FRED'S ROADSTER PAGE
Well, it's not the best looking one on the road but at least it is on the road! But then, just about anything beats the crusher. I actually paid for this paint job! At the time, I hadn't the place or 
the tools to paint it myself. About 3 months later, it began to peel. Annoying, to say the least! However, as I had moved to another state there was little that could be done about it. It was driven on a regular basis without any mechanical problems. It has, in fact, remained one of the most reliable cars that I have owned. Just as we moved into our present house, it blew a water pump. It was parked and forgotten about. All of the hassles of moving into a new house, the arrival of our son a few years later, followed by Leslie's health problems and somehow, 12 years had passed! A few months ago, the decision was 
made to resurrect the old girl. It was basically sound mechanically and had a new interior. Just a bad case of neglect. You can read about my endeavors at "Bringing My Roadster Back to Life". While a bit lengthy, it is actually an abridged version. The mileage is low (the odometer has NOT turned over nor has it been disconnected) and most things on the car are original. The engine, transmission, and rear end have never been apart. Well, other than a new clutch. It had under 30K miles when I purchased it in February of 1973. Even the dash is good shape. It has one crack but I'm going to leave it as is. It is back together and running as I type. I couldn't stand it any longer and drove it around the yard the other night. I'm sure that the neighbors have 
long since given up trying to understand my antics. A small problem of insurance. All I could find locally (Hicksville, USA!) was standard, full bore coverage. As I plan to drive it only on a limited basis, the idea of paying full rates was far from appealing. So, I went to one of the "Classic Car Insurers". The same coverage with a few limitations was about 1/4 of regular rates. As soon as they confirm coverage it's off to the DMV and hit the open road! I opted for Haggerty Classic Insurance Co. Very nice people with good rates.
So, without further ado, let us decend into the wonderful world of the Datsun Roadster! I hope that you will find it informative, interesting, and perhaps a bit entertaining.
Due to the fact that we live in a 150 year old house, I have a great many demands made on my time. (Check out the link to "Old House Living") The Roadster doesn't receive the attention that I would like to give it. But, stay with me! This is an ongoing project and will be completed! I just finished building a new set of cabinets and will have the kitchen done shortly. At which time the Roadster is going to get my undivided attention.
25 Sept 01 INSURANCE ARRIVED!!! I love modern technology. They sent it via FAX so I wouldn't have to wait on the mail. After a quick trip to the DMV it is off for the safety inspection. One nice thing about living in Hicksville: no smog inspections! I took off leaving my tool box and cell phone at home. Instead of going and getting them, I decided to take a quick test drive first. It was the first time in 30 years that I have driven that car without having a tool kit on board. Big mistake! I took her out on a secondary highway north of town. A few miles out I turned around to return home. The engine is thoroughly warmed up. Time to put it to it. First gear and WOT. What a rush! Just as she hit 6000 RPM the engine quit cold! Or, at least I thought it had. Turned out that it was running at a perfect idle with the throttle cable dangling. There I am in the middle of nowhere sans tools and phone. The only thing I had on me was a pocket knife. I considered cutting my throat but the damn thing was too dull! Fortunately, the throttle cable was new. There was enough length to loop it around the bottom of the drum and tie it off, more or less. I proceeded to motor home slowly and carefully. A note on attaching the throttle cable. Make sure that it is behind the clamp. The clamp fits closely to the drum. This makes it possible to clamp the cable between the clamp and the edge of the drum. It will actually hold in this position for a while. But, sooner or later, it will pop out. I feel particularly stupid as I have done this before!
Reattach the cable, grab the tool box and phone, and back on the road again. Everything went well other that it was running too hot. This surprised me as this engine has never overheated in 30 years. Especially after de-smoging and re-curving the distributor. Even in the Arizona desert it never got hot. Well, back to the house. Harking back to the thermostat, my first thought was rust and mung plugging up the cooling passages. I pulled the thermostat and ran a jug of cooling system cleaner through it. It flushed clean and clear with no sign of a problem. The thermostat was open when it was pulled and closed as it cooled. No problem here. Another quick note on the cooling system. Don't use tap water! If you have soft water, go ahead. But, this is uncommon. Most is hard. Ours you practically have to strain through your teeth! Hard water will raise holy purple hell with aluminum. Cast iron doesn't much care for it either, for that matter. After flushing, clean all of the water from the system (a wet/dry shop vac works quite well) and use distilled water with your coolant of choice. Personally, I haven't found any difference between brands of coolant. Ethylene glycol is ethylene glycol regardless of whose name is on the bottle. While you are at it, add a can of water soluble oil to the system. Your water pump will love you for it.
Another test drive and it is still running hot. Hmmmmm..... now what the hell??!! The thought of disassembling my engine began dancing through my brain. Better check the fan to make certain. Sure enough, the fan clutch had died. I know, I know, what am I doing with a fan clutch still on the car? I can just see the disapproving looks. The truth of the matter is, this is the first time in 30 years it has ever failed. While idling it during the "test and tune" stage, it was working fine. While warming it up this morning I heard it cut in. Well, I guess there has to be a last time before something croaks. This must have been that time. It just so happens that a 4 blade fan and spacer are on order as I
type. They just haven't arrived yet. Time for the "cure" For those having not experienced this particular malady, there is a time-honored cure for it: two large sheet metal screws! On the fan hub right next to the pulley are four holes. Run a large sheet metal screw into two of them 180 degrees apart. I prefer to use two instead of the usual one. It keeps it balanced and if one happens to come out, you still have one in place. This should end my cooling problem. As soon as the new fan blade arrives, it will be cured forever.
Finally! I get to actually drive it. Between the urethane rear end kit, new Koni's, a set of Pirelli P7000's, and the fact that I hadn't driven the car in years, I was somewhat timid to say the least. As I got the feel of things I really liked what I felt. The shocks are quite stiff, the urethane rear end kit took the "mush" out of the rear suspension, and the Pirelli P7000's stick like glue! This car corners like a cat on a shag rug. I couldn't get the tires to break loose. It took corners like it was on rails with virtually no body sway. I finally broke them loose on my last run. Heading out on a secondary highway I saw a turn off with total visibility in all directions. Looked like the place to try it. Down shift, WOT, and into a right angle turn at 40 MPH. The rear broke into a slight over steer. The break was smooth, progressive, and predictable with no surprises. I do love these tires! I'm not sure what my neighbor thought of it. She wanted to go for a ride and happened to be in the car for the previously described turn. The poor lady nearly pee'ed her pants. Oh well, sorry about that!
It appears that I spoke too soon. It is still heating up. Well, it is now late in the afternoon and I have been up all day. As I am working a mid rotation I had best get some sleep. More to follow I'm sure!
27 Sept 01 I don't quite understand this. The temperature is running in the low 70's. It will run fine for 30 or 40 minutes. Temp right at mid scale (180 degrees?) with a 180 thermostat. Then, suddenly it jumps toward the top of the scale and stays there. It doesn't go into the red but it's getting close. As the gas gauge is holding steady I can rule out the instrument regulator. I have never seen an engine act this way. I wonder if the temperature sender or the thermostat has gone schizoid? One quick check is to install a temporary temperature gauge. Think I'll give it a try tomorrow.
5 Oct 01 So much for tomorrow. We live in a house that is about 150 years old. Having torn out a bathroom due to decrepit plumbing my wife is insisting that I work on it. Instead of my Roadster! I'm going to have to trade her in. (My wife not the Roadster.) Back to the car! Time to make a quick run to Auto Zone for a cheap add-on temp gauge. I've finally found a use for the opening where the thermal demodulator used to live. Since it is a 1/2" pipe thread the temp gauge adapter will screw right in. Off again! According to the new gauge, the one in the car is right on the money. Which, of course, means that my Roadster is in fact overheating. While removing the new temp gauge I bumped the fan. The damn thing is loose again! Either the screws weren't long enough or broke off. Nuts to this noise. I'm going to let it sit until my parts order gets
here. After the new fan is installed we'll see how it goes.
1 Nov 01 Damn! The Crown Victoria died. Leslie was somewhat less than thrilled. She finally got it started and limped home. She then proceeded to park it in the garage. Two guesses who had to push it out! Replaced a badly plugged fuel filter but no luck. Had to have it towed to the local repair establishment. I'll let the repair shop take care of it. Any car that doesn't have carburetors I don't mess with.
Took a little longer than I expected to get the parts. Interesting side note: there is a vendor that claims the rubber tail light gaskets are NLA and had them specially made. Just for the record, they are indeed still available from Nissan. Back ordering these items was the cause of my order being delayed. Plus, the fan spacer didn't come with the order. NLA? Many thanks to Nik Burns for donating a spare spacer to the cause! Datsun people have got to be the best! The new fan went in without a problem. Didn't even have to pull the radiator. It was a bit cramped but no problems. I have got to acquire a 1/4" air ratchet! Sorry, back to the car. Went for a test run with nearly the same results. It is running cooler but still hotter than normal. It will run fine for about 45 minutes. I was really getting on it after it warmed up. Then, for whatever reason, the temp jumps up and stays there. WOT or puttering around town gives the same results. Even though it is new, I'm wondering if the thermostat is going schizoid. Just for grins, I think I'll pull it and see if if anything changes.
3 Nov 01 My car hates me! That, or it's just getting even with me for neglecting it for so long. I went out this morning to to pull the thermostat. I was greeted by a large puddle of coolant creeping across the garage floor. Scratch one radiator. Hopefully it can be repaired. I'll find out on Monday.
8 Nov 01 I'm going to stop making projections regarding work on the Roadster. Things keep getting in the way. I finally got the radiator into the shop. Seems that it is non repairable. Just what I wanted to hear. However, all is not lost. It is possible to have a new core made for it. If all goes well ( that would be a first! ) it should be ready next week. The new core will run $150 plus putting it all together. All this and I'm still not sure about the heating problem. I'm hoping that the leaking radiator caused it the last time but I'm not holding my breath.
14 Nov 01 While waiting for the radiator I thought that this would be a good time for a little painting. The brackets, fan shroud, and reservoir tank were sand blasted and painted. The brackets and shroud were coated with a rust conversion primer. Strange stuff to say the least. It went on clear and turned black as it reacted with the steel and rust. Three coats and it is as black as a coalies butt. The tank was another matter. After a pass with the sand blaster, several pink spots showed up. A second pass and the spots turned into holes. Soldering sheet metal is something of an art and I'm no artist. It's not pretty but it now holds pressure. A new one was ordered from Nissan but I haven't heard if it is still available.
21 Nov 01 Picked up the radiator today. $160 and they did a beautiful job. A new core and all the seams freshly soldered. It should last for many years to come. I saw the old core. It should well explain the heating problem. At least 50% of the core was blocked! This is a bit surprising as I have always used distilled water. I am more than a bit curious as to where the calcium came from! The guy at the radiator shop was at a loss as well. If all goes as planned (will I never learn??!!) the radiator should go back in tomorrow. Famous last words...........
22 Nov 01 The radiator was actually installed as planned! It all went together without a problem. I then made the rude discovery that I was out of distilled water. There I was, running all over town trying to find an open store that carried distilled water. Ever try to find an open store on Thanksgiving day in Hicksville? I finally drove to Wal Mart (where else?) to get the water. Fill up the cooling system and off we go. I noticed the last time I drove it that it wasn't running right. This trip was even worse. Time to check the timing. Wow! It was way off. Dwell was running well over 50 degrees and the timing was way to advanced. I would swear that I checked it before. Either I forgot or didn't get the screws tightened down. IDIOT! A few minutes with the dwell meter and timing light will take care of this problem. Over the next few days it was taken on several good runs. After beating the snot out of it a few times, the temp never went above the hash mark. This should be at or under 180 degrees. I now feel confident in saying that the cooling system is back on track. It has run at this temp for 28 years so I assume that it is correct. With the timing set properly it runs like a striped assed ape! It is truly a joy to have it running again.
Only one problem on the board now. I can hear a slight chain buzz when it is started. The infamous U20 death rattle! Thanks to Brian Rourke (a fellow Roadster nut from Down Under) for donating some custom made shims for the upper tensioner. As soon as I get a gasket I'll take care of this problem. As it is now 34 degrees outside, the Roadster won't see much use before next spring. Plenty of time to do some other things that I would like to do. Not the least of which will be a new top. It has been a number of years since I did this job. As I recall it is fairly straight forward. My memories of this endeavor can be found at "Putting a Top on a Roadster". When I replace the present one I'll post some pictures.
12 Dec 01 As if my time isn't short enough the way it is we have the holidays! The Christmas season is upon us. Bah! Humbug! Finally there is some free time to work on the Roadster. The timing chain has more slack than I realized. I don't
think shims are going to get it done. But, it's worth a try. When you look down on the upper chain tensioner here is what you will see. (These pictures are linked to larger views.) The idea being that spring/oil pressure will keep the slack out of the chain. All well and good until the chain stretches too far. The spring no longer has enough strength and/or length to hold the slack out of the chain. The spring takes care of the task until the oil pressure comes up. This is why it only rattles during start up. The rattle is caused by the chain slapping against the chain guide. The 'L' bracket will eventually break off and fall into the timing chains and gears. This will cause mass destruction within your engine. The best description that I have seen is the following quote from Gordon Glasgow: "If you can't quite form an image of what that implies, drop some nuts and bolts into your food processor and push "Liquefy." " BTW, I suggest that you visit Gordon's sight (linked to his name above). It is quite interesting and has a WEALTH of information about Roadsters. Gordon himself is well respected for his knowledge and is always willing to help.
The place to look is right here. On the larger picture the area is circled. This is where the chain hits and eventually causes the bracket to break off. It is actually part of the upper timing chain guide. It is really quite a handy item. It a allows you to remove the gear from the cam without losing you timing index. The gear is bolted to the bracket and allows you to remove the cam or even the head if the need arises. Some people cut off the 'L' portion. This is treating the symptom rather than the disease. The problem is the chain stretches with age. Even with the bracket removed, the chain still needs to be replaced. Eventually, it will break and cause the same mass destruction. By hitting the bracket it gives you some warning that the chain is shot.
One temporary fix is to place shims on the tensioner. This will sometimes keep the chain in place for a little longer. The trick is removing the tensioner assembly without dropping parts. The best way to accomplish this is a large nylon wire tie as shown in the picture. Everything from bailing wire to hose clamps have been used but the wire
tie is way to do it. The bolts are retained by a plate with the ends bent against the flats of the bolt head. It resembles a flattened barbell with a hole in each end. Take a punch and work the ends down so the bolts can be loosened. Then lift the tensioner, bolts, and all out through the top. Remove the tensioner from the body, place the shims on the shaft, and reassemble. Place a wire tie on it to hold the thing together. Now comes the fun part. The tensioner assembly, bolts, retainer, and gasket have to replaced as a unit! It isn't as bad as it sounds but it is something of a PIA. Stick the gasket on with your favorite gasket glue, slip the bolts and retainer into place and carefully lower it into place. The assembly actually sets at a slight angle, not straight across. It needs to be rotated clockwise (viewed from front) slightly to get the bolts to align. Once everything is bolted in, the edges of the retainer have to be bent against the flats of the bolts. They are hard to get to and even harder to bend into place. The one on the left is a ROYAL PIA! However, do not neglect this step!! I assure you that you will regret doing so later.
All this and I was correct in my initial assessment: the chain is too loose for shims to help. Oh well! Stayed tuned for the next installment. Replacement of the chains and gears is a real treat! Fortunately, I've had a set on the shelf for years just waiting for this day to come. And, they cost a WHOLE lot less than the price tag they carry today.
Nothing like a kid with a new toy. I finally broke down and bought a buffing setup. I have really kicked myself for not taking a 'before' picture. The valve cover looked absolutely terrible. A short time at the buffing wheel and it shines like a mirror. Pay no attention to the green on the valve cover and carb domes. It is only a reflection. They are actually quite shiny. The rest of the car looks like total crap, but man does the aluminum shine!
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think shims are going to get it done. But, it's worth a try. When you look down on the upper chain tensioner here is what you will see. (These pictures are linked to larger views.) The idea being that spring/oil pressure will keep the slack out of the chain. All well and good until the chain stretches too far. The spring no longer has enough strength and/or length to hold the slack out of the chain. The spring takes care of the task until the oil pressure comes up. This is why it only rattles during start up. The rattle is caused by the chain slapping against the chain guide. The 'L' bracket will eventually break off and fall into the timing chains and gears. This will cause mass destruction within your engine. The best description that I have seen is the following quote from Gordon Glasgow: "If you can't quite form an image of what that implies, drop some nuts and bolts into your food processor and push "Liquefy." " BTW, I suggest that you visit Gordon's sight (linked to his name above). It is quite interesting and has a WEALTH of information about Roadsters. Gordon himself is well respected for his knowledge and is always willing to help.
The place to look is right here. On the larger picture the area is circled. This is where the chain hits and eventually causes the bracket to break off. It is actually part of the upper timing chain guide. It is really quite a handy item. It a allows you to remove the gear from the cam without losing you timing index. The gear is bolted to the bracket and allows you to remove the cam or even the head if the need arises. Some people cut off the 'L' portion. This is treating the symptom rather than the disease. The problem is the chain stretches with age. Even with the bracket removed, the chain still needs to be replaced. Eventually, it will break and cause the same mass destruction. By hitting the bracket it gives you some warning that the chain is shot.
One temporary fix is to place shims on the tensioner. This will sometimes keep the chain in place for a little longer. The trick is removing the tensioner assembly without dropping parts. The best way to accomplish this is a large nylon wire tie as shown in the picture. Everything from bailing wire to hose clamps have been used but the wire
tie is way to do it. The bolts are retained by a plate with the ends bent against the flats of the bolt head. It resembles a flattened barbell with a hole in each end. Take a punch and work the ends down so the bolts can be loosened. Then lift the tensioner, bolts, and all out through the top. Remove the tensioner from the body, place the shims on the shaft, and reassemble. Place a wire tie on it to hold the thing together. Now comes the fun part. The tensioner assembly, bolts, retainer, and gasket have to replaced as a unit! It isn't as bad as it sounds but it is something of a PIA. Stick the gasket on with your favorite gasket glue, slip the bolts and retainer into place and carefully lower it into place. The assembly actually sets at a slight angle, not straight across. It needs to be rotated clockwise (viewed from front) slightly to get the bolts to align. Once everything is bolted in, the edges of the retainer have to be bent against the flats of the bolts. They are hard to get to and even harder to bend into place. The one on the left is a ROYAL PIA! However, do not neglect this step!! I assure you that you will regret doing so later.
Nothing like a kid with a new toy. I finally broke down and bought a buffing setup. I have really kicked myself for not taking a 'before' picture. The valve cover looked absolutely terrible. A short time at the buffing wheel and it shines like a mirror. Pay no attention to the green on the valve cover and carb domes. It is only a reflection. They are actually quite shiny. The rest of the car looks like total crap, but man does the aluminum shine!