UAC - Datsun 1600 Wagon - '72 (Read 678 times)

[umtali]

I would like to share with you my long term resto project, having swapped this car for a second hand PC ... value 500 €

Although this model (wagon) was never sold in Portugal, this one was brought into the country from Angola back in 1976. It has the standard Datsun 1600 L16 engine with 96 HP.


First pictures of the car when I found it ...






I decided from the beginning that this was going to be a full resto job, taking as long as it is necessary ... the beginning of the dismantling ...










The result after the first afternoon of scraping ...




A few months later ...








Finally the engine is ready to come out ...








The back end was next ...








Ready to go to the panel shop, where it needs a lot of mending done ...



(By the way, that "tan" look is in fact a thin layer of engine oil used to prevent the rust from attacking the bare metal, since the shell was sitting outside for quite some time)


The holidays were used clean the bolts and various pieces ready to be zinc plated or else for painting ...








The engine is sitting, waiting its turn to be cleaned and painted ...






Another snag which I came across were the 2 water inlet/oulet which have corroded away ...

[umtali]

It's crazy how time flies and our projects seem to stand still ... but not forgotten! :wink:

It's been almost 5 years since I started this restore but the eagerness to have more and more cars completely blinded my judgement ... and the restore fell behind :oops:

Over the last couple of months I finally straightened out my ideas and hopefully during this coming year we should have some major advances.

In the meantime and as a way of getting started, along with another restore which I was doing for a mate, I decided to start on some of the parts

Sandblasted some of the suspension parts and zinc-plated for better protection ... next a thick layer of paint should keep the moisture away!

[umtali]

In the meantime I have been busy collecting bits and pieces from all around the world for when the time comes to put it all together again ...

[RatDat]

lOl... I looked at that first picture and thought.. hey, I have that Japanese mag... and that copy of autosport... then realised why

I'm a bit like that with restorations. I get distracted by other stuff. I started restoring my '76 Civic about 4 years ago, did about half the welding and painted the engine bay then put it away until a few months ago when i finally finished the body and got it painted. My 710 SSS is the same... hope to drag that back into the workshop next spring.

I look forward to seeing your wagon done. Are you going to keep the overiders on the bumpers? I think I might still have one new one somewhere.

[mize23]

I hope to see your wagon soon, in perfect condition, at a AJA´s meeting

[umtali]

Sept 20, 2012 23:00:47 GMT 1 RatDat said:

lOl... I looked at that first picture and thought.. hey, I have that Japanese mag... and that copy of autosport... then realised why

I placed that pic on purpose ... just to see if you remembered
Yes, I am going to fit the overiders as this will be another stock standard restore.

I hope to see your wagon soon, in perfect condition, at an AJA meeting

Olá Mize ... I'm afraid it will be a while before this Wagon shows up at any meeting

[umtali]

I had to dig up this thread from the bottom of the pile to give you some updates ...


Very little happened during two years except for the aquisition on various bits and pieces. However the serious work began in May 2014 with the cleaning and treatment of the bodywork. First of all the doors were taken down to bare metal and given an epoxy treatment.








The body was sandblasted ...







and the rot appeared ...











The whole body was once again cleaned with a wire brush and treated ...











The interior and exterior completed








The bottom follows ...







It took two years on and off to finish the body ... so off to the panel-beater

[umtali]

The panel-beater is an experienced retired guy who does this to pass the time ...












It was always a pleasure to see the progress every time I went check up on the progress ...















The bottom of the doors were repaired ...











Another critical area of the Datsuns ...







And finally all the panels are placed on the body to check for alignment ...







Last Friday off it went to the paint shop ...

[yeller610]

thank you for the update, there really was not much rot this is looking to be one very fine wagon. Looking forward to the next installment

[umtali]

Went to check on progress this week and quite happy to see the work done ...

[umtali]

All the panels are now ready (doors, bonnet, fenders and boot) so the body is now being prepped ... they tell me "maybe" it will be painted this year !?!?









In the meantime my mate's Celica is on standby waiting it's turn ...

[umtali]

Latest update ... bottom duly treated and painted!!!





Fitted the suspensions so that the rest of the bodywork can be prepped ...

[umtali]

This morning went past the paint shop but didn't see my Wagon!
"Where is my Wagon?" I asked
"In the paint booth ..." was the reply






"You can come and collect it next week" .......

[umtali]

Almost ready ... just doing the final touch-ups before picking up my Wagon next week!!!

[randywanger]

Very nice goon