Picked up an 87 gl wagon

[goatee21]

Hey all, I picked up an 87 gl wagon a week or so ago to teach my kids manual.  Previous owner was a mechanic.  Fires right up with a turn of the key.  Would love some suggestions on what i should go through first.  Car will primarily be for driving to school, maybe hauling our fishing poles to the pond etc.  I'm somewhat mechanically inclined, I had a 510 I replaced the head on, had an old 74 beetle that used to die seemingly every other day etc.

Current status of the car

Starts right up, the idle sounds kind of odd.  When you restrict the air flow a bit on the left side with hand/sock or whatever (all the smog/heat exchange stuff is gone) it clears up.  New filter?  Additional air filter?

Carb bogs a bit, not awful, when trying to give it a lot of gas on the road.  It will clear if you leave your foot in it but the issue doesn't go away when the car is warm or anything.  Carbs are definitely my weak point, I've rebuilt them before but dialing them in is no fun.  I have some experience with the 32 weber so I did ponder swapping to that.  It starts and sounds so good I don't want to mess that up.

It has ac, any point in recharging it?

Popping when I turn left, cv joints I assume?

I'd love to know some of your tips on first things you would tackle to update it a bit, make sure it's safe etc. 

[Torry33]

there is a mixture screw right in the front of the carb.try turning it in until it starts to sputter and then back it out till it runs smooth.also there is an accelerater pump adjustment on the back of the linkage.maybe your not getting enough throw to give it a shot of gas when you accelerate.check for hoses that are possable air or vaccume leaks

Edited April 16, 2017 by Torry33

[DaveT]

Cvs pop when turning, bad. Try to find oem and regrease and reboot. After market are junk.

 

Ac. The only way to find out what's wrong is to recharge it. Put a dye shot in it also. R12 was original.

[wagons]

Cool find. Hitachi carbs are crap, webers the way to go. Check ignition timing and the million vaccuum hoses. New plugs and wires. Just a general tune up and lots of tlc and it will be a fun car

[goatee21]

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

Torry Yah i wondered about vaccuum leak. I will try your suggestions.

 

Dave, thought so on the cv and true story on the ac.  I guess I'll try it!

 

Wagons dual hitachis are all the rage in datsun world but SUs.    I'll likely get plugs wires and a coil.