Well I haven't driven mine apart from on and off the trailer since the end of 2000. I start it up every month or so just to get the oil moving around (and to hear it run!). I just can't find the time these days and those niggly little jobs just don't get done.
What's worse I've got a Z-car which is a work in progress (also started up every month, much to the neighbours' disgust) and like Will, I'm the first owner not to park my 1600 in a garage, and I'm watching it deteriorate too. Almost criminal really.

My 1200 coupe is only driven to and from events, but is generally always ready to go. These days it only gets minor tweaking with suspension or diff ratios, and just general maintenance so it's only really stuff that you can do in a day or weekend.

My 1200 sedan project is a different story. I've had it for about a year and all I've done is strip it. But I bought a turbo on the weekend, so I'm pretty keen to get stuck into the car again now...

Then there's the 240K (C110) coupe project sitting in the backyard. Has an alloy 4.5l Rover V8, flares, and minor front end damage. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it, but when I saw it for sale it was just one of those things I absolutely had to have...

And I literally just this minute got a call from a guy in the Datsun Car Club telling me about a fiend of his who just wrote off his 89 R31 GTS Skyline and is looking to sell the wreck. So my poor old daily driver R31 Skyline Exec auto looks like it might become a little project as well. The GTS has better ECU, LSD, 5spd, bigger brakes, better suspension, nice seats and factory leather wheel, factory 16*7 alloys.

I can't help myself... no wonder I'm always broke

It's funny how in all the responses I can see the different stages of my own 'Datsun Addiction'.
Is it that we all start out with only a little cash to develop our cars, and we get used to them being in a half-finished state. When we get more money, by getting a better job or whatever, that we keep buying more 1/2 finished projects, but never actually get around to finishing the cars completely, because it's the anticipation of what it could be, that makes it fun.

I think it's a bit like children at Christmas time. It's generally more fun waiting for the gifts, than actually recieving them or even enjoying them.

That's my analysis of the 'Datsun Owners Syndrome'. I should publish a PhD paper on the subject.

Chris

I too have a Buick. It's a 71 Sportwagon. I bought a 1200 to "learn" how to work on cars, then I would go on and fix the Buick.
That was 12 years ago. The Buick is rotting in my parents backyard. The 455ci/7.4L is in my garage...and thats about it. I should fix the wagon, as I want a cool family car.
My addiction is trying to figure out how to repair or modify the 1200(or any car). I could easily take the car in tomorrow and have the bodywork fixed and painted...but I want to do it.
I could easily take this car in, drop off an A15/KA24E/SR20DET and say go. But thats not fun, I want to do the sorting and figuring out, and when I'm done fiddling in the middle of the night and turn the key with my bleeding fingers....thats what it all about.

TOO RIGHT

tell the best drives youve ever had wern't at two in the morning after spending 8-hrs with ya mate trying to put in that new gearbox or diff or whatever

reminds me of putting a toploader in my 6cyl cortina instead of the auto getting to about the third corner (2 in morning, rainy night) running a orange turn light dropping back into second to engine brake (new experience in this car) locking up the back wheels and turning the car 270 degrees, laughing my head off, then turning over the motor again and taking off up the road praying no cops saw what i just did

All of mine are in the "half finished" catagory unfortunately. My problem is focus. Not the Fjord Focus, but staying on track. Well, see there's a perfect example.
I have to agree that some of the best drives are the 2:00 am "test runs" after a day's work. I remember limping my '76 Capri back from a late night blast after the muffler blew off of the newly installed header. That was a fun one to 'splain to dad.
Oh yeah, I've got a big old station wagon too. '72 AMC Matador Wagon. I'm feeling a bit inadequate though, mine's only a 360 cubic inch engine.

mines working just got her painted in metallic baby blue (nissan color 1981) she looks great for the moment im happy got some nice 15 inch rims with lp tires and bought the reverse eyes off chris handles real well now however she will be getting the ca18 treatment soon the a-slug is giving me a fumigating hedache everytime i drive her cant wait to get it out an a new motor in ill post some pics soon

Seems like the Datsun 1200 and Station wagon combo is pretty popular in the club. I can't believe ang94541 also has a Buick Sport Wagon too. I need to find a limited slip rearend for a GM A-body, anyone know where I can get one? Yes I remember and miss the midnight test drives very much. Haven't done one of those since like 1998/99 cause I don't have my own garage. I have to do all my work at the shop here on base, cause we're not allowed to work on our cars here except for at the shop which sucks. Eventually I'll be able to get my own place w/a nice garage and I can experience those midnight test drives again, I love them! I remember the first drive after I got my A15 rebuilt at about midnight, my bro and I drove downtown and blew away a brand new Pontiac Sunfire GT convertible and a 4.0L Ford Ranger. I miss street racing back home too, it sucks here. Oh yeah, if anyone wants to see a 4800 pound full size station wagon do a 13 second quarter mile, be at the River City Raceway this Friday. See ya later OKBYE

-Andy

The Datsun Owners Syndrome looks like it has infected quite alot of us. Whether its short on cash, loss of time, too much work or just plain old lazy, we all have one thing in common, we all have that vision of how good our datto's will be after all the work!! And we all admit it, we love working on datsuns as much as we love driving them!

Heya AFRacer didnt relize you were the same guy!! Yeah the black coupe i had was killed in a nasty accident a few years back which saw it wraped around a pole - not a fun time! After that i moved states and bought my current 1200. I drove it around for a year in stock trim then decided to give it a re-birth. She's still in the womb if u know what i mean!! This ones had another A15 swap but with at least 150hp, 5 speed box, borg warner LSD diff with disc brake rears, 10' front brakes with toyota 4 spots, lowered 2" all around, all new koni shox, new brake lines, master cylinder and an Ford Escort drop tank. The paint was starting to show some ugly spots so gave it a rub back and slapped grey primer on it as well as matt white underneath the car. It looks clean as and very tough!! Interior is basically stock with exception of old recaros, sports wheel and seperate fuel and temp gauges were the cigi lighter and choke used to sit. Just need to strap in the drop tank and its off to get some engineers report and rego.

Thats about it!! Except i've owned a XD Falcon S pak, VC Commodore for daily drivers and just bought a Datsun Stanza last week for $200 which im currently thinking up plans to make it a rally Stanza!! Gotta love that Datsun Syndrome!!!

Scott
Davo

Heres the ratio so far.

Working : 42.85%
Work in progress : 57.15%

Close but lets get all our dattos on the road!