Seeker > 620 KC

F.Y.I. Many times the clutch bearing is what dies on a compressor. If it is only that making the noise, it should be an easy fix, IF a qualified AC guy can find a seal and a bearing for it. A lot of AC guys like component replacement vs. rebuilding or resealing them because a technician can't touch AC seals with bare hands, otherwise they leak. If the growling noise is internal, be prepared to find a whole new or remanufactured compressor. Either way, you'll need to get the compressor mfg name and model of the compressor from your mechanic, in order for the AC guy to research if he can get parts or not.

I totally get you on not waiting for the compressor. Summer is here! I texted him for the info. He gave it to me before, but my phone crashed since then and had to get another. When he responds I'll PM you.

Easy way to do this: Get the orig compressor mfgr name and model # from your mechanic Google that. You’ll be exremely lucky to find a new compressor, but i’ll Bet there’s could be one out there somewhere if you wait long enough . I doubt Nissanpartsdeal.co still has one, but worth checking. You’ll prob have to get one from a remanufacturer. What’s wrong w yours? Mech prob? Bearing noise? Or jus leaks Freon? A really good specialty automotive AC place can reseal them, rebuilding is a prob, except by a remanufacturer. Robert who hosts the IE meet has an AC guy he liked in... Chino?

Damn! that’s my car to a Tee. Did it have the louvers on the back window too? I’d pick the snot out of it if I wasn’t 8 hours away. Wish I’d known you were going, I’d would have give you a list! And yes I want the washer tank & bottle. Pm’d you.

I found a remanufactured orig Hitachi compressor for my 80 200sx on EBay from the remanufacturer Four Seasons for just under $200 including shipping. They have a tech support line where you can actually speak to a helpful tech, after waiting on hold. But I don’t currently know where that number is. Is yours a hitachi?

I’ll have to miss the big event this year. But it sounds like it is really shaping up to be a great time! Having been to Canby a number of times...I’ll be thinking about it and fondling my Datsuns all weekend! As the movie quote says “Party on Wayne!” (If anybody has or sees a 620 Parts manual I’d buy it from you!)

NevTony bought all of steroids molds years before Steroids relocation. NevTony hasn’t been very active with them, Try PM ing him a few weeks before the Fontana SWDP BBQ. He typically attends.

This long weekend was 40% off day at the local JY. I pulled 720 RWD spindles, rotors, hubs, and calipers for this upgrade. The hoses and ball joints were well worn so I left them in the yard. The rotors are pretty scaley but I took them and the rotors just to be safe, but found I could have left them both. New Raybestors clearance rotors were $11 each at RA, with shipping <$40 shipped, and my hubs appear to be identical, but still have to mike bearing races and spindles to be sure. Now that I want to buy pads, caliper kits, and hoses, I find there are multiple part numbers listed for RWD vehicles on RA? Very puzzled I went to nissanpartsdeal.com and found there were two different calipers made for 720's RWD, one by Nichirin, and one by Hitachi both with different part numbers. I also found there are two different calipers made for 4x4 by the same two companies. Now I don't know which parts to order. Anybody know how to tell the two manufacturers apart?

Never been before. I made the drive from No. Co. San Diego brought parts to sell to offset the cost of my trip. Met a lot of nice people! Bought a handful of parts. Sold most of my parts to a guy who also drove up from Riverside Ca! Lol Had a great time. Thx for having me, and holding a nice event.

Hey Redeye, Trying to save room for smog pump &/ or PS pump...Do you recall what vehicle your Toyota steering gear box came out of that bolted on the outside of the frame? Did you have any complications or turning radius issues with it being outside vs. inside? Was curious why DZM thought it might not work, or be ideal?

830920547039616 Expires July 18th

I know a guy in Chula Vista who just put one in a 620 and the pictures look fantastic. He use to put them in Z’s back in the day. The prob with the 620 caps is what Red13 said...making it fit, and the texture doesn’t match the glove box door, ash tray, and areas it doesn’t cover. So you have to spray the old and new plastic with wrinkle paint or bed liner to make it all look even. And then the air vents look a bit tunnel like. Not exact or perfect by any means, but a grand improvement over multiple cracks and missing dash chunks, if you’re not good with bondo/filler and are impatient with raw materials...like me.

Redeye, I think I answered my own question about your choice of plate steel for the plug vs. another material. Looks like you made a mini-620-sleeve to go inside the plate-steel firewall plug, then built up weld around the mini-sleeve to the plate plug. This would support the inner 720 column tube since it does not extend all the way to the gear box and bolt to it, like the orig 620 column tube did. What I can't tell in the pics, is if you ended up welding/ tacking the inner 720 column tube to the mini-620-sleeve or not? I'm guessing you did, and that is what the V-notches are for in the mini-620-sleeve?

Nissanpartsdeal.com lists one manual steering 6/79 to 6/80 for standard cab 2WD & 4WD with standard steering, and another manual steeringfor 7/80 -_______ which I guess could mean just that year, or means thru the rest of the 720 years? Then as you stated, all the K/C, GL, and K/C 4x4 had power steering. I didn’t look it up, but would assume that means with tilt wheel too.

I used to roam the yards at least once a month, used to see Z's all the time compared to 620's. Now I'm older, so I arm-chair roam the inventory lists till something I'm looking for drops. Also looked at Rock Auto for inexpensive rebuilds. AC Delco is a name I respect. Their rebuilts fo for $130. By the time you add shipping, core charge t's $200. Meanwhile I'll work on the rest of the steering conversion system to make sure it works first. And I'll keep my eye on Pick A Part for a gear box at $42 to gamble on for the initial set up. If it works well, or needs help I'll consider the rebuilt. Or maybe I can trade my 5 speed to someone for a nice set of ZX ST wheels for my 200SX and a steering box for my 620? B) Thought I might make the trek to the Manteca Datsloco meet in a few weeks just for fun.

Right on Lee and Redeye for finding that link with the right universal specs! I must have accidentally linked to another website with Borgeson products, because the one I was looking at was different. (If I had a welder and could remember my welding skills your solution would have been just as easy Lee.) I'll see if I can post some pics later of the two different columns I found. The 720 standard steering lower column shaft is solid and uses a rag joint on the lower end, and is connected by a universal joint up top. This one is already loose and has rough bind/rough spots in it, so I didn't want to reuse it. And I really don't want to gamble on another one from the JY. Also, there is no adjustable sliding splined piece on the standard column like the one in Redeye's pic. But I did capture that piece from the other 720 with PS in the JY, and they didn't charge me for it. The lower u-joint in that one is still tight and has equal resistance in all directions, so I don't mind re-using that one in the upper position that is straight and has no angle to it. Thanks for the tips on hoses R. It really helps when all I know are 620's and the earlier models! Of course there are no Z's in the So Cal yards when I finally need one to mock everything up, and nobody parting one out in So. Cal. Murphy's law! But one will pop up sooner or later.

If you’re It was most pleasant vs. listening to everyone gripe about the Arline for a half hour

The 2nd time I came to the Datsun event in Canby I had plans to also visit my niece in Corvallis, and to visit a retired co-worker in Tenino WA, so I flew into Portland and was going to rent a car. There was the ever dreaded delay to de-board the plane. I was standing in my isle seat waiting to get out into the isle and off the plane. Was driving to straight to Canby so I was wearing my black NW Datsun T-shirt that had Datsun in Script across the back that I bought at Canby the year before. A big bearded guy three rows back spoke up asked me what Datsun I owned, so I told him. Then he started telling me about his Dad's 620 and how his dad gave it to him and he was making it roadworthy, and mentioned a couple issues. I told him I was on my way to a big Datsun event and encouraged him to come, and bring his 620 if it could make it. All the bored/frustrated folks standing around us were listening in for something to do and pass the time. When the bearded guy finished speaking another mother (with her daughter) spoke up saying her dad bought her a used 510 to commute to college back in the day. Then a well dressed business guy chimed in telling about his special edition Z. Other's chimed in about their neighbors and funny stories about them. A bunch of strangers were suddenly sharing Datsun stories for about a half hour standing in the isles of an airplane waiting to de-board. It was the most pleasant plane delay I've ever had. Now I always wear a Datsun T-shirt whenever I fly.

DZM, Noticed you installed your PS pump on driver side where smog pump normally bolts up. Since you said you can't shorten the original pressure hoses I'm guessing you must have sourced a different pressure side hose from something since you didn't have to use the long metal lines to cross over under the radiator? Do you recall what vehicle you sourced them from?

I found out 720's have both standard and power steering columns, and the power steering column I found had tilt wheel and different column linkage than the one in Redeye's . I ignored it and matched up the manual column to the one in your pics. I have pics, but did not have time to upload at home, sorry. Work IT prevents me from doing so at all. If I could find the specific Toyota vehicle it came off I surely would consider buying a new one vs. re-working gnome sized u-joints, lol. I measured the existing steering shafts and I came up with 11/16" dia on the splined shaft end with a 36 count on splines. But I don't have a steering box to measure the input shaft. I'm guessing the steering box shaft would be the same size shaft??? There is a company called Borgeson that makes aftermarket universal steering couplers, but they don't make one with that measurement on both ends of the universal joint for some reason. It is either larger, smaller, or smooth bore. And they start about $70 each. If I was sure the steering box input shaft measurement was the same, I could contact them and see if they'd assemble one with that same measurement on both ends since they already have one end that is the correct size. It looks like the tiny u-joints are slightly tabbed or staked. When you were disassembling and reassembling them did you find they came apart and reassembled easy without ruining the caps? I thought I'd try to hammer back the tabs first with a small punch, then see if I could press them out with a vice vs. hammering them? There isn't a lot supporting that steering column besides the base bolts around the flat rubber sheet with outer rubber tube (does that thing flex?), and the two sheet metal screws on the bottom of the dash. Do you think back in the 70's Nissan had any thoughts about steering wheel collapse in an accident? Am curious about solid plate steel as your choice to plug the hole vs.rubber, sheet metal, fiberboard, etc . I'm guessing your choice is for column support for HD 4x4 and monster tires vs. a stock 2x4?

Redeye, did you use a standard 720 steering column or a 720 power steering column that you welded the 620 sleeve over?

I already have a 79 620 with new disk brakes. Next time it needs brakes I might consider upsizing. Nice tip Charlie. When you go to the 720 rotors and calipers do you need to use different master cylinder, or one with a larger bore? &/or a bigger vac booster?

I like Redeye like to keep my 620 stock looking inside and out as much as possible. I'm still tempted as I have a welder friend who takes on removable projects, but won't he won't spend the time/effor on mobile ones away from his shop. So let's see if my brain absorbed all tasks correctly for a possible "to-do" list for this conversion. It may still be do-able for my 2 wheel drive 620! A) Need an early 280ZX or 200sx steering box (prob like the one on my 80 200sx? No I'm not going to rob Peter to pay Paul ;) Will have to use 620 Pitman arm and flip it 180 degrees. Might have to have a tab welded to frame, or make an L bracket to frame, for 3rd mount hole to be utilized for strength. (Will have to acquire this box when one lands in a jy nearby. B) Need a 720 PS steering column with flex joint, and rag joint for adapting. But don't need any switches or clam if I can sleeve it. Will still be able to use 79 620 ig/turn/hazard switches and clam shell if sleeved. C) Need the early D21 pump and reservoir (remote reservoir or combo.) The attached/detached reservoir depends if I can fab a bracket, fit it below smog pump without hitting steering box or dragging the ground. D) On a 2x4 620 will there be steering linkage issues like: hitting the pan, or need to flip any linkage? Or is that only for 4x4? E) Am I leaving any parts out, or mods needed?

Oh man, you're right about a lot of work. Much more than I can handle at this point. I'm out. If it was all bolt in and pressing that's easy and I might consider it. Now I see why you said you'd consider a Scion conversion instead. What's the SAS? Is that a Toy model number, or an abbrev for a part?