🔧 BUILD Intel's Datsun 510

Intel

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Oct 28, 2009
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So I have been poking around for a 510 for about 2 years. The issue I have had is most of the good deals on the west coast go before I even have a shot at them and transporting back a non running car and the associated parts gets to be expensive along with traveling out there. Woke up one morning to a craigslist alert that a 510 was for sale in Illinois. Went and saw it that night and picked it up 2 days later. Was going to drive it back last friday but the car has no wipers or headlights right now so luckily my great friend stepped in and with the help of a uhaul flatbed and his suburban we got her home safely.


The good
280zx front suspension/coilovers
Wilwood front brakes
Wilwood master cylinder
Almost rust free for the age and location
KA24de swap with 5speed
Megasquirt

The Bad
No headlights
No wipers
No blinkers
No speedo or tach
Loud exhaust that exits in front of driver rear wheel
Spray painted green.
XXR wheels (look nice but want something a bit more authentic)
Needs a lot of body work to just straighten out the panels


I have been looking for a project to work on that was a bit older and simpler then my 300zx and this is it. Hoping to fix the tune on the megasquirt so she stars up easier, get the fuel pump whine resolved, rewire the headlights and turn signals and drive her this year. Fix the 300zx over winter and then work on this next year until she is restored. Already down the restomod route so will continue that trend.
Datsun 510 first bought-4 by Mark Olsen, on Flickr

Datsun 510 first bought-3 by Mark Olsen, on Flickr

Datsun 510 first bought-11 by Mark Olsen, on Flickr

Datsun 510 first bought-10 by Mark Olsen, on Flickr

Datsun 510 first bought-8 by Mark Olsen, on Flickr

Datsun 510 first bought-7 by Mark Olsen, on Flickr

Loud ass fuel pump
Datsun 510 first bought-5 by Mark Olsen, on Flickr
 
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Mook

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Intel

TCG Elite Member
Oct 28, 2009
5,889
3,357
Palatine
Hopefully this is a quick project, I want to see it driving!

Good news is it already drives as long as it is daytime and not raining. Hoping to rewire the headlights tomorrow so might have it out for thursday if the weather holds up.

Fantastic find!!!! It looks like a great project as it sits. Just enough stuff that shouldn't be too bad to fix but should keep you busy.

Yup, that was my goal to have something I can drive and work on. Get all the little mechanical/wiring/tuning/ done while I accumulate weatherstripping, missing parts/interior/trim parts over a longer period. Then once that is all done hopefully blow it all apart and get her ready for paint next winter.

The good news is there are a couple of companies making reproduction panels/weather strip seals and chrome bumpers as the NOS supply is gone for a lot of parts.

The big decision next winter will be if I want to go NA with individual throttle bodies and some cam/head work to try and hit 170-180 hp. Or go turbo and aim for 250-300.
 

Intel

TCG Elite Member
Oct 28, 2009
5,889
3,357
Palatine
Well finally had an afternoon to myself and got a lot done. Got headlights and brakelights working and about 90 percent to at least having rear turn signals done. Still have to run the wires for the front turn signals to work. Had to order replacement oem style connectors as the ones on the car were so brittle they fell apart.

To say the stock wiring is an odd arrangement is an understatement compared to what I am used to. Hoping to pull the whole dash this winter and keep it in my office so I can wire up a real loomed harness for all the switches/gauges/radio etc.

Also pulled the walbro fuel pump as it was whining so loud you could hear me a block away. What a pain in the ass the way it is setup right now. Found a bosch 044 fuel pump for sale and some fittings and got that in there. Just need the m5 nuts for the electrical and I should be driving legally this weekend and hopefully next thursday for a meet. Megasquirt just needs some adjustments for cold start still. Hoping in the spring to put an intank fuel pump in the car. Just need to get a flange/hanger from a junk yard to weld into the tank.


Sketchiest thing left on the car is the seat mounting brackets. Currently they are Sparco race buckets on sliders attached to mounts designed for a WRX with only 3 of the 4 corners bolted to the car. Tracked down a set of stock mounts on the west coast so once I get those I can weld something up that makes me feel safe. Also got some nice retractable seat belts vs the death harness in their now.
 
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