partytron69000

NOT DEAD YET. Figured I owed a periodic update. Shop’s 99% complete and finally looking like somewhere I can actually work efficiently. Super happy with how it’s all turned out. Tools finally properly sorted and finally in a big boy box and roll cart. Picked up my 2 post lift last night from the freight yard. One of the casters on my Amazon special shop hoist decided to ejecto seato while holding 1,300lbs offloading the lift off the trailer, so that was….fun 😅. First on the to-do list after the lift gets installed is helping my buddy with his SW30 Turbo project that needs a trans swap and a new turbo. Then next up is bags, wheels/tires, and flares on the 620. I love this truck so much, it doesn’t bother me at all to keep it stock for now. Such a great truck, I’m never selling it, so this thread will never end, just may become longer than expected 🤣. Be good Ratsun! 🥳 https://imgur.com/a/NRPfy3c video of shop layout, lift, and the flimsiest caster wheel China has ever made.

Made a promise to myself this wasn’t going to be a dead thread and I’m seeing this one through. So here’s a shop build update. Waiting on the garage door to show up, black turf carpet in the loft, and little punch out work here and there and we’re done. The 5ton HVAC unit was a clutch decision. It’s 20-45 degrees in middle Tennessee right now and shop can hold temp comfortably with the thermostat just set to 55 (and that’s with just a tarp over the garage door opening). Definitely fucked up my budget though and can’t afford a professional epoxy floor right now, so looks like it’s time to roll up the sleeves and get to work myself 🫣. Shop pic

Thanks. I’ll dig into that junkyard parts finder search engine more.

Just to clear up any confusion, I’m not suggesting I do a R200 IRS swap. Was just providing anecdotes. The 8.8 or a Toyota 8” are the way I’m going. Searching online for the next 5-6 weeks until my workshop is done for a Toyota one since it’ll give me the correct pinion angle without shortening axle tubes. The Toyota ones seem real tough to find though. If I get into the shop and still can’t find one, I’ll have to go with the 8.8 out of the Ranger and decide if I want to run a little bit of lateral pinion angle or cut down axle tubes and get custom axles. Don’t really want to pay for custom axles but if it’s my only viable option, I will.

I really do think automobiles are sentient creatures. She must have heard me talking about replacing her 🫠. Just a heater hose leak.

Damn, this is down the street for $500. Might have to go get it just for the convenience factor. https://imgur.com/a/XpHJt1x

This is awesome, thank you! The more I keep digging into it, the Ranger 8.8 may be the one. Wouldn’t need to cut down the housing, can find one with good highway gears easy, and there’s about 10x as many for sale on eBay/Facebook than early 90’s T100/4Runner axles. I can live with 5 lugs in the rear since I’m buying new wheels anyways. My only concern is running 1-2” of lateral pinion offset since the Ranger 8.8 is passenger side offset, but apparently hot rod guys have no problems with it.

Going full drywall throughout for a finished look. Going for that ultra modern look where everything’s black! 100% not doing an IRS swap. Way too overkill for what I’m trying to accomplish. Yeah, I updated my response to you with what I learned about the H190 and it exploding around 285ft/lbs. I like the Toyota axle idea, and I started researching last night. One of the 58.5” axles from a early 90’s 4wd T100/4Runner seems like a good fit. The hard part seems like finding them at junkyard prices with the 3.07/3.15 ratios I’m looking for. I think a reasonable progression would be to get the Toyota axle with an open diff and low gears so I can do the airbag swap and get running with the L20B right away and still have highway gears. And then once the KA-T goes in, change the ratio to exactly what I want and get a LSD in it. Another option I’m considering is a Ford 8.8”. Seems similarly priced to Toyota axles, seems easier to find (I may just not know where to look for Toyota axles) and is equally strong. Only downside is factory 4 and 5 lug axles whereas I get matching 6 lug with Toyota.

The cost of a second house 😅. It’s designed to be much more than just a workshop. I work 100% from home, so moving my home office out there in the lofted space, man cave area, full bathroom, 16ft ceilings. The project name for the workshop is Buy Once, Cry Once. Here’s the AC unit. 5 ton York Here’s what the shop looks like today. AC crew is almost done with the rough in. Then it’s on to drywall, trim, paint, and button up finish work on AC/electrical/plumbing.

@Stoffregen Motorsports thanks for the props on the shop. I am very blessed to be able to build the shop of my dreams a good 10+ years earlier in life than I planned, and I don’t take it for granted. I’ve thought about coils or even the air cup coils from Fortune Auto. But when I say spirited driving, I don’t mean track days or drift events. Really just hooning around from one stoplight to the next. So if there’s a more compelling argument to go with coils over bags for this project, I’ll for sure hear it out, but I’ll never check a lap time in this truck so I find it hard to justify a highly tuneable suspension. I’ve also loosely accepted the fact that if I don’t like the performance of the bags, I can just reuse my mounting brackets for coils from QA1, and uninstall all the air system components. Thoughts? I have lots of hands on experience with the R200 rear end, and I’ve kept them together even with hard nitrous launches. Is a H190 that much weaker than something like a R200? I know the weak point on those is the CV axles, not the center section. Just trying to think if I really NEED to beef up the rear end or if I can live with single leggers and drum brakes. Has anyone ever found the limits of the H190 before? Ditto on the rattles and squeaks. Already got started with new door and window rubbers this summer, but there’s still little details that will need to be addressed. Edit: the hardbody and roadster forums all claim ~285ft/lbs is the max for a H190 before it shears axle splines or some other shock event explodes the 3rd member. So I guess I’ll forget about saving money with the D21 axle and just shop for a Toyota axle or Ford 9”. Oh, and I did confirm I didn’t fall ass backwards into the rare H190 LSD that some KA 2wd D21’s came with. Bummer. @Stoffregen Motorsports any chance you want to spoon feed me Toyota models to look for axles from? I hear you’re the expert 👀

Greetings Ratsun! I'm in the early stages of my 1978 620 KC build and wanted to start documenting now rather than later. For a full backstory on the truck, check out my intro thread. Truck details as it sits: 1978 Datsun 620, King Cab, L20b w/ 5 speed transmission. Odometer reads 73,000. I used to think it hadn't rolled over yet, but now after spending so much time with the truck, I think it's at least 173,000, but probably not 273,000. The L20b is still running great, but I'm just not a fanboy of numbers matching original cars, so I feel no remorse in liberating it from the truck and passing it on to another Datsun enthusiast. Inspiration: While I'm not planning to completely copy this 620, it's certainly an inspiration from a styling perspective. Ace Rakes/@datsmo_racer has been super helpful in passing along details about their truck to help me in my planning. Aesthetically, I'm a big fan of ratty hot rods, so I have no plans of doing any paint/bodywork. But underneath the patina and grime, everything else will be mostly restomod'd. The Game Plan: My game plan for the truck has shifted slightly over the years, but for the most part stays the same: Look Cool (to me) - Go Fast. I've done engine swaps in the past with bolt on mounts/adapters/off the shelf swap components in other chassis's, had machine shops build KA's for boost before, and am just generally a handy person. One of the main goals of this project is to challenge myself and build on skills I haven't had a chance to work on before. I have a very spacious workshop that should be completed in about a month or so and was specifically designed to be my project car workshop, so I have no reservations about tearing into the truck myself and learning new skills along the way. So here's my high-level plan. Would absolutely love to hear feedback or suggestions from the community on other cool techy things to add in. My only request for feedback is, if the extent of your comment is "you shouldn't do that/keep it stock/that's a lot of work", my blanket response is thanks for your concern :). The list is kind of in order, but I'm aware things will have to shift around to be efficient in the build process. Suspension: - Bag kit, universal 3 link kit, and shock relocation tabs from BC Fab w/ BC Fab proprietary remote controller (wireless, uses radio frequency and not Bluetooth) - I may need to rethink the specific model of bags I use, because I want something with a fairly rigid sidewall in order to accommodate spirited driving. - Tank and compressors mounted on bed frame rails under bed (hidden) - Cut/raise bed level to accommodate notched frame - standard performance/slight upgrade KYB shocks front/rear Brakes: - D21 hub/spindle/rotor conversion in front - Slap as big of calipers in the front as I can that will fit behind 15" wheels - Figure out some rear axle swap that gives me LSD, a decent gear ratio, disk brakes, and isn't made of glass. Exterior Styling: - Dapper Lighting 575's (clear glass, black housings, HDR RGB halos) - BRE style chin spoiler (definitely want urethane and not aluminum) - Fender flares - Wheels and Tires - US Wheel Rat Rod (Series 68) (15x10 -44; 205/50r15) OR if I decide to buy once, cry once - Watanabe R Types (Aluminum) (15x9.5 -19; 205/50r15; 1.25" spacers) - Fender mirrors - Hidden hitch receiver (hide behind license plate; fabricate flip up license plate mount) - Hand Painted shop truck lettering for the fake speed shop name I come up with - Rust encapsulation/conversion treatment - I don't have any ankle vents yet, but I don't plan on doing any real body work to the truck. I like the ratty exterior and a restomod'd interior/drivetrain. - MAYBE a tailgate spoiler, still unsure - LED tail lights, hopefully built by Jamie Gardner/@evilsil80 Interior Styling: - Reclining bucket seats retrofitted with heat elements - I'm a big fan of Corbeau seats from past experience. I'm really not caught up in the big brand game of bucket seats. - 4 point harnesses - Harness bar (interior mounted) - Custom sheet metal center console - either flocked black or upholstered (my next door neighbor does custom auto upholstery, how convenient lol) - Sheet metal door cards and kick panels - again, either flocked or upholstered - Dash cap - Custom LCD 3 3/8"s gauges ran off raspberry pi and Shadow Dash MS (see below about MegaSquirt) - Period correct aftermarket steering wheel/hub - GPS speedo sending unit - Apple CarPlay head unit (mounted in custom center console) - new upgraded kick panel speakers and slim powered subwoofers under both seats (must have symmetrical butt rattling) - Seam seal entire interior - Insulation (haven't decided on type yet) - Black carpet/headliner - Keyed switch panel Engine/Powertrain: - KA24E, full rebuild for boost - Short block: decked/honed, stock crank, forged rods, 8.5:1 forged pistons, ARP hardware everywhere - Head: Decked/valve job, solid lifters (maybe? thoughts?), valve springs/retainers, maybe a cam, DIY P&P, ARP head studs, MLS head gasket - Intake: S13 intake manifold converted to MAP sensor OR custom intake plenum converted to MAP sensor on factory D21 manifold runners - Throttle body: dependent on intake; will stay drive-by-cable - Top mount fuel rail/injectors (will spec injector sizes when I cross that bridge) - Coil on plug/near plug conversion - Electronic wastegate (you'll see why) - Ball Bearing turbo, somewhere around 60-68mm. I don't have a target HP goal for the engine, but I've daily driven high horsepower cars, and it's not convenient 75% of the time. So if I had to guess, I'd like a turbo capable of 500hp, but still fun to drive when backed off to 250-300hp. - Boost actuated exhaust cutout (either electronic boost reference sent to motorized cutout, or find a mechanical cutout that operates similar to a wastegate, or even just use an actual wastegate as a cutout) - MegaSquirt 2 ECU - Quick switchable fuel/ignition tunes (valet/teenage son tune, daily tune, send a rod to the moon tune) - Figure out some rear axle swap that gives me LSD, a decent gear ratio, disk brakes, and isn't made of glass. - Retrofit cruise control (still need to research how to accomplish this with a drive-by-cable TB and it be true cruise control and not just a locked throttle position) Other: - Retrofit D21 AC system OR use as much of the 620 and D21 AC systems I can and then add on a Vintage Air kit to it to finish it out. - Master battery disconnect Here's my donor truck. 1994 D21 with a KA and 5 speed trans. $600 bucks, not too shabby. I'm also brainstorming for names for my project/truck and I'll take your suggestions. My ideas so far are: Couples Therapy Doghouse But Why? Special thanks to @]2eDeYe, @Stoffregen Motorsports, @datzenmike, and @thisismatt and the rest of you on this board for always being so helpful and informative. Time to party! 🥳

Well for anyone who cares. I called the company to ask them my beginner level questions, and they were super helpful on educating me about how my setup should look and on the different products that would be best. Was honestly surprised at how good the customer service was. Will definitely be keeping their information handy. For the 620, they recommended their Stage 3 620 kit, a universal three link kit, and a rear shock relocation kit. Said that’s basically all anyone with a stock 620 would need get a full air ride setup done properly.

https://www.bcfab.com/Complete-FBSS-Airbag-Suspension-Kit--1973-1979-Datsun-620--LEVEL-3_p_1513.html Anyone ever used this kit before and have feedback on it? Seems like it’s got everything there someone would need to convert a 620 to bags, but I instinctively feel like something’s missing. Thanks.

speaking of that, @]2eDeYe - am I allowed to post non-affiliate links in this forum? I wanted to poll the community on a bag mounting kit I found that’s supposed to be specific to 620’s.

The D21 will be sacrificing its frame rails as extra material when I notch the 620 frame for bags. I’m taking the Native American approach to this, no part of this buffalo is getting wasted.