Beaver's 120y coupe

[beaver]

Right, so I done gone and brought me a new vehicle

(well technically its not mine until I go get it in two weeks but Im going to claim it anyway, have booked flight and ferry so that counts right?)

1975 Datsun 120Y Coupe, 119xxxkms , 3 owners from new (2 in the same family), fully restored in early 2000's, head has been rebuilt and port and polished, recent overhaul of brakes and steering. 100% original full nana spec etc (well in this case grand-dad spec. Never been driven in the rain.....seriously. Only downside is the slushbox/auto. However have been offered full manual swap for it which is good as heard horror stories about a12's and auto boxes.

Currently belongs to a retired guy who has no use for it (had some good yarns with him)

Just a few pics for now, big thanks to Kane and Hayden for checking it out and giving me their thoughts. They basically said it should be in a musuem and didnt bother taking many pics as there was nothing worth mentioning!

Paid what some people would concsider an exuburant price but at the end of that day all of the hard work has been done and thats what work bonus is for right!








(seats are mint under the covers)

Plans? Reduction in ride height and some sweet wheels for it. Will keep an eye out for an a15 to give it some more juice, maybe tickle it up a touch (side suckers, cam, exhaust) or look for a pre-tickled one.

This floats my boat



that is all.

PS, updates will likely be copied from oldschool.co.nz so apologies if somethigns dont makes sense.

Look forward to spending some time on the forum and will no doubt have a few questions!!

Cheers

[beaver]

Right, question time people.

Engine - will an a15 bolt in? (I have read a few minor things like manifolds and alternators are different but no biggy?). Will be manual box hanging off it if I go that way.

Suspension - rear is easy, reset leaves and/or blocks. Front, any tricks? Shorter springs (are 1200 springs the same?) and shocks shortened to suit (Ive heard these bode well to the pull apart and put in a spacer trick?). Bump steer spacers wil also be a good idea to keep geometery sensible I take it?

Cheers

[Kitch]

Hey - congrats on the purchase

I have just about finished manual conversion of my 120Y sedan.
been pretty straight forward

> you might as well do it when you drop the A15 in.

120Y's use later model A12's so A14 or A15 should drop straight in,
and not need any mod's - and you need one with aflywheel & clutch
obviously to do your conversion.

56A or 60A gearbox will fit, but 60A 5 speed definatey the way to go
and heaps of room in auto tunnel.

I am doing reset and blocks in rear.

front will be re-oiled, shortened, and shorter springs fitted with 310 top hats
to drop a further 30mm

[beaver]

Yeh Ive figured I can put up with the auto until I find an 15 and do it all at once.

Does the 5 speed box (60A) use the same crossmember etc as the 4speed box?

Also B310 tophats, do they lift the top of the shoick/top nut up higher? thats bloody handy....

Oh and pretty keen to grab one of those chin spoilers off you...got many in stock?

[Bartman]

Best you book another ferry crossing for Labour weekend too Beaver!

[beaver]

haha but thats hawkes boes weekend (os event). will wait untill its worthy and drag it back down one day

[Bartman]

OKay then.
Rakaia is in february. Better be seeing you then instead!

[classicdat]

I did the a14 and 5 speed conversion to my '76 120'why' sedan back in the day, the gearbox crossmember was different and futher back from memory, Kitch's late model one sounds to have Mount holes that line up, I'm not sure about coupes, I've never been under one. My 310 certainly did.
Some 1200 guys also run into trouble with the 60 series reverse light switch being located where the gearbox mount bulge is in the tunel.
I like your plans, should be sweet.

[beaver]

Well, that didnt quite go as planned.....main thing is both ymslef and the car made it home in one piece (eventually)....

It all started on a fine sunny mornign in Wellington and a flight south to Christchurch. Flight was delayed 30mins, which I should have known was just the beginning. Met the one and only Bart Simpson himself at the airport and we were off to pick up the 120y. The yarns were strong with this one.

Met the old guy selling the car, gave it a once over, signed the dotted line and we were done. Quick drive to barts house (just down the road) and was given the tour de Bart along with all the storys (I will cherish them forever!).

We both jump in the 120y and head to Karls place (not far down the road), I notive the water temp is getting up there...ah well not far to Karls. Get to Karls, vomit over some pintos, and decide to check the radiator out. Water is brown and gubky (old dude said it was rust inhibitor...) so we flushed that out....hello, water doesnt come out the bottom pipe. Flush it frpom the bottom and were greeted by some nicely poo coloured particles and then the water flowed nicely. Top it back up and off to Barts again to drop him off.

Temp is way up again, steam out bonnet spec just as we pull in the driveway. Flush rad/engine and check thermostat, deceide to leave it out. Reassmeble (more strong yarns of course) and deciede to hit the road. Oh, and a good spray of crc on the carb to free up the stuck linkages.

Make it 10mins or so out of town, just onto the motorway and temp is going way up[ again, decide to call it quits and call AA (I have AA plus thankfully). They had to send a machanic out to confirm the car wasnt an easy fix (waste of bloody time!), and then I had to sort out a tow to Picton. First call made to AA just after 2pm, tow truck arrived at 530pm....

In the meantime, changed my ferry booking (orriginally 630pm) to 1030pm. Managed to go from just outside CHCH (Tram Road exit for those familiar) to PIcton in bang on 4 hours in a flat bed tow truck with the 120y on the back, was rather impressed.

Dumped the car at ferry, drove on (car still runs mint, just ghets hot very quickly), tried to sleep, couldnt, got to Welly bout 130am and drove it home (temp was way up again in the 5mins it takes ot get home from ferry, although a big slog up the gorge wouldnt have helped). In bed at 2am, job done.

Doenst seem to use any/much water (was still fill when I got home after last topping up in Picton) and during that time got rather hot, so I dont think BHG. Radiator continues to find gunk to float about so think rad is stuffed, and wont be surprised if water pump if foobah as well.

Bit of a downer but the car hasnt been over 70km/h since 1994 and gets driven/started once a month if lucky. Got wof last week so I do beilieve the old guy had no idea there wasa problem. Was thinking when I got home that the fact I was still grinning and hadnt packed the dummy means it must be a good buy....or somethign like that.

Untill next time!

[2 doors]

sounds like what you found in the radiator, will be mirrored by same thing in the waterpump and block, no doubt you will rmove the water pump and flush the block, should sort out the job nicely, I think everyone has a story behind picking up a new ride lol.