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Hatchmans 1600 Build
http://www.ozdat.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30611		 Page 2 of 15
Author:  Hatchman [ Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
The engine crane is slowly paying for itself, very happy we decided to take the plunge and buy one. My neighbour may be happy about this decision too, he's about to embark on stuffing a 1.8ltr VTEC engine into an old CRX he's bought as a track car so I told him if he needs to borrow it to let me know

Roped down and ready to be dropped off with the mechanic, between this and the Frankenturbo 2.2ltr L20B we should now be able to get a pretty good motor bolted together

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As for now the interior has been stripped, dash is out, even removed the brake booster and master cylinder. Got a bit of a surprise with that one too, the two-pronged lever (whatever the proper name for it is called!) was hanging on by a bees foreskin, don't reckon the old girl would have got too many more kays under her belt before it failed :shock:

Bit of work to do on the brake lines and then we'll tackle repainting the engine bay with some black splatter paint like this: http://www.plastikote.com/products/Spec ... -Coat.html

More details on the engine in a week or so
Author:  Hatchman [ Wed Jul 03, 2013 1:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
Just a quickie

Think we may need to get some new hoses!

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Still with a fully rebuilt engine you'd be stupid not to
Author:  sik 510 [ Wed Jul 03, 2013 6:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
That black 1600 looks familiar. Was it you I was chatting to at the safeway servo about a week or two ago?
Author:  Hatchman [ Thu Jul 04, 2013 8:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
sik 510 wrote:
That black 1600 looks familiar. Was it you I was chatting to at the safeway servo about a week or two ago?
It would have been my dad as that is his daily driver, he's keeping that one going while we rebuild the blue one.

After the blue one is done we're not sure what to do with the black one. Might wreck it for the parts we don't need or fix it up as well. It's got an L18 in it (still runs well but its pretty old and tired now and needs a rebuild), lowered suspension and we have a 5 speed box and a few other bits lying around to fix it up as well. Problem with the black one is the rust, it's utterly riddled with it and fixing that up is going to be a massive and costly job. We've talked about rebuilding an EH or HR Holden once this project is completed as well, if we find a really good shell for one of those then that's probably what we'll end up doing, rusty cars just cost too much money to repair if you're not skilled in doing it yourself.
Author:  Hatchman [ Mon Jul 29, 2013 10:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
Couple of minor updates, no pictures this time sorry

A bunch of stuff has been sent off for chrome plating, we were going to do the grill but have decided against it but all the other stuff and a few engine bay parts will get done. Can't decide on the rocker cover paint yet, may go with the black crackle finish, just glad I snagged myself one that has "Datsun 1600" on it as opposed to "Nissan OHC" :)

Engine work has now been assessed and with extractors it's looking to be around the $6K mark. It's a bit but a lot is getting done including a 76 degree cam and a high-volume sump plus new pistons, valves, etc....

Last thing I need to source is an electronic dizzy. I know I could go with a Bluebird Series 2 one or I could get a brand new one made. I'm leaning towards the latter purely because if we're spending that much getting the motor built we should probably get a new dizzy.

Does anyone have any recommendations on this for me? I was told Performance Ignitions in Nunawading are good but I like to have options. Any one I get needs to be curved for the cam of course...

Got my heart set on these for the wheels too

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Just need to work out a quote to get them shipped from the US, can't for the life of me find them in Australia.
Author:  Hatchman [ Tue Aug 20, 2013 10:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
Still no luck on the damn wheels. I really want 4 spoke and I want those Libres in grey but the best size I can find is 13" and I want 15's :x Out of everything so far this is proving to be the hardest to find!

In other news the engine bay has been bogged and is being prepped for a bit of backyard spraying

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And I've also dropped the dizzy off at Performance Ignitions in Nunawading to get it rebuilt and recurved to suit the 76 cam, compression ratio and carburation
Author:  Hatchman [ Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
Picked up the reconditioned now mechanical dizzy yesterday. Matter of fact the place rang me a few hours after I had dropped it off and said it was ready! Impressive service

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So this morning I dropped it off at the engine builders, and while there I noticed this tray of bits from the engines I dropped off.

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The rocker cover that came from the Bluebird engine has "Datsun OHC" stamped on it, the frankenturbo had the usual "Nissan OHC" stamped on it and I have a "Datsun 1600 OHC" one getting buffed up at the chromers :)

The sump is tagged as it's going to be modified to support a higher volume than the stocker.

Chroming isn't going to be cheap either, a grand total of $1500 but all the bits will look good in the end.
Author:  Hatchman [ Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
Lastly the black 15x7 VTO wheels look to be the go as I've given up hope finding grey ones in the size I want.

I'm going to with with 12mm positive offset just to make sure I don't have issues with the calipers too, 14" wheels won't fit over them.
Author:  Hatchman [ Thu Aug 29, 2013 4:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
Dad has finished the engine bay painting now and it looks really good. We've gone against earlier thoughts of doing it in black and instead have gone for a dark grey look as that is what the interior will be like.

It's come up really well and the coarse finish of the paint is definitely going to make this a bit unique

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Author:  Hatchman [ Thu Aug 29, 2013 4:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
VTO Libre wheels have been ordered from BRE in the states as well. I've gone with 15x6 with a 24mm offset as anything lower won't clear the calipers.

Not sure when they'll arrive yet but I'm not in any rush at the moment
Author:  Hatchman [ Thu Sep 05, 2013 9:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
Bloody unbelievable, the wheels arrived yesterday from the states and they look fantastic. Will post up pictures in due course.

Would definitely recommend dealing with BRE in the states, fast and efficient service
Author:  old-tin [ Thu Sep 05, 2013 10:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
there mad looking wheels i was and still am thinking about geting some
Author:  Hatchman [ Fri Sep 06, 2013 5:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
Pictures of the wheels as they arrived, very stoked with them they look fantastic

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Author:  hailest [ Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
looking good!
Author:  Hatchman [ Sun Sep 15, 2013 9:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hatchmans 1600 Build
Dad picked up all the stuff from the chrome platers and its all come up pretty well. We got a lot of stuff done as you can see, rain gutter grill, bonnet hinges, door strips, headlight surrounds etc...

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We'll send more off in due course (rear vents for one thing, a few badges) but we're holding off on the grill. Want to see how it will look on the finished product black first.

Also got the L16 rocker cover buffed up as we want to use it on the L20B. We'll most likely cover it in that crackle paint that a few of you guys have done as it looks cool.

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And as luck would have it I managed to track down a guy in WA who is a wholesale distributor for this stuff

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He put me onto a sales rep in Victoria and I rang him just as he was on his way to Bays Auto Paints in Mornington to do an order for it - right round the corner from my place, 6 cans are now allotted to me :D

It's bloody hard to get nowadays and no one in the USA will ship it to Australia either. It comes up looking like this

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GM used it a lot in the late 60's and early 70's to coat the boot/trunks of the Camaro/Chevelle etc... and we're going to use it on the engine bay and boot as we're not happy with the grey color anymore

Few more pics....

Dash is out

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Floor has no rust thankfully, note the two holes up the top near the B pillar. Thats where the roll cage was bolted to, we'll plug those holes up.

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Minor repair on the rear

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Did I mention that it does have electric windows in the front? They're staying I like them :)

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We've also uncovered a bit more rust around the boot, driver rear quarter and a couple of other places. Nothing major though, a bit of wire wheeling, some killrust and bog should be all that's needed as we've got some paint left which will get a local guy to patch up the repairs for

Interior trim will be getting done in a few weeks too and I've gotta call the engine builder. I've got to travel to India to work next week for a few weeks so my phone will be off and he may get the L20B finished!
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