1969 Datsun 1600 Roadster (SPL311)

1969 Datsun 1600 Roadster

For sale is this 1969 Datsun 1600. Also known as the SPL311. A 1.6 liter 4 cylinder motor paired with a 4 speed manual transmission.
I purchased this car about 2 years ago. I drove it for a few months then put it up on jack stands and fed it money for a year and a half. What you see here is the result of that effort.
Body

• The car is a Nevada car so there is no rust on the frame. I purchased the car from Sin City Datsun and they painted the car prior to shipping it to me so it is very recently painted. But they didn’t exactly do the world’s greatest job and I would rate the paint on this about a 6.5 or 7 on a scale of 1-10.

• Chrome is in good shape with only the slightest bit of pitting and discoloration

• Top on the car is decent but could stand to be replaced. I have a brand new canvas top and tonneau cover for this but have not installed it yet. The top, tonneau and assorted new plastic top parts come with the car.

Wheels/Tires/Brakes/Suspension

• Brand new Yokohama 15” performance tires
• Brand new GC360 15” rims
• New upper and lower ball joints
• New inner and outer tie rods
• New wheel bearings
• New control arm bushings
• New front and rear shocks
• New front and rear brakes
• New competition coil springs
• Nissan 300ZX disc brake conversion
• New master cylinder
• New rear wheel cylinders
• New stainless brake lines

Engine/Transmission/Exhaust

• New water pump
• New Champion 3 row performance radiator
• New Weber side draft carburetors
• New high output alternator
• New electric fan
• New fuel pump regulator
• New electric fuel pump
• New clutch master cylinder
• New clutch slave cylinder
• New exhaust from the header back
• New motor mounts
• New transmission mount
• New head gasket
• New main seals
• New transmission seals
• New clutch
• New electronic distributor
• New plugs, wires, rotor
• New battery

Interior

• New carpet
• New seats
• New dash
• New console
• New quick release steering wheel
• New knobs and switches
• New roll bar
• New door panels
• New RetroSound stereo with blue tooth, aux output and USB output
• New Pioneer subwoofer
• New Alpine amp
• New Polk speakers
• New 4 point seat belts
• New heater core, heater valve and blower motor.

Now for some additional details:

• Between the low profile tires, oversize sway bar, gas shocks, and competition springs this car rides stiff. Frankly, it rides like a buck board log wagon. But throw this thing into a corner and you realize where all that time and money went. It goes into a corner flat as can be and holds a line quite well. A whisper of understeer but when the rear does break loose it does it in a very predictable manner. It invites you to do dumb things in the corners. I usually do so with a dopey grin on my face.

• The astute observer will notice that the trunk latch is missing. The key broke off and I had to drill out the cylinder. I have a new lock to go with the sale.

• The car would pop a fuse every time I turned on the headlights. Upon examining the headlight switch it was cracked and shot. I have a new headlight switch that will go with the sale.

• I put new gas pedal and brake pedal rubbers on this. Then my shoe wouldn’t fit between the brake pedal and the transmission tunnel and would get stuck on the gas pedal. So I removed the pedal rubbers. If you want to put them back on be prepared to drive barefoot or with narrow shoes. Trust me, it’s terrifying when your foot gets stuck in there.

• With the heater and blower motor behind the radio console there is no room for the eleventy five hundred wires that go to that stereo. So I started re-wiring the radio and haven’t finished yet. I’ve come to the conclusion that you can either keep the heater blower in and have heat but the wires to the stereo will be exposed in the passenger footwell or you can take the blower motor out, hide the wires nicely but be cold on chilly Fall nights. Your call on that but it seems a shame to not hook up a brand new blasting stereo.

• At idle the car sounds like a V-8 engine. A Flowmaster muffler and monza resonator will do that. And the sound. Oh my the sound. The burble of the back pressure when coming out of the throttle is like music.

• Will you get wet if you drive in the rain? Yeah, probably. Will you get home alive if you drive this in the snow? No, probably not.Will you get cold if you drive this in the Winter? Unless you are wearing a George Constanza parka (It’s Gore-Tex!) then yeah, probably. So, is this car practical? Good God, no. But that isn’t the point. It’s how it makes you feel when you drive it. The sound, the feel of everything the car is doing and telling you. No power steering. No power brakes. It is completely analog and it is addicting.

• Look at the seats in this car. Look long and hard. Then look again. Then stare down at your midsection. Think you will fit? I am 5’ 11” and weigh 195 pounds and I fit fine but the seats are snug. If you are 6’2” and weigh 220 pounds you need to do some serious soul searching before you click the bid button.

• Once you are strapped into these seats and have the seat harness on you, you ain’t going nowhere. It feels like you are getting launched into space.

• Want to see what this car feels like at 90mph? Only if you push it off a cliff. Top speed on this thing is probably around 80 or 85. It sounds like it should be a lot faster than what it is. Remember that when you challenge that Mini Cooper to a race for pink slips.

• There is a small leak at the rear differential drain plug. Nothing major but it will make about a silver dollar size mark overnight.

• While I busted my butt on this car, it ain’t a 5 year old certified pre-owned Honda Civic. It is a 47 year old sports car. It will require general attention. Get some tools. Put them in the trunk. Be relieved in the event you need them.

• These Datsuns are known to have the main seal dry out and leak if they sit undriven for a long time. Then oil slips past the seal down into the clutch bell housing and gets all over the clutch. Then you have a car that leaks oil and the clutch slips. This one did that. Which is why the main seals and clutch have been replaced.

• The reserve is set well below what I have in this car. Only the truly motivated and profoundly drunk would pay what I have in this car. That’s not the point. It was a load of fun (and frustrating at times) getting this thing to the shape it is in. This is NOT a show car or trying to be a faithful restoration to its former state. This is a car that has been built to drive and enjoy. I’m selling the car because I have no place to park it in the garage. I thought I would but I keep buying old motorcycles because I am a glutton for punishment. The car deserves better than to sit on the street in the elements. But do I WANT to sell it? No. No, I do not. But it makes all the practical sense to sell it.

• I have no idea how many miles are on the car. When I got it the odometer read 62k miles. I’ve since replaced the speedo with a 140mph speedo (how silly is that!) and I reset the speedo when I did. I’ve put a few hundred miles on the car since then. And I will drive it every single day that this auction is going on. Until the moment it is yours it is still mine and I intend to enjoy it right up to that last minute.

The car starts, runs and drives great. The snarl from the exhaust and the bark from the Weber carbs will raise the hair on your neck. It is visceral.
I just love this little car. You will too.
YouTube links to the videos can be found here:
https://youtu.be/TLncLQW0Uhg

On Jun-28-16 at 18:50:32 PDT, seller added the following information:

More video here:
https://youtu.be/LEOUj0BI80g

On Jun-29-16 at 00:38:44 PDT, seller added the following information:

Audio of the car here:
https://youtu.be/v-LUK26C0MQ

On Jun-29-16 at 00:41:54 PDT, seller added the following information:

And one more video:
https://youtu.be/WLbpW0CMPL8

• Condition: Used
• Make: Datsun
• Model: 1600 Roadster
• Type: Convertible
• Trim: Convertible
• Year: 1969
• Mileage: 640,000
• Color: White
• Engine size: 1.6l 4 cyl
• Number of cylinders: 4
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Transmission: Manual
• Drive type: RWD
• Interior color: Black
• Options: Convertible
• Vehicle Title: Clear
Want to buy? Contact seller!