sick620

z20 that was a really good runner sat in bed of the 720 for too long and was full of water, cylinder walls were too pitted from the rust and not useable. Would need a over bore... So I guess it was for the best... may keep block around in case I ever plan on building a special motor. In the coming weeks myself and wide14u (ratsun member) plan to try and get 720 running with l20b and depending on condition of motor and how much work 720 takes to get driveable we may pull out the l20b and freshen it up and stab it into the 521... edit* 720 l20b ended up being seized... So we dropped the z20 off at the machine shop for rebuild.

I really want to come mostly because I need some datsun parts, but I should have planned ahead and asked for coverage sooner I don't think I will be able to find anyone in time... I'll definitely come soon if you keep doing this..

I don't know much about destruction. I don't care much about political debate. But I know if everything comes to that junction. My datsun and many ar15's will secure my fate. Lol check out my sweet poem.

dang that's like two loonies eh? Hows my canadian?

ok so I just started honing this second block to see if it’s worth just running as is and it had a lot of rust in Two of the cylinders… running the hone down it for a minute shows pitting from the rust, the worst of which is where the ring was sitting and left pitting in a ring that you can’t quite catch a fingernail on but is obviously there and like an inch worth at the top of light pitting all around the cylinders… this is probably my second block now that must be bored in order to re use am I right? first photo is good cylinders that are honing nicely, second is the worst cylinder 💩

So the z20 I got that was a known good runner was sitting outside and neither me nor my friend I got it from thought to see if any water got inside from it sitting outdoors .. it was all the way full of water two cylinders were pretty rusty engine hardly turned over… a quick light hone in one cylinder seems like rust will clean up with no pitting, but Guess we will see plan on doing full hone tomorrow… any ideas on how to get this block heater out of freeze plug hole? Tried a punch with no luck just making a hole in it…

pressure washed the 720 and under the hood so it’ll be easier to pull the engine when the time is right got the z20 in the garage going to start tear down to hopefully rebuild the block, going to convert it to a l20b with head and timing cover… hoping I can find these parts so I don’t have to steal them from the 720 but might have to, oh and I’ll need a smaller flywheel I don’t think the 240mm setup will fit in 521 original bell housing…

Good thing this is a datsun forum and not a mopar forum... Datsuns save... they save more than datsun every imagined with that add campaign because now in 2022 they either get 30-50mpg dependent on model, or they are broken down so they are getting infinite mileage. You could all just move to idaho... everyone else is doing it. We all hate brandon, and everyone still gets around on horseback. Guns and ammo are our currency so prices don't matter all that much. When you do a little burnout out of the stinker station parking lot in your datsun everyone says "yee-yee" so fuel cost is just a small con.... The only issue and this is serious is middle aged and older white men in idaho when they see a datsun pickup that's a little bit lowered will yell at you "Take yrrr loowwrydrr home!" Its happened to me more than once..

I didn't read entire thread but after seeing aston martin is your work hiring? 😆

I too am a fan of patina, hit the paint with some 2000 grit sandpaper, and a high speed buffer with some mild buffing compound and see if you like it, it may grow on you, at least it will look better for the time being.. My suggestion would be to either rebuild the radiator or get a cheap aftermarket aluminum one. Probably wont fit exactly but nothing some self tapping screws or a drill bit and nuts and bolts can't fix... At the same time replace the thermostat, water pump, all hoses, and belt so you don't have to worry about the cooling system anymore. None of that is expensive or hard to do besides the radiator (cheap aluminum ones are $100) shops can be kinda spendy... In my opinion this is the first most important thing to do to any old datsun, high temps and leaks are your worst enemy... I've had too many new to me datsuns that had a cooling system issue right away, none of these old original radiators last very long you got something made of metal that had water sitting in it for 30,40,50 years! of course it's going to have issues. if you keep this truck for the long haul and get it in a condition where it runs and drives good i'd suggest swapping it to an A series or L series engine, parts are more available, more people are knowledgeable about these engines so you'll have a better support system. Not to mention more power for your little daily driver and in my opinion they are much better reliable engines. You would be giving up column shift which is a cool original feature so I wouldn't blame you. This will be a sweet little driver for sure don't give up.

I think of pumpkin dave as one of the original ratsun prophets. I love clean nice painted and restored cars as much as any car nut.. but there was something about how edgy and fun datsuns were when you left them a little rough and put your own flavor into them. The first year I went to canby (2010) I felt apart of something camping in what some people would call "the ratsun side of the fairgrounds". dave was an integral part of the experience and I will never forget watching him riding a datsun hood pulled by a 620 as a sled... He was an amazing soul and his crazy whimsical ratsun builds had a soul of their own as well... He lives on in the spirit of this forum I can't think of anyone that embodied "ratsun" more.

someone track down "ace" and get him to post some updates, where did the bird shit goon end up?

always loved this truck. I too like it without the shell but yes probably because it looks too damn tall lol I never liked the super extreme rake though probably, I like fontana style raked trucks, but they can be a little too much sometimes, without the shell it doesn't look so crazy... Love everything else about the truck, interior is coming out nicely.

its in a far away land called oregon I guess.. Never been, but I hear its like canby 2.0

😬 Though I'm fortunate that none of my family have done this too me, there are quite a few of them that could have my mother and father included, I feel your pain...

this thing gonna be ready for powerland? want to see this thing together already love it.

I might have to come out with the girlfriend, not sure if we'll have a datsun ready in time to be reliable enough from ontario oregon area (idaho side)... This might be the kick in the butt I need to get one of them ready though!

this is my kinda country! fast forward to a minute in if it starts out too slow for you, lol

IZZO we really need updates! have to know if this thing is crusing bumpin some wu tang in daves honor!

I have z20 and need a downpipe (don't have one).... do I need to find a z24, 22, 20 downpipe specifically or will Lseries or KA work in a pinch?

how's the truck doing?

Ok so you have an Lseries and put a Napz Transmission on it.... Or a Z24, Z22 etc engine and put an L series transmission on it... You either are too lazy or unable to source a bellhousing to do the install correctly... or the car or truck you are working on is such a beater you don't care about the fact that your transmission is now rotated an ungodly amount and as long as it functions you are happy... What is the easiest most simple diy transmission mount idea you can come up with? I've had a couple trucks with z24 trans connected to l20b engines, and in both circumstances the transmission mounts were not done well at all otherwise the bent shifter and function of the setup was no problem. I want to know if anyone has ever came up with a good idea to deal with the lean at the mount? edit: I don't want to hear "just do a bell housing swap", I know that's the correct way to do it, If you were just trying to get something on the road with the parts you had on hand and this is it, what would you do?

How has the powerland meet compared to canby for turn out? I really want to go

Not the update I wanted for her 521 but the l16 had a ridge in a couple cylinders and I didn’t feel comfortable just giving it a hone and running it, so I picked up this 720 from a ratsun friend local to me… came with the l20b in it as well as a z20 in the bed… gonna pull the l20b out of it and actually be able to rebuild I hope and put in the 521… then going to put the known good running z20 in the 720… 720 is pretty rusty and beat up so just gonna spray paint it and have a cheap beater/parts hauler truck out of the deal.. edit* Z20 ended up having rust in cylinders from sitting too long outside in the elements... we ended up rebuilding it for the 521 see future posts

Towed the car to its new home today… apartment to an actual house so I’ll have some room to actually work on the thing hopefully