Brian Broughten's Journal

Purchased Summer 2016.
Front end damaged both fenders and hood both doors. Found 6 pages of receipts in glovebox, car was completly restored in 1999 by Quality Coaches and only driven 7K miles since rebuild. Rubber items are 20 years old but appear in great condition Im replacing all rubber due to age despite appearance. I have no doubt this car sat in a heated garage (Brian Johnson Eden Prairie). The engine has 70-75psi on cold startup and runs strong, all wiring appears correct to my layman eye. Very excited to re-rebuild this car.

Sept. 2016
Start parts buying binge. Secure new Petronix electronic distributor and coil combo, aluminum radiator (slightly bent from accident)
aluminum oil cooler and new rubber lines. Scrouge a bone yard hood and one good door from local junkyard, secure a second clean door on way back from Chicago and an extra windscreen. That should be enough to get rolling

Oct.2016
After frantically searching for a correct Datsun 5 spd and phoning the weird guy from CL up North who hordes and collects Range Rovers including crank diesels from across the pond (apocolype could happen any day now)
He wont return my calls anymore and I whine about here in the forum and magically Dick Moritz speaks up turns out he has an OEM 6spd tranny freshly rebuilt he is willing to sell to me! So much awesome, forever indebted to Dick for his knowledge and help! Love the idea of a factory correct build, was reluctant to go to the Datsun but you have to have at least 5 gears in an MG if you want it to last and 6 is even better!

Nov2016
Secure some new Goodyears from Walmart on sale after date coding the tires and discovery they are original from 1999, nobody will touch a tire this old and I hardly blame them. By now Ive finally done a bunch of work, I have 1/2 the car torn down, removed radiator & oil cooler and discard both were too old and bent to reuse. Did this knowing the would both be replaced right after tranny swap. I unbolted most of both front fender neglecting to realize the windshield need to come off because supports go thru the top of the front fenders. These last few bolts look impossible and despite what the critics say I think unbolting the dash is the way to go on this, leave for bodyshop :-). Decide Im not crazy about doing the tranny swap because Im horribly short on tools these days, and Keith is in need of work, perfect storm. Drive over to Complete Auto in Brooklyn Park MN.

12-3-2016
Swap is almost complete. Monza muffler system incl header all fits poorly at best, decide to scrap and go back to factory stock for perfect fit too many other things to do to worry about muffler right now. Keith completes tranny swap today we figured out the clutch bushing is different (square) on OD tranny so I had one overnighted along with a shiny Tourist Trophy single port muffler. I decide Keith is the perfect guy to transition the shiny aluminum muffler to the original stock unit along with a resonator delete because HE HAS MY OLD BELOVED MILLER WELDER. Almost ready for a test drive. Order and install 2 brand new batteries from Interstate. This car is nearly brand new in every regard at this point. Installed new Heavy Duty clutch plate during swap, old clutch only had 7K and lots of meat on the plate but it was from 1rst rebuild in 1999, so better safe than sorry.

spring 2011
Fuel system rebuilt from gas tank forward all new lines etc. Carbs rebuilt by Hap Waldrop from Acme speedshop installed and tuned at Quality coaches Mpls (maybe a little too lean came real rich from Hap). New lever shocks all around from Worldwide. Basically the only things left to replace are A frames (not too bad) and rear leaf springs are pretty rusty. Interior could stand some work but isn't horrible.

Been busy, pulled the 1275 and spent two days removing the 5 sp 210 tranny with Rivergate conversion, 4 bolts were time welded or lock tightened in tried everything 4X then ended up drilling them out FINALLY got it apart. Ordered all new clutch stuff from Rivergate because my pressure plate was 75% worn out and I never want to do this again. Degreased, proground all visable rust out of engine compartment, wheel wheels, and undercarriage prepped and undercoated all of it. Ran new fuel line, installed new SU fuel pump, and new gas tank. Deleted the screen inside gas tank. Have all prepped for reinstallation waiting on clutch parts.
Checked brakes, cleaned and put back togather. Tore out center console only to find a modern day radio is way too big to fit. Spent at least a day or two pulling parts off the swap motor and reinstalling on the rebuilt.

9-27-2010
Mounted the rebuilt shocks from Worldwide, changed factory bolts in rears to 10mm x 1.50 grade 8 hexhead (much easier to remove in the future). Discovered my muffler is crap, order a Monza. Need to evaluate the straight pipe path- very close to gas tank?

Mounted minilights, they look great. Next is rebuilt motor (complete) ready to install, along with fuel delivery starting from gas tank ( tank renew in shakopee) all the way to carbs, and new SU fuel pump. Considering the extra backup fuel pump on switch depending on time.

Purchased 8-1-2010 believed to be a 70 (GAN5) with RWA.
8-22-2010 added VTO Minilites and new Kumho tires 155/80/R13
8-24-2010 Replaced fuel filter and failsafe thermostat (160 F)
*Fuel delivery problems suspect due to aftermarket fuel pump from Ann Arbor
8-25-2010 Still sputtering, either fuel delivery or carb issue
8-26-2010 Purchase 1275 long block/head/A frames/FREE gas tank
8-26-2010 STill sputtering
8-27-2010 No sputtering on demo drive with Mike P (nothing changed)
*Decide a fuel regulator a good idea to guarantee 2-3 PSI all the time but
car runs for now.