Datsun 510 4-door Track car...in progress and need help!

[pcmodeler]

For the seatbelts, go to Radio Shack. They sell an item called desoldering braid (5ft). It's located with the soldering supplies. It is a braided, flat material that would work for both your seatbelts and battery ground.

[SonyMobile]

WOW... no sh*t eh? im impressed... just by the battery! look at the detail. this should be amazing when its done, you have some amazing skills, and a wicked set of patients! I am eger to see more!

Never seen a 4 door 510 model b4... gonna have to start lookin out for this one

[swollen]

WOWZERS!!! looks amazing.

I have always loved Datsun 510's.

[86_SR5]

niiice. Pm Eddie, RATDAT, he has a 510 4dr with a ka24 in it.

[675datsun]

Thanks so much for the input! Totally appreciated!
This project is super fun for me and I can't wait to give it the owner. Kinda sux that I can't put it in the showcase.
I guess the batteyr isn't as cheesy as my little punk bro thinks!
To answer some questions and acknowledge some tips:

Honoturtle- I'll take your lead on making the fron half of the cage...but it also has to line up with the dash bar for the gauges, grrrr

Ferrari TR-I'll check MGC and DTM for door handles, I might also try slicing some off a scrap door panel!

Willimo-I was too lazy to mask everything and spray-can the door panels, DOH! that's what I should have done.
Awesome idea of using electrical tape for rollbar padding and wire for the ties--why didn't I think of that? I'll do it.

Camber-The Watanabes are from Fujimi. I got them from hlj.com. These are the 17" staggered width rim/same size tires. I've also seen 14" and realy deep dish versions.

Slk320-Your 510 is amazingly tight, let me take that engine and paint job from you! This is unfortunately a curbside kit. I could try putting the L16 from the Revel kit, but it's not a KA24 like the real car. I'm so ontop of the brake/fuel lines though. Handbrake I need to research.

Lance-I'm keen on the stance too...the real one sits like a bulldog too.

pcmodeler-thanks for the tip, Radio Shack is down the street!

Many thanks for the compliments...more updates to come!

[Valentino]

WOWWW !!!. Great job so far... can't wait to see more

[ratdat]

I love this one! The Hasegawa kit is dead on accurate and IMO the lack of flares looks better than on the Revell kit, although it does limit the wheel choices a bit. One of the really nice bits on this kit is the grille...it's really detailed and sharply molded with proper headlight bowls. So far this build looks excellent.

When you fit the rear brakes, the caliper usually sits at the top rather than front or rear on a 510 for clearance reasons. Front calipers sit toward the rear of the rotor. Have you had to do much chopping to get the wheels on it?

I compared the Revell chassis to the Hasegawa body and they are totally different sizes. The Hasegawa kit hasn't really got anything resembling ajn engine bay so all the inner wings and firewall would need to be fabricated. I think the Hasegawa engine would be way too small for it too as it looks a tint bit under scale in the 1/25 Revell kit. It would possibly look better to cut down a 1/24 Fujimi 240Z engine into a four cylinder.

I doubt you'd find a kit with either a KA24E or a KA24DE in it but as both engines are distantly related to the original L series it might not be that hard to scratch build one. Basically you'd be making the head and manifolds and putting them on a Revell or chopped Fujimi block.

[integra818]

That car kicks ass. I love it, you're doin a great job.

What kind of suspension setup is your friend using? What about a diff? I always thought that 510s we're always either open diff or welded diff

[675datsun]

Eddie, I like this kit as well. THe grille is definitely the highlight. It's shame I have to cut out one of the bowls for cool air intake.
Thanks for the caliper location tip....I totally forgot about that!

This is going to be strickly curbside, I have 2 other Hasegawa kits I could put the L16 into, maybe later.

Integra818-My friends' 510 has a nismo LSD, 4.11 gears I think. They come stock with an open diff. You can weld it though.
DOn't know specifics of suspension, but It does have a 4 wheel wilwood disc/caliper conversion, custom made front sway bar(to clear sump) and lowering springs/shocks. PM me for more details.

I'm stuck on building the cage!

[675datsun]

Hey everyone,
Got some updates for the 4dr 510 interior...
The front half of the cage is on, pedals in place. The gold bar on the firewall will be for the brake bias line. Tried to re-create how the front uprights of the cage tie into the front strut towers through the firewall.


I got to sit in the 1:1 car last weekend and I noticed that I forgot the SDS fuel injection ECU mounted under the passenger seat! It looks like this:
http://www.sdsefi.com/webd.jpg
So I made a minature SDS ECU(an older square version) and if you look closely you can read "Simple Digital Systems"

Also shown is the tach(from TFATF Supra) with the shift light left on, an MSD igntion box, WRC steering wheel(MOMO) with turn signal added and my lame atempt to re-create that lovely panel of Autometer gauges(all 5 of them and the brake bias adjuster!!)

Closeup of SDS ECU, I tried to make a serial port cable for it, going through the firewall. I also added some cuff marks to the footwells.

Here's a shot of the MOMO wheel, steering rack going through the firewall, through bracket and silver turn signal


So I'm almost there.The tach and all gauges will be wired with ground/sending unit wiring(may take some time) and all will be routed through that hole in front of the passenger side firewall. I'll use Willimo's tip for making the roll cage Nerfs.

You know I felt like a tard buying the TFATF Supra kit just for the tach, cuz I hated the way the kit looked(already have Tamiya kit) and swore I would trash it, but it does has some pretty cool parts in it, not to mention the almighty 2JZ powerplant!! Then it hit me...let's keep it Toyota!


This project will test my skills. I've never merged 2 kits together, but I want to slip the whole Supra chassis into the Ta22...keep that IRS setup ya know.
We will see

Ah did I tell you I'm in love with my new car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I can break the law in 2nd gear

[Honoturtle]

Excellent work! So far one of my favorite 510s on the board!

[7th_skyline]

Wow! thats awesome! I'm hoping to do a four door myself, once I've got my new drift/VIP GTS-R skyline (R31), 1975 Lancer 1600gsr rally car, and Z750FX Kawasaki "kerker pack" done....

Just echoing ratdat's question, how much messing about was there to fit the fujimi rims? and at that ride height!?!

can't wait to see the completed pics!!!

[labandabonnot]

Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great! Great!


Perfect! What else can I say? I'm astonished!
So close to a 1:1 car sometimes... it's incredible!

[slk320]

beautifull and clean job!

[willimo]

Oh wow, I had forgotten about this build up, it's been so long since there was an update. How could I forget? This build up is incredible. All the detail you are putting in blows me away. I'm rather disappointed I won't ever see it in person, I'm sure it would be even more overwhelming than it is in pictures. And I'm humbled you're using a tip of mine on it. Keep it up, and don't let it slip me mind again!