New World Datsuns...

Why do you need aluminum drums?
You really will not be saving that much weight, compared to the headaches your having with them it just doesn't seem worth the hassle.

These are about half the weight of the 510 drums. The headache is mostly my own fault. I should have just spent the money on a new set when I started this brake job, then I'd already be done. Lol

It's just style points for me. I only fun mine with my Roadster/Jeep wheels because you can see the fins through the holes in the wheels. They don't fit inside my 13" steel wheels so I just swap out for the stock drums when I run hubcaps.

Man, that rear end really came out nice.

I worked at schwabs for some time doing alignments/brakes/steering. Loved doing brake jobs for some reason. Hated ford drum brakes. Their setup sucks lol.

Thanks!^^^

Aside from being made from lighter aluminum, that aluminum also has better heat dissipation properties and with the fins that's only helped. Just had to look it up again, thermal conductivity is what it's called. And the fins look cooler of course

Not that there's much of a show through these wheels. No drum mounted in there so idk really.





The tires on there now are 205/50/15 Hancook Veentus. Thinking I'll get a set of these. They are the biggest tire I could run with these wheels without rubbing the rear quarter. Fenders are rolled all the way around and the tires wouldn't fit without that.

Had to get new lug nuts since I only have the mag wheel lug nuts.



I've just been sanding/prepping. I've got my heart set on Autoflex Coating. Check it out if you haven't heard of it, pretty impressive finish for the cost.

Yay, the rear crossmember ears are slotted in a way that makes the toe adjustable on both mounting points. Fail.

Had to use a 5mm spacer to get this clearance. I might raise that collar up the strut tube an inch so I don't have to use the spacer, unless the tire will get in the way regardless. I'll mount a wheel with tire tomorrow to see how it does.

Tire will hit, at least it will when cornering. Tires move quite a bit.

You could also cut the sleeve a bit to raise the collar. Or get a steel ring and weld it (as it will be far narrower).

Right you are^^^
















There's 2-3mm of clearance for the tire there. Before I said I was thinking about moving the collar up, but according to those pictures I think moving it down is what I meant. I don't think I'll need the spacer if I do that. Looks to me like 3/4" down would be petfect.

Wow, talk about a simple mod!





First, install lower ball stud. Then, lift hood to desired height to figure out where the upper stud should be placed.















Took me a total of about 25 minutes and it's done. I can't believe how much it opened the engine bay up. I followed the guide in the dime quarterly, 12.1.

I did that to mine. Best mod ever. I used some off of a Civic hatchback, with simple bolt through bushings on the ends.

If you move the collars down 3/4" is that going to get the spring seat too close to the tire?

Just imagine the spring seat staying in the same spot, but the threaded tube moving down. Kinda tripped me up for a second yesterday also.

I did move the collar down an inch yesterday. I'm going to use the 5mm wheel spacer for peace of mind. Don't want the tire rubbing the strut like Jacob pointed out. I won't bore you all with more clearance photos of my rusty strut. Lol

And I went with everything from McMaster Carr. The price nowadays comes out to about $53 with the hardware. I got mine from Home Depot since I remembered I need it while I was there.



This and the fuel cap leak fix are in my top subtle mods for the 510. I used my bent hood hinges for this, I'll reference these when I drill the holes in my good hinges.

Been masking and sanding with other random in between.

Mounted the tire with the drum, fit is looking good. I'll be able to dial the camber out when I get this new properly slotted crossmember. Thing is, it's all the way up in Seattle, working on figuring out pickup/delivery.







I got a 2' 2.75" intake tube with a 45 degree bend in the middle. I wanted to be sure I had enough to work with, and I did.









I was reading a build recently where they said the hardest sheet metal to get tight is the trunk lid, they're right and that's all. Did put together these home made air filters, it's been helping a ton.

Little by little this is getting straightened out. That big crack scares me, needs to be welded.

Here's where it started. Not horrible, but still no fun. I'm guessing something was hit low to the ground and at low speed. No upper frame rail distortion, just a bit of crumpling down low.






Here's where it's at now, still gotta straighten headlight area out but that should be much easier now that the inner fender is smoother.












To make it easy, here's the crumpled side vs the good side.


And here's the before and after, so far.



Anyone here floated a hood with filler? I assume it's got too much flex for standard filler, what'd you use?

Just got home from surgery on the elbow and wrist. Hand is numb as hell, but atleast that's the worst of it, for now.

I did get myself some blocks and rolls of sandpaper for when I can use both hands again. Might be a couple weeks though...

At least the bs you have to deal with now will remedy the bs you've had to deal with for a while.

Very true.






Just wish I could drive stick. Haha

Take your time with recovery. We don't all have Wayno's ability to defy nature and science.