G'day Jay Quirk here, how are we all?

Well, I've been on OZDAT's forum for a little while now, and decided that since the option is here, I'd best make use of it and start a thread about my 1600. So here goes. I'll dribble about my self first then the car. Sorry.

My love for 1600's was most likely born when I was only 4 or 5, my uncle had a reasonably cranky, bright orange 1600 rally car, which I could often be found in the left seat of on "practice" days at the local reserves or pine forests.

From here I took my first real stab at left seating in another 1600 when I was 15 as co-driver for a very talented bloke called Louie Doon, in what, I have no reservations in saying, was probably the quickest 1600 in NSW rallying and perhaps the country (probably had a lot to do with the driver). We competed in regional, and interstate events with a lot of success, winning a couple of championships, and beating a lot of newer and supposedly quicker equipment (WRX's and Evos included).

Amidst all this, I bought my own 1600 when I turned 16. It wasn't much to start with, and it wasn't real quick in comparison to the 1600's I was used to, but it was mine. It did how ever, mainly due to mechanical failures, end up with some neat gear in it, mostly hand me downs from mates rally cars. So by the time I was on my P's it had an L18 (borrowed from a SSS 180b), racing clutch, R180 and a few other bits n pieces, and due to my need for attention, and the cars "charm" my little 1600 (nick named Dilbert by a close friend) became a bit of a celebrity in the school grounds, at paddock parties and through the streets and back roads of Wagga.

Unfortunately being young and easily distracted (especially by young women) my old mate found it self in a state beyond my ability to repair and it went to a good home where I think it was used to as a donor to another 1600.

After a few years, with Louie deciding to retire from motorsport, and myself finishing school and starting a career, I too drifted away from rallying, and my beloved 1600's. But I always said I'd have another one day.......

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Daily: 2006 Kenworth K104, Cummins Signature 620
When I'm Home: 2006 Holden SS Thunder Ute
Under Construction: 1971 Datsun 1600

10 years later........

I bought this car in August last year, after many months of looking around, thinking, thinking again, ringing up only to be told that a particular 1600 had been sold only 2 hours ago (for less than I was willing to offer mind you).... So one can imagine the smile on my face when I rang the owner of this car and managed to actually "look at" (a friend did this as I'm in Wagga and the car was in Adelaide), negotiate, and buy it.

Once the cash was all exchanged, I organized a few days off and me, my darling girlfriend, my dads Landrover Discovery and a car trailer headed to Adelaide where my the 1600 was waiting in my mates garage. After a long day on the road we arrived in town at about 11pm, the miss us was straight to bed and I was straight to the 1600.... It took all my strength to refrain from taking off into the Adelaide hills for a blast....

We loaded the car in the morning and set off home... This was a story in it self.... Which I won't go into.... We arrived home and I spent the next two days, visiting anyone I could think of just to show off my new pride and joy.....

The car itself.....

1971 Datsun 1600
CA18DE (and before anyone starts, not I won't be receiving a turbo)
5speed
R180 (I'm told it was from a 240K so I'm guessing a 3.7 or 3.9open)
Extractors
Sigma Turbo rims...

Well. That was when I bought it any way....

_________________
Daily: 2006 Kenworth K104, Cummins Signature 620
When I'm Home: 2006 Holden SS Thunder Ute
Under Construction: 1971 Datsun 1600

Ok I'm back now....

So, what I've done so far with the car.....

My first job with the car was to rectify the steering issues, as it was a fair handful, and unpredictable to say the least. The culprit, as it turned out, was the ball joint in the drag link which had been beaten to a pulp by someone who obviously didn't realise there's a tool for removing them, so that came out and a new 555 brand drag link installed..... It had begun..... From here I decided, wether it was or wasn't, all of the steering joints and other components were buggered and they all needed replacing....

Then, I spent a few weeks umming and ahhhing about brakes.... What I wanted, what. Realistically needed, what I could afford..... I eventually decided, since I'm not going to be jamming a heap of boost, or phenomenal horse power into it, that the commodore/verada set up was sufficient. I then discovered I could get this set up, but all new or reconditioned bits, from one of our fine datsun performance "shops". So they were ordered, and I set about finding a decent pair of 180B struts, luckily a mate of mine has trouble parting with datsun bits he's not using, and I found a good pair buried in his stash.

The struts were cleaned up, converted to 65mm coil overs, added height adjustment, adjustable Koni yellows, 175lb/in king springs, adjustable camber strut tops, and spring tops with thrust bearings. A days work and I had my front struts and brakes sorted.

While all this was happening, I decided that I needed a better ratio diff. After a bit of searching I found, on OZDAT, a 4.625:1 Locked R180. SOLD.

Now I have a semi assembled 1600 in my garage, well it's actually in the girlfriends parking spot, luckily she "understands" lol. At the moment I have on it's way from Baz and Trace, an R31 rear brake conversion... And in my spare room, a shiny new Sparco Evo seat and Sabelt harness, which (if any one is looking to buy this kind of thing) I got from Demon Tweeks in the UK for half what I would have paid in Australia..... These will be installed in the next week or two, time permitting.

Other wise, plans are..... (not in any particular order)

- new springs, adjustable shocks and possibly height adjustment for the rear
- bias valve, hydraulic handbrake, new booster and 1" master cylinder
- eventually seam weld, integrated weld in cage, seat and harness for the left side, and fresh paint
- re-plum the fuel system, as it looks a bit rough and slapped together

Once I'm happy with all of that sort of thing, I might chase a bit more performance from the CA, without getting too carried away.

All in all, I'm just looking to put together a nice, neat, reasonably quick club level khanacross/motorkhana/rally car, with out sending my self broke with bits that I don't really need. Eg $6000 worth of suspension..... Any way, thanks for reading if you made it this far.

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Daily: 2006 Kenworth K104, Cummins Signature 620
When I'm Home: 2006 Holden SS Thunder Ute
Under Construction: 1971 Datsun 1600

Sounds fantastic mate.
Thanks for taking the time to do such an in depth write up.

Unfortunately we will need some pics though


Cheers

Jonno

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toys:

71' datsun 1600 - the project


90' 180sx - bit of sh*t skid machine. one day sr20det donor for the 1600.

Haha yeh I'm gettin to it. I'm writing this in between driving, loading and unloading a bdouble etc.

_________________
Daily: 2006 Kenworth K104, Cummins Signature 620
When I'm Home: 2006 Holden SS Thunder Ute
Under Construction: 1971 Datsun 1600