Jump to content

SL's latest car quest: Sorted!


Spottedlaurel

Recommended Posts

Thought I'd get in on this "Old Japanese Man" avatar action, mine is taken from a Charade ad. He looks suitably miserable, probably the dealer to order bits of trim in or something!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutely marvellous, particularly that page of ad stills!I do like the way that by using some social stereotypes and slapping on a 'local' registration it leads wistful Japanese to believe that the Laurel is a hit with the landed English gentry for example.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few pic's from Sunday:

 

Posted Image

 

Posted Image

 

Has to be said those steels without their trims look cack. All four trims are present, if there's a problem then I'll put the alloys that are on my other Laurel (though they're not exactly beautiful either).

 

Posted Image

 

Posted Image

 

Posted Image

 

The important bit. Comedy 'window fallen off its runners' effect when rear ones go down.

 

Posted Image

 

Posted Image

 

Posted Image

 

UK stickers will be removed but Japanese ones pleasing to see, means the screen hasn't been replaced and the surround scraped, leading to rot.

 

Posted Image

 

It's now in good company. Well, hopefully it's now at Stuyizz's workplace and is on the way to being sorted.

 

Posted Image

 

Note Lucas coil :oops: Original one conked out after I'd handed over the cash, this arrangement had to be contrived very cleverly. Just hoping a proper replacement isn't going to be too expensive...

 

Posted Image

 

Finally, I'd love to get one of these. Seems as if stores in Japan still list them, just got to find who'll ship it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

GAGHGGGHH!!It is beautiful, despite the most horrible steels ever made. Seems to be lacking in rust too! Condition is smart, not too much missing trim and the interior is superb! For that rear bumper missing the chrome strip, you could probably just get one of those chrome strip kits that are usually applied by people of questionable taste as door surrounds and stick that over instead. Problem solved!Agreed with binning the UK stickers, I can send you some links if you fancy some cheesy Japanese "warning alarm!" and elderly driver type stickers. Let me know!To repeat myself again, bring it to the J-tin meet on the 30th!! It will be "car of the show", no questions asked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

GAGHGGGHH!!To repeat myself again, bring it to the J-tin meet on the 30th!! It will be "car of the show", no questions asked.

Thanks! I'd love to bring it (assuming I can come) but Accord is more likely to be done before then.The cosmetic jobs on it seem mostly to be things I can deal with, either myself (shock!) or at least sufficiently contained that they can be ticked off of a to-do list as and when funds permit. With the poor old C210 I just didn't know where to start.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Accord is still cool enough to turn up!Has it been rust-proofed in any way? I'd get it sorted if not, before it gets really cold and salty! I still need to "top up" the Charmant rust protection, going to do a full job probably next year repainting the insides of the arches and maybe all the underside of the car in the correct metallic beige.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Intersting old barge that SL, like the original stickers very much 8) As regards the model kit, 'HobbylinkJapan' are a good site to get stuff from Japan, I've had a few kits from them and they are good, all in english and a couple of weeks delivery.http://www.hlj.com/product/ARI31160As you can see from the link the kit you want isn't in stock but they might be able to order it for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What supports the front seat belts, plastic prongs? It's a big car for just a 2 litre! Looks cool though

Posted Image

 

I think it's a metal stalk hanging from the edge of the roof, with a bit of plastic trim around it. The really neat bit, and I think you can just about see it, is that the loop that retains the belt can be unclipped from the stalk. The stalk clips up into the roof, and the belt then sits below the windowline so when it's pillarless there are no belts to spoil the lines (just that comedy angled rear window).

 

The engine is a straight-six, should put out 130bhp (so about same as Camry and 240K). The most powerful initially available was a V6 turbo, 160-odd bhp, and I think you could also get a 2-litre 4-pot which was nearer 100. When I drove it years ago it didn't feel super-quick, but it probably hasn't had a decent service for absolutely yonks so new ignition parts, plugs etc should help.

 

It's not really that big a car, probably be dwarfed by a Mondeo.

 

Stuyizz has reported back on the main things to be sorted, nothing too drastic. Brake pipes, the odd bush, that kind of thing more than loads of welding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Should anyone else be feeling the C32 love, this low miles cracker is for sale on the Datsun forum right now at £2200. Think someone posted it here recently as a spot?

 

Posted Image

 

Late-model SGX models have a pretty swish interior too:

 

Posted Image

 

Also has IRS, like my hardtop but unlike earlier UK SGL model. Still has the old L24E engine though.

 

And in other SL fleet news, the Accord was taken to Nick's workshop tonight for sills to be sorted (maybe bodge the exhaust too, but if too bad they're only £60 anyway). Haven't used since late July, it drove marvellously and I remembered why I like it so much. Should be using it again in a week or so when tax and MoT sorted.

 

It will be in good company as local R-Rer Aux also has his new Hiace camper at Nick's for some bodywork.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Bit of an update on this, be quite exciting when I do get my hands on it properly as I’ve almost forgotten that it’s mine! Stuyizz has gone through a surprisingly long list of niggly things and it’s in for an MoT today. Most recent issue was that the lights wouldn’t work, solved by fitting the light switch off my dead car but sadly losing the auto lights-on and cruise control. I think I can probably live without both.It also needed an inner steering arm, which proved pretty much impossible to find. Nissan could only supply it as part of a kit of parts that included the complete rack, at something like £541. Gulp. Again, my handy dead car provided that. Had new metal brake pipes all round, new pads (found a set in the boot) and cleaned up calipers and rear drums. The new coil is fitted (shared with Daewoo Matiz, so an easy find) and a dodgy exhaust joint repaired.He says he’ll daub a bit more fresh underseal on it and finish off some small jobs, and he’s T-cutted one or two panels back to force me to get the rest done, and I must get the various stone chips and minor bits of corrosion under trim dealt with ASAP. Then it’s over to me to do the most important job of all, which is fit the stand-up bonnet emblem R-Rer Kyteler kindly sent me from NZ.As it’s had these niggling problems to sort I suspect it’ll take a few journeys before I have faith in it, but I’m looking forward to gradually building up the miles on half-decent days over winter before properly getting out and about in it next year.More photos and news once it’s eventually back in Norfolk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bit of an update on this, be quite exciting when I do get my hands on it properly as I’ve almost forgotten that it’s mine! Stuyizz has gone through a surprisingly long list of niggly things and it’s in for an MoT today. Most recent issue was that the lights wouldn’t work, solved by fitting the light switch off my dead car but sadly losing the auto lights-on and cruise control. I think I can probably live without both.It also needed an inner steering arm, which proved pretty much impossible to find. Nissan could only supply it as part of a kit of parts that included the complete rack, at something like £541. Gulp. Again, my handy dead car provided that. Had new metal brake pipes all round, new pads (found a set in the boot) and cleaned up calipers and rear drums. The new coil is fitted (shared with Daewoo Matiz, so an easy find) and a dodgy exhaust joint repaired.He says he’ll daub a bit more fresh underseal on it and finish off some small jobs, and he’s T-cutted one or two panels back to force me to get the rest done, and I must get the various stone chips and minor bits of corrosion under trim dealt with ASAP. Then it’s over to me to do the most important job of all, which is fit the stand-up bonnet emblem R-Rer Kyteler kindly sent me from NZ.As it’s had these niggling problems to sort I suspect it’ll take a few journeys before I have faith in it, but I’m looking forward to gradually building up the miles on half-decent days over winter before properly getting out and about in it next year.More photos and news once it’s eventually back in Norfolk.

You & Baz might have your holy grail vehicles ready at the same time! I think Baz wins the hassle factor though! :shock:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hadn’t thought of that comparison! You’re right though Reg, Baz definitely wins that dubious accolade. I have at least seen mine recently, even if I haven’t yet got behind the wheel since I had a go in it five years ago (when I suppose it could be said that the buying process on this actually started).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MoT passed! Hassles with getting it logged onto the system apparently, I'm also having this issue with its odd chassis number which parts suppliers can't fathom out. It's probably going to be easier to rely on suppliers in Oz/NZ.ETA end of October, which is good because I can’t afford to tax it before then anyway…

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm also having this issue with its odd chassis number which parts suppliers can't fathom out.

I'm surprised....When I sold Nissan parts for a living (mid '90s admittedly), they had an excellent system into which You simply entered the chassis and/or model numbers, the code of the part You wanted, and up came the part number!This was backed-up by an equally excellent fax service if the parts system wasn't able to help.I used to love it if someone came in from one of the local U.S Airbases, wanting summat obscure for a non-U.K car....It gave me a bit of a challenge! It would sometimes be that a part was no longer available, but I don't think I ever failed to obtain a part number! Maybe they use a different system now? :?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Good weekend for 'shiters and new cars - the Laurel is here at last!

 

Posted Image

 

Posted Image

 

Posted Image

 

Posted Image

 

Last one for Hirst, as I know he's appreciative of a good Japanese floor mat. Red thing is the Japanese flare, still there after being here for at least 11 years.

 

More to come on this soon, but must get an early night before tomorrow's R9 mission with Baz. Sadly not taking this, but it'll be the Accord for a day of mid-80's saloon shite.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Phwoar! I take it that it's 114.3PCD..... we'll have to find you some suitably cool wheels! I love the chintzy hubcaps, but the wheels just sit so far inside the chassis.

 

The pinetree air freshener on the rear view mirror isn't very Japanese though, we'll have to do something about that!

 

You can have a Fusa now you've got a proper luxury car:

Posted Image

 

Oh, you might want to take out the flare so it doesn't explode or something due to age! Surprised it got here, they're usually removed before import. They get replaced every "Shaken" in Japan if I recall correctly. Love the floormat though!

 

And get some Japanese size numberplates made-up, that rear holder just looks weird!

 

I'm sure you've got plans though.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...