Datsun Violet 160J historic safari rally car build
Discussion
Not a common car at all in the UK now, but in its day a very successful rally car, winning the African Safari Rally consecutive years from 1979 to 1982.
Adding to the "its not an escort" theme which seems to be gaining pace, this car is being built to compete in Uk msa events and, as long as budget allows, the 2015 East African Safari event!
First off, the starting point!
About as good a violet as you are likely to find on a sensible budget in the uk!
Time to strip it down and introduce it to the blaster!
a few sore looking areas exposed:
Blasted and zinc phosphate primed to prevent any rust starting during the rebuild, its time to move into the fabrication bay for some repair work!
Adding to the "its not an escort" theme which seems to be gaining pace, this car is being built to compete in Uk msa events and, as long as budget allows, the 2015 East African Safari event!
First off, the starting point!
About as good a violet as you are likely to find on a sensible budget in the uk!
Time to strip it down and introduce it to the blaster!
a few sore looking areas exposed:
Blasted and zinc phosphate primed to prevent any rust starting during the rebuild, its time to move into the fabrication bay for some repair work!
On to the metal repair. Most of this was as expected, but the sills were a lot worse internally than they appeared, and they are a pretty complex structure on these cars! Also of note, is that all repair sections were fabricated, as none are really available any more!
Ignoring the sill itself for a moment, the rear sill to wheelarch area, not a five min job!
Under the outer sill:
close up:
remove the area:
fabricate new metal:
weld it in:
and the middle section:
then rebuild the next bit:
finally the outer bit:
you'd never know!
A look at the bottom of the front strut towers on the inner wings!
its a bit like time team working out what shape these bits should be!
not too bad a likeness though......
and welded in:
to be continued!
Ignoring the sill itself for a moment, the rear sill to wheelarch area, not a five min job!
Under the outer sill:
close up:
remove the area:
fabricate new metal:
weld it in:
and the middle section:
then rebuild the next bit:
finally the outer bit:
you'd never know!
A look at the bottom of the front strut towers on the inner wings!
its a bit like time team working out what shape these bits should be!
not too bad a likeness though......
and welded in:
to be continued!
wow where did you find one of them?
good luck with the resto.
I had a brown one like that in around 1987 and it was quite good on gravel roads / forest tracks, bit it was rotten and we were just trashing it before the mot ran out and it went off to the scap yard due to severe rust at less than 10 years old = scrap.
good luck with the resto.
I had a brown one like that in around 1987 and it was quite good on gravel roads / forest tracks, bit it was rotten and we were just trashing it before the mot ran out and it went off to the scap yard due to severe rust at less than 10 years old = scrap.
Almost seems a shame to do all this and then pummell it down gravel stages and on an event where bodyshells are generally scrapped afterwards, BUT, as the saying goes, if a job's worth doing, its worth doing right. Same goes for anything whatever its "worth"
Inner sill structure was generally rather poorly:
so a new section was fabricated, a bit fiddly, but it came out quite nice!
Driver's footwell wasn't too clever, so chopped it out
made a new bit:
and welded it in:
the circles are marking pinholes in a couple of welds that are to be welded up
Inner sill structure was generally rather poorly:
so a new section was fabricated, a bit fiddly, but it came out quite nice!
Driver's footwell wasn't too clever, so chopped it out
made a new bit:
and welded it in:
the circles are marking pinholes in a couple of welds that are to be welded up
rallycross said:
wow where did you find one of them?
good luck with the resto.
I had a brown one like that in around 1987 and it was quite good on gravel roads / forest tracks, bit it was rotten and we were just trashing it before the mot ran out and it went off to the scap yard due to severe rust at less than 10 years old = scrap.
The owner had 7!!good luck with the resto.
I had a brown one like that in around 1987 and it was quite good on gravel roads / forest tracks, bit it was rotten and we were just trashing it before the mot ran out and it went off to the scap yard due to severe rust at less than 10 years old = scrap.
he fetched 2 ex works cars back from africa earlier this year, but they were only fit for cutting up for a few parts and the odd spare panel.
He had another reasonable one thats been chopped up to yield a spare roofskin, inner wings and some chassis rail sections that we can use as patterns to make spare rails for when (not if!) it gets bent!
the one being built is the best of the bunch
Rusty A-post bottom
outer sill done and a post all fixed, looking much nicer now!
onto the boot area:
This had to be modified a lot, as it was very rotten, and needed a large dropped well to accomodate a 120L long range fuel cell!
old rotten outer boot floor section:
cut it out and make a new one:
welded in
big hole!!
part filled hole
all done!
room in there for the 120l cell, gel battery, lift and main fuel pumps plus spares, and a spare wheel on top of the tank too (2 more spare wheels carried in the car)
outer sill done and a post all fixed, looking much nicer now!
onto the boot area:
This had to be modified a lot, as it was very rotten, and needed a large dropped well to accomodate a 120L long range fuel cell!
old rotten outer boot floor section:
cut it out and make a new one:
welded in
big hole!!
part filled hole
all done!
room in there for the 120l cell, gel battery, lift and main fuel pumps plus spares, and a spare wheel on top of the tank too (2 more spare wheels carried in the car)
Sleepers said:
Great work!
Fond memories as I too used to have a Datsun Violet 160J with the dog leg gearbox, twin carb etc...
Cheers
Blimey! you're in a pretty select few there! Have you got any pics? Would love to see some, I've actually only ever seen rally cars. The owner of this one had an ex works european rally car a few years back which has yielded all the details for getting this one built correctly. Fond memories as I too used to have a Datsun Violet 160J with the dog leg gearbox, twin carb etc...
Cheers
Will get some more progress pics up in a bit.
retropower said:
velocemitch said:
Superb work and a very interesting project, it will be nice to see some variety on the Historic Stage events next year.
Yep, should be good! All being well we should be building a Fiat 131 Abarth Historic Car too soon, fingers crossed!http://www.racrallychamp.org/News.htm#Fiat 131 Abarths set for 2014 R.A.C Rally Championship
I've seen a few hints etc about Fiat 131 builds, it's supposed to be Historic Rallying's worst kept secret, but it got by me until a few days back.
Different one. We're in talks with a customer that we fairly recently built a subaru for, regarding Ascona 400's and the Fiat.
Problem with the Fiat is engine parts, the 16v heads are silly money used, and the new castings are the same money but new, I think around £5k for a bare casting
Problem with the Fiat is engine parts, the 16v heads are silly money used, and the new castings are the same money but new, I think around £5k for a bare casting
It doesn't "have" to be, that's the option that we are likely to be going for (later fiat head much the same as 'grale one) but I would imagine that on international events it wouldn't pass scrutineering. The current plan is to go for the correct bottom end, dry sump etc etc but the later head, then try and pick up a complete "proper" engine while using the car in msa events. I say all this, hasten to add this is not my money but a customer of ours! I wish it was mine!
I'm looking forward to this as I now do most of our engine work in-house due to regular disappointment with outside suppliers (the same can be said about pretty much every other in-house job like the blasting etc!)
I'm looking forward to this as I now do most of our engine work in-house due to regular disappointment with outside suppliers (the same can be said about pretty much every other in-house job like the blasting etc!)
Ah OK, thanks for clarifying, I can imagine keeping it all in house just smooths out/speeds the work flow too, all good for the customer!
And as someone who's sat in something other than an Escort (Works Sunbeam) reading notes - keep the updates coming, not only on the Violet but any of your "other" projects!
And as someone who's sat in something other than an Escort (Works Sunbeam) reading notes - keep the updates coming, not only on the Violet but any of your "other" projects!
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