I was down recently for the annual prize giving and while there I spent some time doing work on my Datti which is awkward and impractical to do during the season, or so I believe anyway. As such I stripped some cracking interior floor paint work, cleaned up the floor surfaces, primed them, resprayed them, and made it all look pretty again for the new season. While there I also redid the under carriage, the rear axle, the leaf springs, the brake backing plates etc. I also removed the grill, patched it up as best as possible, masked it up and resprayed that making it look all new again. The boot area was stripped as best as I could without removing the fuel tank and the entire interior of the boot was resprayed and neatened up. Finally a new set of slicks and rims were fitted to don the new season with. Admittedly its all mostly cosmetic stuff but all adds up at the end of the day and after all that is what part of the whole historic scene is about - the devotion to our cars.
Of course while that was being done, elsewhere more serious attempts were in progress on the much loved old BRE Datsun SSS a once time class A contender in 4-door trim. Well after much research having been done during the season and the eventual acquiring of decent photographs of the original 1970 BRE Datsun the decision was made to build a replica. Yip, a replica which meant that the 4-door would have to be converted to a proper 2-door of which they were only ever originally found in the USA during the early 1970's. (The 2-door body is completely different to the 2-door Coupe body.) An entire rusted coupe body was eventually found of which only the center door posts and doors themselves were removed and kept. (The 2-door doors are longer than the 4-door front doors.)
Almost a month of solid day and late night work eventually saw the transformation of the old 4-door now standing in 2-door rivalry. A full exterior respray was done in the original BRE colours and the entire interior was also later taken from previously being all white to complete black. As per the original 72 BRE Datsun so too does this one now sport widened front and rear fenders. Not to neglect the under bonnet area the motor was removed whereupon the full area was resprayed to match the interior of the car. While out, the motor received some TLC after the last damages incurred after its last outing being the All Tar rally we did in September. That now completed the engine was once again fitted into its new freshly resprayed compartment tucked away all neat and tidy. Although the original BRE set of rims was not obtainable, it now sports a set of 13" Minilites instead of the 15" it previously sported when in 4-door livery which further meant a change in diff and gearbox ratios just out of interest. The replica BRE was soon afterward fully sign written with new decals and is now virtually ready to race.
In the last remaining working days of December the 140Z was also recovered from the pit garage at the track and brought back to the workshop as it too needed some work done. A dry sump gasket was replaced among one or two other serviceable items to ensure safety and compliance. It will now probably have the engine removed and opened up and where necessary refreshed for the February event. Unfortunately time is catching up and soon the workshop will be closed until the new year whereupon the final race prep will be done. In the meantime we also still patiently wait for some specialized parts to be made and finished up in JHB for the Datti and hopefully we will receive such in early January in anticipation for the new 2012 championship season ahead.
This is in dedication to a man hell bent on racing and always ensuring that tomorrow can't wait. There's never any time like now and just when the opposition thought they knew your game plan he was yet again one step ahead. Thanks as always 'boet' for the hard work and dedication made throughout this season and the much already completed work for the new season. It's now time we open our presents from our selves to our selves and hopefully get a little ho ho ho on the side as well.
Merry Xmas 'Boet'
