LTJ's 1981 DATSUN STANZA (A10) WANNABE RALLY CAR. SOLD and moving.
- Thread starter LukeTheJoker
- Start date
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Hmmm, I agree! Maybe I will go back to my original plan of stitching the letters into the hood...
Luke.
What does the trunk deck look like?
DATSUN across the back might look cool...
WAIT! oh Oh! fab it into a wing....
Carl.
DATSUN across the back might look cool...
WAIT! oh Oh! fab it into a wing....
Carl.
Not sure on the trunk deck, but you have me thinking about switching out the tail lights to narrower ones and welding it in between them across the back.
No spoilers/wings on this thing, well maybe a little chin spoiler on the front...
Luke.
Got it all trimmed and tacked, then back on for a test fit:
Achieved the look I wanted, retro but understated, if I did it again I would probably have left it 1/2" longer, but I am happy with it as it sits.
Pulled it back off to finish the welding now that I knew it fit properly, hit it with some primer to protect it until I am sure there are no changes I want to make:
Fitted it back up, this time with the stainless bolts and locknuts:
Still some finishing off and bodywork to do before final paint, but I wanted to test it out on the highway first.
Took it for a run up to 100kph (62mph) and discovered that it was catching so much air that a rust hole in the front lip right in the middle started to crack and allow the whole piece to balloon upwards slightly, I think it will be fine once I repair the crack and add a little bracing behind the front lip, but I also had another idea, and once I mocked it up I am pretty sure it will happen!
Cut the under windscreen vents from the donor car:
Perfect finishing touch! Ties it to the car design nicely and will help with the pressure build-up too!
Luke.
Achieved the look I wanted, retro but understated, if I did it again I would probably have left it 1/2" longer, but I am happy with it as it sits.
Pulled it back off to finish the welding now that I knew it fit properly, hit it with some primer to protect it until I am sure there are no changes I want to make:
Fitted it back up, this time with the stainless bolts and locknuts:
Still some finishing off and bodywork to do before final paint, but I wanted to test it out on the highway first.
Took it for a run up to 100kph (62mph) and discovered that it was catching so much air that a rust hole in the front lip right in the middle started to crack and allow the whole piece to balloon upwards slightly, I think it will be fine once I repair the crack and add a little bracing behind the front lip, but I also had another idea, and once I mocked it up I am pretty sure it will happen!
Cut the under windscreen vents from the donor car:
Perfect finishing touch! Ties it to the car design nicely and will help with the pressure build-up too!
Luke.
Dropped the roofrack back on, I think it suits the car better now with the visor on board:
Luke.
Luke.
Love the 510s and early corollas. Kicking myself for passing on a 78 or 79 scca 510 racer back in the mid 80s ..wide fender wells in steel full cage truck motor bbs wheels.......damn.
Sent from my SM-N910T3 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N910T3 using Tapatalk
Did a bit of work to the visor tonight, started by moving the mounts back 1/2" and removing some steel to add a little window out sideways, then started adding a strip of steel behind the front lip and joined to the top crease to make a triangular gap:
Then welded a length of 5mm rod along the front to make a nice finish area:
It should come up good with some seam sealer, some primer and some high fill...
Realised the other day that I really didn't like the plastic vent (pass side) and fuel filler (drvs side) on the C pillar, figured a remote opening steel fuel door on the drivers was easy, but the plastic vent was a bit harder, but I figured I could try build one out of the under windscreen vents from the donor car.
Here is a visual representation of what I was thinking:
Standard:
Steel vents:
So I decided to try make a steel vent for the Stanza, thought I was being smart tacking the pieces to these pieces of angle to hold it all together:
But it warped like crazy! trying to weld 0.6mm steel with 0.8mm wire is a nightmare as always...
It doesn't look too bad in this pic, but it looks bad in real life:
Decided I needed to give it some support along with some mass to draw the heat away, so next attempt I did this on the back:
As you can see I did 5 vents, not sure I will want all 5, but easier to do an extra now and cut it off than trying to add one later! Result was much better this time, a little clean up and this will look great!
Had to try it on the car:
Luke.
Then welded a length of 5mm rod along the front to make a nice finish area:
It should come up good with some seam sealer, some primer and some high fill...
Realised the other day that I really didn't like the plastic vent (pass side) and fuel filler (drvs side) on the C pillar, figured a remote opening steel fuel door on the drivers was easy, but the plastic vent was a bit harder, but I figured I could try build one out of the under windscreen vents from the donor car.
Here is a visual representation of what I was thinking:
Standard:
Steel vents:
So I decided to try make a steel vent for the Stanza, thought I was being smart tacking the pieces to these pieces of angle to hold it all together:
But it warped like crazy! trying to weld 0.6mm steel with 0.8mm wire is a nightmare as always...
It doesn't look too bad in this pic, but it looks bad in real life:
Decided I needed to give it some support along with some mass to draw the heat away, so next attempt I did this on the back:
As you can see I did 5 vents, not sure I will want all 5, but easier to do an extra now and cut it off than trying to add one later! Result was much better this time, a little clean up and this will look great!
Had to try it on the car:
Luke.
Some of you may have noticed that I had some of my vents under the windscreen taped up in earlier photos, that is because I had a leak from a rust hole inside the plenum on that side, been trying to work out the best way to fix it for a while, I could get to most of the affected area from inside the car but not all of it, and the A10 does not have an unboltable panel there like a Datsun 720 pickup has...
Today I just bit the bullet and cut a section out below the windscreen and plated the rusted area, I used 16 guage steel to give me some meat to weld to, but even so had to chase some holes around:
Hit it with some Sikaflex 227 seam sealer once the primer/sealer was dry:
Highly recommend the Sika 227 if anyone is doing stuff to an old car, it is more expensive than a lot of options but it was really nice to use and I have complete confidence in it!
You may be wondering why I cut the hole the shape I did, well I decided on a little customising seeing as I was already doing the work: Extra vents!:
I will weld them in once the seam sealer is set tomorrow and I get a top coat over it.
Luke.
Today I just bit the bullet and cut a section out below the windscreen and plated the rusted area, I used 16 guage steel to give me some meat to weld to, but even so had to chase some holes around:
Hit it with some Sikaflex 227 seam sealer once the primer/sealer was dry:
Highly recommend the Sika 227 if anyone is doing stuff to an old car, it is more expensive than a lot of options but it was really nice to use and I have complete confidence in it!
You may be wondering why I cut the hole the shape I did, well I decided on a little customising seeing as I was already doing the work: Extra vents!:
I will weld them in once the seam sealer is set tomorrow and I get a top coat over it.
Luke.
That donor car is gonna be swiss cheese when you're done! I'd love to find a sheet of louvers big enough the plate over the grill on my Ranger.
Carl.
Carl.
There is a cool part in a Project Binky episode where they make a grill/louvre punch:
Starts around 5m21s.
Luke.
Hey all!
Picked up a genuine Granny Spec low mile 1992 Toyota Camry for my wife yesterday and it has prompted my look to change a bit.
I will be going full on Grandfather spec on the Datsun now, the sunvisor and roofrack already suit the look well, but I will just clean up the dents, paint it as per original and add some accessories like a rear Venetian louvre in the back window, steel 14" wheels with steel hubcaps and add a tow bar.
I also just started a 'Granny Spec Car Group' on Facebook to try and get the #grannyspec cars all together in one place, if you have a #grannyspec car or are just interested in seeing some, have a think about joining:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/864814726989285/#
Luke.
Picked up a genuine Granny Spec low mile 1992 Toyota Camry for my wife yesterday and it has prompted my look to change a bit.
I will be going full on Grandfather spec on the Datsun now, the sunvisor and roofrack already suit the look well, but I will just clean up the dents, paint it as per original and add some accessories like a rear Venetian louvre in the back window, steel 14" wheels with steel hubcaps and add a tow bar.
I also just started a 'Granny Spec Car Group' on Facebook to try and get the #grannyspec cars all together in one place, if you have a #grannyspec car or are just interested in seeing some, have a think about joining:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/864814726989285/#
Luke.
Your Brothers Fairlane could be a perfect fit depending on what his plans are?You know I'm in even tho my car is far from granny spec
And if he can keep the language clean on the group...
Luke.
Guess I'll be googling granny spec... that's a new one to me.
Carl
sent from a crowded phonebooth...
Carl
sent from a crowded phonebooth...
Description from the Facebook group for you:
A Facebook group dedicated to clean original looking older cars, that look like they could be owned by Grandfathers or Grandmothers.
We don't mind if they are lowered or have other small visible performance modifications, provided they are offset with #GrannySpec additions, for example a sheepskin/crocheted rug on the parcel shelf with stuffed toys, or an external metal sun visor.
Larger wheels are OK provided they are within an inch or two of original and still run hubcaps or trim rings.
Extra points for old yellow fog lights, add on reversing lights, automotive repair club stickers (AAA, RACV, RACQ etc.) that sort of thing.
Luke.
Nice, and thank you...
Carl.
sent from a crowded phonebooth...
Carl.
sent from a crowded phonebooth...
Fv2
Don't know what I'm doing, gonna do it anyway.
I don't have Facebook, but the nova definitely fits the bill. The first two owners were old ladies, and according to my grandkids; I'm a grumpy old man.
I'll second that
