The Datsun Project

Gauge Cluster Upgrade

2010-06-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

Going to a KA24DE motor, I needed to upgrade to an electric speedometer so my ECU would function properly. My tachometer had been dead for sometime (power surge blew it out), so I decided to replace it as well. The housing for the gauges was still in tact and I wanted to keep a stock feel. With the Gas Gauge and Temp Gauge still 100% working (temp gauge hooked up a la the510realm), I wanted to keep them functional while integrating the new gauges into the dash.

FOR IMAGES SEE THE POST BELOW

First I completely disassembled the gauge cluster, removing the housing, PCB board, & the gauges.

As my gauges are 3.125" (the 3.375", would have fit better in the existing facia, but the original 510 illumination lights for the gas/temp gauges would have gotten in the way of the larger gauge. I got lucky as I chose blindly.)

For the TACH, I marked a circle around where the new gauges would hit the original gauges housing and slowly cut out anything that would interfere. (Image 2 below). The only things I had to cut out were the Idiot lights and the back end of the tach housing. The black support piece that came with the new gauges sat at a decent height(nearly flush with the outer surround) in the inner tach area, so I notched the PCB board to fit the screws and hooked it up. (image 3)

The speedometer was far simpler. I just tried to center the gauge as best I could. Rough marked the mounting screw holes, and drilled them out (ended up needing to move them a bit, so they became slots). Threw the back plate on, and it was ready.

At this point I realized there were some .25" gaps all around the gauges, and would like to make sure the lights for the Gas/Temp gauges were sealed properly, and the unsightly gaps would be hidden. (image 4)

I found some thin, black, polypropyinsulatelyrubber stuff (some type of foam insulation material that came in a sheet), and cut it to fit the gauges. The speedometer require I spray glue the foam material to the inside of the gauge housing, and slot the fabric for the gauge to slide through.(image 5) The Tach was easier as the outer surround was a separate piece. I cut a circle a bit smaller than the gauge and as wide/tall as would fit in the tach housing.(image 6) Attached the outer surround and we were done. (image 7)

Put the gauges together and ran the wires. (using the old tach light wires & ground was a quick way to get the new gauges illumination wiring connected).(image 8)

Gauge Cluster Upgrade (PICTURES)

2010-06-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

1. Original 510 Gauge Cluster w/Mechanical Gauges.

2. Cut out 3 1/8" circle from the stock gauge mount.

3. Cut out 3 1/8" circle from the PCB board, notched/drilled screw holes.

4. Aluminum backing plate

5. Foam Insulation to hide gaps/seal in light for Gas Gauge (Speedo side).

6. Foam Insulation to hide gaps (Tach side).

7. Tach mounted

8. Finished gauge cluster with new electric gauges.

We've come a long way baby.

2010-05-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe it's been a year since I last posted here. It would be impossible to describe the last 12 months efficiently with any brevity.

I started rebuilding a KA24DE engine around June '09. The Datsun then had a major power surge due to a faulty voltage regulator that blew out every light bulb in the car and destroyed the electronic ignition system. Instead of investing in the short term fix of the electric system, I invested what little money my unemployed self had at the time in going full-force at the engine swap.

Soon thereafter, my life changed dramatically (breakup, and HEY! A FULL-TIME JOB!). Finished the rebuild in September. Began the engine swap in September. Since then I have been working 9-5 during the week, and working 9-5 on the Datsun on the weekends.

As I began the final prep process in getting the car road worthy, a faulty bolt in the timing gears derailed my project and bent every valve in my rebuilt head. So I bought a new head.

Got it running again, hooked up the exhaust, got the intake and cooling systems fine tuned. Test drove it, and had no oil pressure. Pulled the oil filter and found a nice bit of metal debris in the oil, meaning my main bearings were being thrashed.

So I bought a motor from Japan Engines (with only 45,ooomi! Why didn't I do that in the first place!). Dropped the new/used Japanese motor into the Datsun over a 3 day period, and fired it up. Suffice it to say I am almost done. Just chasing a few strange electrical issues, and crossing my fingers.

IT IS FAST. I have driven the beast over the last couple of weekends without any major issues (yet), and pushed it to 70mph (on city streets, hehe). It's got amazing zip, quick off the line, and can get up to 50 in third gear without the slightest hesitation.

Pictures coming soon, post swap.

The Painted Wagon!

2009-05-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday at 9AM. Thin painter's plastic lined the garage walls, rustling in the subtle breeze. With each step a whisper of tiny bits of masking tape stuck to the sole could be heard. 50+ hours of sanding, priming, block sanding and body work was set to become a finished product. By noon the Datsun was occupying the booth, final masking preparations underway. A quick rub down of the body with Wax & Grease Remover (paint has trouble adhering to grime), and the process began.

Dad an I got on our masks and shot the first layer of paint, a nice coat of Urethane Sealer to cover the body work and any sheet metal that might be showing throguh the primer for all of the block sanding. An hour of drying time and then color would be applied.

Datsun Color #216 Polar White. DuPont Base Coat / Nason Clear Coat. 2 quarts (4 with activator added) became 3 complete layers of color (including door jams) on the tiny wagon. Each coat took my Dad about a half hour to spray, and between each coat we had about 10 minutes to prepare the next hopper full of paint. by 4 pm, the color was on. I tried my hand with the paint gun a bit in applying the second and third coats, it is not an easy thing to do well. Rhythm, flow and paint fanning, properly set controls, stiff wrists and consistent distance, step and sway the whole body moves with the paint.

After a bit of curing time, the clear coat went on. 2.5 quarts (about 3.5 with activator) covered the car (the door jams got two layers, otherwise we'd have needed 3 quarts of clear coat alone). by 7pm the car was painted.

In the middle of the second coat of clear, a moth made a fatal mistake and met his demise on the roof of the car and became the only blemish apart from the inevitable dust specks. Had I $2000 to spend on the paint job, I'd have taken it to a professional with a real paint booth. As it is I have a $2000 paint job that I got for a fraction of the cost, with a tiny bit of moth wing pigment and some dust that can probably be buffed out.

FOR MORE PICTURES, SEE THE POST BELOW!

(color differences in these images is due to poor lighting)

The whole process took me about a month or so, and included:
- Complete Removal of Old paint. (3M paint/rust remover grinding discs)
- Rust Neutralization and Prevention
- Feather Fill Grey Priming
- Bondo and metal work on some of the body panels.
- Sanded bondo with 40, 60, 150, then 200 grit sand paper until smooth, straight, and even
- Touch up Priming w/Feather Fill
- Block sanded the enitre car with 100, 220, and then 320 grit.
- Masking.
- Coat of Sealing Paint
- 3 Coats of DuPont Color Paint
- 3 Coats of Clear
- Buffing with a rotary buffer with cutting and finishing compounds.

FRESH PAINT PICTURES!

2009-05-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

The Datsun back together and ready for the road after the paint job.

(This Montage shows all of the spots where I had to repair the body with bondo and metal work)

Slow Weeks

2009-04-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

Been a bit since I've had time to finish this next massive stage.

Yosemite, Easter, another Car Project got priority in the Garage Paint Booth.

Went to the paint store and bought the materials. Polar White #216. Not a 510 color (260Z), but for some reason, they couldn't mix the 510 whites in the paint they carried.... I thought paint color mixing was an additive process using base colors. A formula that should be translatable to all types of paints...

Oh well. #216 white was my first choice anyway, it's just nice to keep things original.

Final prep has been done, I shoot paint this weekend. Base coat / Clear Coat. I hope I don't get the Runs! hehe..

Body Work and Priming!

2009-03-24T17:08:00.001-07:00

I've spent the last week ripping up the old paint and killing the evil rust. A fine film of dust and paint caked my body from finger tip to nose.

After fighting the nuances of paint removal, I prepped the body with some rust neutralizer, wiped it down, and shot some paint!

Here's the end result!

Bare metal, etched, cleaned, ready for paint.

Primer!!!

Next up. Body work and paint! Also in the works. CARPET!

Datsun 510 Restoration Blog

2009-03-06T15:53:00.000-08:00

*Note: Feel free to visit the links in the header to view pictures of my projects thus far!*

So I've decided to throw together a couple of quick websites and a blog about my Datsun Projects. I've been restoring cars since High School, working on a Chevelle Super Sport and my beater Camaro. A friend of mine drove a 510 and it was a sweet little car, so I decided to pick one up and avoid Smog Checks.

The first one was Lil' Red. I didn't do too much to it, as it was in great shape to start. I got into an accident and had to rebuild the front end. Welding, hammering, bondo, paint, and some mechanical repairs (I didn't know it had electronic ignition until AFTER I fixed everything else). I sold it right before heading to Europe and my crack pot dream of becoming a bootlegger in Scandinavia.

Last summer I picked up another 510 Wagon (the White Witch) and have been restoing it ever since.

So far I've:
- replaced the head, camshaft, valves, rockers, and the gaskets/seals that go along with that.
- tuned and serviced the carburetors.
- replaced the timing gears, chain, and tensioner. Cleaned and sealed all associated parts.
- Stripped the interior completely. Neutralized all rust and undercoated the sheet metal on the floor pans and the door panels.
- Sound proofed the interior.
- Replaced the carpet in the rear hatch area (will replace the passenger area carpet soon)
- Reworked the exterior body panels, bondoed, primered and prepped where necessary.
- Replaced front and rear brakes.

I hope to:
- Finish the interior
- Put rear disc brakes and new suspension on the rear end.
- Swap the stock L16 engine with a Ka24DE fuel injected engine.
- Swap the transmission.
- Fix any electrical issues that arise.
- Add a stereo at some point as AM radio is only good during Baseball season.