8.5 years in the making
Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2023 12:05 pm
Ok, so I originally bought the 68 2000 in November 2014 for parts - namely the engine and 5 speed which pretty much immediately went into the 1600 around the beginning of 2015.
Then our resident retired Datsun master mechanic says "such a shame to not restore a car that's 90% complete"... I should have thrown the sawzall party right then. But I suppose I'm not the only one who had hopes and dreams of a frame off restoration. I also suppose most rational thinkers would have passed. But I didn't.
I did learn how to weld (and how not to), bondo and a host of other things (like finding unobtanium parts - or learning how to make them), how to rebuild transmissions (I've now done 5 I think), balance SU carbs and probably a few other skills I'll never use again. I made a LOT of mistakes, which, as it turns out, is my learning style (instructions? we don't need no stinking instructions!). I also learned how to vinyl wrap which worked pretty well.
EVERYTHING I learned, I owe to this forum and the gracious folks who contribute and answer my many questions. I can't thank you all enough for the help you've all provided.
I got to drive it finally this week for the first time, and it's such an amazing feeling to finally get to this point. So far I've put about 40 miles on it, and yesterday I take my wife for a ride. We fill up, and I'm surprised it takes 8.2 gallons. Gauge was reading half, and I know I put in about 4 gallons when I first started it up. Whatever - a faulty sender perhaps. We continue on. Dang, the sound of this JT stainless exhaust with the Solex carbs puts out a pleasing note. She glances over at the gauges and says "is it supposed to be running that hot?" The temp gauge is pegged at 250. WTF? I pull over and peek under the hood realizing I've brought zero tools along with me on this first week of shake down runs (good one, Einstein!). I don't smell anything and we're a mile from O'Rielly's auto parts - so I opt for a pit stop there and pick up a point and shoot thermometer. Hmmm - engine reads 156. Must be a short. Meanwhile, my gas gauge still only reads half.... This morning at breakfast, my sage wife says "perhaps your gauges are reversed?
Well, I guess the next test will be to see if the temp gauge pegs to 250 when I turn the key on before starting it today. Oh, that'd be such an "easy" fix (if only I had munchkin hands to get to the darn gauges).
Thanks again for all the help. This community is truly awesome. Many thanks to Dave, Dave, Paul, Mike, Mike, Jim, Curtis, Scott, Dean, Stan, John and so many others who helped me along the way.
Then our resident retired Datsun master mechanic says "such a shame to not restore a car that's 90% complete"... I should have thrown the sawzall party right then. But I suppose I'm not the only one who had hopes and dreams of a frame off restoration. I also suppose most rational thinkers would have passed. But I didn't.
I did learn how to weld (and how not to), bondo and a host of other things (like finding unobtanium parts - or learning how to make them), how to rebuild transmissions (I've now done 5 I think), balance SU carbs and probably a few other skills I'll never use again. I made a LOT of mistakes, which, as it turns out, is my learning style (instructions? we don't need no stinking instructions!). I also learned how to vinyl wrap which worked pretty well.
EVERYTHING I learned, I owe to this forum and the gracious folks who contribute and answer my many questions. I can't thank you all enough for the help you've all provided.
I got to drive it finally this week for the first time, and it's such an amazing feeling to finally get to this point. So far I've put about 40 miles on it, and yesterday I take my wife for a ride. We fill up, and I'm surprised it takes 8.2 gallons. Gauge was reading half, and I know I put in about 4 gallons when I first started it up. Whatever - a faulty sender perhaps. We continue on. Dang, the sound of this JT stainless exhaust with the Solex carbs puts out a pleasing note. She glances over at the gauges and says "is it supposed to be running that hot?" The temp gauge is pegged at 250. WTF? I pull over and peek under the hood realizing I've brought zero tools along with me on this first week of shake down runs (good one, Einstein!). I don't smell anything and we're a mile from O'Rielly's auto parts - so I opt for a pit stop there and pick up a point and shoot thermometer. Hmmm - engine reads 156. Must be a short. Meanwhile, my gas gauge still only reads half.... This morning at breakfast, my sage wife says "perhaps your gauges are reversed?
Well, I guess the next test will be to see if the temp gauge pegs to 250 when I turn the key on before starting it today. Oh, that'd be such an "easy" fix (if only I had munchkin hands to get to the darn gauges).
Thanks again for all the help. This community is truly awesome. Many thanks to Dave, Dave, Paul, Mike, Mike, Jim, Curtis, Scott, Dean, Stan, John and so many others who helped me along the way.