datsunfreak

You should. Red is for Brembos, not stock GM metrics... 😁 i usually do a mild (not flashy) gold, to sort of mimic the gold zinc coating. 👍

For me, they are just easier period. I've always hated the pliers... 😄

If you've followed this thread long enough, you know the stock dash pad was trashed, so I had stripped it down to the bare metal frame to try and wrap it way back when. That failed many times over, so I put it on the back burner for a long time. Finally got to a point where it really needs to be done to finish the dash, so I did that today. Cleaned up the metal frame and painted it black, then set about wrapping it in some thin, stretchy black "suede" material... And how it looks done... Close up... After install, and being brushed clean to smooth out the surface... This was a huge pain in the butt to install. Whatever idiot decided to build a custom dash in this way needs a smack... 😋

That's what bench grinders are for. 😁

FYI, I like to use these wrench-driven tools instead of the pliers. It's a bit fiddly to learn how to use it, but works soooo much better once you have the action down. https://www.mcmaster.com/products/rivet-nut-tools/wrench-driven-rivet-nut-tools/

Noit surprised, it's a popular swap. There a even kits out there to put the Crown Vic front suspension onto the 68-72 truck frame, and it's fairly easy. Adapting the Crown Vic rear axle would also be pretty straightforward. The main question is engine choice. If I had a running Crown Vic for a donor, I'd use the Crown Vic frame so that I could use the Crown Vic engine as well. If you had the money to buy a 75, then cab swapped it... Just saying... 🙂 Not the most "legal" option, but it's an option. Honestly, you could even shorten the bed a bit to make it easier so you didn't need to stretch the frame. the 620 bed always looks a few inches too long anyway. Hell, in theory, if you had the cash to buy both and swapped VINs on them... In theory... Not that I would recommend it... 😁

Not stock, no. 😁 I fit okay in my buddy's 620KC with stock seats, but putting a quick release steering wheel on it made it a lot better. For a normal cab 620, it's all in the seat choice. I would need something thinner than the stock seat. For this "dream project", I was thinking of a Kirkey Drag seat with shortened thigh bolsters and a custom cover to suit. Driving a stock 620 regular cab, I need maybe 2-3" more leg room, and preferably a lower seat bottom (but not crucial). I am between 6'2" and 6'3", depending on how my back feels that day. But I think our legs are similar length? My issue is I am all torso. I have the legs of a 5'10" person and the torso of a 6'7" person. 😄 Funny side story: Matt didn't believe me when I told him that, because he and I are the exact same height. Then we went to a Padres game. I sat next to him, but sitting down it looks like I am 3" taller than he is. 😋

Yes, and it's a good driveability upgrade. 👍

We also had planned to repaint the hood for an event that Tim is taking the van to next month. Got it sanded down smooth and all the rock chips gone, then primed the bare metal spots... Got it scuffed and ready to shoot, but that did not work out as planned. See, we were getting tired of the sub-par results we got from doing a piece this big with rattle cans, so we decided to buy a real paint gun and real paint to shoot it with this time. It was at this point, everything went sideways. 🙃 We did not buy the correct paint (it was water based), so when we tried to thin it down with thinner, that failed epicly (didn't know at this time it was water based). So we tried to shoot some of it not thinned down, but it's just too thick for this gun. Did not realize it was water based until way too late to do anything about it. I should have known when it had almost no smell whatsoever. 😄 So we are going to let that cure until Saturday, sand it off and start over with the correct paint this time. I am confident that after learning everything not to do on the first go, we can do a much better job on the second go. 👍

I am enjoying it, though. 👍 I have been wanting to do a frame swap (or even body swap) build for awhile now. My dream would be either a 620 onto a 90s Toyota truck frame, or a 68-72 Ford pickup on a Crown Vic frame.

For sure, and I will do that. I was just thinking of aesthetic concerns. 😄 I am at a point with this project where I don't want to spend too much time making things pretty, and focus more on just making them work well. 👍 If you followed any of my previous builds (my 1200 for sure), I feel like I spent twice as much time on making things looks cool rather than making them work well. Mind you, it all worked flawlessly, but I can be a little obsessive sometimes on making it "cool". 🙃

Very glad to hear that! 😁👍

Yes it would. Damn cool. 😈

Sweet! FWIW, I find it's often more useful to have the filter locating tabs on the inside of the oval rather than the outside. Keeps it from sagging in the middle, and gives it a better finished look. 👍 If you look inside the hole of this one, you can see how they used the bolts that hold the front to the back as filter locating guides. That is usually how I do mine.

This one fits a Subaru Brat, and as I recall it works well for a 4cyl Datsun. https://www.ebay.com/itm/142735990145