New World Datsuns...

“Dragging feet and making excuses”

Sounds like one of my specialties. I can’t stand messy/spray bombed (like don’t remove anything, just spray it all) engine compartments, drives me nuts for whatever reason. It just looks so much better with a little attention to detail. Sometimes with a rattle can job, you can hit it with a pressure washer and it will mostly come off and if the original paint is still there and looks salvageable, the rest can come off with some rubbing compound and a lot of elbow grease.

If the rest of the car hadn't been so complete and decent it might have been a deal killer. They even sprayed a lot of the engine. What a mess.
I'll probably hit it with the pressure washer but don't expect much to come off though. There's a bunch of holes to weld up and a battery tray to shave so getting to the original paint isn't really an option. I have a pretty clear plan in mind. It's just...so horrible now.

Funny thing about the battery trays is that a lot of people cut them out. Mine was gone when I got the car and I’m going to have to fabricate one. If I was putting any engine other than the L20 I’d leave it out.

Why not leave it out anyway and relocate? Are you trying to keep it factory stock?

I probably will. I’ve already bought a cheapo battery box for the trunk, I just don’t know if I wanna run wires for it. Although that’d probably be easier than welding in a new tray.

Semi-stock looks, but I’ll want to use the trunk too and didn’t want to take up too much valuable space.

All I've managed to get done in 4 days is replace a throwout bearing and strip and degrease the engine. I'm lame.

Got the engine all resealed and freshly painted.







In case you were curious what my super custom Quad4-to-Nissan transmission adapter looks like...


Still having a hard time getting excited about cleaning up the engine compartment.

Few things nicer than a clean engine.

Definitely helps make a better first impression.

mmm that is real clean.

dammmmmmmm, that looks nice and clean.

Just go these texted from my brother.





Original paint cowl to show the match.

Possibly the only thing that bothered me about your car. And its getting fixed right as you are getting rid of it.

Seems to be the way I do it. My stuff all ways looks best for the next guy.

Just got back from a week working in Dominican Republic and while I was gone my parents made a visit to my brother. Timing worked out perfect so thet were able to bring the hatch home, saving me a trip. I spent the day catching up on paper work and kicking tumble weeds loose from the hillside. It was windy so I took advantage. But I did manage to get it bolted up to see how it looks. Just about perfect paint match! I've got to make a Seattle run tomorrow and Wednesday so I doubt I'll get it trimmed out until the weekend.

Looks a hint darker, but also you would have to be looking. Looks good!

If it is, I can't tell in this light. Might be more noticeable in bright direct sunlight. You'd really have to look for it though. I think he did a really good job. It's actually a little too nice for the rest of the car at this point.

I think it looks fine, some people put to much thought into paint, it has to be perfect blah blah blah, yet that guy from central Oregon has a red wagon that has won several awards and it is at least two different reds, rattle can red at that, he knows how to use/spray rattle can paint though.
It is hard to not do the whole car and have it match, old paint is old/faded/chipped, if one wants perfect they should not be looking at Datsuns.

I think your bro nailed it. It's impossible to get an exact match to older paint. Especial when the hatch is at one place and the car is at another.

the wagon is looking saweet.