LTJ's 1981 DATSUN STANZA (A10) WANNABE RALLY CAR. SOLD and moving.

[LukeTheJoker]

Slow working still happening occasionally on the car, got the other rear flare to about 80% finished in one session, I really learnt a lot from the other side, made it much easier the second time.

Then I decided to mock up stage two of the flares to make sure I was on the right track.

Stage two involves welding angled flanges to the outside that will then have bolts through them like a normal flare, just to finish them off and make them more "correct" style wise.

Started with the top which was easy, then the two tapered and slightly curved sides:

Then I started on one of the corner pieces, which are not only tightly curved, but also tapered:

Yep, that is going to finish them off nicely!

 

[rrtbike]

I am not a huge fan of flares but I like seeing your progress Luke!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

I am not a huge fan of flares but I like seeing your progress Luke!

Thanks RRT!
To be honest I am not a huge fan of flares on most cars either, but if you are doing a rally build you kinda need them to fit the theme!

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

I can remember my mother buying a new B210 back in the mid seventies.

Looked like this but in dark green.

That’s the car I learned to drive stick on. I think they were advertised as getting 51 mpg?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RustyGold]

There was one specific combo that was advertised as 'nifty 50'...but, that was optimistic to say the least. High 30s on the highway in real world tests.

Jason

 

[LukeTheJoker]

That’s the car I learned to drive stick on. I think they were advertised as getting 51 mpg?

There was one specific combo that was advertised as 'nifty 50'...but, that was optimistic to say the least. High 30s on the highway in real world tests.

Jason

Yep, that is the one!
They had to be driven a very specific way to get those high numbers, Datsun ended up adding vacuum "economy" gauges to their cars to help people stay out of the second carburetor throat...

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Back on to the Datsun today, got one flare fully welded up, the 2 on the other side are 75% done and the front on this side has not been started at all...

Great to see that the design works and looks good though, that should give me incentive to make more progress!
Can't wait to see it all done and painted!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Sadly this build has come to an end.

Massive changes in our lives at the moment, and the little Datsun moved on to a new home.

The new owner plans to finish it up though, in fact he used to own one of the original '79 Australia rally versions, so I believe it is in good hands.

He promised to send me pics as it progresses, if he does I will share them here.

 

[rrtbike]

Thanks for sharing. Good luck with everything Luke.
Glad it went to a good home.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Oh rats! I've had to get rid of things that I put a lot of my own self into. I feel for you Luke. I just hope the compensation makes up for a little bit of the loss.

Carl.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Thanks for sharing. Good luck with everything Luke.
Glad it went to a good home.

Oh rats! I've had to get rid of things that I put a lot of my own self into. I feel for you Luke. I just hope the compensation makes up for a little bit of the loss.

Carl.

Thanks Guys, I'm sure there will be more projects in the future!
I think I need a little truck for house projects...

 

[horsefarmer]

Cool Luke. I've been drooling over UTEs since " mcleod's daughters ".

 

[GuitarlCarl]

I'm on my fifth Ford Ranger. Even though I'm not really an auto mechanic, the longer you work on the same type of vehicle, the easier it gets. I suppose you get used to the idiosyncrasies and familiar problems. Hope you find a good one. Miss your presence here too.

Carl.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

aw bummer. was hoping to see this finished someday.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Cool Luke. I've been drooling over UTEs since " mcleod's daughters ".

I would love an EH ute!

I'm on my fifth Ford Ranger. Even though I'm not really an auto mechanic, the longer you work on the same type of vehicle, the easier it gets. I suppose you get used to the idiosyncrasies and familiar problems. Hope you find a good one. Miss your presence here too.

Carl.

You are correct, I know Datsuns and Toyotas pretty well, so usually I will stick with them.

aw bummer. was hoping to see this finished someday.

Me too, I hope he sends me pics!

Not quiet what I was expecting to get, and certainly was not looking to buy this soon, but this turned up cheap on Facebook today and I managed to grab it before anyone else. I gave the guy $200 and drove straight to the ATM for the rest, by the time I got back, 5-10 minutes max, they had 10 more calls... Yeah, they could have asked a lot more!

Total base model, no air, no power steer, no electric windows or even central locking, but low miles and 6 months registration included, it will definitely help with the move north!
Even if we sold it straight after, we will easily make a tidy profit.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

And they loaded up the truck an' moved to Beverly...
Hills that is... swimmin' pools... movie stars...

Guitarl.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

And they loaded up the truck an' moved to Beverly...
Hills that is... swimmin' pools... movie stars...

Guitarl.

Well Broken Hill anyway...

The blue dot is where we are now, the red pointer is where we are moving, the old mining town of Broken Hill.
An 8 hour drive according to Google, 735km or just over 450 miles.

Got some better pics of the little truck:

It is so clean and drives so nice... He should have asked double what he did and still got it, but we are not complaining!

 

[horsefarmer]

Luke, That rig is nice! Years ago I had a 1979 Toyota pick up with a flat bed, ran perfect but frame rusted into 2 pieces due to road salt used extensively here.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Luke, That rig is nice! Years ago I had a 1979 Toyota pick up with a flat bed, ran perfect but frame rusted into 2 pieces due to road salt used extensively here.

Yeah, they are pretty bulletproof mechanically! Never had that kind of rust issue here in Aus, no salty roads to worry about!

This is actually the 4th Hilux I have had, I had a 1985 LN65 4x4 2.4 turbo diesel dual cab, a 2000 RN165 2.7 petrol Extra cab 4x4, a 1979 RN40 1.6 petrol 2wd single cab and now this 1996 RN85 single cab 2wd 1.8 petrol.

They are just a good honest vehicle! Even the oldest one with the 1.6L and column shift 4 speed manual that was basically flat out at 100kph (62mph) just did exactly what you wanted and never played up. Probably the same spec. as the one you had?

Aside from the 2000 which was only 2 years old when I bought it, this one is by far the cleanest of the bunch...

 

[horsefarmer]

Mine had the 2.4l 22R 4 cyl.
https://jalopnik.com/the-most-reliable-motor-vehicle-i-know-of-1988-toyota-5166290
https://itstillruns.com/history-22r-22re-toyota-motor-8685875.html
Toyota pickups around here command high price tags till the become crusty unsafe heaps.