ITC 510 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

 

 December 19, 2004
 ITC 510 Candidate arrives in Royal Oak
 Low mileage 2 owner car
 Virtually rust free
 Interior is all original
 Interior is all original
 Interior is all original

 Clean rust free trunk   

 January 2005 Cage construction begins 

 Holes are cut in floor to drop welded cage down

 

 This provides access the top parts of the cage for proper TIG welding
 Cage is then lifted and mounting plates are re -    inserted and are ready for welding
 February 2005 Cage is now complete.

 Rear downtubes tie into rear wheel arch

 Passenger side door bars
 Driver side NASCAR style door bars
 510 as it looks before it's completely stripped of all its parts
510 as it looks before it's completely stripped of all its parts
510 engine bay. man is it greasy
 February 2005,  engine is out!
 Gutted interior
 Late February 2005,  off to be media blasted
 March 2005, Inside the media blast room at Rays Hot Rod Shop in Hazel Park, MI
 March 2005, media blasting is the only way to go if you are building the car from the ground up
 After paint is blasted away rust in some areas is revealed. These areas can now be cut and repaired properly
Back from the media blaster, the bare metal share sits in my garage awaiting afew more mods and rust repair before its off to the the paint shop
The media blasting brought everything down to bare metal. The engine bay is 100% rust free.
Cleaned up wheel arch
April 2005 Media blasted through some pitted metal that the fenders bolt on to. This will be cut out and repaired.
April 2005, Fuel Cell cage attaches to the rear unibody frame. This cage will fit a 12 gallon ATL Fuel Cell.
 May 2005, The bodywork is turning out much nicer than intended. These guys do meticulous work.
Undoubtedly this is going to be a straighter car than when it left the factory. 
 September 2005, Body work is almost complete, Where did the fuel filler door go?
 October 2005, The 510 is finally home after spending 5 months getting body and paint work done at B&B Collision in Royal Oak. I had them match the paint scheme of the Datsun 510  that won the African Safari Rally in 1971.
  Proped up on jack stands, and sitting as it will through the winter. Now I can drop the suspension and disassemble it to begin the modifications and rebuild .
 Good shot of the semi-gloss black hood. Paint    and body are almost too nice for a race car.
  Clean body waiting for assembly
 Clean interior waiting for assembly
 Fuel cell is in and flush with the freshly painted floor.
 November 2005, Major push to get work done. Struts are modified, powder coated and reassembled and installed
Rear suspension goes back together with minimal effort. Shortened Roadster springs peek out below the unibody perch.
 Nice shot of the rear diff. 
 December 2005, baby will be here any day, Engine bay looks ready as ever for the freshly rebuilt ITC spec 1600.
 There it is cradled and sitting there waiting to be hooked up and fired. Its going to be a while. it just does not know it yet.
 Nice shot of the Nissan Motorsorts finned alluminum transmission cover.
December 8th, Van is born, project will stall indefinitely.
 May 2006, After 5 months of almost no progress, Major push to get the 510 done restarts. Glass is in, Wiring and plumbing are next. Ambitious goal of testing the car on the track before the end of the year seems distant but achievable.
 The exhuast will never be that clean again.
 August 2006, Car sits completely assembled on  the ground  for the first time in a year and a half.  
  As it leaves for its first drive around town. Even with the race suspension, the car rides pretty nice. Probably because of the street tires.
 Engine as it looks as its fired up for the first time.
 Engine as it looks as its fired up for the first time.
 Clean, Safe and functional Interior.
 Clean, Safe and functional Interior.
 September 2006, Back from the first time out on the track. The car performed remarkably well. Complete laundry list of shakedown issues have been compiled and will be addresed over the winter.
 Close up of the replica graphics of the 1970 African Safari Rally winning Datsun 510
 Close up of the replica graphics of the 1970 African Safari Rally winning Datsun 510
 Close up of the replica graphics of the 1970 African Safari Rally winning Datsun 510
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