my 1932 datsun replica build

crankwalk said:

Datsun310Guy said:

I heard only run 20w oil in the carbs but I doubt that's your problem.  

Are the needles adjusted? I had an SU tool kit used to adjust everything.  Do the chokes work properly?  

a guy that taught me to rebuild my carbs first taught me to rebuild my distributor.

I have only run 10w oil in SU pots. Marvel Mystery Oil preferably but ATF works too.

Good to know. My carbs are giving me other issues, too. If they idle too long they want to squirt fuel. Haven't been able to drive for in a few days, though.

I'm changing the design for the semaphore turn signal housings, AGAIN.  This time, I've given up on trying to make them adjustable so they can double as side mirrors.  These will be more like the original Datsun's housings; i.e. They will just hold the semaphore turn signal.

The plan is to use 1/8 flat rod and angle iron to make the bits that the turn signal mount to, them been some sheet metal to go around them.   Here's a mock-up of what they may look like under the sheet metal.

I 've been working on the turn signal housings, and need to make some sheet metal coverings for the front and rear of each housing.   I have a broken box fan that has metal sides.  I'm pretty sure you can see where this is going.....

In reply to JoeyM :

That turned out nice!

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to JoeyM :

That turned out nice!

Thank you, I think it will work nicely.  It isn't done yet, though.  Those are oversize pieces rough cut to test the concept.  I'll have to trim them to fit, and figure out the best way to attatch them.  I'm leaning towards welding the front one in place and then holding the back one in place with the same retaining screw that is holding the turn signal the frame.

I;ll try to take some better pictures to later on to demonstrate the idea prior to assembly and painting..

I wish i could give you the big pile of scrap i put out at the street just to see what you make it into

Awesome!

In reply to eastsideTim :

Thank you! She's a lot of fun to drive.

We are getting closer. This one has the met al on the back side of the semaphore trimmed kind of close.  The front is nowhere near trimmed enough, but it is close enough to start some welding.  Maybe by tomorrow I could have a properly shaped semaphore housing.

In reply to JoeyM :

Those are so cool! I feel like my Miata could use a pair lol. 

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to JoeyM :

Those are so cool! I feel like my Miata could use a pair lol. 

Thanks.  I need to hear that.  Today's fabrication hasn't gone well.

The plan is (still) to have the back surface nest inside the front one to keep rainwater out while driving.  I was putting horizontal flanges on the top side of the front and back surfaces of the right semaphore housing, ended up welding them together, and then had to warp and mangle things more than I would like as I tried to separate them. 

i may try again later today, but I stopped to put stuff back in the garage when it got ready to rain. I needed to stop anyway, I was really frustrated .

The rain passed, and the sun burned through the clouds, so I got everything out of the garage to keep going.   I ended up scrapping the mangled piece and building a replacement for it. There are plenty of GRMers who could do much better, but I am not displeased with the way the fit looks on the two nested pieces for the front and back.

This is a good stopping point for the day. It is not done, but I would say that the fabrication on the right semaphore housing is 85% done.

Still to do: Metal needs to be added at the bottom, and screw holes need to be drilled so I can hold the front and back surfaces together with these.  

Afterwards, there are parts of it that need a skim coat of putty and some sanding to smooth the surface out. After that, probably rattle canning the housing black. The original Dotson*'s housing was black, and so is the roll bar in the car.

--

(*) - that was a voice to text error, but it is actually the correct spelling in 1932. They changed the English spelling of the name to "Datsun" shortly after that.

Now working on the driver's side housing

The driver's side semaphore housing side didn't turn out as nice as the housing on the passenger's side; the gap is too large between the horiontal portions of the front and back plates.   Also, the hole in the back plate for the aluminum post needs to be filled and redrilled in a slightly different spot.  I'm done for the night, but I may be able to do the modifications tomorrow.  I don't think I need to start from scratch on the back plate, just modify it a bit.

I also cleaned up the passenger's side housing a little bit;  grinding, filling with putty, sanding.  The plan is to smooth out the surface before I rattle can it black.  Both sides will get this treatment.

Great to see you out on the road enjoying the car! It gives me hope and motivation to finish my car and get it on the road.

mainlandboy said:

Great to see you out on the road enjoying the car! It gives me hope and motivation to finish my car and get it on the road.

Thank you!  We now have 362 miles on the odometer.

Here's a before pic, showing the nasty gap between the lower flange that is attached to the back plate and the upper flange that is attached to the front plate of the semaphore housing.

I folded some sheet metal from the box fan over so I could add a double layer of metal to the lower flange (part of the back plate backplate.) 

Tacked

Welded, ground, filled, and getting their first coat of rattle can paint

rattle canned and reassembled

Today I put 45 miles on the datsun replica today- our longest trip yet - as I joined the Central Florida Street Rod Association  folks.  (We were holding a parade past the house of a boy having a birthday in Lake Wales.)  I'm happy to announce that she ran well.  The car now has 427 miles on the odometer.  

Some folks don't understand the weird desire to fabricate cars (and parts) from scratch.  I was proudly showing my new turn signal housings to one of the CFSRA guys, and his response was, "It looks like you have too much time on your hands."

In reply to JoeyM :

I hate that phrase. There's 24 hours in everyone's day. Some of us would rather build things than binge breaking bad for the third time.