Welcome back to Shitbox Showdown! All right, so the modified cars are going over like lead balloons, so today we’re going to look at a couple of cars that still need all the work done. Let’s see if you all think you can do any better starting from scratch.
But first let’s wrap up yesterday‘s choices. A Ford Taurus is never going to be anybody’s first choice, I imagine; it was the “fine, whatever, I’m in a hurry” choice of rental counters everywhere for a long time. And it’s the last car you’d expect someone to do a full-on custom job on, but someone did – and most of you hated it.
Personally, I like the Tamaro; it reminds me a little bit of the custom cars in Baz Luhrmann’s rendition of Romeo and Juliet, one of which I’m pretty sure is based on another mundane car, a Chevy Celebrity. It’s different, and I like different. Would I choose it over a perfectly good stock Taurus? Maybe. It is cheaper, after all, and the air conditioning has already been fixed.
(Oh, and I do apologize for putting the poll in the “wrong” order yesterday – it “read” better to list them in the order I did, which was the opposite of the order they appeared in the article. Didn’t mean to cause confusion. I won’t do it again.)
Now then: it’s after Labor Day here in the US, school is back in session, and the weather is about to turn unfriendly towards classic cars. It’s time to start thinking about projects, especially if you’ve got a hole in your garage that needs filling. So today we’re going back to my old Portland stomping grounds, always a likely place to find project cars, to look at a couple of potential time-killers that you could probably at least have drivable by Springtime. Here they are.
1972 Datsun 510 Wagon – $2,000
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0 liter overhead cam inline 4, four-speed manual, RWD
Location: Salem, OR
Odometer reading: unknown
Operational status: Ran out of oil years ago, parked ever since
Datsun had been selling cars in America for ten years by the time the 510 debuted, but this was the car that really caught on. Dubbed the “Poor Man’s BMW” by enthusiasts, the 510 was praised for its good handling and road manners. The sedan version featured a semi-trailing-arm independent rear suspension, but this wagon makes do with a more traditional solid rear axle on leaf springs.
The 510 originally used a 1.6 liter L-series overhead cam engine, but this one has a 2.0 liter engine out of a ’78 Datsun pickup. The story goes that the seller swapped in this larger engine, gave it to their step-son to drive, and the ungrateful little shi – I mean, inexperienced young operator – ran it out of oil and caused a rod knock. That was nineteen years ago. The car hasn’t turned a wheel since.
This car is obviously going to need a lot more than just an engine overhaul or transplant, though. The interior is trashed, and will need to be completely gutted and redone if you want it to look like anything other than a mess. It doesn’t have to be a true restoration, mind you; you could make custom door cards, and install whatever seats you want.
The Achilles heel of 510s has always been rust; most of them have long ago rusted away or been crushed. This one has some rust, to be sure, but it’s not terrible. In fact, if you wanted to, it could probably be ignored. It’s otherwise straight and intact, and it wears a nice set of Z-car alloy wheels.
1973 Plymouth Duster – $2,000
Engine/drivetrain: 225 cubic inch overhead valve inline 6, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: North of Battle Ground, WA
Odometer reading: unknown
Operational status: Disassembled, engine ran before disassembly
The Duster was the sporty version of Plymouth’s A-body Valiant, a role filled by the Barracuda a few years earlier. But by 1970, the Barracuda had moved to its own platform, the E-body, and the new Duster became Plymouth’s entry-level sporty coupe.
A wide range of V8 engines were available, but the basic engine was Chrysler’s good old Slant Six, and that’s what this one has, along with the ubiquitous Torqueflite automatic. The seller also has a newer 360 V8 they’ll include for an additional cost, but personally, I’d rather just keep the Slant Six. Obviously, as far disassembled as this one is, it doesn’t run at the moment, but it sounds like it did, before this project was started.
It looks like the seller disassembled the car in preparation for body and paint work, but everything is there. The seats will need reupholstering, and it will probably need new carpet as well, but the rest looks all right, from what I can see. It just needs to be put back together.
A good chunk of the bodywork is done, and the seller says there is no rust-through, only some minor surface rust. A little more work, and it’s ready for paint. Painting a car isn’t cheap, but it’s a cheap car, so there’s no reason you couldn’t try to do it yourself. Grab a Harbor Freight paint gun, and give it a try.
These strike me as two different sorts of project car. The Datsun is more of a tinker-as-you-go project; swap in a good-running engine from another pickup, maybe even a newer NAPS-Z engine, get it back on the road, and fix up the other stuff at your leisure. The Duster, by virtue of already being torn down, is more of a proper restoration project; you’ll need to spend some time on it before that first drive. But they’re both worthy projects, in my mind. Which one can you see yourself working on?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
There are days that you want to vote “both”. This is not one of those days. Where is the “neither” button?
I’m sitting this one out. These cars aren’t worth saving, they will cost far more to restore than what they will be worth once the restoration is complete. ┐( ˘_˘)┌
not fair vote from me. my first car was a family heirloom Datsun 510 wagon that my parents bought new in 1978, my sister took possession in the late 80s, and I took possession in the early 90s, so I’d nostalgia hard and get that.
but then, I also had a friend that owned a slant 6 ’73 duster when I was in high school, so that’s got some fun memories too.
Hey now, us Taurus Enthusiasts would disagree. And don’t piss us off, there are dozens of us…dozens!
Seems to me some of the cars we get on here sometimes have no redeeming qualities other than being old, which doesn’t seem like a great thing.
This is definitely one of those times.
I agree. hard pass on BOTH of these “cars” 🙁
I almost voted for the Duster, since it feels like a better value for what you get at $2k. BUT the automatic swayed me back to the manual Datsun. I’d love a 510, and while that’s not the project for me, it isn’t bad. Had the Duster been a manual already (avoiding the swap work), I’d have gone for it instead.
Which finished product would I want? The Duster.
Honestly, I like them both. But I’m already working on getting a similar car to the Duster on the road, a ’74 Buick Apollo, that was taken apart when I got it. I don’t really want to do that again, to end up with the same kind of vehicle just one that has a starter that sounds like a dying dolphin.
So 510 wagon it is. That’ll be a fun little rallycross car with plenty of room to haul tools, tires, and an awning to the track.
I really wanted to choose the 510, but I think the rust is worse than the seller is saying. It would be expensive and hard to restore. I chose the duster. Easier to get parts for and it looks like much of the hard work is already done.
Gimme the 510. My mom had a ’74 710 wagon that I learned to drive stick on. It was a fun surprisingly responsive car. I would definitely take my time and tinker and maybe show the kids how we used to tear down and rebuild cars. And also remember the good times the family had in our old Datsun wagon.
Datsun 510 for me. I learned to drive stick on one as a kid. Loved the car then, love them now.
I voted for the Datsun, but really I want both. My mom had a 510 when I was a kid and I have many fond memories of that car. My dad had a Duster too, so I have fond memories of that too. I’d probably daily the Datsun while putting the Duster back together.
Wow, a dead heat as of my vote. I’m surprised the 510 isn’t leading, to be honest. It just seems so much more interesting than the Duster. Then, I suppose not everyone wants to put that kind of work in putting it to rights, which is sure to be more of an ordeal than the Duster.
it is leading now but by the slimmest margin imaginable.
My take is the 510 is the more interesting project, but it looks like it needs a tad more bodywork (and harder to source parts) to be put back together, while most of the Duster is there. Been there with a much newer 720, I can’t imagine what sourcing interior parts for a 510 would be. Not to mention you need a new engine (although you might also want to swap the Slant 6 with a V8 on the Duster while you’re at it).
In the end the more interesting project didn’t translate into willingness to me. And the finished project, although rarer is still less valuable than the Duster. So I went with the later
Aftermarket for 510s is pretty big these days. Fixing it will be WAY easier than rebuilding a 720. I own both currently (I’ve owned some ridiculous number of 720s over the past 15 years) and the 720s require buying another truck to get parts, while the 510, many many parts are available now.
This would be an easy choice if the Duster was not pre-disassembled. I worry about which parts are missing. I also worry about the seller’s organizational methods. It might be complete, but it could still be a pain to find parts if they are organized haphazardly or in a way that doesn’t make sense to me. Plus, I’m not the most confident (or competent) amateur mechanic, so I think it would be easier for me to get this car reassembled if I had to take it apart first.
I am still going with the Duster due to personal preference, but it would be a much easier decision if the car was still intact.
This is a concern of mine – I’d rather disassemble it myself, organizing and documenting by MY methods. Coming into an unfamiliar disassembled car cold seems daunting. Granted this car is stone simple but still – how many missing fasteners etc…..
For me, documenting disassembly is key. I tend to take a lot of photographs, write notes on diagrams, place number/colored coded tags on parts/bags of parts, etc. I’m not sure if everyone needs to be that organized, but as a person with limited experience, I absolutely need to do that. So far, I have never had any trouble getting things back together – I want to keep it that way.
I see what you did there.
I like wagons but I like the design of the Duster better. I guess the result of someone’s work will be more satisfying, at least to me.
Mopar all day. I’d paint it Plum Crazy and white out all the trim, and install a white interior. A nice set of white 18″ rims would go really well.
And then I’d order up one of those fancy-schmancy Hurricane twin-turbo inline-6 crate motors and a six-speed Tremec.
Anyone have thirty grand laying around they don’t need?
I like how they claim a roller with a weak engine that may or may come with all the parts removed from it is considered Cheap at 2K. I would never pay this much for either. I might consider it if the 360 came with the duster and I could hear it run before taking the lump.
My do-it-yourself skills certainly cover bolting stuff together, even if I fail miserably at paint/body work, upholstering, and working up enthusiasm for tackling an engine that has been “run out of oil.”
So Duster it is, if only because Slanties will outlast Mt. Rushmore.
thing is swapping and engine is far simpler than finishing partially done body work. if that primer has been there a while it is a good bet it has soaked in moisture. Which means sand it all off anyway. The bigger concern with the wagon though it the visible half ass floor patches and the crusty rust everywhere else. Also even though Dusters and Nova’s were basically the Neons and Cavaliers of their day. Their is still some that like this body style.
This is a rare case where the car in pieces has an edge over the intact car. The Duster is ready for whatever you want to do with it. The 510 will have to be disassembled before you will even know how much work it needs. I love a wagon, but I think this Duster would be a more prudent choice.
Datsun should not be a dollar over scrap value.
I voted Datsun because 510 is one of my all time favorite numbers. Kidding. Long roof, manual trans, plus Datsun, not Nissan. When you start using an alias, you’re either a criminal or in WITSEC (and still maybe a criminal). Again, kidding, just prefer the wagon and never liked Dusters (though it did have a great motor. Did being the operative word, here.).
Datsun WAS the alias. Nissan was the corporate name in Japan the whole time. They didn’t want to dishonor that name if they failed in the US. Then they became so successful it was decided that continuing to use Datsun was actually what dishonored the Nissan name. They wanted all that glory to go to Nissan.
My dyslexia did not like the poll options today Datsun vs Duster looked the same for a bit there haha. Close vote, but at the end of the day, I would rather have the Datsun than the Duster, so that’s where I went despite the Duster probably being the better value.
My earliest automotive memories are driving back and forth between Maine and Massachusetts when I was 3 or 4 in my mother’s 510 Wagon, (Sunshine Yellow with a black vinyl interior and the mag wheels off my father’s 240Z that he had to sell when I was born). I’ve been thinking of getting one of those cars for a project for years. Too bad this one is on the opposite coast.
You think you’ll find a closer one at this price with even less rust?
As far as I can tell, there aren’t any left in the Northeast, they all dissolved decades ago regardless of price. But I probably should have added that I’m also broke and already have too many other projects. If I came home with this and showed my wife, I’d probably have to sleep in it while restoring it.
I love a cut-down Mopar, and have always wanted a slant 6, but a long-roof 510 is an automatic vote from me. I even instantly scrolled down to check location. Both happy & sad it’s not near enough to be remotely feasible
Owned both of these.
No contest here. Datsun for the win.
With a few mods these could handle like a skate board.
If only this was much, much closer to my place. Shit.
The Duster handled like an ice cube on a frozen pond.
Especially on a wet road. Just ask the telephone pole I took down one day by accident.
Datsun is easy to rebuild, and a far better car than the Duster ever imagined being.
Plus 1 for wagon and manual here. Fight me.
Same
But a recent motor swap reminded me I’m not as energetic as of yore, so just a little bit of relief as well
Good point there. I did a driveway engine swap on one of these a girl friend owned
back in the late 70’s.
It was not bad. But now that is a different equation amigo.
Duster will be far easier to rebuild and likely have a wider customer base if you ever want to sell it. The Datsun would be cool, but I think it’ll be a far larger nightmare in the long-run vs. the A-body. I also have a built slant six (180hp) that would fit right in there as is so……