled the hood, threw it in his truck, and finished the trip. It's a good thing we spent some time making the engine look good, because the 510 did the JCCS show hood-free.
Special thanks to Christine Warren (skydragoness) for the amazing pics!
With no time to make repairs between the JCCS show and the event in Williams, all the cars got a quick once-over to make sure they were ready to make the trip. Our buddy 'Doc' would be driving the 510 to Williams, in a caravan with the 411 Wagon, the Roadster, the Z, and the Bluebird (on a trailer).
Doc driving the Dime:
Williams is about 200 miles from NICO HQ, but with perfect weather and minimal traffic, it made for a spectacular drive. The 510 performed flawlessly, even though we went from 1000-ft elevation to over 7000 ft. The show was a success, and somehow she even brought home a 2nd-place trophy in the 510 class!
With the major shows for the season over, it was time to address a few of the issues we didn't have time to handle. One of these, simple as it sounds, was the interior rear view mirror. Because the mirror housing is made of plastic, most 510 mirrors have deteriorated to the point that they no longer stay put on the ball mount. Some, like ours, had dry-rotted away to the point that nothing really held the glass in place!
The plastic isn't really repairable in that condition, so I started searching for an alternative. Remembering that this is a 'budget' project, buying a reproduction or OEM mirror is out of the question. I ran across a replacement mirror assembly at AutoZone, that used a ball-mount just like the original 510, but it's the kind that glues to the windshield glas. No thanks, I wanted it to mount to the step hanging from the windshield header. However, upon closer inspection, the ball on the modern mirror is bigger than the ball on the old 510 mirror mount.
A quick trip to see my good friend Hank at the Sun City Metal Club resulted in a fix: Despite the fact that Hank is 92 years young, he's a lifelong machinist - and he drilled and tapped the new ball and the original mount, inserted a tiny threaded stud, and VOILA. A modern rear-view mirror, with dimming feature, that uses the original 510 mount.
Another of the nagging tasks was figuring out what to do about rear view mirrors for the 510. At present, it had no side mirrors. Nothing I looked at seemed to "fit" the theme of the car. I'm not a fan of fender mirrors for several reasons, and I wanted to make sure that whatever I chose, I'd be perfectly happy with. It's pretty hard to bring myself to drill holes in the pristine sheetmetal!
The biggest issue, now, is what to do about the bent hood and the busted cowl panel. 1968 hood hinges are a one-year-only design, and early 510 hoods aren't exactly easy to locate either. We spent some time thinking about a solution - Here's what we came up with: Part 16 of Project 510!
[post_title] => Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan - Part 15
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[post_date] => 2011-10-28 21:27:31
[post_date_gmt] => 2011-10-29 04:27:31
[post_content] => With all the major events of 2013 in the books, the fall is a great time in AZ to really crank out a lot of work on the Datsuns - except that it's also the best time of year to DRIVE them!
So, we're not getting in over our heads this year - One car out of commission at a time, so that we can drive the others when it's cool outside.
Aside from the 510's bent hood and the busted cowl panel, a couple things had been bugging me about the finished product. The PPG HotRod Black paint looked great, but cleaning it was a pain. Non-gloss paints are porous, and "soak up" whatever gets on them. Then, when you try and wash them, you're dealing with hard water spots, road grime stains, bird dropping residue, and even fingerprint oils. It's a challenge for all hot rodders, but most cars with flat or satin paint have no real concern for "cleanliness."
Aside from that, I never have been real happy with the color of the stripes, or the wheels, for that matter - They never really matched, and neither was the true gold color I envisioned. The wheels were too pale, and the stripes had a greenish cast to them.
I thought, "Well, let's just shoot a couple coats of clear over it." After consulting with Greg and Chuck (my good friends who run Sakura Garage), they educated me on why that wouldn't work. However, they floated a few ideas that sounded great. I was already planning to let them handle the hood and cowl repairs, so now they'd just be spending a little more time with the car.
With that decision out of the way, she was off to the east side for a couple weeks. I'd periodically pop in and shoot some pics:
While the 510 is over at Sakura Garage getting her appearance transformed (yet again), I set out to find the two pieces that have eluded me thus far - an ashtray, and a functional speedometer.
Like a lot of other pieces on the '68 510, the ashtray is a one-year-only piece, and hard to find. The speedometer is also exclusive to the '68, with a horizontal sweep design. Mine had a broken needle, and disassembly confirmed that it isn't easily serviceable.
We'll get together once she comes out of the paint shop. Ready to see the final results?
I hope you guys can stand one more page of this... Here you go: 510 Restoration - Part 17 (The End)
[post_title] => Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan - Part 16
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[post_content] => There are times when you're finishing up a build or a restoration, and you look at the car, and you suddenly see it the way other people see it. You've looked at it for months, maybe years - you know every flaw, every bolt and nut, every curve, every scent... but one day, you see past all that, and hopefully, you like what you see.
So, that happened to me today with Betty. I went to pick her up from Sakura Garage after she was repainted. Actually, to be more specific, a lot more was done... the metalwork on the cowl and hood was nothing short of miraculous. The repair of the tweaked hood hinges and mounting plates HAD to be a big job. The removal of ALL of the PPG Satin Black paint was mandatory (remember, non-gloss paints soak up contaminants).
Loading her on the trailer and making sure everything was secure for the 50-mile journey back home was occupying all of my attention, so I really didn't get a chance to "soak up" her new appearance. Sitting in backed-up traffic for almost two hours, however, I got to see the reactions of passers-by. You guys know, my goal for these old Datsuns is to build something that makes people smile - Mission accomplished.
The paint is GM Black. It's known to be a pure black - no metallic, no tints, just straight, deep, dark black. The gold was lifted straight from the decal color code for the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am (thanks Greg Sheen!) and the stripes were laid on prior to lots of wet sanding and four coats of PPG clear. The result, in my opinion, is stunning.
The lines are crisp and clean, and the gloss black makes the 510 look like a tailored tuxedo. The "attitude" it had before, with the flat paint, has been replaced with a more refined look that enhances the shape.
We'll be refinishing the centers of the wheels to match the gold stripes more perfectly, but for now, we're just going to enjoy seeing the reflections (and try to keep it clean)!
Now, I need to kick up the search for a 1968 ashtray and a speedometer, and a set of the '68 "suicide wipers" with motor... I want to make sure the rest of the car is "up to par" with the exterior. Still haven't installed mirrors, but I've decided to go with a stock 510 mirror, powdercoated satin black (to match the door handles and grille). I may get a little woozy taking a drill to those gorgeous doors, but "safety first"!
I think we'll wrap this one up - It's been 17 pages since we started, and I think we've covered the vast majority of the build. We'll start on another one pretty soon, and if we do anything substantial to the 510, I'll make sure to update this series for you guys.
Thanks for joining us and reading along. I hope you're working on (or planning) a restoration of your own. If so, make sure you pop in on the DATSUN FORUMS and tell us about your project!
Until next time,
-Greg
[post_title] => Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan - Part 17
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[post_content] => Aaaaaand, we're back!
Y'know, I've always said - I could get a lot of work done if I didn't have to work.
So, with the work on the individual components of the rear subframe completed, and everything reassembled, it was time to mate the entire subframe back to the car. This looks daunting, because it's an awkward (and heavy!) assembly. However, if you use a 2x4, you can do it yourself, if you balance the whole thing on a jack and a pair of jackstands. Just lift it one notch at a time, until the rear differential mount bushings AND the subframe mount bushings are aligned with their respective bolt pins. Don't forget to add some lubricant to the INSIDE of the bushings, to eliminate any chance of squeaking later on. Once the assembly is high enough that the bolt pins start peeking through the bushings, you can reinstall your bushing caps (large washers) and snug it up the rest of the way with a ratchet or air wrench (don't forget to use anti-seize!).
NOTE: If you're a real 510 pro, you may have caught my faux pas in the last installment. When assembling the differential to the crossmember, insert the long bolts through the diff and crossmember from the bottom, with the nuts on top. This way, you can easily drop the differential later without removing the entire crossmember assembly. I goofed, and inserted them from the top - but I don't plan on pulling it all apart anytime soon!
Here's the rear crossmember assembly bolted up in place:
Next up, the brakes. All of the brake hardware had already been through the tumbler and polisher, and the backing plates were painted. Now, it's time to fit the upgrades. Since the drum brakes were going to be retained, we're going to want everything to work perfectly. No sense spending all this time cleaning things if they're not going to function exactly as they did when brand new. So, I replaced the rear wheel cylinders for good measure. These can be rebuilt, but the price of a rebuild kit and the time spent just doesn't justify messing with them. The adjusters can be refurbished, however. It's a simple matter of removing the assembly, unthreading the adjustment shaft, removing the two wedge-shaped pistons, and cleaning everything in solvent. Once they're spotless, use some good high-temp brake grease (I use the red Hawk grease) on both pistons and the shaft. Assemble it with the adjuster completely retracted, and reinstall on the backing plate. The spring clips can then be reinstalled on the backing plate. Then, I placed a dab of grease on the contact points where the edges of the brake shoes would touch the backing plate. Installing the brake shoes is tricky, but once you've done it a few times, it's simple. A helper, and a couple pair of strong needle-nosed pliers comes in handy here. Here's a look at all those components as they came together:
[gallery link="file" order="DESC" columns="4"]
Datsun 510 owners have always had problems finding the perfect rear spring setup for their cars. Because the 510 uses a rear coil with a small outside diameter, very few springs will work for this application. Cutting springs is for chumps, and there's not a lot of aftermarket options. However, the 510 seems to sit *just* right in the rear by using a set of Roadster Sport Comp FRONT springs. They fit nicely into the spring pocket, lower the rear perfectly, and have sufficient spring rate to prevent bottoming out (and they match up nicely with the Megan coilovers already installed up front). A set of fresh axles were leftover from the 240Z build (it pays to hang onto extra parts if you're building more than one Datsun), so those were bolted in place. A set of new KYB GR-2 rear shocks and the rear suspension is good to go.
Finally, a pair of finned aluminum drums from an early Z would provide a little more cooling, as well as some weight reduction. A half-hour date with the bead blaster, some high-temp clear coat, and they turned out good as new.
Here's a few pics of everything in the rear suspension buttoned up and ready to roll:
[gallery include="13854,13855,13856,13857" link="file" columns="4"]
I hope everyone had fun watching this phase of the build. In the next episode, we'll test-fit the wheels and tires, get the wiring harness taken care of, and maybe even get the engine and trans ready to install!
Click here to read Part 5 of the Datsun 510 build!
[post_title] => Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan - Part 4
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"
Article Series
- Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan – Part 4
- Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan – Part 12
- Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan – Part 13
- Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan – Part 14
- Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan – Part 15
- Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan – Part 16
- Restoring a 1968 Datsun 510 Sedan – Part 17
With all the major events of 2013 in the books, the fall is a great time in AZ to really crank out a lot of work on the Datsuns – except that it’s also the best time of year to DRIVE them!
So, we’re not getting in over our heads this year – One car out of commission at a time, so that we can drive the others when it’s cool outside.
Aside from the 510’s bent hood and the busted cowl panel, a couple things had been bugging me about the finished product. The PPG HotRod Black paint looked great, but cleaning it was a pain. Non-gloss paints are porous, and “soak up” whatever gets on them. Then, when you try and wash them, you’re dealing with hard water spots, road grime stains, bird dropping residue, and even fingerprint oils. It’s a challenge for all hot rodders, but most cars with flat or satin paint have no real concern for “cleanliness.”
Aside from that, I never have been real happy with the color of the stripes, or the wheels, for that matter – They never really matched, and neither was the true gold color I envisioned. The wheels were too pale, and the stripes had a greenish cast to them.
I thought, “Well, let’s just shoot a couple coats of clear over it.” After consulting with Greg and Chuck (my good friends who run Sakura Garage), they educated me on why that wouldn’t work. However, they floated a few ideas that sounded great. I was already planning to let them handle the hood and cowl repairs, so now they’d just be spending a little more time with the car.
With that decision out of the way, she was off to the east side for a couple weeks. I’d periodically pop in and shoot some pics:
While the 510 is over at Sakura Garage getting her appearance transformed (yet again), I set out to find the two pieces that have eluded me thus far – an ashtray, and a functional speedometer.
Like a lot of other pieces on the ’68 510, the ashtray is a one-year-only piece, and hard to find. The speedometer is also exclusive to the ’68, with a horizontal sweep design. Mine had a broken needle, and disassembly confirmed that it isn’t easily serviceable.
We’ll get together once she comes out of the paint shop. Ready to see the final results?
I hope you guys can stand one more page of this… Here you go: 510 Restoration – Part 17 (The End)