New Zealand Datsun Club

My name is Simon and I like long walks on the beac.............................. Whoops worng web sight.

This is my 1974 120y coupe.
I have given in to the many requests to up load pictures of the beast. Don't get to excited by it, as I am not planing on putting a nitro breathing, radio active, time bending, intrenal organ rearranging motor of death into it. Yes thats right I want to keep it standard as posible. Sure I have changed a couple of things like wild cat steering wheel and custom gear knob. At the end of the day it is just a cool cheap reliable (well hopefully one day) runaround for going to work and getting sideways on rainy days.

It all started around mid June 2009 when 2 doors said I'm going to look at a 120y. After much talking I picked it up for a song. Well I had to or Warrick would have bought it.


Yes I know what your thinking. Its a beauty isn't it.

Now we travel though time a couple of months to the end of Augest. After a bit of blood, sweet and tears and a trip to Datsun Garage. It looks like this.




A set of 12" 120y SSS mags would set it off nicley. If you have some let me know.

Now we jump forward to the pressant.

I have had no end of problems with engines. The motor in it smoked like a train. I bought an other one off trademe. This was smokie as well, but ok to get it reg and WOFed. Bought an other engine off trademe. Wha who its a good one. Well it was untill it started to lose water the week before the Akaroa Cruise. Ripped the head off to find the number 1 bore has a deep crater from a leaky head and sitting around for a couple of years. I am now doing what I should have done in the first place, rebuilding the orginal motor. Keep your hair on all you CA18 heads. I did mention at the start I wanted to keep it standardish.



(The car hiding under the dust is a 1972 VH valiant hard top coupe with a 440cui big block V8.) While I have had the engine apart I have ripped out the front shocks as they need rebuilding. Has anyone done this before. I know you can buy strut inserts but I am tight. What type and weight and how much oil do I use?

Well, thats about it for me. That wasnt a bad 3 hour effort for my first post.

good to see you posting at last

Welcome aboard Simon.
Car looks great. It was a major pity that you weren't able to bring it on the cruise!

1st off mate, WELCOME ABOARD.

bet you're stoked on the paint job wal did, all i can say is nice

personally if you are going to rebuild the struts, i would pay to get them done. that way you know they were done properly using all the proper tools, parts etc. but if you did that, it would've paid just to get some new inserts to begin with. not too sure how difficult they are to do, but worth a look i suppose.

im sure there is a thread on here somewhere that talks about using different oils etc with inserts, just poke around and you should find it

put atf oil in your struts, will stiffen up your factory oil shocks

Whos valiant? The bonnet plain wont fit it, mate.

Welcome along Simon, your sence of humor should do you well round here!
Wicked 120, congrats on keeping it standardish, looks a bloody good car to do so with!

Theres a few of these bad boys popping up lately paint looks mint

Redback racing

black out the grill

It is alive!!!!!!!! Mmmooohhhhhaaaa ha!
A hone, new rings, bearings, gaskets and a bit of blood sweat and tears. After all the years of owning datsuns this was the first engine I have ever rebuilt. What is more amasing is the fact that after a cruze around town IT STILL WORKS!. But then again it will be interesting to see if it will go in the morning.