[Roadsters] FW: roadster

[Scott Sheeler]

Anyone on the List know anything about the 1600 race car this guy in San Jose
is describing?  Seems someone on the list knows about every roadster ever
built.



Thanks.

Scott Sheeler
http://thedatsunroadsterbook.com/






From: ronin1805 at comcast.net
To: poontang188 at hotmail.com
Subject: roadster
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:25:16 -0800




Dear Sir;

    I found this email address on your website of the " Datsun Roadster Book".
I hope you can help me in researching a 1968? SPL311 1600 race car that I
have.   I live in San Jose, California.  About 1972 myself and two of my
friends attempted to break into the SCCA road racing bit.  Around 1974 one of
these friends  purchased this specific datsun roadster.  The seller told my
friend that it was an ex- factory car, pulled of the line, had never seen the
street, etc etc.... Now I had two years experience trying to turn street cars
into race cars and knew how involved and difficult it was.  When I looked at
the roadster and it's suspension setup there was a BIG difference in how I
could try to " race"  build a car, and how this one was done.  This looked
like something that  one of our local race shops would produce.  ( Huffaker
Engineering and Frey racing Enterprises were local celebraties  in the SCCA
circuit)  Very simple and looked like it would work on the track.  Anyway we
set up the car and eventually my buddy took it to his only regional race at
Laguna Seca in Monterey.  Now he was a good driver,, but I couldn't believe
what he did to the field of cars as well as the cars that were in the next
class level.  ( If memory serves me right he was running in F production,
maybe G and running with two other production classes.) The previous owner had
told us to keep the TR4 carbs on it ( illegal we found out later) which we did
and this thing was running and hugging the turns like it was born on that
track. It was smoking everybody.  At the time this led me to believe that this
was a special car.  My buddy DNF'd as he got alittle to bold and broke the
steering box when he slid into the infield while taking a turn too hot.  That
is the last time the car has run and it still sits with me today.  Now I can
tell you alot more if you need specifics about the car,  ( the go fast goodies
out of the factory race parts sections, the minilites,  goodyear bluestreak
wet tires etc. etc. if you need that info.   )
     What I am specifically looking for is for you to direct me to records,
websites, books etc. that I can research to find out the history of this car
or if it is just a well built home job.  I am thinking about getting into
vintage racing and this has been bugging me for quite some time.  Anyhelp
youcan give me would be greatly appreciated.... Thanks Much

Sincerely Jaime Saldivar.