Couldn’t resist getting another Datsun
Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:17 pm
I’ve been a 311.org member since 2013. It started with the purchase of my 1st ‘69 roadster. The plan was a full, down to bare frame, resto-mod. It was a non runner and quickly became obvious I needed another car for parts. So I bought a second, in bad shape but it was a runner. Then I picked up another parts car because it was close and a good buy. Then there was a forth car because it was close, cheap, and had the windshield I needed. After all that my wife still kept me around.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=18577
The car’s been continuing on and off since I starter. I’m in the home stretch now. Just recently got it back from the painter and the urge started up again. I wanted another Datsun. Something I could tinker on but not dive so deep into as I did on the roadster. I wanted something I could drive back and forth to town and work. So I found me a ‘68 Datsun 520. It looked decent in the pictures. After talking to the owner, it sounded like a good buy. It drove. It stopped. The electric worked. So I hooked up the trailer and I was off to pick it up.
The test drive was a blast. When I got back to the guy’s house I just pulled it right up on the trailer. It was going home with me.
As I was trailering it home my family and friends were saying it wouldn’t be long before I had it all apart. I kept on saying no. I just wanted to get it road worthy for now and drive it. Well...
I got to work and replaced a bunch of the front suspension and steering components, water pump and hoses.
The wheels and tires were the next items that needed attention. I picked up some Chevy 15x8 steel rally wheels and 195/50-15’s. Improved the look quite a bit.
Then I got brave and drove it into town. It was a white knuckle ride. The tires are a bit shorter than original, the truck was geared for low speeds and to carry cargo so the engine was screaming to keep at 50 mph.
So, the third project was called for, swapping out the rear end gears. After some internet research I discovered the roadster and truck rear end housings are the same and that the roadster ring and pinion would fit in the truck. Since I had some spares from my roadster project I thought I’d give it a try. Success! A test drive proved that the smaller tires and the new gears worked out great.
I took the bed off to get to the rear end so I thought I’d clean up some seas on the bed since it was off.
I also thought I’d replace the exhaust while I was in there.
Well, we all know where this is going. Since I’d gone so far I decided to continue on and paint the entire truck. So maybe everybody was right. It wouldn’t be long before I had it all apart....
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=18577
The car’s been continuing on and off since I starter. I’m in the home stretch now. Just recently got it back from the painter and the urge started up again. I wanted another Datsun. Something I could tinker on but not dive so deep into as I did on the roadster. I wanted something I could drive back and forth to town and work. So I found me a ‘68 Datsun 520. It looked decent in the pictures. After talking to the owner, it sounded like a good buy. It drove. It stopped. The electric worked. So I hooked up the trailer and I was off to pick it up.
The test drive was a blast. When I got back to the guy’s house I just pulled it right up on the trailer. It was going home with me.
As I was trailering it home my family and friends were saying it wouldn’t be long before I had it all apart. I kept on saying no. I just wanted to get it road worthy for now and drive it. Well...
I got to work and replaced a bunch of the front suspension and steering components, water pump and hoses.
The wheels and tires were the next items that needed attention. I picked up some Chevy 15x8 steel rally wheels and 195/50-15’s. Improved the look quite a bit.
Then I got brave and drove it into town. It was a white knuckle ride. The tires are a bit shorter than original, the truck was geared for low speeds and to carry cargo so the engine was screaming to keep at 50 mph.
So, the third project was called for, swapping out the rear end gears. After some internet research I discovered the roadster and truck rear end housings are the same and that the roadster ring and pinion would fit in the truck. Since I had some spares from my roadster project I thought I’d give it a try. Success! A test drive proved that the smaller tires and the new gears worked out great.
I took the bed off to get to the rear end so I thought I’d clean up some seas on the bed since it was off.
I also thought I’d replace the exhaust while I was in there.
Well, we all know where this is going. Since I’d gone so far I decided to continue on and paint the entire truck. So maybe everybody was right. It wouldn’t be long before I had it all apart....
Anyway, I wanted to get the truck done and back on the road so I could get back on the roadster.