Project Datto Latest Topics

Barn Find '72 620

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:39:42 +0000

1972 (72/08) Datsun 620, L16

I joined Ratsun about...8 years ago? I had just bought a "Little Chief" camper, on a 1979 Datsun 620. It's gone to a better home now, some time ago.

It has been said that once you catch the yellow fever, there is no cure.

Draker's 1979 620 King Cab Deluxe

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 00:51:47 +0000

Hold.

Revival of the Chickenhawk...

Sun, 13 Apr 2014 04:01:39 +0000

Older guys (and users of Datsun1200.com) may recall this car...

Here's some pics from about 12 years ago, in it's heyday...

Unfortunately, it was parked back in 2003 and sort of neglected... :blush:

But we are going to bring it back, better than ever. B)

Stay tuned as progress happens... :thumbup:

Trucky-chan KA-T 620 project

Tue, 05 Nov 2013 18:59:49 +0000

Hello all,

I am using this as my introduction/build thread. So, for the introduction. I'm Andrew, I am a life long car guy with a primary focus on Mustangs (I have a '66 coupe which is a project in waiting and an '05 V6 being force fed by a snail), but recently have been getting very bored with my current daily beater. I have been lurking on the site off and on for the last several months while I was searching for my first Datsun. Well, about 3 weeks ago I finally found one out here in the mid-west that wasn't too far gone.

I picked up a 1973 620, it is a 4 speed truck with an L16 and came complete with enough spare parts to build half another truck (many of which will get listed in the classifieds once I reach my post limit).

The good:
The motor has already been gone through and has new everything (pretty much).
Head has been gone through already.
All new brakes (drums, shoes, hardware, hoses, wheel cylinders, and I believe master cylinder) minus the booster.
Basically anything that wasn't already on the truck came with it with lots of extras.

The Bad:
Both floor pans.
Driver's side pinch weld.
Distributor relay (not really needed?).

Both floor pans are pretty bad. The driver's side is pretty well gone, but the truck came with a replacement so I'm not too worried about that. The driver's side pinch weld, at least the span below the door, is pretty much gone as well so I will need to patch that up while doing the floors. The passenger side floor pan at some point in its life had a patch job done with fiberglass, so that will need to be taken care of at some point as well, but has a much smaller area to replace than the other side.

Progress so far. When I picked up the truck it seemed like it was pretty much good to go. The PO wasn't at all familiar with ignition or carburetors and was having trouble getting someone to help, as a result, after he put all the pieces on it just sat. I decided to forgo learning all about the Hitachi carb that was on there and go a head and move up to the 32/36. To eliminate a point of failure I also opted to go with the DGV with the manual choke. Got the carb installed Last Friday and then spent the rest of the weekend trying to diagnose my no spark.

Figured out the spark issue last night, looks like my distributor relay is bad, I ran a wire from straight from the - side of the coil to the distributor and now I have spark. It was already dark when I got spark so decided not to fiddle with it too much after that. Hopefully I will be able to get her fired tonight and finally moved from the driveway into the garage.

I don't have many pictures at the moment, and the ones I do have are bad, but too bad because they are getting posted:

The truck came with a stepside bed and the original, which is more my style...

My '05 Mustang

My current daily which has only one redeeming quality being the chalkboard paint job. Beyond that it is just way too practical.

I'll be sure to post up my progress and if I ever find an issue that the SEARCH can't solve I'll post questions as well.

1969 Datsun 510 2 door - "ZPZ 046"

Mon, 06 May 2019 18:52:29 +0000

So my life found another one........a few months ago I started interviewing for a new job after working for the same company for 17 years. I ended up being offered the job and it was very bittersweet because the opportunity was great but I was leaving coworkers that had become family. I had NO PLANS to purchase ANY car let alone another 510. Fast forward to 3 days before my last day (4/3/19) and my daily beater (92 Integra) started getting very hot when not in motion. I checked the oil and no issues but it didn't occur to me to check anything else.

That day I was talking to a friend and was convinced it was a water pump which is a job I didn't want to do because of all the work involved. Scrolling through my IG and I get a personal message from a friend sharing another friends post. As soon as I saw the car my heart beat started racing because it was the exact spec of my first car at 16 years old and it was 100% original in awesome shape. Furthermore I knew the person who bought it and new he was in the business of flipping cars. I messaged him immediately and he said I could have first dibs since we were friends even though he already had 3 other interested parties.

I leveraged the situation of my Integra with my loving wife and made plans to buy the car 2 days later on 4/3 my last day of work.

Sergio sent me the following pictures which cemented my need to buy the car:

Untitled by five1oh2010, on Flickr

Untitled by five1oh2010, on Flickr.

Untitled by five1oh2010, on Flickr

Rust revival

Tue, 10 May 2022 16:42:47 +0000

Happy 510 day! I have a 4 door project that I started in 1984 and a 2 door I've had since about 2000. I've been working on my 2 door 510 for a while and wanted to share this process. I've been reading the threads since 2009, learned a lot, so now it's time to help others. I'll be uploading pictures when I get things setup.

0R4NGE

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 17:00:34 +0000

Starting a build thread here for a newly acquired car...

This car has some history for me, it was my babysitters growing up. She has since passed and her husband gifted it to me.

Its a 1971 510, automatic with 33,000 miles. Never been winter driven and has always been used as a second vehicle as long as I have been around. The car hasnt moved since Y2K.

Here are some photos of when I went to see if it was salvageable and then a week later when I picked it up.

The car is in unbelievable shape, but I still need to go through everything. The floor is solid without looking or feeling like it is rusted at all, but the undercoating is peeling off and you can almost just pull it off with your fingers.

Short term plans are to get it moving and plated with the least amount of changes as possible but with my history of heavily modified cars this is just to be able to drive it.

Its destined to be a street car and hopefully driven and can expect either an engine swap or EFI conversion with a manual trans and some of the other typical updates with paint.

Cheers!

Matt

Muttley

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 05:59:22 +0000

Meet Muttley, my '72 4-door 510. This one is a theft recovery, circa 2001. I acquired the car last spring, and recently got it running and driving for the first time since it was stolen. It has been pieced back together from parts from many 510s, so it is truly a mutt. It has an L16 with W53 peanut head and 280ZX 5-speed. I have since rebuilt the Weber 32/36 carb, replaced the brake and clutch master cylinders, refurbished the brake calipers, installed new rear wheel cylinders and shoes, and installed a Safari rally suspension. My vision for this car is a tribute to the BRE Sugar Daddy Baja 510. Here's a few pics from as-bought, a current pic, and my inspiration.

1961 VG223

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 04:44:25 +0000

latest arrival is a 1961 VG223 2 door wagon. not very common especially here in Australia.

Pretty in primer. A ‘69 521.

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 20:52:59 +0000

Hi, here’s my evolving story on a 1969 521 I just got. Seeking any and all comments, input, and advice.

We pulled this truck out of the backyard between two also non-running 620s. Previous owner was clearly a lover of Datsuns, but became physically unable to work on them. He tucked them away in the dry climate of far Northern California for some lucky chump like me to come across. RIP P.O. he left Datsun collection to his kin, I purchased this one from them.

Number plate indicated a J13.

Frame is solid, body has tons of dents but no scary rust that I can find. A couple of globs of bondo. Well-coated in primer at some point (baby blue underneath, one door cream, one fender red, interior sprayed black). Lots of little modifications—this truck was well-loved and according to seller was a real daily driver for decades. Aftermarket gauges (who knows what’s going on with wiring), bucket seats, steering wheel, annoyingly short shifter, radio, smog stuff, etc done by p.o. Seller said they recollected it needed a new water pump—maybe, couldn’t remember exactly but there was a reason p.o. put it away.

Truck would crank but not start upon inspection for purchase. I offered up the cash then before the seller tried anything else to keep the price from going up further. Seemingly, this turned out to be because of clogged fuel filters/lines. After trailering truck home, dropped the gas tank and cleaned it per advice found here. Flushed lines and replaced hoses. Filled up the float chamber with gas and…it started! (Oh I did do all fluid changes before starting). Idling rough, so much more work to be done there.

So there are a few question marks with this truck. In looking at photos and diagrams, I didn’t recognize the exhaust manifold in my truck as belonging to a J13. Also the spark plug wire set I got was comically short for what my engine needed, but wasn’t sure how the distributor could have moved that far. Then I finally unearthed a stamp from beneath all the oily grime that says “A87.” Info on this here forum says that means L16, L18, or maybe L20B?

Here’s a clue on the motor maybe could help someone identify—it has a dipstick towards rear in usual spot, and one towards the front. The end of front dipstick is snapped off, but presumably it can only be dipping oil. Double dipstick specific to any particular engine?

This also probably explains the new “shifter” is a whole other trans and perhaps why he needed to cut a hole in the tunnel to accommodate it. Transmission stamp says 1720-159 on top.

If anyone has thoughts on what this engine is… that would be really helpful for buying parts!

Lots on my to-do list. I was going to do the water pump given seller’s comment, but the one I bought for the J13 sure isn’t going to fit. In process of that job discovered heater core has crack and leak.

The truck needs cleaning, for one. It is currently glued together with grease and dirt. Can’t remotely access the zerks they are so caked up. Needs suspension work, all rubber degraded, truck is leaning to one side. Brakes, I’d like to convert to dual circuit master eventually. Floor pans are the rustiest part, but not full of holes. Could use new window rubber.

On the last startup, blew blue smoke out of the exhaust. Just changed the spark plugs and they do not look good. Black and oily and build up. The plugs seemed very loose in my under informed opinion. Have not started it since that discovery.

So blue smoke, oil all over the engine bay, oily spark plugs…is this a valve cover gasket, valve stem seal replacement situation at minimum? Other means of diagnosing the oil burning issue?

Alright so about me—I’m new to wrenching on cars and I’ve got a lot to learn. Please feel free to give me advice fit for novices, I won’t be offended. I’m not dense, but yeah I’ve never done this before. I’m not afraid of labor-intensive jobs. I AM afraid of spending a bunch of cash, so I’d prefer to do things cheaply. I’m pretty handy.

Anyway thanks for reading. More to come, of course. So cool to see all the advice and enthusiasm in the group!

1972 Datsun 240Z project, aka Paddy

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 15:43:41 +0000

Been hankering for another S30 for awhile now. A friend had this abandoned race car project taking up space, so I went and looked at it yesterday.

VIN looks to be a mid-year 1972 build, and the title says 1972...

The previous owner elected to have the car media blasted, but then it got left outside. So I see lots of work ahead before I can even start on the build portion... 😄

It has an interesting cage in it. The floor was rusty so he cut it out and built the cage into the car, reenforcing all the bulkheads and frame rails...

Removed spare tire well also...

Cage ties into front frame rails on the bottom...

Also made these weird engine mounts on the strut towers. Those will be first to go...

Not sure if I want to get it blasted again, or if I just want to work all the surface rust off one panel at a time. Guess it depends on how much I can get it blasted (or dipped) for...

I know it looks like it is missing a ton of parts, but they are all coming with the car. Thankfully, the doors were not disassembled or blasted, but the tailgate was.

It's gonna be a little while before I can pick it up and get started, but I am stoked. There's no engine/trans, so I can kind do whatever I want there. Still undecided but thinking either 302 V8, or SR20DET. It'll be awhile before a decision needs to be made on engine though... 😁

ka24de swap guidance

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 02:15:08 +0000

hey, so im looking to Ka24de swap my 73 datsun 620 and looking for some guidance on the whole process. whats a good price to pay for a ka24de with manual transmission? Im looking to get the engine and transmission mounts from redeye and i heard that the drive shaft need to be shortened. also the can/am wiring boxes? appreciate the help guys.

1977 620 KingCab Deluxe

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 16:05:36 +0000

This is my KA24DE swap and 77 620 Kingcab refresh.

I've had this truck in storage for a while...now it's time to clear out the unit.

Truck as purchased for $100 a few years ago, it's been stored inside since then. Some of you guys might remember this one from the 'Dude leave a note' thread on NWDE.

5-Speed and diff from a 1983 720 KC with the Z24

Got the truck and motor to the house on May 4th 2010.

Better shot of theKA24DE going in.

1975 Datsun 620 - The "Branch" Manager

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:38:31 +0000

It's been 4 years since I started looking for one and I finally bought one. It came with the engine in pieces so it had to be towed. All the glass is perfect and I'm very happy with the bed and condition of the frame. Will need new floors, rocker panels, and maybe fenders and a door but I have access to a welder to learn. In the market for a ka24e or a de but am also considering rebuilding the l20b that came with it. It's the successor to my Grandpa's hobby farm truck which was name The Branch Manager which would carry branches to the burn pile etc. So far I've stripped everything from below the bed. The gas tank was completely full of water but is in very good condition considering. Getting ready to wire brush everything I've collected.

620KC on 720 bare frame build

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 15:26:43 +0000

Hi guys, I'm new to this site but have been posting my build on the 510Realm. I'm doing a resto-mod using a 75 620KC that I'm grafting onto an 85 720 reg. cab long bed, benefits are: power steering, front disc brakes, non-kingpin steering knuckles, bigger gas tank, and bigger/more functional wiring harness.

I started my build a couple years ago and after stripping down both trucks to verify frame differences, I needed to relocate the forward 2 box mounts to account for the longer KC/shorter box, plus nip off some excess rear frame length, otherwise the frames are the essentially same. I believe the D21 Hardbody is also the same frame but not confirmed. Modified frame was completely stripped to bare metal and checked over for any cracks etc. before going any further. At this point I have a full rolling chassis done, I fabricated new brake/fuel lines and mounts for them, new PS lines, and have replaced or refurbished pretty much every mechanical piece in the process.

I'm about to begin the engine teardown and the current plan is to use the 2.4 Naps-Z that came in the 720 then later I'll swap in something more powerful. I'm probably going to stick within the Nissan family, but if I bastardize it then I might do an LS swap ( I'm not a bow-tie fan).

The body was reasonable with rust in the usual areas, I've sourced replacement front fenders and tailgate. I'll have to make or hopefully find replacement rockers. One thing I'm yet undecided on is what to do with the hole in the roof as the truck had a sunroof installed. I could fill it in but I like a sunroof.

I'll post some pics once I figure out how to insert them on this board. Or see my post on 510Realm.

Eric the White, 510 Project...

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 01:54:43 +0000

So a looooong time ago, a buddy in Houston sent me this photo...

And then he asked if I wanted to buy it. Price was decent, and he said it was runner, so a week later it was at my house...

I was not in a position at the time to do anything with it, so I pushed it in the garage and sort of forgot about it...

Then a couple of years later, a buddy here local to me offered to fix the paint. It was at his shop for almost 2 years, then it came back to me like this...

Then I promptly pushed it back in the garage and forgot about it for a couple of more years... 😄

Back, after many moons

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:07:22 +0000

So, I've been away for many moons.

I am back with a pair of new to me Datsun 620 4x4s that I have been chasing or more than a decade.

Both have a 4x4 conversion with a Dana 20 transfer case and a Dane 30 front axle, one mostly complete

one in pieces. they look to be low mfg. kits, but I am still looking into who converted them.

When I was last here I built a blue 73 620 on a 85 720 chassis with a 2.4 motor in So Cal. that I sold to another member.

That truck seems to have vanished, if anyone knows please let me know it it is still alive. I am now in southern Idaho

This will be a slow process as I will be sorting and cleaning the two trucks and a bed full of parts to see what I have

and what I need,

I've attached a pic of the more complete truck.

Mike if you need to move this post to another section please do so.

1975 620 Longbed "Shelley"

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 23:57:47 +0000

Hello Ratsun!

After many hours perusing different topics and following some of your builds I have finally obtained a truck of my own! She's a white 1975 Longbed that is surprisingly complete. PO said he just kept it running while he had it.

The only changes are:

Weber 32/36 Carb with a janky manifold adapter

Lowered about 2" front & back

A 3rd seatbelt

A fuel tank that measures approximately 12x12x36", so about 22ish gallons.

Emissions/EGR delete

The previous owner said it used to belong to a refinery (hence the Shell logos), which is when the bigger fuel tank was added. Then it sat in a field for a while, during which the hood was left up and subsequently bent back over the windshield during a windstorm. That hood was replaced with the red one currently installed. I got the original hood and it seems to have only minor damage.

I figured I'd start my own build thread to keep track of stuff, I'm not expecting to create a saga like some of the guys on here, but we'll see how it goes. I'll be taking my time with this project and just having fun.

Current plans:

Front disc conversion - I installed new shoes, cylinders hoses in the front, both cylinders were leaking, but long term I don't want to worry about only having drums and constantly adjusting them. They'll be fine until i can figure out the conversion. I've seen some great things about Mike's Bluehands conversion kit, but also that he is no longer making them. Open to any suggestions there.

Get it running smoothly - its running a bit rich at the moment, and i can hear a vacuum leak coming from behind and towards the passenger side of the carb. This may be due to the carb adapter but when i checked everything seemed to be tight enough and i didn't hear much change when i removed and reinstalled it. I have a set of NGK spark plugs to go in but need to address vaccum leaks before messing with the carb.

Add some kind of bedliner to stop the bed rusting through

Swap to a 5 speed - someday it would be nice to have an extra gear for highway driving/roadtrips.

Interior refresh

Here are some photos, lets see if I got this right:

Started on the front brakes & repolaced both front hoses:

Before:

After:

The shifter was also pretty sloppy so after looking closer the bushings had disintegrated, so I 3d printed a few to tide me over until i get some brass ones. They were ~50$ on ebay so i'm curious to see how long the printed ones will last.

Looking forward to learning more about these trucks and keeping one on the road!

Sh!ts and Giggles 510

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 20:14:23 +0000

So I decided I need to create a thread for my 510. I purchased the car in 2004, all stock except for wheels and a weber. I was 20 years old and had big plans for the project. Slowly I came to realize that my original plans were more like dreams, lol. I want to thank the internet (ratsun/ the realm/ DQ/ etc) for providing most of my inspiration and more importantly the information that a build like this requires. I am still learning and I love it!

Here is what I started with, this was soon after I got it

1978 620 King Cab 4X4

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 01:41:58 +0000

Some of you guys might have read my Jeep thread.

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/503-my-jeep-is-on-crack/page__p__6888__hl__jeep__fromsearch__1?do=findComment&comment=6888

Well this Memorial trip reminded me how beat it is.

So, I went looking for a replacement and picked up this little guy to build. Ended up having a bad rod, but a nice truck overall, great for a wheeler...

...then I get a text from Jeff, "Wanna buy my truck?"

Took a short while to sort it out, but thanks to Jeff's patience we made the deal today.

My new wheeler, I plan to beat it mercilessy after some repairs and armor. :fu:

Best part is some of my Jeep parts interchange.

The rest of the jeep is getting torn down to the tub.

I'm storing a couple centimental parts for a buggy build 'someday'.

Yes, I need to wash the red truck

1973 620 KA24DE build

Fri, 27 Nov 2015 21:46:53 +0000

SKIP TO PAGE 4, thanks to PB dropping their game I am picking images back up on that page due to lost images...Sorry!!

Hello!

I'm a new guy to the forum, I am on the other Datsun forums as I also have a 77 280Z...I was looking for a L28ET for it and found this 620...I picked it up for $750...She runs and drives, just worn out...Only major rust is under the doors (not the doors themselves), up under the hood and some of the floor...Other than that she's clean...I have found a 92 and 93 240sx in a local junk yard and will be getting both KA24DE engines (all wires/MAF...) and a 5 speed from one of them for $750...Plan is to build this to replace my daily boring Ranger...I plan to build up the extra engine as a KA24DET...but that will be a long term goal...I will be updating as I go...I have a lot of plans for this and I hope to get it done relatively quickly...Glad to be here, I love Datsuns and I'm stoaked to have this 620...More pics to come...

Build List - Goal is a SAFE tune up to 300 RWHP on 93 pump gas...I am open to advice on better parts, or how OEM or other parts from other cars can get me there...Also, this is a work in progress, I am certain I have missed some things...I'll update as I learn...I am mostly looking on KA-T.org...Also, if you recommend any other companies or websites let me know! Or ones to avoid for that matter too...

Engine

Cleaned, surfaces addressed as required, bored .20 over if needed, rotating assembly balanced and anything else recommended

Rotating Assembly

Stock Crank - cleaned and balanced as mentioned above
Eagle Forged H-Beam Rods w/ARP Bolts - Enjuku - $350
Wiseco Pistons - After research it seems that 8.8:1 will be the best for on and off boost, but this area has me stuck and I've been advised that anything under 9 is pretty safe from detonation
*Real Street Performance has many rod/piston combos for a good price, so maybe I'll find a deal there...$850 for Wiseco Forged Pistons/Eagle Rods/Rings/ARP Fasteners

Block Hardware/Misc

ARP Main Studs - Real Street Performance - $108.14
Clevite Rod and Main Bearings - Enjuku - $85 ($37/$57 respectively from Real Street)
Freeze Plug Set - Rock Auto - $10
ER Exhaust Manifold Studs (Grade 8.8) - Enjuku - $50
Xcessive PS/AC Delete - Enjuku - $135
OEM Gasket Set - Enjuku - $200 or $185 from Frsport
Crankshaft Seal - Rock Auto - $10
OEM Water Pump - Real Street Performance - $89 or $70 off of Thenismoshop
ARP Head Stud Kit - Enjuku - $140 ($151 from Real Street)
OEM Oil Filter - Enjuku - $10
ISR 7 Layer Exhaust Manifold Gasket - Enjuku - $25
ISR Thermostat (opens at 60 degrees) - Enjuku - $35
OEM Timing Chain kit - Thenismoshop - $325
ISR Magnetic Oil Drain Plug - Enjuku - 15$
~~Late 620 Rubber Engine Bushings - Rock Auto - $15~~

Head/Intake/Fuel/Cooling

Stock Head - Cleaned up, maybe port/polish, parts replaced as required
Stock Intake Manifold - EGR Deleted
Stock Cams - Told these are plenty for my desired power and will retain the low end torque
ERG Block Off Plate - ISR - Enjuku - $15
Aeromotive Fuel Pressure Regulator Kit - Enjuku - $270
ISR OE Z32 MAF - Enjuku - $110
Fuel Pump - Inline Walboro 225 - $$?
Injectors - 550s are what I have been told I need - Anyone have a good brand?
Stock tank cleaned/sealed/painted - Really want to put a fuel cell in the spare tire location, that weight will be better there anyway
Inline Clear Fuel Filters - Need to find
Adjustable Dual Electric Fan Thermostat Kit - Enjuku - $90
Electric Fan - Need to find a set up
Oil Cooler Kit - Still Looking
Stock Radiator for now - need to figure out piping

Exhaust/Turbo - Still under tons of research

Turbo Manifold - need to find, probably a top mount from what I have seen
Turbo - Ha, still looking..been advised that a T3/T04 will be a good choice but I need to look into it
Full 3 inch exhaust, no cat, nice muffler...
Intercooler - Whatever makes sense for quality/price and fitment...But I do like one from Mishimoto - $225
Piping and Clamps - Custom, definitely going to get quality parts here...
Waste Gate - ??
Blow Off Valve - ??
Oil Bung welded into Oil Pan - easy, just have to find a local shop to do it
Turbo Oil Drain braided steel line - make one

Engine Management/Sensors/Ignition/Electrics

NGK Plug Wires - Enjuku - $70
ISR OE Knock Sensor - Enjuku - $40
Stock ECU on hand for tune - Going to go with RS-Enthalpy - $400
Grounding Kit - ??
Upgraded Alternator to 1997 Nissan Quest alternator 100 amp (might be able to find a 125...) Rock Auto - $115
Gauges - I have some in mind...
~~Can Am Box~~
Spark Plugs - I assume NGKs, I'll get what makes sense
Distributor - Still looking, I have read the stock set up is fine up to 500 hp with a good tuner

Clutch/Drivetrain

Competition Clutch - "WHITE BUNNY" Upgrade kit w/Flywheel w/ARP - Enjuku - $380
OEM Master and Slave (truck slave) - Rock Auto - $??
All Braided Steel Line - Enjuku - $50
B&M Short Shifter (Came with my transmission)
Transmission Rebuilt - Local Shop - $750
Custom Drive Shaft and New U Joint connections - Gotta figure this one out still
Transmission installation figured out...Sounds easy enough

Suspension/Brakes//Wheels

~~Titan Rims - 18's~~
Tires - Maybe Sumitomo HRT Z III 225/40ZR18 - Tire Rack - $425 for a set
6mm Wheel spacers (trying to find something other than aluminum as I have read they can crack)
Longer Studs
Lug nuts - some sweet tuner color...lol
~~BeeBani's full kit - Disk Brakes/coilovers in all 4 corners and a Watts 5 link~~

Calipers -

Rotors -

Lines -

Pads -
Hardware -

Master/Booster -

Misc

Fix all rust - so the floors and under the doors

Rocker Panels - $40 each
Paint the truck
Polish all Glass
All new Weather Stripping
Truck Rewired - up to $450 for a universal kit from American Auto Wire
All Lights upgraded - Headlights, brakes...etc
Refinish Interior - So seats, head liner, door panels, dash..etc...
Radio set up - Don't worry, I'm not gonna drag my frame or load the bed with 6 x 15 inch square sub woofers and all the amps to power it strapped to the roof to show it off...

Lego's 71 510 wagon

Wed, 01 May 2024 01:47:10 +0000

getting my Wagon back on the road, lets get up to speed
Please hold

You're my boy, Blue '71 521 - KSwap

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:48:53 +0000

After FINALLY deciding on where to go with the 'first stage' of this build; it's time for it's own topic, so let's bring you guys up to speed.

May 2019 - there was a craigslist post for a "Free Datsun Drift Truck". I was the lucky sob that was first to respond and ended up taking a road trip with my Bro to pick it up.

Since then I've collected the random body parts missing from the truck, a couple sets of rims (haven't decided which way to go, and I'm a bit of a wheel whore) and recently decided to go with a Honda K20/K24 + Miata Transmission swap (eventual 6speed) for the engine.

Rim choice 1 - 15x8 "Blades":

Rims choice 2 - 15x10 Mags:

Extra pics - Classic plates belonging to my Grandfather last regged in 95, now back on the street -

Next to my Green 521

New bed picked up and chopped off the old bed on the frame - thanks to some eagle eyed Ratsuners it looks like I'm working with a 620 frame

random bed parts and tailgate acquired:

Got a 5 speed tranny last week which will be great for mock-up at the very least:

And my Bro swooped up a KMiata adapter plate which will allow us to join up a K20/K24 (still undecided - opinions?) up and beat the shit out of it.

LS1 DATSUN 510 COMPLETE PROJECT

Sat, 08 Oct 2022 19:39:17 +0000

Been a while since I've been on this site and some stuff has changed in the meantime. The plan was to put a SBC iron v8 in it but now I'm putting in a ls 5.3 aluminum block v8 (about 400 lbs) in it. was going to be using a t5 trans which i'm selling and getting a tko 500 or 600 trans so I don't have to worry about it being a weak link. Have a 5.3 aluminum used running motor from a trail blazer which I'm about to tear down to a bare block. The main focus is to keep the car balanced front to rear so that the car has it's great handling these cars are known for. i have a 6" set back at firewall to help with this along with battery relocation to rear and moving fuel tank further rearward and lower in car. There are other things that I will show and cover as this goes along. I want people to know that this is not meant to be a drag car or that i'm throwing away the handling aspect of this car by all means no and trying to enhance it if possible. Pete Brocks car was well donev8 conversion in a lot of aspects but I'm going a bit more street race car than it was. I want to be able to run it at road america , auto cross, drift events , roll races and street race 1/8 and 1/4 mile all with same car just different sent ups and or wheel and tire packages. I'm ready for the haters but prefer people that enjoy garage built toys and constructive conversation. (a bit of back ground on car was purchased in 1990 for 300 and was a mess rand restored it with built 1800 sss and won best of show in 1993 southern california datsun show then went to drag strip and ran it and was so slow i took it off the road for engine conversion then life got in the way like kids and other motor sport interests so now i'm finally getting back to it.) Here's one pic of the car now in garage.

MX520 2.O

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 19:06:51 +0000

A twin headlight 1967 520 build with MX5 suspension, wiring, engine and gearbox heavily inspired by Project MX520 and Bob Boileau. I have a 1967 South African RHD 520 imported to the UK. It spent most of its life on the edge of the Kalahari desert and has negligible rust. When I bought it someone had removed the original engine and gearbox (and a Rover/Buick V8 had cone and gone). No chance of restoring to original in the UK as never sold here new……. So perfect opportunity for a project! So far I’ve removed the original suspension and brackets, and welded in a MX5 Mk2 front subframe and brackets to mount a rear MX5 subframe. I will document progress here, but it’s a side gig and won’t progress at a crazy rate.

very big thanks to Bob Boileau, whose well documented MX520 build has been a massive inspiration and source of ideas. I’ve done some things slightly different, but Bob has made it all possible.