1962 Datsun U320

[HRH]

Why don't you drive your Mini Wayno? I would think that would be a joy any day of the week! Maybe you need a 400z?

[wayno]

My Mini is the most undependable car I own, it breaks when it seems to run perfect, no warning noise, no acting weird, it just breaks, the alternator just quit turning while driving it, the front wheel bearing just bound up suddenly and the car jumped over 1.5 lanes before I got control of it, I was so lucky there was no one beside me, the rear engine seal worked great and all of a sudden started puking the next time I started it, not small drips, just complete failure.

There is also the issue of having too many Datsuns in the way to even get the Mini out of the garage, at least I figured out why the remote door locks quit working, dead battery in the activator switch, but it took a while for me to figure that one out, over a year.

[wayno]

Well I tried firing this up this evening and when I first tried it shuttered a little a few times with the stock distributor, it did not even do that after that, I put an electronic ignition distributor in it because as I was turning it over I was watching the whole distributor wobbling like the shaft was bent or something.

I worked on it for likely 4 hours total, I timed it a weird way as I could not get it to spark like you can with a points distributor when you turn it till it sparks, so I pulled all the plugs, connected number one plug/wire to ground with a spark plug on the end of the wire, I put my timing light between the plug and the wire, I then turned it over and timed it, I have it set at TDC right now, it would not fire, so I pulled the plugs again and lit the cylinders off with a fireplace lighter, #4 went whoosh, and the rest just flickered a little, maybe it was flooded, so I left it for the night without plugs in it and will try again tomorrow when the cylinders dry out.

I cannot see the accelerator pump working, so I poured a little gas down its throat, and I mean a little, I also tried starting fluid a couple times without a result, normally I do not have issues with starting engines that have sat a long time(10 years or more), but they have points distributors, I just pour fuel down the carb and they run a few seconds, if they do that I fill the carb thru the vents and they run a minute or two, this one will not even hit, and I also used the hot wire bypass to give the coil 12 volts as it has a ballast resister.

I spent the first couple hours putting oil in the engine, and gear oil in the transmission, I put a couple gallons of fresh fuel in the tank as I had it out and it was empty, then I used the manual pump on the side of the fuel pump to prime the carb, it has fuel slightly more than half way up, like an 1/8" above the line, I do not think that will flood it out, I suspect me pouring fuel down the carb can, but it only had #4 cylinder with a wet plug(the cylinder that went whoosh), it has fuel, it is timed at TDC and has spark, it does not turn over very fast, I am using a new battery and 50 amp charger, but the battery is too big for the battery holder and has no posts, so I am using a set of jumper cables, I might take a couple bad batteries in tomorrow and get my core charge back for the first one and buy one for this that fits and has posts, the cables might be part of the issue or maybe not, I think I drove it into the garage maybe a year ago, it has sat longer than that and started, the brake lights on as the pedals do not have rods right now, at least they work, I removed the wire from the pedal switch.

Tomporrow if it does not try/hit I will check every plug with the timing light to make sure they are all firing/have spark, I am trying to get this going for Brooks(the Canby replacement), I hope this thing starts.

[HRH]

Good luck Wayno, keep up posted! I have to go look up Brooks now.

[wayno]

Well it runs, actually really good, I had it idling in the garage for over an hour, not sure if the gauges are working properly though, the temp gauge is on "hot" when the key is off, but it moves to "cold" when the key is turned on, it is supposed to do that, but I did not see it move up after the engine warmed up like it is supposed to, and the fuel gauge might have moved, but I cannot tell as I only put a couple gallons in it, I will put more in it tomorrow to see if it works.

What is sad is that I had to put the stock distributor back in it to get it to start/run, I timed it the way I would normally do it, I put it on TDC and turned the distributor until it sparked and tightened everything down, then it tried to start but if they don't take off it throws the starter gear back off the flywheel teeth and you have to start over, as I recall it took off on the 3 or 4 try without the choke on, I did pour a little fuel down the carb once, I then shut it down and put water in the radiator, started it and it ran for at least an hour.

Now I need to bleed the clutch and make a rod for the brake pedal, I have no idea why I took that off, and I have no idea where it is, other than that I believe it is ready to drive.

By the way, before when it would not start the cap was lifting around in a circle, I am thinking that the rotor was not pushed all the way down so it likely was not in the correct position, I made sure everything was good before installing the distributor which included sanding the points with a file and gapping them, then installing the cap and turning the shaft, the cap did not move this time, with the vehicle being RHD I cannot put the distributor in with the cap on it as there is no room, I have to put the cap on a certain way to get it on, it goes on from under the column, it has to have a side entry cap for the wires, there is no room for a normal cap.

[HRH]

That's some tight clearance Clarence!

[wayno]

A matchbox is not going to fit in that block unless the truck is made into a LHD, I am not interested in going down that road even though I have just about everything needed to do it.

It was really strange to see that distributor cap moving around like that when it would not start, it would hit, but it would not start, I am baffled why it would not start with the EI distributor.

The real test will be if it will start tomorrow, it needs an exhaust system now, and as mentioned it needs the clutch bled and a brake push rod and then bled also, that should also fix the brake light being on all the time issue, I have a small job tomorrow and then I will see about the brakes/clutch, after that the exhaust, it should then be ready to drive, I will drive it as much as possible around here, then maybe drive it to the Brooks show/meet if I am feeling brave.

[wayno]

I did the brakes/clutch today, I got the brake lights and blinkers working properly, and I drove it up and down the block a few times in front of the neighbors, I also did an emergency stop, I had in in all the gears at some point, it needs an exhaust, but it appears to work/run fine, I have a lot of cleanup to do as that taped off areas the tape did not all come off, too much paint on it.

The gas gauge works, the temp gauge I am not sure about, it seems like it raises a little, maybe it doesn't have a thermostat in it right now, I do not remember, before I put antifreeze in it I will remove that thermostat housing and check.

I had to hone the left rear brake cylinder, otherwise nothing leaked, I used tubing to put the brake fluid in a paper cup so except for the left rear the floor stayed dry.

Except for the ugly paint job it is looking all right, not great but alright.

[wayno]

I put a temporary exhaust on it today, the only thing I could find that was around the correct exhaust pipe size was a catalytic converter, so that is what I used for a muffler, it gets noisy as the rpms rise and lower, but it is not so bad in the garage.

Sorry but I forgot to take a photo while it was in the air, this is all I could do as this vehicle is lowered, the exhaust pipe is pointed at the ground after it exits the CC.

[wayno]

Well so far I have broken 3 windshields trying to install them, I only have 2 left and only the used one fits perfect, but 2 of the 3 broken ones fit perfect also, I am starting to think this first year truck and the gasket I am using are not compatible.

Me and the neighbor set the only used windshield I have left in the hole, I will try again tomorrow, so far I have lost around $1000.00 worth of windshields, I have never broke a windshield installing one in my 521s, 520s, or 720s before, I am not really all that happy right now.

[DRIVEN]

I can't like that update.

[Taterhead]

Nor I.

[wayno]

Well I do not think I lost any sleep over this unless if you count that my hands feeling weird from all the work I did with them installing the gasket on the glass and ropes in the gasket that I use to install them(rope method), I use 2 ropes in case things go south, anyway I started my crock pot, went to the bank, did some grocery shopping, came back home, replied to so messages, then I went out and looked at it.

Before I was totally awake, I decided I was not going to break anymore glass, the only way to not do that is not to keep repeating what has been breaking them, I thought about it all morning, and decided to modify the gasket, at first I thought cut a wedge out of the front of the gasket and install it, then put the windshield in, then glue the gasket I cut out into place, but the gasket would not go into the corners and stay there, so I cut the back part off that goes over the lip that holds it in, the part the rope goes in for installing it using the rope method, I did that and installed the gasket on the windshield \and put it in place, made a couple more cuts in the inside corners and I think I have it, but now I will have to glue it in like they do newer vehicles.



I am still making adjustments, trying to get it flat all the way around, I am debating if I should silicone the windshield into the gasket also as the outside corners are not flat yet either.

[HRH]

Is it possible it's a specific windshield that's slightly different since it came from AU?

[wayno]

Is it possible it's a specific windshield that's slightly different since it came from AU?

I have a used windshield that did not come from Australia that matches perfectly when set in position without a gasket, it might be the gasket, but I had 19 of these windshields made, I sold 17 of them with these gaskets and I never heard of anyone breaking the windshield installing it, I suspect most of them if not all of them were professionally installed.

I do not install windshields for a living, I suspect I am missing a step that I never read about, maybe I should have soaped up the gasket and/or the metal lip it is supposed to slide onto, but I only have one original windshield left and I am not taking a chance anymore, I test fit the last new one I have and it does not really fit properly, it is flatter, when I put it in position the ends stuck up on the sides, while sitting in the middle of the front seat I pulled both sides down and did not break it, but the gasket was a long ways away from the lip most the way around, maybe the gasket has got harder than it used to be when I had them made, but I think part of the issue is that the gasket will not drop down far enough near the dash, I am still having this issue, the bottom will not slide down far enough, again maybe the gasket is too hard, maybe soap would help, but I am not willing to take the chance anymore, I only have one original windshield left that fits the hole properly.

I just put my hands on the last 3 gaskets in the unopened packages, they all feel the same, I do not remember what they felt like when they were fresh/new, so I am going to grind, sand, cut, whatever I have to do to get this last windshield to fit the hole and I will glue it in with black silicone, if the next owner wants to try to install it, let them break it.

These gaskets have been inside my house in a plastic container for 8+ years, they have not been in my shed where the temperature changes are dramatic during the summer, the more I think about it, the more I think they were softer, they went/bent around the corners a lot better as I recall, they are not going around the corners nicely now, but I never really thought of that until I started writing this post.

[wayno]

Well I did some more trimming last night and today and finally got the windshield/gasket sitting flush except for the corners of which the worst gap was maybe a 1/16" at the most which was easily pushed flat with my finger, so I made a way to flatten the 4 corners, then I glued it in with black silicone, I did not use a lot, just enough to have it start to squeeze out on the inside, a couple places more came out than I wanted, but not enough to actually drip or get on anything else, my plan was to cut any excess off after it has dried, some places it squeezed out, some none came out, but I can see it all the way around in the narrow gap, for the most part I got it about right.

I wish I had realized what the issue was after the 2nd broken windshield, but I did not, so right now I am very happy with the result, I will take photos later when it has dried.

[wayno]

Well it is in there, it said on the tube it was paintable in 2 hours, 6 hours later it still is very soft/not dry, I will let it sit overnight, earlier I put a heater inside the cab with the doors closed and the roof was warm, but the way I had it in there I was worried so I took it out, but it was warm inside that cab for a couple hours, maybe I used the wrong stuff, the way things have been going that would not surprise me.



This stuff I used is made for large gaps(3/8"), once I got it in there where I was happy I had less than an 1/8" gap all around, it does not look strange inside the cab, but I never really looked at them areas before, I hope it gets firm in the places I can touch, I clamped the ends down again and it squeezed a little more out of the gaps creating small bulges, I hope this stuff works/hardens like the clear silicone I am used to using, if not I will take it out and do it again, I am used to using that silicone on tile roofs when it is dry and warm most the time.

[wayno]

Well here it is as it sits right now



The windshield is in.



Here are the taillights, I had the bottom piece chrome plated, I think they should have come this way instead of painting that bottom piece.





Front fender trim and badges.



I received these pieces of metal from the owner I bought this truck from about 8 years ago, he said they were for the rear side windows, I could not figure out where they would go so I thought he was mistaken they were for this truck.



WellI figured it out today, they go right next to the hinge and are a spring to keep the window from moving around when open, I am happy I figured this out as it is more complete, that is going to be one of my selling points, it is all there which is the most important thing.



I need to put the headlights in and put the front turn signal lenses on it(need screws), then I need to drive it before driving it to the Brooks meet, I need to at least believe it will make it there before I actually drive it there.

[DRIVEN]

Looks good. Can't wait to see it out in the open.

[HRH]

Shit, I'd drive it, that thing is sweet! If I only had lottery winnings I would gladly buy it. But I have too many Datsuns, lol. I also saw a 71 Buick Electra coupe in the local pull and save. I really want that too.