Newbie body/frame question

[Lockleaf]

I have a 1969 datsun pickup with a chevy 350 motor and trans that has seen better days. Pretty decent amount of rust damage across the whole thing. Here locally there is a guy selling a decent condition full 1977 body including new fenders, plus a D21 frame c-ed out in the rear with drop spindles up front, supposedly length modified for the '77 body to fit correctly. He is selling it for $300 for everything.

 

So the questions are

 

1: Is this a decent price?

 

2: Can a 77 body be bolted on to the 69 frame? How much modifying?

 

3: Any idea if my modified 69' subframe would come close to mounting on the D21 frame?

 

4: Is this all pipe dreams that involve too damn much work to be "worth" it for anything but a show truck?

 

I have a welder and metal shop tools plus a pretty decent tool collection over all. Fabrication does not scare me. Just looking for a heads up on what I might be going in to.

 

Appreciate it guys. Awesome forum. :)

[72240z]

I have a 1969 datsun pickup with a chevy 350 motor and trans that has seen better days. Pretty decent amount of rust damage across the whole thing. Here locally there is a guy selling a decent condition full 1977 body including new fenders, plus a D21 frame c-ed out in the rear with drop spindles up front, supposedly length modified for the '77 body to fit correctly. He is selling it for $300 for everything.

 

So the questions are

 

1: Is this a decent price?

 

2: Can a 77 body be bolted on to the 69 frame? How much modifying?

 

3: Any idea if my modified 69' subframe would come close to mounting on the D21 frame?

 

4: Is this all pipe dreams that involve too damn much work to be "worth" it for anything but a show truck?

 

I have a welder and metal shop tools plus a pretty decent tool collection over all. Fabrication does not scare me. Just looking for a heads up on what I might be going in to.

 

Appreciate it guys. Awesome forum. :)

 

1 - depending on condition fair+ yes its a really good deal.

2- It can, anything can, how much modifying idk, someone does though and will prob chime in.

3- that's a shot in the dark because we don't know how its modified. Owning a d21 though I'm going to say not even close.

4- Worth it is up to you it can all be done with a welder and time.

 

Pics help.....

[72 327]

I would say save up the money and find a 67-72 decent body and drop that on your frame. or just modify the 77' body (tunnel) and frame to accept your 350. Either way you are in for a bit of work. Both a stock 67-72 or the 77 are going to need tunnel work to get the big pig in there. Also depending on your location (where are you from? update you location in User CP at the top) smog? maybe an issuse with a 77'. On the west coast 67-72 are not too hard to come by... Just my 2cents worth...

[Lockleaf]

Hey guys thanks.

 

327 - I appreciate the response. The swap was done before I got the truck and the trans tunnel is pretty ugly and I think need redoing anyway. The 77 body is more attractive to me anyway so it might be the way I go. I'm not even sure I will be able to get the stuff and store it until I am able to do the work. Thanks a lot guys. I hope I have reason to spend more time on here.

 

P.S. I live in Utah. And I do need to update my Profile.

 

I want the body to be a couple of day project at most. I have a major project that requires most my time.

[72 327]

I didnt do mine either but from what I can see is that its about 4 inches higher than the original tunnel. Some sheet metal carfully laid you could do the mods in a couple days. Click the link to my shutterfly web page found under my post and you can see how mine looks.

[Lockleaf]

Yours looks way better than mine does :) I will have to try to get some pics of mine up sometime soon. I swear the trans tunnel in mine seems to take up half of the passenger side foot area. It's ridiculous. But if I am able to make that whole 77 body happen then I will be able to start from scratch and do it myself, hopefully coming out with something a little nicer once I am done.

 

On another note, I saw you own a TT 300zx. I am currently working on dropping the whole TT Z32 drivetrain into a 1990 240sx. That is my real baby. The datsun is just my pretty little "shop" truck. You have anything done to your Z32?

Edited March 6, 2009 by Lockleaf

[4cylinders]

hey, I've got a 520 cab in NM if you are interested.

[greengoon]

Us Utah guys have to stick together. Where are you loacated? I'm in Murray and would love to see the truck.

[Lockleaf]

I am down in Pleasant Grove in Utah Valley. We will have to see about a time we could meet up. Truck doesn't run real well at all right now. Needs work. I only just got it a little bit ago

[greengoon]

Good old Happy Valley. The goon likes short road trips. I can definitely make it down to PG one of these days. We might be able to collect enough Datsun guys around here for a small meet someday.

 

BTW, good luck on the truck. I saw a decent looking 620 in an apt parking lot several times, considered leaving a note and now its gone. Maybe the gods didn't think I needed another project.

[72 327]

On another note, I saw you own a TT 300zx. I am currently working on dropping the whole TT Z32 drivetrain into a 1990 240sx. That is my real baby. The datsun is just my pretty little "shop" truck. You have anything done to your Z32?

 

Kinda, 555 injectors, gt 500 turbos, ecu, complete engine rebuild, and a new harness.