Show me your rear end

[jean-zac]

I know it is not real but perhaps one day become !!!!

[slow&rusty]

[Targa68]

Had a 1970 Datsun 2000, Loved it.

[Targa68]

[Targa68]

No more rear ends?
Come on now!

[Miguel Antonett]

[Schumi]

The day I brought this one home, almost 4 years ago

[Jim2]

[pksystems]

Looks awesome Jim.

[Targa68]

"Happy Thanksgiving" to all you rear enders

[pavegeno]

[porsche356a]

[porsche356a]

Originally Posted by Jim2

That is sweet! Details? I'm going through a sporty coupe phase, and keep coming back to the Datsun (510 right?)

[Jim2]

356a, interesting to see you have a GTV. A couple years ago I was was tired of working on p-cars and decided to build something different, I considered one for this project but there was simply none to be had around here.

I had a few 510s starting in 1980 and my last in 1988, all modified but otherwise dogs, and I was young. I'm constantly reading 510 forums and remained connected to a few people who own them then went and looked at a couple in 2013. All aspects of the car which had long been forgotten returned, details about the shape of various parts of the engine bay, interior, and the size, so small compared to modern cars. I was hooked!

No rust free cars around here and I didn't like the thought of laying out $10K to go south for a rust free one so I ended up buying a rust bucket thinking rat rod with nice engine bay and hot running gear then spraybomb the exterior. I got carried away.

A close friend said to me remember how bad those cars drove, feel every small piece of pea gravel through the suspension, harsh absorption of expansion joints in the road, wide tires tracking ruts etc, engines overheat, cold interior in winter hot in summer... I said yea yea, and sort of put his advice in the back of my mind but never forgot what he said. So, 25 months about 1000 hours later and the car is 99% done. I put a 1000 miles on it this fall and I can certainly attest to the fact that it drives like 45 year old car. Granted that when I was young I built them with super stiff springs, shock, swaybars, too big exhaust and too big of a muffler. I did the opposite now and this car is far more refined, sort of best of both worlds with sports suspension but keeping it pliable to increase comfort on our lousy roads. It's cool looking, turns heads as soon as I pull away from the house, sitting at traffic lights people take pictures of it (ALL the time), but, it's a 40 year old car underneath. Hobby car, will drive it in small doses.

If you decide to go after one I might suggest finding one which doesn't have rust and already has some work done to it. Member Abisel here recently did this, he got his 510 from another pelican, only needed some light overhaul.

Here is my build thread on a 510 forum.

Back to my roots - The 510 Realm

[Rtrorkt]

[tadd]

[Deschodt]

[pavulon]

Why are the rear unimog tires mounted backward?

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by pavulon

Why are the rear unimog tires mounted backward?

Its the only way they can break 55 mph.

[tadd]

pavulon:
You get more even wear on hard surfaces. Putting them all on the same direction is only suggested for maximum traction of soft surfaces. Right there in the manual :-).

Yep. 55 mph tops with the pump gov turned up to 3050 rpms. I found the 405 series tires at a stupid price of $200 a tire but I sorta wish I would have sucked it up and gotten the full price 425s (46" vs 42") for another 5 mph.

At some point it will get the tall R&Ps... after the cab lift (quieter and cooler), turbo (its only 110 hp!), and dump bed.

Most trucks you spend money making them off road capable. This one you spend money making it more road friendly :-).

Tractor is actually a better term than a truck given the PTO front and rear, Hydraulics front and rear (along with a hi flo hydro circuit) and 20 speed transmission.