Datsun Roadster: 2020 Challenge Build

alfadriver said:

Another axle possibility is from an Alfa Spider- they are pretty darned strong (I've seen 300hp out of them), light, and have LSD.  Bonus that they survive when the body is returning to it's more natural state.

Good call. Thanks for the Intel!! Do they all have LSD? Or an option?

Last night I put the impact on the crank pulley. Still nothing. Using a flashlight, I think I can see the #1 piston through the spark plug hole. 

Which means the marvel all drained out. The other 3 cylinders are still full of red oil. Not sure if that means #1 is bad or if #2-4 are bad. Haha. Based on spark plugs I'm still most worried about #2.

But I kept working stripping anything that might be useful or valued from the body and chassis. 

Dash and wipers and HVAC fan out. Harness close to free.

Looks like someone had been doing some quality wiring in the history of this car. Have I owned this car before?

Yes, those are wires are just pushed through the hole of a spade connector, wrapped around themselves a few times, and taped. 

I'm in about 10 hours now.

Next up, continue to get the blue body stripped, then finish stripping the frame.

Jealous you get to demo.  Entropy is my best friend.

I think you need to invest in some type of media blaster to clean up all the rust. 
 

It is true that I'd actually recommend you keep it simple and get it running. 

RACEC4R said:

Jealous you get to demo.  Entropy is my best friend.

The prybar you left here works excellent.

Andy Neuman said:

I think you need to invest in some type of media blaster to clean up all the rust. 

Ideally, once I have everything of "value" off this blue body (uh, anyone want anything?), I'll be cutting it into pieces to fit in the back of a minivan to go to the scrap yard. The next delivery - I'm told - is nearly rust free.

I wouldn't cut the blue body up until you see the new one with your own eyes. Can't go back when the other body is now a steel square.

Robbie said:

Andy Neuman said:

I think you need to invest in some type of media blaster to clean up all the rust. 

Ideally, once I have everything of "value" off this blue body (uh, anyone want anything?), I'll be cutting it into pieces to fit in the back of a minivan to go to the scrap yard. The next delivery - I'm told - is nearly rust free.

If my number one goal was to win the Challenge, I would ask you to give me that body (or sell at scrap price) and build an LS swap around it, But alas, my primary goal is to remain a married man, so I'll pretend I know nothing about what you're doing.

In reply to Indy-Guy :

Tell her that you're building it for her so you guys can have his and hers Challenge cars. 

Robbie said:

alfadriver said:

Another axle possibility is from an Alfa Spider- they are pretty darned strong (I've seen 300hp out of them), light, and have LSD.  Bonus that they survive when the body is returning to it's more natural state.

Good call. Thanks for the Intel!! Do they all have LSD? Or an option?

It was an option, but it also can be put in, easily, into any axle.  Most likely, the hardware will already be there, you just need to restack the clutches.

In reply to Robbie :

Lol, you had me at rust free Datsun. That isn't a possibility. 

In reply to Robbie :

It would be dishonorable to put Alfa parts on a Datsun since that John Morton, Trans Am,  Horst Kweck shenanigan.   
 

Just feels wrong.  John Morton drove a roadster.  

if you're looking for a light engine, find a 2wd 2.3 duratec ranger and m5od trans.  Engine weighs about 50lb less than a 1.6 miata. 

Robbie said:

In reply to preach :

Sweet! Any build threads or pics?

He is not terribly computer savvy. I did try to get him to come on here and share. I will try again when I see him.

Cool cat. HUGE Crosley guy and has been trying to break the land speed record for Crosley power, something like 125mph or something. Calls my 914 a land yacht and my Cayman a Semi. Think he has 4-5 Crosleys including a supercharged roadster on meth.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/811012699362475/

This person has Datsun Roadtser parts. Bloomington isn't too far from you, I don't think. I could help facilitate if you needed anything he has. 

In reply to karplus2 :

Thanks! That could be a big boon. At the moment I'm still in a waiting mode on parts aq, since I'm not really sure what's good and what's not and what the intended direction of the build is yet. But might still message just to get an idea of asking prices.

Incidentally, today I also found an ad for roadster parts from a person on the opposite side of Chicago from me. Looked similar, like they have been doing roadsters for a long time and have quite the stash. However, while I'm certain the other side of Chicago is closer to me than Bloomington, I'm not sure it's *faster* to drive to haha.

Not a lot of detail, somewhat typical of Facebook Marketplace...

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2831758196880268/

Kept at it last night. I need to do a few hours just organizing parts now.

Pulled this:

From here:

There was still clean green coolant in the heater core when I removed that. Honestly didn't expect that.

Found the first good parts I may be able to reuse or recoup!

Also I noticed this:

Vs Miata cluster:

That's, well, striking.

I always heard the Miata was the Japanese copy of the mgb. But if you look at old road tests of the Datsun 2000 roadster and the 1990 Miata, you'll notice the two cars are matched up like ham n eggs. Nearly identical.

Maybe the Miata was really a copy of the Datsun...

I'm convinced a new manual tranny 4-cylinder standard cab Nissan Frontier is really similar to a Datsun Roadster.  

Decisions, decisions. Somebody walk me off a ledge here. I'm trying to wait to see the "clean" body in person before making this build decision, but I can't stop thinking about the direction of this build. What is the overall goal? We options I'm strongly considering:

1. Datsun roadster vintage autoxer - track down an old Datsun motor (like the 1200 or 1600, they seem to be very cheap if not free), focus the build on period-correct autox and scca racing types of mods. This would not be a fast car at the challenge, but could be cool.

2. Miata swap Sunday driver - i have literally everything from a Miata drivetrain that could be swapped in, hopefully pretty easily. Entire vehicle wiring harness would be Miata, efi reliability, goal to make the car a weekend driver that can also have fun at autox. Also likely would not be competetive at the challenge speed-wise. Level of swap quality however could net a good concour score.

3. Gsxr1000 swap - do I want a 4 wheel motorcycle? Because once I build this no one is buying it from me if I decide to sell haha. Would likely be faster than 1 or 2 (if it stays working all challenge weekend). I would go absolutely nuts on weight reduction. Would be challenge awesome. Would also be a dedicated challenge car at that point as there is no other place to race a bike engine car, and with full lightweight treatment I'm probably not driving on the street either.

4. It's come to my attention that 2014ish caddy ats came with ecotecs in the rwd config (2.5 na and 2.0t). The engines and transmissions are quite cheap for what they are. And hp tuners can tune them. Even the 2.5 and 6 speed auto would make the Datsun a challenge speed contender. But this is like an LS swap where we start to push the limits and probably start breaking things seriously.

5. #2 plus megasquirt, e85, and a turbo?

In reply to Robbie :

Realistically, you should go option #2.  Once it's up and driving  implement option #5

Isn't #2 the plan for your MG, and #3 the Fiat?

I vote #1, get the vintage experience. 

Here are my thoughts:

1. Go Barchetta with the rusty body and bike engine for the challenge, then resto mod with the nice body and a 2.0 Datsun truck engine/dogleg 5-speed and EFI.

2. Miata all the things. Good plan NA, or forced induction.

3. No on the Caddy. Too modern. I think that's DI, and so, hard to pull off.

$ lets face it, anything will be cool. Do what you want.

I'm stupid enough to buy #3 from you.