July 16, 2020
#396
Gentle reader,
I have been a car guy all my life. I'm 63 now and still play with Hot Wheels. My wife and I, like many influenced by YouTube videos of like-minded adults who have built extensively detailed downhill race courses, are in the process of designing and building our own course. The best of said channels is this one:
(20) 3Dbotmaker - YouTube Start with your viewing with races from 2020, they had two new courses and had perfected their commentating by then.
Before I get started, some months ago I went through all hundreds of articles I have written since this adventure began and created a web page for each category.
Clicking on that will show you a list of links starting with the earliest at the top.
I was a trained auto mechanic long ago. I attended two years of auto mechanic training through the city school system. I started working at 16 at a Mobil station and the owner helped me to get started in the field.
Later, upon graduating from high school, we moved east and I have been here since, for forty six years. I was working at a Chevrolet dealer in the late 1970's when Dad got a job in Washington, D.C. Our parents did not want to move up there until they were sure he would like the job.
Image courtesy of Hemmings.com.
So, he needed a small economical car to commute to and from D.C. on the weekends. On the lot, we had a really nice 1972 Datsun 510 two-door with a manual transmission. Dad bought it. When it was the weekend, I often borrowed it to drive along a two-lane road that meandered along the James River. That car was a blast to drive and I STILL want one.
Someone in the Diecast Collector's Facebook group had posted photos of an M2 brand 1:24th scale diecast car KIT of a 1970 Datsun 510. Since I had sold all of my plastic models I figured I would get around to once I retired, one of which was a Datsun 510, I jumped at the opportunity and bought one via eBay.
When it arrived, I was pleased with the quality and detail, but disappointed with the fact that the windows were blacked out and that it had no interior. Only the hood opened. But, I built it nonetheless.
It should be easy for anyone to construct. A bit tricky to wrangle the tires onto the wheels do the the latter's shape. And pressing the axle into the wheels required a bit of pressure too. Engine is pre-assembled and one screw holds it in place. The instructions show installing an interior, but as stated, in this form, there is none. Getting the chassis into the body takes a little patience, but four screws tighten them together.
It should be easy for anyone to construct. A bit tricky to wrangle the tires onto the wheels do the the latter's shape. And pressing the axle into the wheels required a bit of pressure too. Engine is pre-assembled and one screw holds it in place. The instructions show installing an interior, but as stated, in this form, there is none. Getting the chassis into the body takes a little patience, but four screws tighten them together.
I went back on eBay and found a factory built 510 which was the same color of the one Dad had. It was modernized with a much later model turbocharged engine, full roll cage, lowered suspension, aluminum wheels and more. It was HALF the cost of the kit. The hood, doors and trunk also opened.
Perhaps elsewhere in the world which had less stringent emission laws, the cars came with twin carbs.
Above is a 510 which has been modified similar to the model on the right. QUITE a different scene from stock.
That is a HUGE turbocharger! I am enjoying my forth turbo powered car and they have much smaller turbos.
That engine was built for racing but large turbochargers mean "turbo lag". When I hit the accelerator pedal in my car, there is no hesitation, it leaps forward, the front tires.
This is a photo of my 1:18th scale 1967 Chevrolet Impala SS. Note that it has correctly scaled hinges with springs that look and work exactly like the real things. Granted, this model is larger and cost WAY more than M2 1:24th scale models do.
Same Impala model with properly proportioned trunk opening and a spare tire.
You can see the roll cage through the back window.
Racing type seats in the car as would be expected in a highly modified car.
The tubes of the roll cage are flat on the inside, rather than round as in real life.
An odd way to paint the steering wheel. As if the spokes are wooden rather than metal.
Clearly, the one on the right has been lowered.
Looks like I need to further tighten the left rear screw on the kit as it is listing to the right.
At the time my Dad bought the 510, I had a 1967 Impala SS convertible almost identical to this one. Only my car's interior was black. The 1967 Chevy bodies are longer than the 1964 cars were.
These photos are to give you an idea of the huge difference in size of the sub-compact Datsun compared to full-size Chevrolet.
Were I to get into and drive most of the cars I once owned, I would be sorely disappointed. Mushy suspension, drum brakes, and more. But that's what all American cars had in the "olden days".
The 510 model was created to compete (on the track) with BMW's 1600 series sedans. Later which were called 2002 when their engines were enlarge from 1600cc to 2000.
As a result, they had four wheel independent suspension, an overhead cam engine and much more to make them competitive on the track and in the showroom.
I actually prefer to watch vintage racing that modern stuff. There are many series around the world which feature cars from the past. Below are some photos of Datsun 510 cars made into racers.
The wheels above are similar to the model's.
I wonder if "BS" stands for bone stock? I kind of doubt it.
Thank you SO much for taking the time to read my humble blog. Please take a moment and click FOLLOW which can be found at the bottom of the article's dates.
Also feel free to leave a comment below or on Facebook.
Scott
July 16, 2020
#396
