Seeker > 620 KC

Oops, my bad. Having 3 cars it feels like I have to smog em all every year. Thanks for pointing that out Matt. Now I don't feel like it's costing me as much to keep em up! Look forward to meeting you at the BBQ Edz280zx

Glad you got it handled. I assume being a 78 you still have to get it smogged every year in CA? This is my recent experience smog-ing a post 1975 vehicle. Unfortunately, I was born and raised in over-regulated, expensive-to-live CA. I've heard (rumors) some Dat owners have registered their older Dats as a historic vehicle, get historic plates, and no longer have to get their vehicles smogged? But I've also heard there is a cap on the yearly mileage you can put on a historic vehicle in order to have the historic status, and they may have to have this verified periodically? This might be worth somebody checking out, for those who don't drive their trailer queens very often? I had my first smog license in 1974. The rule remains the same on transferring an out of state vehicle to CA no matter of the year it was made, it must have a one-time smog inspection . It is up to that technician to determine what is required. Now-a- days that could include going to a star station. If the vehicle is a 1978, it will still have to get yearly smog inspections after an initial out of state smog inspection. 75’ 74’ 73’ etc and older would not require yearly smog inspections. after the one-time inspection required to get a CA title and reg. Currently, If it was a federal vehicle brought into CA to title and reg it only has to have Federal smog required installed, it does not need to have CA req smog equip. There was a lot of confusion and issues about this in the early post 75’ decades creating the smogging horror stories of years gone by. A few years ago i purchased a super nice condition out-of-state 1980’ 200sx with fuel injection, federal standards, always garaged, and less than 60k miles on it. It ran, had great power (although it lagged a lot,) but would fog out a city block burning rich when first started cold. My wife required I announce I was going to start it up long before I started it... so she and I could take the time to shut all the doors and windows! Lmao. It really would fog up the house with fuel richness and not much color, but god... what a cough causing stench! . First I went to AAA to transfer the title. I knew they would transfer the title in the system and I would have to wait to get a title mailed to me, and I would only get a temp registration in order to be able to drive it on the roads to get it smogged. Sinice the vehicle was drivable, and currently titled and registered in another state AAA was able to do the VIN verification to ensure it was indeed the vehicle's out-of-state paperwork said it was. (Side note: AAA was not able to do a VIN verification on a non-running CA 620 I bought that was missing a title and registration, and only had a bill-of-sale. I had to trailer the 620 to DMV and have them provide the VIN verification and file for a lost title. Neither of these verifications had anything to do with insurance, and my insurance company was not involved or required anything in the title-change process.) No longer working in auto field or having a smog license, I took the 200SX to a star station to smog, hoping to get it road worthy quick and get some easy paid-for diagnostics and answers, thus saving my back...NOT! It failed visual inspection and Dyno test miserably, worst emissions the guy had seen in a long time due to gulp valve hoses disconnected. Took it back to retest, failed again, the tech said the CAT was suspect. The Muffler sounded like a vacuum cleaner anyway. Went to the local High tech muffler shop and Sprung for new exhaust from CAT & muffler to tail pipe. this included the new CA required cat with a special number on it that must be recorded on the smog documentation and maybe on registration cert too? Haven’t checked to verify this suspicion. Looking through the old CAT I could see blue sky, there were no internal parts in it, everything was gone. Also found the coolant thermostat was seized open causing it to run extremely rich (Thanks DZM for the tip to check that! never would have suspected that on an injected vehicle.) Quickly replaced it with an orig still avail from the Nissan dealer. Complaining (whining) at work about my frustrations with the process and the frigging costs about it I learnned a co-worker had a relative who does smog near an auto center, and cheaper than what I was paying for at smog place #1. Took it to him instead, and he was willing to hear my woe’s and give me insight to current smog laws. Looking at the failed results from the initial test, the smog tech expected it to fail again. But it passed with flying colors, said it was the most improved emissions he’d ever seen! And he asked what all I’d done to it. I relayed my experience. He said he wished I’d brought it to him first to have saved me the hassles. But he really wished I’d brought it to him after the repairs, but before replacing the orig CAT. He said the typical sources of smog failures on older collectible cars are vac leaks, missing hoses, carb and choke issues, and incorrectly installed vac lines and wires. He likes to perform his own experiments to learn exactly what repairs fixes which problems. He he further explained CA CATS from the 70’s and 80’s did NOT have serial numbers on them, nor O2 sensors. Smog techs can only perform a visual inspection requirement on these older cars, other than the emissions test. There is NO CAT number to verify on these vehicles! AND this tech has seen a few friends cars with engines with good comp, well tuned, with working smog systems... pass smog , that have failing or hole-y CAT? He said instead of purchasing new exhaust I could have bolted in in a better condition used CAT from the same era vehicle, and it more-than-likely would have passed with better test results... not great, but passable. As long as the CAT looks orig, the tech will never know it’s from a different vehicle, and would not have any reason to question/reject it. The prob for smog techs is when guys weld in later CATS that look out-of-place or "modified other than stock", look like later/after-market parts, or altered in some way, would they be obligated to question/reject it. The prob here is locating a workable used CAT. All the So Cal Junkyards remove CATS to recycle before putting vehicles in their yards to be picked. I am not sure if that is simple profitable recycling choice, or perhaps a CA state requirement so prevent used CATS from being used? Someone who works in a JY may be able to shed further light on this? Although I am still required to have the 200SX smogged once a year for $58 out the door... my stock SX now hauls ass, regularly gets 32+ mpg, burns clean, and I don’t risk causing my wife, neighbors, or fellow DAT car guys to die of asphyxiation when I fire it up at home or a meet. There is nothing worse than sitting in my Eagle Rock Swap meet space and having some guy fire up his show car he's so proud of, and the rich burning exhaust nearly causes two rows of vendors to pass out! Cough! Gak! Wheeze! After rushing out of the cloud funk to fresh air, I laugh my ass off at the guy every time, and wonder how many brain cells the guy inside is killing off every time he fires it up? And the folks who stay in the cloud thinking it's cool? Back in my racing days in the hazy Inland Empire where you couldn't see the surrounding mountains due to smog. Many guys including myself didn't know any better either and they probably killed off a bunch of brain cells too. But now after decades of smog research... new smog laws since the 70's that have drastically cleared out and reduced the IE smog haze. You can regularly see the big M for Moreno Valley as you drive by on the freeway below it. (Side note: we used to relate Jimi Hendrix's song 'Purple Haze" to the IE smog issues.) Smog laws are a result of overpopulation and 4 cars for every human causing health risking smog. The Inland Empire is proof smog laws work and make cities safer to live in. Smog laws were created to protect people's health, not to inconvenience or punish car guys. Despite old Datsuns and other collectible and antique cars being affordable project cars for fun and hobbies... cars other than daily drivers are considered by government to be luxury items like boats and swimming pools. If they are causing health or environmental problems like the Quagga (sp) muscles cross contaminating freshwater lakes and water-ways, government will have to step in to protect the natural resources and people. So, we will have to be creative to reduce the associated costs of our outdated luxury hobbies. Especially if we don't want to have cars that cost tens of thousands of dollars to purchase and service, cars that not only parks by themselves, but drives by themselves, tells you when a car is in the lane next to you, or in the future have a chip that tells big brother where you are, or possibly turns off if the cop sees you breaking a law! In today's times, letting a street vehicle continue to burn overly-rich or removing smog equipment in the name of "performance" is like knowing the dangers of smoking cigarettes and second hand smoke... and continuing to smoke or living in close proximity to smokers anyway. I wonder why these guys don't learn to tune their cars to perform without the "cloud of asphyxiation?" Ignorance is not bliss, ya know. But I guess this is what keeps the health organizations in business, and so friggin rich, eh? Go figure. Stay informed with documentable knowledge. Knowledge is power. Rumors are just fun stories.

Save a couple for me!

This is not mine and I have no stake in it whatsoever. But I've found Glas-Tex GT Spoiler camper shells made in Norco CA are extremely rare, even here in So Cal. Thought I should post it here for all the out-of-town/state Fontana-style and SDWP truckers? https://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/pts/d/mitsubishi-truck-camper-shell/6655772402.html

Fontana style Glas-tek GT Spoiler camper shell for 620 long bed ... only $ 100 ! In lakeside CA, suburb of San Diego https://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/pts/d/mitsubishi-truck-camper-shell/6655772402.html

Your RockAuto discount code 861301057039616 will expire on August 19, 2018.

could also be the linkage bar that clips into a plastic retainer or you might a nut that fell off, or you might find two 1979 pennies rattling around like I did. but i’m with on this, take it apart and see what it is before you guess and blindly buy parts, it won’t keep you from driving it if the door panel is off

Here is a bolt-on AC compressor answer for all you sweaty 620 owners! If you want to install a modern rotary Sanden compressor system in your Datsun 620 L20B AC system... Good news! They are still being made today, available from various AC supply sources and in various configurations. The hard part is finding a bolt-on bracket to mount it to your engine. I networked around with my old automotive AC suppliers. One found this schematic in his treasured old AC parts catalog upstairs after all these years in their modern AC shop attic. This is an ARA Air Conditioning aftermarket engine compartment schematic from the 70's showing everything their engine kit came with. It was made in the good ol' U.S.A. with plate steel compressor brackets, and barbed hose fittings and hose clamps to seal the hoses to the fittings. These hose ends typically leaked and were problematic, and made a tidy profit for the dealer's AC installation/ repair shop! lmao The evaporator (inside the vehicle AC unit) was a separate "knee-knocker" unit that hung under the dash. It has "Datsun" in raised sliver lettering on the "On/Off switch plate similar to the gauge bezel trim...giving it the impression it was made my Nissan. It was not made by Datsun / Nissan. This is a typical after-market AC unit. There were a number of manufacturers who made these. One even put the rotary compressor on the passenger side, but they were not in business long and is very rare. Have yet to fine one myself for a template to reproduce. All the aftermarket automotive AC manufacturers including ARA are out of business &/or no longer produce these units. In junk yards I've taken a number of these units apart that were already broken to prove this. If you pull the switches out of the plastic knee-knocker housing you'll find they say "Made in USA." If you look at the squirrel cage fan units you'll see they say "Made in Ohio. I've heard 620 owners with AC brag their ARA or other after-market AC is "factory air." It is not. Factor 620 air was made by Nissan utilizing a York compressor and cast iron brackets, and the inside unit was inside the dash, not hanging below it. I've heard 620 owners with AC in their truck brag it was a "dealer option" which is an obscure and meaningless term today regarding Datsuns. "Back in the day" when I was a Datsun dealer employee... a true dealer option meant you could order a 5 speed trans in a car that typically came with a 4 speed. Or you could order something shipped from the Nissan factory that was original Datsun/Nissan equipped and have it installed on your vehicle state-side (in the USA). This typically never happened with 620 Datsuns and earlier Datsun models. Why? Because Datsuns were brand new competing in the US market in the late 60's and 70's, production was low. Datsuns only became seriously in demand by the public masses when the first fuel shortage happened. There were very few Datsuns being delivered to a dealer monthly in the 70's, and the dealers had to take what they could get. Datsun Dealers would do almost anything to sell cars as they were. Come talk to retired Datsun dealer George Goespel (sp?) at the next SWDP BBQ on Aug 18 in Fontana CA and ask him questions about being a Datsun Dealer. He's great to talk to. If I recall correctly from my last conversation at a BBQ he said they only received 20-30 new vehicles a month. If they didn't have the specific vehicle a customer wanted, they had to trade with other dealers to get the one car they needed to make a sale. He said he often had to trade a couple vehicles for another coupled vehicles to get the one he needed. Then he'd be stuck with an "ugly" unpopular colored vehicle his salesmen couldn't sell. He contracted with a local auto/body shop to repaint the cars buyers wanted in specific colors and the ugly brand new cars and trucks so his people could sell them! Back to "dealer options..." Datsun dealers in different cities would buy the slotted mag wheels made popular in those days by Indy car racing, and later the "Jackman" style white spoked rims from local speed shops. They would install them on a new car /truck and put them in their show rooms to help sell the new Datsun models. (I still see Jackman style rims for sale on CL and the seller is selling them as 'factory rims!" lol) Dealers would drill into brand new Datsun doors to install cheap aluminum side-molding, hang all kinds of mirrors from local parts stores, install oversized tires and rims, hang local aftermarket step-bumpers, and cut into brand new Dats roofs to install aluminum/plexigalss moon-roofs... and call them "dealer options." How do I know this? I was one of those guys paid to install them. Early Datsun 620 Dealer options were typically local parts house aftermarket parts (typically crappy,) not parts made in Japan, and NOT supplied from Datsun/Nissan. In later 80's years when new models came out and the various Datsun production lines ramped up the later Z's had lots of actual Nissan options one could order from the factory, or buy from dealers. But never for 620's.

Gene, You've manipulated my words around pretty severely... "you have no idea what i went thru while i was in the military with my 3 tours to Iraq " I didn't comment about what you went thru in the service. I am sorry if you're having adverse affects from it. "and the conditions i was in at the time." I respect you highly for serving, and by what you imply sounds like severe conditions. Thank you very much for your service. "i am sorry you feel that my statement about me as a veteran disgust you." I didn't say anything positive or negative about you being a veteran. You're an interesting Datsun truck guy with a mountain of parts and history. At ER you told me you were done with Datsuns and were selling every part and vehicle. I bought a bunch of stuff form you and referred a bunch of buyers to you that day. Thanks. I only know what you recently put me thru, and possibly others about this new event of yours. You called me complaining nobody at SWDP was posting details on Ratsun about the yearly SWDP BBQ. You even implied their group may no longer exist, which I dismissed. You tried to enroll me in your BBQ in the same location a week before theirs. I explained SWDP are probably just lagging in scheduling, and that your event would dilute their event's attendance, and that it would be pretty insulting to their group. At that time I further recommended you create another type of Datsun event at different location and in a different month. You tried to strengthen your position by telling me another Dat friend of mine was already onboard with this BBQ. But after calling my friend I learned you gave him the same impression.. that the SWDP no longer exists? Unsure of your motivations I wanted no part of it, and suggested you then cancel your BBQ and apologize to SWDP. After this I told you to I didn't want to discuss if further and said not to call or text me further about it. You have an off-putting manner of twisting the truth or a person's statements around to make them feel guilty or bad, in order for you to "be right." I don't trust that. And the behavior of repeatedly throwing your military service history in people's faces is what I find disgusting. Not you. Not your military history. There's a big difference.

I am so sorry Charlie. I was at work and quickly posted between a lot of interruptions . I was so used to seeing the two of you together at the events for many years, In my haste I simply mixed up your names Getting old sucks. My bad. My post was meant for Gene. I corrected it.

Gene, , I barely know you from the ER swap meet and the SWDP BBQ's, and I've heard you use this guilt-trip phrase a good number of times now... "as a veteran who have put his life on the line for your freedom." It's disgusts me how loosely you use it, for just any little thing, and especially now to justify having your own way, even if you were somehow wronged. I know vets from Vietnam to current day, and I don't know another vet who would make such shameful statements. I would truly like to believe it is due to your PTSD... As I suggested when you called me trying to enroll me in this idea of an alternate BBQ because SWDP didn't post their yearly event info on Ratsun early enough for you...There's still time to apologize to SWDP for having your own, and cancel this one. Who knows, they might forgive you and still welcome you. As I told you before, I won't be at this event and can't support it. Meanwhile it appears cricket are chirping here.

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If you dig the attention, that's cool. I used to use a cheap $ 40 car cover at work to hide my 67 Chevelle. It worked wonders to prevent walk-up lookie-loos !

I think it’s a toss-up between George, and the guy tending the BBQ! 😏

Now that the original Datsun factory AC system has been identified, it raises a lot of other questions/considerations for those wanting AC in their 620: How technical are my mechanical skills? Do I know the types of AC seals and differences between R12 and R134? Do I how to successfully re-seal/convert AC hoses and compressors? Do I know the differences in refrigerant oils and not to mix them? Can I vacuum down an AC system? Do I have the equip for it or can borrow it? Can I do this kind of upgrade in my driveway/garage with the tools I have? Am I a bolt-on guy, or do I have the skills (or know someone/or a shop) who can fabricate custom compressor brackets and hoses etc. Only you can answer these questions. If you still want to proceed, you'll also need to consider the following: Do you have any access to R12 Freon? If so you can use an older R12 AC unit. If not you will have to completely flush the old system out and convert it to R134. Do you know about these before rushing out and buying a new or used AC unit? R12 is easier to re-seal and keep in the system, but it is also going for $30-35 per lb on Craigs list. Not sure what a shop charges, most no longer stock it due to cost and certification. The typical 620 AC system uses 3 to 3 1/2 lbs = $105 to 125 for Freon, before leak checking! R134 is harder to keep in a used system. The entire AC system including evaporator will have to be first flushed, then resealed with R134 seals. The compressor will have to have ALL oil drained, as R12 oil and R134 oil is not compatible. Then it will need to be resealed. Do I simply want to be able to bolt everything together and use the York compressor (that everyone seems to hate like an Edsel) so I can have working AC now (and check its efficiency first, and possibly upgrade to a rotary compressor later?) You can do this, IF you currently have a complete AC system in your car, and can reseal your compressor, or find a rebuilt one. Do I want to fabricate a compressor bracket for a rotary compressor like Sanden (aftermarket,) Hitachi (Nissan used these in most their other lines of vehicles,) or upgrade to another brand (ie: Honda, etc.) Then you could mate an old Evaporator (inside the car unit) with a modern compressor system. Vintage Air and other companies sell "ear" brackets that fit a Sanden compressor but they will still have to be welded to a plate to make a compressor mount. AND, it will have to be fitted to your block and aligned with a drive pulley. Some of these companies sell a flat plate already welded to these ears that is intended to bolt to a block or some other bracket. But it too will still have to be fitted to your engine block and aligned with the drive pulley. As of today, I have yet to find a modern company still in business who makes a bolt-on compressor bracket and idler pulley/ bracket that is a ready bolt-on installation for a 620. (If you find one please msg me!) You will have to weld one up yourself, or have someone make it for you, then address the drive belt and hose-end connectivity. That is the hard / expensive part, especially if you don't have those skills and/or equipment. I have seen posts suggesting using an original 720 mount bracket and compressor from 1981 and later 720 motors. That is NOT possible AND if it were... you would have to use a rotary Hitachi compressor. First: The bracket is cast iron and weighs about 10 lbs, and you can't weld on it unless you have some serious technical welding skills and materials. Second: The mounting tabs are also specific to a Hitachi compressor only. The mounting tabs are completely different from a York and a Sanden, these will not fit without serious adaptation, and would look horrible if so. Third: The bolt pattern to the L20B block is different from the 1981 and later engine block bolt pattern. If you have an existing Hitachi compressor and need a replacement, there is an outside chance Hitachi compressor maaaaaay still be available by aftermarket rebuilders on Ebay. But they will be extremely scarce if so. A super high-end technical AC shop may still be able to rebuild one. But, who is around who is that old and still has the specific knowledge about 40 year old compressors... that won't charge a fortune for it? I couldn't find one for the longest time in So Cal and had one hell of a time locating one for my stock 1980 200SX, and that was 2 years ago. I still haven't installed it and don't know if it is a reliable rebuild or not. Keep your fingers crossed for me! If you want to install any other compressor type like a Honda or some other brand, you'll have to conquer the same compressor mounting issues and hose-end fabrication listed above. Or you can buy a complete aftermarket modern "AC KIT" with and an under-dash evaporator unit, hoses, fittings, and a modern rotary compressor mount plate from a company like Vintage Air. BUT...you still have to conquer the compressor mounting issue. The last time I checked... Vintage Air and the other online companies DO NOT HAVE a ready-made bolt-on compressor mount solution. If they do now, please PM me! I would love to see it and buy one!