Hey KDD -

Welcome to the site!    We're not going to kick you out.. you're right, many of the tricks and techniques we do here apply to all cars.    Those old Datsuns are cool... do you have any pics of your project you can post up?

Thanks!

- KO

Thanks for the warm welcome Kevin and Ze.  Here are some photos.
Delivery Day


Lifting the body off the frame


Frame in the driveway. BTW - Those are original wheel covers.
They did not come with the car and are as rare as hens teeth.
I was fortunate to score them.


What I hope it looks like some day.

I started the project with the thought that it is a way for my 13 year old son and I to spend some time together.  My original thought was to go all stock.  But the more thought I put into it, the more I want to do my own thing. Right now, I'm thinking I'll do a stock look. In other words, keep the outside basically stock with the wheel covers trim and so on.  I'll change up the color.  The blue in the last photo  is stock and is called Soro Blue. It's a one stage paint, and IMO a little on the dull side.  I'm thinking about doing that color in a metallic to brighten it up a bit, and calling it Soro Blue Metallic (the color of my daughter's eyes). I may also do a tan leather interior.

I'm also concerned about some safety issues with the car. 4 Wheel Drum Brakes which tend to fade. I may look into front disk at least, but may not be possible with the stock 13" wheel (later models have 14" and some do 15"). The  stock seats have no headrest and do not lock in place. People ask me if I will give it to the kids when I'm done. No Way!  I want them to start driving with ABS, Air Bags, VSA, Crumple Zones and Collapsible Steering Shafts.

The electrical system is Positive Ground.  I may convert that to negative. I'm also thinking I may do the Isis setup (obviously not stock). Some people do full engine swaps. Some do EFI conversions. I'm not planning on doing either of those. I may go with an Electronic Ignition System.

Part of me wants to be faithful to the original, due to it's relative rarity (not many 1500s out there, most are the 1600 and 2000cc). I know some within the Datsun Roadster community are sticklers for originality. But doing a museum restoration sounds boring, assuming I could pull it off. So I'm not sure where to draw the line between stock and modified. Ultimately, it's my car, and was rotting in the desert when I bought it.  Getting it back on the road at all will be an improvement.

Feel free to put in your two cents.

Keith

p.s. This IS my first rodeo.

Thanks Ze.  That blue Fairlady in the last picture isn't mine.  It was the best stock restoration at this rally. I took the picture at the 2009 Datsun Roadster Classic in Solvang, California last April. It belongs to a professional restorer in northern California. I use the picture for inspiration. There is another restorer about an hour from me. He does museum restorations as well as race cars for some famous people. I've gone down there a couple of times to chat with him and pick his brain. He's been very helpful. I just can't afford the $25k - $50k and 2-3 years he takes to restore them. These roadsters are the direct predecessors to the Datsun 240 Z.

The picture of the frame in the driveway is mine and was taken last Saturday.

I guess my intent was the process, not necessarily the end product.  I needed a hobby and a way of spending time with my boy (I'll avoid the term "male bonding" here). I see it as a Sunday driver to take advantage of this great Southern California climate. I think the prudent coarse of action would be, as you say, not to alter the car irreversibly. I'll hang on to all the parts I have and don't use on it if I decide to go that route. But I'll avoid cutting the frame or modifying the original parts.  I'll hang on to the wheel covers, and keep them with the car.  The restorer I mentioned told me that he has, in the past, purchased an entire car solely to get a set of those wheel covers. I guess it also means I shouldn't go with the Isis system.

I looked on the Wilwood site, and didn't find anything to fit 13" wheels.  I'm thinking of going to 15" wheels so I can do a disc brake conversion. But of course that would ruin any plan to keep the stock look.