pope_face

I've tried a few different seats in my truck... When I got it, it had individual "bucket" seats from an early Ford Explorer/Ranger in them. I found those didn't fit me properly (I was either too far forward, or the back was too vertical), so I tried a classic fiberglass Recaro race seat. Turned out that one didn't fit too well either (too far forward again). Next were a set of '69 510 sedan seats, which had a fixed backrest... They fit alright once I removed a bolt from each side of the backrest to allow it to "tilt". I haven't actually mounted them in though, as they need to be reupholstered, and I'd have to modify the brackets that hold the seat back to the base (right now there's only two bolts holding the seat back on). I also had a set of Volvo 850 GLT seats I'd hoped to modify and install... They had full power adjustment and heat, but they were huge, and would've required a lot of modification, so I ended up selling them. All-in-all, I think I'm going to stick with the stock bench for now... I've got one that came with my parts truck, and it had been reupholstered before I got it (never even been farted in). I haven't actually installed and checked the fit in the truck yet, so they may not actually suit me, but it's the simplest method right now. So, I will mention this: Think about how you want to sit in the truck, and find seats to fit. My issue with the truck is the depth of the cab, not the width, so I need a pair of seats that has a relatively thin (in depth), vertical backrest. I also prefer a bit of lateral support too, so seats out of a "performance" car would be good for me. I like the idea of using the Fiero seats, like Z Chopper mentioned... You might also try the 80's MR2's, Celicas, or Sciroccos. I've never sat in any of them, so I can't comment on their comfort or size, but anything compact out of the 80's would be a good place to start. Try the junkyard and have a seat in a few of them to get a feel. Or, if you've got the money, try out some adjustable-back racing seats. I personally prefer proper bucket seats rather than the ones Jon or SkyBlue posted, with some extra padding on the bolsters and either side of the backrest. I had stock seats in my Subaru when I bought it, and the first major modification to the car was to go with a set of stock seats from a newer, more performance-oriented Subaru. The original seats had very minimal lateral support, and the new ones are more of a "proper" bucket seat. The difference in driving was night and day...

No worries, I knew it'd help someone... It'll help me, that's for sure. Perhaps Zuum can chime in here and mention any differences between his swap and this one. And if you need some funds you could always sell the R1's to me, and I'll put them to good use... :D

Vintage: I suspect that post was partially directed to me as well... I've done some research, and I guess I answered my own question in that post regarding bore sizes. I wasn't sure about using smaller carbs with individual runners, but looking at the bore sizes of the Datsun carbs (like the Weber), it makes sense that it won't work. I could use multiple, smaller carbs on an intake plenum, instead of individual carbs per cylinder, but I don't think there's be any benefit over running single or dual sidedrafts, and the cost would be comparable to the R1 carbs anyway. However, I will contribute to the thread by posting this: Complete Guide To Installing R1 Carbs On A Car.. It's a PDF file I found by searching "R1 carbs on car throttle position sensor"... I think it's the first link. It looks pretty complete to me... A list of what you need, how to install the carbs, tuning, teardown and rebuild, everything including pictures. It even gives suggestions on jets. And thanks VintageRice... If you hadn't called me out on it, I probably would've asked about the TPS instead of searching, and never would've found the PDF, and would still be asking daft questions... :rolleyes: :unsure:

I hate to say this, but did you read the rest of the thread? Even the first page? Long story short, yes it's been done, and there is some info in this thread on how to do it... It's not complete, but it's there.

Any idea if I can get those flares to fit a 521? I'm interested if so...

I don't know any specifics, so I would go with what Hainz is saying, but I suspect the temperature gauge should read about the same as the thermostat rating... The thermostat keeps the coolant in the engine until it reaches a certain temperature, then lets it into the radiator to be cooled. If your thermostat is rated for 180 degrees, then it'll circulate the coolant in the engine until it reaches that temperature. I'm not sure what the difference should be, but I suspect a temperature gauge would only read a few degrees higher than the the thermostat rating.

Bah, I hate losing an entire post... Zuum: Great looking setup... I'm glad you've gone through with it already, so I can learn from you. I'm planning on going this route myself, so I'll use this as a reference while doing it. Stupid: I don't know about an L20, but Zuum mentioned using 1.6 mm jets on the L16... I don't have any experience in jetting, but in my (un)educated guess I'd say try 1.8 mm? Or, you could just take a drill and progressively increase the diameter until the car starts running worse, then buy a set of jets the next size down. However, a quick question: If I get motorcycle carbs, the bore should match that of a car carburetor, correct? So 32 mm and up (I understand a Weber 32/36 has a 32 mm primary and 36 mm secondary)... The reason I ask is because I'm debating between the older slide and newer CV carbs. I like the idea of immediate throttle response with a slide carb, and they seem easier to install (only mechanical linkages), but the fuel economy isn't that great. Plus, I'd have to decide between size and price: There's plenty of cheap 29 mm and under carbs available, but the bore might be too small (although I don't actually know). On the other hand, apparently some GSXR's from the 80's had larger (about 36 mm) bores, but they're supposed to be quite hard to come by. With a CV carb, I should have better fuel economy (compared to a slide carb), but I'd lose throttle response. I also suspect they're harder to install (although Zuum made it look easy). I'm not sure about the TPS though... I think Zuum mentioned that above, and I'd rather not have to deal with addition electronics on the car. However, the bore is large enough for the car, they're relatively easy to come by, and they're relatively cheap... A local shop has used ones for $200 a set, so I assume a wreckers or private sale would be a lot cheaper, if I can find them. I suppose I could go with small carbs and use a plenum to connect all four before the intake runners, but then they're not really independent carbs, are they? At least in that case, the number of carbs on the plenum wouldn't make a difference, as long as each setup managed to flow an equivalent amount of air... So I might be able to use four single barrel 26 mm carbs, instead of one two-barrel 32/36 mm (or 38/38 mm) carb. Any thoughts? I'm planning on building the manifold myself, and I still need to get some carbs, so whichever way it goes I'll have my work cut out for me.

Yeah, it really would be more of an on/off type thing... Not very effective, I suppose. I actually spoke to my Pa, who's got experience working on and driving trucks, and he told me that air brakes work differently than hydraulic brakes in how the pressure is applied... When you engage the brake pedal in a car, you force a certain amount of fluid into the calipers, and they apply a certain amount of pressure to the disc. When you push down, you force more fluid in, and the force increases. If you hold your foot in one position, you're not moving any fluid, so the pressure remains constant. For air brakes, when you push down on the pedal, you open a valve which lets air from a reservoir into the brake. If you push down a little, the valve only opens a little. When you push down a lot, the valve opens further. Just like in the car, when air enters the brakes, it exerts pressure against the drum. However, when you hold your foot in one position, the pressure does not remain constant... Instead, the valve stays open, and compressed air continues to enter the brake. How fast the air enters depends on the position of the brake pedal, but if you hold it down long enough you will eventually get full pressure in the brake. A vacuum is a good idea, but I think I'd run into the same issues... However, there is this possibility: In this case, the shifter is the same as before. However, instead of using a lever on a pivot to move a cable (as in the previous version), I would use a sliding "sleeve" (the white "clutch handle" in the photo) to pull the cable up. So, rather than having a cable which moves only a couple centimeters at the pivot, I'd have one that could move several inches (or even a foot, if I like). With the clutch engaged (pedal up), the handle would be low down on the shifter stalk... To disengage the clutch, I would grab the handle and pull it up to the shift knob. I can make the top of the handle into a half-sphere to fit over the shift knob at the top. If I want to shift gears, I grab the handle, pull it up until it reaches the shift knob (at the top of the stalk), select my gear, and slowly let down on the handle to release the clutch. It seems like a bit more of a PITA to learn to use, but it would require less fiddling around trying to multiply the force (I could connect it directly to the clutch pedal), and it would be easy to feather the clutch when moving from a stop.

Laecaon: That's brilliant, I never thought of the RC car style of controller... You're absolutely right, when you tweak the controller one direction or the other, the wheels turn a certain amount. When you let it go, they return back to their original position. I suppose I could try to just find an RC car with wired controller, tear out the switches, and try to modify them to work with a stronger motor... I'm sure it would have to provide a lot of torque though, so I wonder if a linear motor would be better. EDIT: Did a bit more research on air brakes, and I think I may have come up with a very basic method of operating the clutch with a pneumatic ram... A: Pneumatic cylinder B: Pneumatic ram C: Air inlets/outlets D: Vent lines to atmosphere E: Two-way valve F: Air feed line In this case, when the ram is retracted, the clutch is engaged (no pressure exerted on the pedal). When the ram is extended (as shown), pressure would be applied to the clutch pedal to disengage the clutch. In order to extend the ram, the two-way valve (E) would be set to allow air from the feed line (F) to enter the cylinder through the right air inlet ©. This would increase the pressure behind the ram, causing it to extend and push down the clutch pedal. Because the left air inlet is vented to the atmosphere, I wouldn't have to combat any air pressure on that side of the piston. In order to allow the ram to return to its retracted position, I would turn the valve (E) into its second position, causing the pressurized air in the cylinder to vent out to the atmosphere (through D). The original clutch pedal spring would remain, so the force from the spring would push against the ram, causing it to retract. This time, atmospheric air would enter the cylinder (ahead of the piston) through the left inlet (to prevent a vacuum from occurring), and escape (from behind the piston) to the atmosphere through the right inlet/outlet (preventing it from being pressurized). This would allow the clutch pedal to return to its starting position. Having the valve in this position would also allow the clutch pedal to be used independently, as both air inlets on the cylinder are open to the atmosphere, so moving the ram itself wouldn't cause high or low pressure inside the cylinder. The compressed air would also be contained within the system, so it wouldn't overwork the compressor. I could easily swap the intakes as well, so the ram retracts to disengage the clutch, and extends to engage it... That would allow me to mount the cylinder in the engine bay and work the clutch pedal from the firewall. I just can't come up with a good way to apply partial air pressure to the ram to feather the clutch... In this case, if I have the valve turned halfway between the vent and feed lines, compressed air should enter the cylinder through the feed line and immediately bleed off into the atmosphere through the vent line. As the valve is turned towards the feed line, more air would enter the cylinder through the feed line, and less would vent to the air, so the ram should extend. As the valve is turned the other way, less air would enter through the feed line, and more air would vent to the atmosphere, so the ram would retract. The only other thing I should mention again is that I think I only need to feather the clutch when I'm engaging it again... In this case, that would be venting the air to the atmosphere. If I bleed off the air slowly, the clutch will engage slowly. If I do it quickly, the clutch will engage quickly.

Daniel: I agree, I could put in an L-series engine and transmission, but I don't have one... There is an L20B and manual transmission for sale locally on Craigslist, as well as an automatic transmission. On the other hand, these are 30+ year old engines, so I don't know what condition everything is in. I actually have looked into actuators for disabled drivers, but it seems that they're either simple on-off switches, or pretty expensive. Still, someone had to design and build the first one, so I don't see why I couldn't do the same with some assorted parts. Yello: I was actually looking at some pneumatic rams and valves today... I don't know how much a compressor and tank would cost, but the ram itself wouldn't be much more than $30 or $40, and the valve might be even cheaper. I'd just have to figure out how to plumb it... I suspect an air brake valve from a truck might work for adjusting the amount of pressure going to the pneumatic ram.

I can use my left leg, but I already use it for braking... Unfortunately, my right leg gets pretty tired if I move it from gas to brake (I can't actually pivot my foot), I just tend to keep it over the gas pedal, and move my left foot to the brake when needed. I was actually thinking about using the brake booster and master cylinder this morning too... I was thinking about trying to tap into the existing line from the clutch master cylinder. If I understand it correctly, the two master cylinders should only operate the slave cylinder, not each other. I could also just install a valve in the engine bay to switch between one clutch and the other, in case someone else wants to drive the car. I agree that it would be hard to feather the clutch, but being able to do it a little is better than not at all, so I'll just have to train myself to do it. In any event, it seems like I only really need to feather it when initially engaging the clutch (that is, clutch pedal coming up off the floor). Disengaging the clutch doesn't have to be as precise... I can't really think of any reason where I'd want to feather the clutch while disengaging it. In that case, it'd be nice to set it up to work exponentially... I'm not sure how well I can explain this (it makes sense in my head), but when I pull on the hand lever, the first 50% of the distance it travels is equal to the clutch pedal moving 75% of the way down to the floor... The last 50% of the hand lever would be equal to the last 25% of the foot pedal... Does that make sense to anyone? It wouldn't have to be 75/25, it could be 70/30, or 60/40... It depends on how much people usually feather their clutch. In any event, I'd like the feathering to take most of the travel on the hand lever, and the last little bit will just be to fully engage the clutch again. Laecaon: I did consider that too, but I think the size of the cylinders would be an issue, and I wouldn't get enough pressure... I think motorcycle clutches are under a lot less pressure than car clutches, so I'd need freakishly strong hands to do it. Then again, I don't actually know how much force the clutch in our Datsuns requires... I did some more poking around on the internet, and found another website where some folks had discussed a similar idea, but there were only six posts, and the last one was over two years ago. However, a guy mentioned that he used an air piston to push the clutch pedal down, powered by an air compressor and tank for airhorns. The only issue with his setup is that it was a simple on-off action... If it could be made to vary the force, then it might work. I've got a friend who recently did a major swap on his Subaru, so I'll ask him tonight if he still has the original brake booster and master cylinder... If so, I'll grab it and start toying around with it.

Bah, I apologize, I meant four speed manual... I wish it was an auto. My bad... I can get a few pictures up soon though, and you can see what it looks like yourself. It wasn't stock when I bought it though, but the paperwork says '70. Wayno: Sounds good... Let me know what you find out. If they're under $500, I'd be interested. If they're $350, like your previous ones, I'm definitely interested. On the other hand, if you ever decide to sell off a couple of your used ones, I wouldn't mind grabbing one from you... I've got a spare seal, so I'm going to try to get someone to swap the windshield from the '70 cab to the '72, once I get it cleaned up.

Elmer: I agree, just putting in an automatic might be easier, but if I were to go that route, I'd have to get a pickup and swap the entire drivetrain over... Engine, transmission, driveshaft, and rear axle. I could go with an L16 and an automatic, but they're between 30-40 years old now. A 90's Toyota or Nissan pickup might be a good route, but again, it's a lot of work. In any event, the brake booster route would be cheaper, and easier to rig up... It'll require no new engine mounts, no new exhaust, no new wiring, and I can always adapt it to other vehicles in the future.

Wayno: It's Sanders Repro Glass... Here's the link: Sander's Repro Glass If you're willing to get it checked out, let me know and put me down for a windshield... I actually have a spare 521 windshield I could donate to the cause, if it helps. It's got a huge crack in the middle, so it's useless as an actual windshield, but it might work as a template.

No idea what the cost of a custom one is... I found a place up here to do it (just searching online), but they're made from Plexiglass. Apparently there's a place in Vancouver, Washington that makes proper windshields for classic and difficult cars, but I haven't contacted them yet. I don't think it'd be cheap though. I can email them tomorrow though, and see what they say. Str8: Yep... IIRC, it's a July '69 build, but a 1970 model year, and it's got the stock J13 and four-speed manual (sorry, I said auto, but I was distracted). It's a transition year, so it's got the '70 body and the '69 drivetrain.

Wayno: Thanks for that suggestion... I'd really rather get an OEM windshield, but I didn't think they'd be so easy to find. I'll have to check out the next meet and see what's available.

Here's what I was hoping to do: Hopefully it's clear enough how it works... I'd use a standard bicycle style cable and lever. If I decide to go with a brake booster for a bit of extra power, I'd mount the other end of the cable to the "pedal" side of the booster. If I can pull on the end of the brake booster, that'd be the best, otherwise I'll have to convert the pulling action into a pushing action using a lever. Then I just have to figure out what to do with the other end of the brake booster... Ideally, I'd like to mount another cable to it and have it operate the clutch pedal (like Datzen mentioned). The best way to do this would be to mount it on the engine side of the firewall and have it pull the pedal towards the firewall. This setup would allow me to operate both the clutch and shifter with one hand... I could use my palm and thumb to hold the shifter, and my fingers to operate the lever. I'll still have to work out whether or not a brake booster would give me enough power, but I think that depends on the diameter of the booster... IIRC, larger boosters offer a larger increase in power, so something out of a domestic pickup/SUV might be good. Oldschool: I appreciate the suggestions... The first one seems pretty good, I hadn't considered doing it that way. I don't actually mind permenant... I'm planning on keeping the truck for a while, and as long as the pedal can be used as well, it's fine.

Laecaon: Hydraulic or cable operated was actually my original idea... I'd hoped to do the same thing with the brake lever on the stalk, but running a cable down and connecting it to something, either a mechanical linkage to the clutch (which would be the cable operated version) or a master cylinder (for the hydraulic version). I don't think actually having the hydraulic cylinder on the shifter itself would be a good idea, as the constant motion might cause it to spill all over the place. My big concern would be the amount of torque needed on the lever in order to get the right amount of force on the clutch... The cable end of the lever only moves about 3/4", if that, and I think I need at least an inch of travel at the clutch master cylinder to fully engage it. I might be able to work it out somehow, but I still think it'd require some 40+ lbs of force on the end of the hand lever to get it to work. Then again, I haven't done the math on it, so I may be off. However, another possibility would be to use a brake booster in between the hand lever and the master cylinder... I could possibly swap an entire brake booster and master cylinder into the car, and use that as the clutch master cylinder. Depending on the size of the booster, I might be able to get it to work with a hand lever. As for the e-brake style: Yes, I've toyed with that idea as well, but it'd be much more of a PITA to use. If I had an extra hand, it'd be perfect, but I'd like to keep at least one hand on the wheel. The huge benefit of using a mechanical style of operation, instead of the electronic, would be the amount of control I'd have... I suppose a mechanical linkage would be a hell of a lot cheaper to build and "tune" than an electrical one, although I'd have to work out all the math on it. Oldschool: Thanks for that link... I'll send them an email and see if they can recommend anything. I checked out their site, but didn't really see any pricing, so I hope it's not outrageous. In any event, there are a couple possibilities... Given the responses I've gotten from a couple computer/electrical engineers, it seems that the mechanical route might be a better idea.

Mike: That's a good point, although I'd like to keep the pedal itself mostly free... It would be pretty intrusive if I had to mount it under the dash. However, I suppose I could mount it in the engine bay, and use a cable to attach it to the back of the clutch pedal. gg: I know there are actuators available for people with disabilities, but the ones I've heard of are simple on/off types, so the clutch is either fully engaged or disengaged. I'd prefer to be able to slip the clutch, as Datzen mentioned... Still, I'm sure it's doable. As for the hydraulic motor... Yes, that is possible, but the costs and difficulty might be greater than simply moving the piston in the master cylinder. I'd like to come in under $500 for this, if possible. Even then it's not a cheap modification, but it'll let me keep my original drivetrain. I did, however, realize that a linear actuator may not be what I'm looking for... It seems that the linear action is controlled by a worm gear (or something similar), so it'll move in one direction when power is applied, and simply stop when the circuit is opened. I need something that'll return to its starting position when I remove power... I guess an electromagnetic solenoid or something is more accurate, although I don't know if that's quite the appropriate term. Something similar to electric door lock solenoids, but more powerful, and with the ability to control how much force/distance is exerted based on current.

Alright, I've got a 1970 521 with the original J13 engine and transmission... Unfortunately, I can't use a stick shift (I have issues with the clutch pedal), and AFAIK there is no automatic available for that engine. I originally intended to do an engine/transmission swap, but now I'm considering just using the stock drivetrain. So, I was wondering: Would it be possible to use a linear actuator to control the clutch? I'm thinking of putting a bicycle brake lever on the shifter stalk and having it control a potentiometer. The potentiometer would be connected to a linear actuator, which would then operate the clutch (probably at the transmission). Has anyone tried anything like this? It seems like it should work in theory, but I'm not sure about the practice. I managed to find a couple short-throw, high force (500 lbs and half-ton) 12VDC linear actuators locally, so it seems like the main issue would be in wiring and setting it up to properly work the clutch. Anyone have any thoughts on a project like this? What should work in theory doesn't always go that way in practice...

Alright folks, as the title says, I'm back... I think it's been about three years since I've been on here, and nothing's been done to the truck in that time, but I figured it was time to get back to it. It's still sitting in my garage, but most of the body and drivetrain is complete, so it shouldn't be too much trouble. I've got a Wankel that was originally going to go in it, but I'm starting to reconsider that... Instead, I'm actually considering keeping the stock J13 and four-speed transmission. I'd originally posted a question about using a solenoid to control the clutch, but realized I should move it to the drivetrain forum instead. However, I did want to ask something else: I've got two 521 bodies, but only one windshield... I'd like to complete both eventually, but I doubt I'll be able to find a second windshield, at least not anywhere around here. I could get a custom one made up, but it seems pretty expensive (especially if anything happens to it). I'm considering welding in the entire windshield section from an older Volkswagen split-window van instead... I think it'll look kinda funky (hopefully in a good way), and finding replacement windshields should be a whole lot easier. Another possibility would be to weld in the windshield frame from a newer car, but I think that'd cause more issues than a split window... Only benefit would be ease of finding new glass and seals.

I doubt it... if you want a stock look then try superglue and some paint/dye, or recovering the stock cap with new vinyl. If you really want to get a new one, try to get a 520 dash cap. It'll fit and is metal, not vinyl, so no more fading/cracks to worry about.

That's a 521 in both pics you posted, and those are the stockers. If you really want a set just ask around here... someone might have some spares.

I agree with az... When I had my Ford it was high enough that I didn't have any issues with headlights blinding me. Now that I've switched to a sedan though, I've noticed how annoying lights are... people in this city like to drive trucks and tend to be assholes behind the wheel, so it happens all too often that I'm blinded at night by someone tailgating or sitting right behind me at a stop light.

Hahaha, that's awesome. :D If it were me I'd keep a little list on the inside of the fender, saying all the trucks I ever had it on. Are you ever going to strip it down to bare metal, or are you just going to keep adding topcoats? I take it the Datsun emblem and light haven't changed either.