Hello From Southern Ontario

[JonnyCanuck]

Hey All,

Trying again to post a welcome and hello. I think my first was lost in the ether.

I recently found and paid up for a '70 510 wagon, although at present I may have an awfully hard time getting my hands on it, since it is across the border on the US side, and I don't think vintage cars are considered by the gov't to be an essential need. Just shows what they know I guess.

In any case, I am new to Datsun ownership, although I do have a reasonable skill set, and like to tinder and build. I am also a wagon fanatic, hence the long wait and mad search for one that was in running condition, and suitable for a bit of a refreshing. I daily a Legacy GT wagon (manual), and my winter beater is a wagon as well. I may have a problems, but I always seem to find groups of people who support them.

So, I hope this might be the Datsun 510 problem support group I need. At very least I have been reading articles here for quite some time, before pulling the trigger and buying a dime, so I already know how much information is available on here, and hopefully won't ask too many noob questions. (I must say tho, it took quite a while to get through the vernacular on here, and I am already pretty familiar with automotive talk, I guess with almost 50 years of working on these things, they really develop a language of their own.)

Much thanks in advance, and a gratitude for all this even being here in the first place!

Cheers,
Jon

[Byron510]

Welcome to the Realm Jon,

I have imported a couple cars into BC, you'll just have to learn the process to getting the same in Ontario. It will involve a vehicle inspection at minimum, and some paperwork which must be complete in order. In BC, we now require brokers, because the border guards got tired of guys showing up with incomplete paperwork - it was just wasting time. Not sure if ON has gone the same route.

But once you have the car home, post some photos and you'll find you will have a ton of support here on the Realm.

We look forward to your new project.

Byron

[JonnyCanuck]

Thanks Byron,

It's been a little while since I actually logged on here and checked up on things. (clearly) The closed borders and my car having been stuck in the US for the last 9 months has taken some of the wind out of my sails. I'm still happy I found and bought one, but it's hard to stay really excited your new toy when you can't have it to play with!

I've got started on the process to import the car, and it seems pretty easy. Like you, it is now mandatory to have a broker process some of the paperwork for you, but on the plus side the fee is only ~$75 USD. So, not too bad all in all. The car will of course have to pass a safety inspection eventually, to get mechanical fitness in Ontario, but I don't think that has to happen until I am good and ready.

I lived in BC for a while actually, and can say with some degree of experience it is trickier getting licencing and permits out there than here. While it may be true that if you don't take care of your vehicles here, they'll get eaten by salt quick enough, the flip side is that inspectors don't fail you for having some rust here and there, since it is practically expected!

Looking forward to having the car in my hands eventually, and be sure some photos will get posted up. She's not super-pretty, and probably never will be, but hopefully with work on my end it *will* be fun to drive and reliable...

[JonnyCanuck]

Ugh.... November 2022 and the Goon is still at it's original home in Florida.

Maybe next Spring. It is, at least, safe and was inside a workshop for the hurricane, so no more damage than it had already seen just from being old.

[JordanTr]

Long haul!! Literally and chronologically!

[JonnyCanuck]

Yuuup.

In the meantime, I spent all of my fun money building a small two bay garage on an overbuilt pad, and bought a 2 post Bendpak lift.

So, on the the plus side, at least when the goon does get here, she'll have a good home and I will have a dry place out of the weather and sun to work on it. Might not have much money to do anything, but I can clean, paint and tidy for relatively few dollars which is a start.

If it gets here in the Spring and requires as little as it did two years ago at time of purchase, then I think I'll have a running driving dime for next summer. On the plus side, I won't feel like I'm missing too much, since the A/C and other mod cons on my current cars are broken, and unlikely to get fixed, since I really don't care. Things that don't help my cars handle or go faster tend to get left by the wayside....