1970 Datsun 1600 Roadster - I said yes to the car

Thanks for the advice, folks. I appreciate it.  I can tell you that the engine *definitely* does run.  Carbs have a little bit of leaking, and still need to get the fuel pump pulling from the tank. However, we know that when it's pulling from an external tank, the car runs 😁

Okay, I started  a thread on the Datsun Fairlady Roadster FB group to see what they were doing for braking parts.  Not surprisingly, many of them are getting parts or having them refurbished from the 311s.org vendor list

As I go through their comments more carefully, I'll try to  put together a list brake parts and vendors that have worked for them.  So far:

• "I had my front calipers and rear wheel cylinders rebuilt with ss sleeves by Karps Hydraulic. Very satisfied."   Two others also said they had brake components refurbished by  Karps Power Brake Service in Chino, CA.
• Another user said they bought  brake master cylinder and clutch master cylinder from Sin City Datsuns in Cameron, TX.  (FB account: Sin City Datsuns)
• There's supposed to be a member of 311s.org who rebuilds brake master cylinders, and does so without the waiting period that Karps may require. I am trying to figure out who that user is. 
• Several people have said that the drums for the rear brakes probably don't need replacement; i.e. that they could be turned, or even gone over with 50 grit sandpaper to give a smoother surface.
• One of the folks has a 1968 2000 roadster and has used Ultima rotors, Volvo 240 4 piston calipers. That must have been a popular conversion a while, because conversion kits were made to use 1996 Nissan Altima rotors a 1985 Volvo 245 calipers.   Those kits have been discontinued. but Sin City has a couple of these conversion kits for sale .
• Another person said that - with the use of an adapter - a master cylinder from a 510 can be used.  The guy with the Altima rotors also said they are using the master cylinder from a 240Z.

I will keep adding to this list as I read through their comments.  Let me know if you guys have other ideas for parts.

In reply to JoeyM :

The Volvo caliper lasts 6 time as long between rebuilds in normal service. Your originals are the Dunlop design shared only with Jaguar, Studebaker, Twin cam MGA and a few obscurities. They have a basic design difference to every other hydraulic cylinders, and it is worse. Jump on the kit, the Volvo calipers are home rebuildable and several of us on this board have spares available. Sleeving your originals works, it extends the life of a Dunlop caliper but doesn't fix the design failure. Consider it if originality is your top priority. Side note, when these were new cars we would buy the caliper cylinders from Datsun to install on Jaguars and Studebakers. The quality and availability was better and they were 1/4 the cost! That stopped around 1979.....

It looks like Sin City has lots of the parts that I was told we may need

Rear Brake drums
Rear brake wheel cylinders 
Rear brake hoses/lines
Rear breaks shoe spring kit 
Rear brake shoes
Front brake calipers (sold out)
Front brake pads 
Front brake hoses/lines
Front wheel bearings, and races and seals

Sin City has a front brake kit 
     or just the Brake Master cylinder 
     or just the Brake lines 

clutch master cylinder and slave and the cylinder hose

Jump on the kit with the wheel cylinders. Those interchange with MGC and a few other English things, and they are currently NOT available from Moss etc. The master and lines become "freebies" here. Find some Altima rotors and grab the caliper conversion fit too.

TurnerX19 said:

Jump on the kit with the wheel cylinders. Those interchange with MGC and a few other English things, and they are currently NOT available from Moss etc. The master and lines become "freebies" here. Find some Altima rotors and grab the caliper conversion fit too.

Thank you! That advice is wonderful!

TurnerX19 said:

Jump on the kit with the wheel cylinders. Those interchange with MGC and a few other English things, and they are currently NOT available from Moss etc. The master and lines become "freebies" here. Find some Altima rotors and grab the caliper conversion fit too.

Thank you! That advice is wonderful!

You can have everything resleeved by white post restorations and it will last as long as you need it to. None of the brake "conversions" are cheaper or better than functioning stock brakes. If the stock brakes don't lock up the wheels, they're not adjusted the correct way. Lots of people throwing money to rig the car's vs fixing the issue. 
 

As far as the "upgrades' lasting longer, there are plenty of them with stock brakes, working fine, and the youngest one is 55 years old. How long is "not long"? 

In reply to Steve_Jones :

The Dunlop design caliper is an entire package of flaws with no upside except originality.

I loved the one I had, but when another 914 popped up I bought it.  Lots more room between seats, which makes the spouse happier.

Following closely, and have fun!!

Steve_Jones said:

You can have everything resleeved by white post restorations and it will last as long as you need it to.  

Thanks for giving me another vendor.  Is this link the best way to contact them?

In reply to JoeyM :

That's them. They do great work. 

TurnerX19 said:

Jump on the kit with the wheel cylinders.

Earlier, today I ordered these products from Sin City Datsun in Texas

• Front wheel bearings, and races and seals
• Datsun Roadster Late Brake Kit

I hope that brake kit is the one you were talking about.  It is supposed to include

•  braided stainless steel brake hoses
• 4 hard front brake lines
• 2 3/4" brake cylinders
• a dual master cylinder

In reply to JoeyM :

If it looks like the photo you are golden. The wheel cylinders are most valuable. Send your old ones to White Post and have a spare set for later, you are young enough. The hard pipes look like the bridge pipes for the Dunlop original calipers. If you keep the OE calipers absolutely use those new pipes. The Dunlop caliper cylinders sometimes are on sale at Welsh Enterprises. They are a Jaguar supplier and charge 25% less for the same part as Moss does when you order it for a Twin Cam MGA. Jaguar XKE rear cylinders fit your car.

TurnerX19 said:

In reply to JoeyM :

 Jaguar XKE rear cylinders fit your car.

Thank you!  Great tip.  I am sure those are much easier to find

In reply to JoeyM :

My MGA customer last year bought from Moss the same week I bought for my Jaguar customer. I saw the Moss invoice!