1969 Datsun

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4 - Cyl.

Manual

Gasoline

Up for auction is a very nice 1969 Datsun Roadster. It Runs, drives and stops great. I have poured almost 10K into it the last year restoring it and getting it back on the road. It still needs some finishing touches but all of the hard and expensive work is done. New within the last year and with less than a thousand miles are the following: Body work and paint. The car was stripped of all parts and gutted with the exception of the drivetrain and windshield. New steel floors. It was then finished with a polyester primer that which almost gives it a fiberglass like shell. It is rock hard and does not shrink as it sets up. Thus the paint is smooth and dent/scratch free. While the paint is already 6 months old it has yet to be waxed but looks great. Interior is a complete kit which cost 2K. This includes, Seats, door panels, rear shelf, sides, kick panels, fuzzies, rubber, dash and console caps, on and on. It is finished in oxblood red with black accents and it really compliments the bronze exterior. Chrome bumpers front and rear are new along with retro bullet style mirrors Wheels are 15" Honda Accord Steelies that have been painted to match the body. New trim rings and rare "D" Datsun center caps give it that retro feel with a bigger and wider stance than stock. Brand new 60 series tires as well. It helps make the car handle and drive that much better and looks oh so cool. No mods to the rear fenders were necessary and thus it could be returned to stock if the owner desired. Custom touches but with an eye on earlier Roadsters includes a rearview mirror which is dash mounted. Side trim strips are stainless steel spears and have been shortened for a cleaner sleeker look. Steering wheel is from an earlier Roadster and much nicer IMO. The original wheel is included as well. As I said this car looks great and is priced right too. It is not a 10-15K higher end resto but a really nice looker, driver and local show entry which can be driven and enjoyed and which will (and does) bring smiles to all those that see it and more importantly those that drive it. But this little Fairlady is NOT PERFECT. It still needs finishing but if you have some general aptitude with a wrench and a weekend or two, you can get one heck of a lot of car for the buck. So what does it still need and what are some issues the new owner should know about? The headlights still need to be replaced and plugged back in. As I said everything was removed for paint. They worked before so I have no reason to believe they won't again. They may need to be replaced though as they got moved from box to box over the winter. I will try and take care of this issue during auction but no promises. The blinkers currently do not work. This is a simple wiring issue as the front ones are also not yet plugged in. Everything is male and female correct plug in but to make sure the brake lights work (which they do) you must also have the sidemarkers and parking lamps totally correct. So once I got the brake lights working correctly I did not mess further as schematics are not my forte and I just wanted to drive and enjoy it at that point. But again, a simple fix for some one who knows how to read a diagram. I have mainly used it for zipping around town and in the neighborhood this summer on weekends and during the day so for the most part I have not given these electrical "issues" much thought. Other things that will need attention: Dash cap does not sit right up at the point where it meets the windshield. Not a big issue for most folks but it is there. Windshield has two chips but no cracks. Windows are hard to roll up and down and the passenger one likes to pull away from the track from time to time. but again not a big issue for me as the windows are always down. Soft top is not currently mounted. Frame is good and complete but it will need a soft top if you wish to use it as the current one is kind of worn and would only look bad if it was mounted on the restored car. It also still needs the rest of the tonneau snaps put back on and I have them. I also have a really cool but slightly weathered old Tonneau that comes with it. Horn does not work and this is a result of me going with an older style wheel. Not sure what it would take to get that corrected. The drivers door handle was broken at a local car show this summer when someone pulled it and the car was locked. It too is a simple fix and if I can find a handle I will replace it before sale. I open it from the inside and it is not visually apparent and only an internal issue. Finally, while I spent thousands getting body prep and rust removed to make it structurally correct, there was a point where my sanity and bankbook said "No Mas!" So rather than have more new steel put on the car, we ground, glassed and sealed (both in and out) on the very lowest portion of the rear fender in the back where it had begun to bubble. It is pretty small and with care (i.e. not left in the rain) it will look and appear fine for years to come. So while I try and point out every wart and wrinkle I do this with the hope that the new owner will be pleasantly surprised with their purchase. But with that said I am sure I have skipped over some things both good and bad. So if you are interested make sure and ask questions before bidding. Serious bidders only please. Thanks for looking.