Dan's Coupe's in Australia

[minimetoy]

Hi all,

I have been lurking around the forum for sometime now and thought i should post some pics.

It all started a few years ago with a divorce and looking back at photos on the my computer and stumbling on Jeff's white SR coupe here in Australia. WOW that car amazed me, i had a 1600 14 years earlier which was sold to pay for a honeymoon. Anyway the bug bit and bit hard and for my 40th last year i bought the champagne coupe in the photos followed by the grey shell and then Rich's beautiful coupe.















Will post more shortly

[TUF510]

Looks good Dan,

i think 99% of the Datsun world is jealous of all the coupes you have

[JordanTr]

Welcome Dan!

It looks like my car has a twin in coupe form a world away!

[minimetoy]

Jordan,

Been watching your build, great work and your right its was like having a sister on the other side of the world I sold that shell off and it now has white simmons and a 400hp SR in it and a buck tooth intercooler!!

[minimetoy]

So the story continues, Rich's car lands in Australia and i organise it to be shipped from South Australia to Sydney, finally pick it up and am so happy to get it home.

Now the fun part, organise the mods to have it registered. I had to change the seats, install an e-brake, plumb back the blow of valve, remove the pod, install a window washer bottle, new braided brake lines to comply with oz standards amd install seat belts. Then off to get engineered and registered.

Heres some photos

Installed som wilwood e-brake calipers, made them full floating to ensure they worked correctly.





Re-trimmed some Recaro seats with black leather







Made and fitted a new airbox





And made an under dash washer bottle and remote washer motor to keep the engine bay clean.

[minimetoy]

Now that it was registered i could start enjoying:) I try and take her out at least once a fortnight for a run or to work and i always have a smile on my face when driving her. Lots of thumbs up from passers by too!

The first night we took her out we went through Sydney and then down towards the airport, got pulled over by the police for going too slow believe it or not!

Heres a few pics







Took her to this years Datsun Day and recieved two awards, 'Datsun of the day" and "Top SR".

[okayfine]

Dan, if you have the time and the inclination, would you mind going through the changes you had to make to satisfy Australia, why they had to be made, etc.? We don't have regulations like that in the US and it would be interesting (to me, anyway) to learn their rationale for the requirements.

[goichi1]

Hello Dan and good to see you here now!! Your collection looks outstanding! I'm def jealous!! Very nice work on getting the coupe adapted to Australia, looks like it fits right in there!!

[two_68_510s]

When you get that much Coupe in one spot doesn't it affect the tilt of the Earth? Be careful man!

Great set of cars, near unbelievable actually.

[minimetoy]

Okayfine,

When we modify our cars here in Australia we generally have to obtain an engineers report for them. The process can be daunting for some and relatively easy for others, it can also depend on what engineer you engage and how he interprets the laws.

With Rich's car the items i had to bring upto speed were as follows:

1. Seats had to be Australian Standard compliant so the GTS Classics that Mark had installed were not allowed. I installed Recaros which are acceptable
2. All Blow off valves must be plumbed back regardless. If you get caught by the police you get fined.
3. We must have a mechanical handbrake. Not sure why u guys take these off?
4. We must have working 2 speed windscreen wipers and windscreen demisters
5. Our allowable engine capacities are 2.5 x the body weight for turbo engines and 3 x the body weight for NA engines. (ie a car weighing 870kg can have a turbo engine capacity of 870 x 2.5 = 2175cc)
6. Pods are also frowned upon by engineers and police will fine you for them! not really sure why, everyone has their own theory, needless to say some engineers turn a blind eye to pods.
7.for some of the more radical builds you maybe required to undertake a brake test and also a emissions test, the emission test can be expensive.
8. Flexible brake lines need to have a rubber lining to protect the metal braiding, clear tubing is acceptable.

The Coupe passed with flying colours, in fact the engineer was very impresssed with the build quality of the car.

[goichi1]

What is the pod that you are talking about? I am not sure I am understanding that description. Also, does it still have the Japanese ETC (toll collection card reader) installed in it so when you turn the car on it speaks to you in Japanese? I actually used that in Japan, made going through the tolls so much fast there. I would have my front bumper inches from the gate as it was opening!! most crazy drivers would see how close they could get to it before it opened. You were supposed to slow to about 15 or so kpm, but most would cruise through there at about 40 or so......

[minimetoy]

Rich,

Here in Australia we refer to the intake air filter that you had on the coupe as air pod. I dont think the ETC is in the car, where was it located?

[minimetoy]

So the story continues with me selling my other two coupes and keeping Rich's coupe only.

Well after a while that Datsun itch kicked in again and i purchased Steve's coupe.

Here are some more photos







Here they are both in the garage

[two_68_510s]

You are the Coupemeister!
What is the condition, rust etc., of this new blue one?

[JordanTr]

Looks like there are some nice TSR bits on the new coupe!