Category: Project 510

It’s been a while since the last update, but work has been happening in the meantime.

With the low-ride height I like the datto to roll at, there are no doubts I would run into a few obstacles (both literally and mechanically). One of those is the extreme angle that the drive-shafts operate at. Since the 510’s and some other Datsuns use an old-school independent rear suspension setup, the driveshafts angle upwards further and further as you lower the car. Being an older type universal-joint design, there is a limit to how efficiently the shafts can operate at such an angle.

Thankfully the Datsun brand captured the imaginations and hearts of many people around the world over the years, and we are lucky enough to have companies such as Wolf Creek Racing catering to our needs.

Continue reading “Project 510 – CV driveshaft conversion”

Okay guys, firstly, aplogies for oversaturating the blog with Datsun content. I’ll be away in sunny Fiji for 1 week as of tonight, so there will be a lack of updates but when I get back I promise I’ll get straight back into finding & posting the best & most interesting build threads for your reading pleasure, cos that’s what it’s all about.

Got some wallpapers up for grabs for those who have been waiting, in standard and wide-screen format. Click on the thumbnail to open.

Big thanks to Logan from Work Wheels website i put in WORK for taking the time to throw Project 510 up on the page. I know how busy you are man, appreciate it. If you guys are looking for pictures of Work Wheels on an assortment of different rides, i put in WORK has a huge database of images for you to browse.

For those who want wallpapers, they’ll be up tomorrow 🙂

Hope you guys enjoy the pics. All of them were taken with a Nikon D40X, a few were edited but most were left alone. Click the images to see them a bit larger.

Continue reading “Project 510 in High Definition”

I’ve been wanting one of these grilles for a while now. Initially, when I first saw one, I hated them. The ’73 model Datsun 1600/510 was never sold in Australia (we only got the ’68-’72) so growing up as a Datsun obsessed tween/teenager I never actually saw one until a local car magazine featured an American 510 complete with the plastic grille and huge 18″ wheels. Even then I wasn’t sold, to me it looked out of place and ruined the face of the 510. It wasn’t until I saw completed pictures of a blue 2-door 510 (click here to view) that I became aware of the appeal. They tie-in really well with a jdm-styled datto, low ride height and smaller wheels. From that moment on I had to have one!

After casually browsing every now and then, one popped up on eBay Motors US, so I jumped on the chance and won it. Who else loves getting packages delivered to their work?

Continue reading “Project 510 – '73 JDM grille”

As you all know, I recently bought some second hand wheels from the Yahoo Japan auctions for the Datsun. (click here to read the previous post)

Like most of you reading this, I can’t leave things alone, and I knew before I even bought them that I wanted the centers to be painted black with polished edges on the star outline. So I began the extremely long, tedious, and tiring process to make these wheels pop.

Come and see how it happened…

Continue reading “Project 510 – wheel refurb”

Since I purchased the car, the main limitation was the standard ECU. The car had an assortment of issues, such as a very high idle, poor starting when cold, leaning out in the upper rev-range, and sometimes hesitating/misfiring under boost. Doesn’t sound very fun, does it?

The mighty FJ20 nestled between the strut towers needed to take orders from a new boss…

Continue reading “Project 510 Attitude Adjustment”

A while ago I approached Dan for some help with navigating the Yahoo Japan auctions, and I slowly got the hang of it with much assistance from Babel Fish. I highly recommend jumping on yahoo.jp if you’re looking for 2nd hand Japanese parts, but I also highly recommend staying the hell away from it if you’re not planning on spending any money. Once you get the hang of it, it’s really addictive, as it’s a virtual candy store for Japanese parts and you will find it hard to resist temptation.

After losing an auction for some old school Work Equip 03s, I told myself I’ll just leave the whole wheel issue alone for a while, as I didn’t exactly need new rollers. Well that didn’t last long, and in no time I was pestering Dan again to put a bid on some Work Ewing III’s.

This time, I won!

Continue reading “Project 510 – damn you Yahoo! New wheels”

I thought I’d re-visit the rear suspension, since I didn’t actually install the coil overs myself, I had them put in while the adjustable tabs were being welded onto rear crossmember.
I’ve been having some noise issues with these coilovers, mainly some light metal-on-metal sounds which are to be expected with a bare-bones coilver set up, but also some squeaking when going over bumps. The squeaking is what annoys me the most, and it’s coming from the boot (trunk), so I’ve always assumed its the rubber bushes that go between the body of the car and the nut that holds the coilovers in.

Here’s the starting point. (ignore the ugly discs)

Continue reading “Project 510 – Revisiting the rear suspension”