Doug's automotive

General Discussion about the Datsun PL510
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MikeY
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Doug's automotive

Post by MikeY »

This picture was sent to me today. My new neighbor is from New Westminster and was around in this time period and knew Doug. This might even be before Keith's time. A cool shot and advert none the less
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bertvorgon
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by bertvorgon »

Yes, this is in 1965, Doug was the second dealer to pick up the Datsun brand to the best of my knowledge. I bought my first wagon in 1969, from Valley Datsun in Langley, which is now YONKER NISSAN. I think Valley was the first or third to become Datsun dealers in the lower mainland.
I went in there one day after I had lost my job at Delta Cedar and had to cancel my 1970 Roadrunner I had ordered. I had the prospect of the company that ultimately gave me a career for 48 years, the first Precious Metals Refining company on the West Coast. Then, in the early fall of September, 1969 I bought my first Datsun...and the rest they say....is history.

I did not start to go out to Westwood until I purchased my 1972 Wagon from Andy Field at Brasso Datsun in Vancouver, he really was the one that introduced me to racing as he was running a B-sedan 510.
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bill of sale 1969_557x768.jpg
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"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
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icehouse
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by icehouse »

Wait.. So Keith did you and your wife both have wagon's? Or did you trade in the 69?
"People don't like it when shit doesn't match their rule of thumb." Sam
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bertvorgon
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by bertvorgon »

I literally put on 100,000 miles on my 1969...which my Dad thought was crazy...and as if it was an American car...it would have been past end of life, or so the thinking was of the day...so I traded it in for my 1972 Yellow Wagon. The 69' was running fine. I thought nothing of driving all weekend to explore B.C. so I just pounded on the miles.

My Yellow Wagon did EVERYTHING...road trips, gravel roads, some almost 4 x 4 stuff, then came Solo and a couple of track type days at Westwood, some ice racing, which is the beginning of the Turbo years. I put the original Garret turbo kit on this car and it did not take me long to realize that a wagon was not going to be competitive, so I bought my 72' USED 2 dr 510 and swapped motor's. This then really was the beginning of the racing in earnest. I put 200,000 miles on this car and just plain wore it out and the rust monster was attacking.

My wife bought herself a 1970 Blue automatic 4 dr to go to university and work in. I won a championship in this little car when I ran it in the rain, as the competition was going to protest me for my fiberglass hood. Beat them fair and square!!!!! Ha.

My 72' got wrecked on the Sea to Sky highway in the fall of 1977, which led me to both my 1973 510 purchase and becoming Specialty Engineering's first real race customer, as I built the first permutation of what I have now. I should sit down and do a build thread one day, as I have pictures of when I first started on the car that I have never published.
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Brasso Datsun GT 1972.JPG
Brasso Datsun GT 1972.JPG (155.1 KiB) Viewed 4490 times
1972 WAGON.jpg
1972 WAGON.jpg (146.55 KiB) Viewed 4490 times
1972 wagon, stripes and Spook, I added..JPG
1972 wagon, stripes and Spook, I added..JPG (103.24 KiB) Viewed 4490 times
1972 sedan with turbo installed.JPG
1972 sedan with turbo installed.JPG (132.83 KiB) Viewed 4490 times
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
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icehouse
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by icehouse »

Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
"People don't like it when shit doesn't match their rule of thumb." Sam
2DoorJim
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by 2DoorJim »

Ditto on the above build thread Keith!

I didn’t know Brasso had a dealership in Vancouver, I always presumed he only had the dealership here in Calgary.
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bertvorgon
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by bertvorgon »

Funny, I had no idea they were anywhere else!

Brasso did a GT version of the 510, dealer stuff of course, tach on the dash, the stripes, roadster clutch, aftermarket steering wheel, then you could spec a wheel. The young fellow I bought the car from had done that, then installed the Interpart/BRE spring and shock kit, with sway bars. It did not take me long to realize that the Interpart suspension was NOT going to do the job and this initiated the quest for my ultimate suspension setup.

As you can see in the pictures, roll and squat were horrendous and as I actually learned about spring rate, I found out that the Interpart suspension just used the TAXI springs and repainted them and the shocks were kinda crap. I think I tried every shock made then, Koni's were the worst as they let the car "jack" and pulled a wheel off.

My meeting up with Andy was the blessing, as he really understood that we needed to go much firmer than convention had at the time, at least for 510 stuff on the road.
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Westwood27 1972 (Large).jpg
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Westwood73.jpg
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"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
510rob
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by 510rob »

icehouse wrote: 31 Oct 2018 08:26 Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
Build thread! Build thread! Build thread!!! Build thread!!!!
that's one
2DoorJim wrote: 31 Oct 2018 09:02 Ditto on the above build thread Keith!
that's two
510rob wrote:I think that is a fine idea! Here here!
that's three.

Looks like you have to do a build thread, from the very beginning. Have to include the Engine Air stuff right through the Impco variable restriction valve and the Dick-made wastegate and the sneaky methanol foggers into the round air cleaner base, etc etc etc... I suppose the Ak Miller stuff too!

The Evolution of a Species
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bertvorgon
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by bertvorgon »

Yah, I will sit down maybe over this winter and do that, could be fun.

Ak Miller..now that guy was the God in my eye, as it was he who told me how to do my fuel system after I went to the Weber 32/36. That he took the time and was not condescending to a green horn kid. It was he who got me thinking "out of the box". I had to phone him 3 times and not once did he ever blow me off. Thanks Ak! He passed in 2005. To say I was nervous when I phoned the AK MILLER GARAGE is beyond an understatement...I could hardly talk on the first call.

For any of you younger people out there, Ak Miller was an icon of American hot rodding in California, he even told me he drove his Ford hot rod to Vancouver once back in the early 70's!

I still have that IMPCO TC 2 controller...good idea but not a great idea....

By contrast...and no real disrespect....I phoned TURBO TOM to ask a few questions...and basically was blown off and told my turbo system would not work.... HHMMMM...
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
2DoorJim
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by 2DoorJim »

Keith, you mention impco valve... I tossed one out decades ago.

A month ago I went to a car show and see an all original pinto, draw through turbo and an impco valve. Looked to have a modern t3 turbo (dynamic seal of course). Impco valve for boost control. Total flashback in time.

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bertvorgon
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by bertvorgon »

THAT..is just too cool!

I still have all the springs that came with mine, to change boost. What that thing did was choke off airflow to the motor.

That might have been a Crown Kit and the person added the IMPCO, as Crown never supplied any form of boost control, put the kit on and go blow your motor up. Glad I never went with them.

The other issue the guys ran into here in Vancouver was cold starting with a draw through, something that the California designers never even thought about. The couple of guys I knew personally all used cans of ether to start. But, their engines never did last very long, usually head gaskets in the 510. Only saving grace to a certain extent was the premium fuel was 98 octane at the time. One guy had no sense of the detonation going on and kept it plugged, bye, bye piston top.
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
2DoorJim
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by 2DoorJim »

Keith, do you have one of these? Original Engine Air turbo install manual. Not suggesting you need it Lol!

I've kept this around for 37 years now. Came across it again just a week ago when my wife and I decided to start doing a purge of the basement.

Typed on a typewriter, hand drawn images.

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bertvorgon
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by bertvorgon »

YES...I still have mine, some decals and the original pamphlet from Engine Air.

I also still have all the calculations done on the compressor maps that Dick Garret did for me as I upped the performance envelope of my car.

The 168 housing was just generating too much heat of course and efficiency was stupidly bad. I did stay in touch with Dick after he retired, thanked him many times for all the help he gave me. He of course thought it was just to great that I stuck with his kit and took it beyond what anyone else did.

He used to pop into Specialty on occasion also. If I remember correctly, it was Dick that mentioned this guy in New West that was turbo charging and might have some ideas to help me...well....we know how that turned out!

As we ( I ) have stolen Mike's thread, I will leave it at that to post up pictures and stuff, might as well save it for the whole story.

Do I remember this right...that I sold you my friend Harry's turbo kit? He was the fellow that worked with me and had that Boss 302 Mustang that the pilot had owned, that John Hall modded to Trans Am specs, to drive on the highway between Edmonton and Vancouver.
Last edited by bertvorgon on 31 Oct 2018 19:30, edited 1 time in total.
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
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icehouse
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by icehouse »

So cool!!! Weird to think there was a before fuel injection. Or that someone had the idea to put a "shoe box" on top of a carb and jam air into it. I had fun with Dave's first turbo car messing with that setup. So glad I go to visit the era!! Now I go to my bro's work and ride in the newest fastest Tesla's to visit the future :)
"People don't like it when shit doesn't match their rule of thumb." Sam
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bertvorgon
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Re: Doug's automotive

Post by bertvorgon »

As I always say...long gone are the days of Bubba, a six pack of beer, and a screw driver to tune the car....

Fuel what?????
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
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