LTJ's 1981 DATSUN STANZA (A10) WANNABE RALLY CAR. SOLD and moving.
- Thread starter LukeTheJoker
- Start date
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My rear sway bar was delivered today, quite a rare item, they only came on the Stanza SSS for 2 years in Australia, as far as I am aware, nowhere else in the world got them at all!
I have not got a photo yet, but I will post one up for you soon. Pretty simple job to fit, 4x10mm bolts either side, just clamps onto the lower trailing arms...
Not sure how much of a difference it will make, but a little less body roll when cornering is always good!
I may end up getting a stiffer front bar down the road a bit too, didn't want to get a stiffer front bar without adding a rear bar first though to even it up.
I have found out that S13 Silvia/180SX rear springs will fit in where my current rear springs are, they are available much shorter, but I will have to get shorter shocks or lower the shock mounts to keep the springs contained on full rebound. Much better solution than cutting springs...
Going to start gathering parts for the motor and gearbox swap very soon, probably going to do a radiator and thermo/electric fan upgrade first though...
Luke.
I have not got a photo yet, but I will post one up for you soon. Pretty simple job to fit, 4x10mm bolts either side, just clamps onto the lower trailing arms...
Not sure how much of a difference it will make, but a little less body roll when cornering is always good!
I may end up getting a stiffer front bar down the road a bit too, didn't want to get a stiffer front bar without adding a rear bar first though to even it up.
I have found out that S13 Silvia/180SX rear springs will fit in where my current rear springs are, they are available much shorter, but I will have to get shorter shocks or lower the shock mounts to keep the springs contained on full rebound. Much better solution than cutting springs...
Going to start gathering parts for the motor and gearbox swap very soon, probably going to do a radiator and thermo/electric fan upgrade first though...
Luke.
I'd think it was easier to swap out the radiator & fan while the motor was out...
But what do I know, I'm a carpenter...
Carl.
But what do I know, I'm a carpenter...
Carl.
I want to make sure everything is working before I change to the bigger motor...I'd think it was easier to swap out the radiator & fan while the motor was out...
But what do I know, I'm a carpenter...
Carl.
I am half thinking about a fairly drastic change to the window/bodyline along the doors.
One thing that has always bugged me about the styling of the Stanza's is the rising 'hip' line to the C pillar like curvy cars tend to have, but the straight lines drawn from the original 510...
See how it makes the body very 'slab' sided at the rear door and the rear window look small?
Fairly drastic change, but possibly worth it would be to give that upper body/window line some 'Coke bottle' hip!
Almost looks a bit like an XW-XY Aussie Falcon:
There is no structural change to the doors and the window has enough spare area to accommodate the change, the only changes are to the outer skin, the window line down to the first ridge gradually tapers down 3/4" or 20mm before the 'hip' above the door handle. It would take some work, but I have access to spare doors to try it on first, I like it enough to give it a try...
Any thoughts anybody, do you like the adjusted styling?
Luke.
Sounds like a lot of work for a little change... of course I'd have to be making it out of wood, so that doesn't help.
Carl.
sent from my banana phone...
Carl.
sent from my banana phone...
I remember reading once a quote from one of the great customizers back in the day: "The best custom touches are the ones you don't notice, you just know the car looks better somehow..."
Luke.
That makes sense, the idea you have is one of those. Its like in the late 80's- early 90's when builders would radius square hood corners.
No-one really noticed, but it was a nice touch.
Might look better with that lower black trim removed too.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Huh, never considered that, but it turns out you are exactly right!
Looks 100% better! Thanks @ifitsfreeitsforme! I think I know what I will be doing tomorrow!
Luke.
Even looks better stock but just remove the rubber trim:
Before:
After:
Luke.
Before:
After:
Luke.
Sweet!
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So, after consulting with my paint dude, he said to just peal the rub strips off and then rub the foam tape off with prepsol on an old towel.
I tried that, but it turns out that at some point they must have started coming off and someone glued them back on with what appears to be super glue! Did some damage getting them off, but it was almost impossible to get the glue off the paint, going to go back to see my paint guy tomorrow and buy a caramel/candy wheel and try that, they are designed for removing the glue residue from pinstripe tape, but you have to be really careful not to overheat old acrylic paints like what is on the Datsun, hopefully I can make better progress than I did today...
Today's efforts, only removed the rear most piece on each side, spent hours on this side and there is still glue:
You can see the points where it ripped up the paint too! Good thing I was planning on either making it more ratty or giving it a full re-spray at some point...
It already looks better with just those two rear pieces off though!
Luke.
I tried that, but it turns out that at some point they must have started coming off and someone glued them back on with what appears to be super glue! Did some damage getting them off, but it was almost impossible to get the glue off the paint, going to go back to see my paint guy tomorrow and buy a caramel/candy wheel and try that, they are designed for removing the glue residue from pinstripe tape, but you have to be really careful not to overheat old acrylic paints like what is on the Datsun, hopefully I can make better progress than I did today...
Today's efforts, only removed the rear most piece on each side, spent hours on this side and there is still glue:
You can see the points where it ripped up the paint too! Good thing I was planning on either making it more ratty or giving it a full re-spray at some point...
It already looks better with just those two rear pieces off though!
Luke.
Well, I have one side done!
Spent hours with the caramel disc but still pulled bits of paint everywhere, so had to sand and hit it with some primer filler, then more sanding, then some quick mis-matched red to get it looking half decent again. Still looks better than it did with the rub strips on!
Also spent the time removing all the badges off it, figured if I was going to that much effort I may as well make it just one job!
I love the look of it much more without the strips, not sure it needs the hip in the bodyline any more!
Luke.
Spent hours with the caramel disc but still pulled bits of paint everywhere, so had to sand and hit it with some primer filler, then more sanding, then some quick mis-matched red to get it looking half decent again. Still looks better than it did with the rub strips on!
Also spent the time removing all the badges off it, figured if I was going to that much effort I may as well make it just one job!
I love the look of it much more without the strips, not sure it needs the hip in the bodyline any more!
Luke.
No idea!
I do know I like the new red compared to the original browner red, and could probably get away without doing the jambs, under the bonnet and boot, and inner doors as it is close enough, but still not entirely sure on red anyway...
Luke.
Luke.
