Figbuck 620

[Figbuck]

Let me start by saying that say that Figbuck is my cat. That's not his real name but an old lady used to live next door and I couldn't open the back door and call hey Bigfuck, it's chow time. I know it's stupid, but a guru once said, "You don't have to be to smart to be me".

 

I was going to start this project in the summer of '04 but my wife and I got hit by a 16 year old red light runner. It totaled our car and took a year out of our lives to come back from. The truck has been sitting in the garage un regestered for a year. I knew I had to gather up all my resources and do it or sell it. I wouldn't go through this for any of the many other trucks, cars or motorcycles I have owned. Working on this is an emotional thing. It doesn't make any rational sence.

 

I have spent a lot of time trying to take pictures and get them organized. I don't really have time to work on the truck, run my business and have the rest of my life. I'm doing the best I can. I really appreciate all of the different projects guys are doing on Ratsun.net. In the end I hope that I would be considered a Ratsun Garage member even if it's not ratty any more. Here is proof that I was ratty & rusty and I paid my dues.

 

As I get time and things progress, I will try to post up directly to the thread. I don't know what the hell happened when I uploaded the pics, they seemed to load in reverse order. If that is the case, start looking from the end so the build is in order. If it's not working, tell me what's up and I will try to edit it.

 

Here is the link to photobucket.

 

http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee97/figbuck/

[RacnJsn95]

Wow, you've come along way, and it looks like you are doing a fantastic job! I really like the work with the tail gate, it looks top notch! I really hope you don't end up selling this truck...

[datzenmike]

Very nice. Is that an aluminum third member? No one likes the side markers, what I mean is I want markers, it's just they have no style. I'm sure fed laws mandate a minimum size and rectangular shape.

 

I like these GM ones, not my favorites...

 

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/Bsidemarkers.jpg[/img]"]

 

...but a bit better than stock.

[fisch]

Really inspirational to see this build Figbuck. Thanks man, and keep going!

[spiffinspudater]

Lots of pictures, too lazy to go through them. I just wanted to say I love the name FigBuck is awsome. Is there a picture of the kitty it was named after?

[tnip]

no pictures of BF, the kitty, in the album.

 

damn man... you are doin some awesome work there. good job. keep it up.

[kiznook]

looks good. When you get it back on the road you'll have to bring it up to the 'couve for one of our tuesday meets.

[Bleach]

nice

 

I remember that truck from the AMI BBQ in 2006

[]2eDeYe]

Nice work.. Love the tailgate mods...

Thanks for the kick in the pants :D

 

Gas tank...new? If not, what did you do to get it clean inside?

[Figbuck]

Thanks guys for the encouragement... I need it.

 

By popular demand, here is the Figbucker in his favorite summer lounging area.

 

 

Everybody has a different take on what they use their vehicles for and how they are going to go about working on them. I'm a contractor and have built buildings out of the ground. Some very difficult custom remodels and custom home projects that took more than a year and a half as well as commercial jobs. I have a pretty good idea of what the progression of jobs is. I know that how I'm going about working on this truck is probably completely backwards. I always say that I can build, refurbish, alter or fix anything if the two necessary ingredients are present... Time and Money. I don't have a lot of either.

 

I should have done all the mechanical work first. Change out the drum brakes to discs, put in a five speed, rewire everything to a new alternator, Etc. I think I want to keep the L16 but it would be nice to have an L20 or something. The deal is, that we are going to move and I don't think we will have a place to park it out of the rain. It has been in the garage for about a year but sat outside for a number of years just starting to rust away. I know that all the mechanical work and some of the related interior work like a new dash/gages should have been done first, and paint finishes come last, but I need to get it so it can sit outside.

 

Aluminum third member. It was so encrusted that it took sand blasting and stiff wire wheel on an angle grinder to clean it off. It wasn't even painted, just crusty.

 

I don't know if you can tell from the pics, but I cut sections of the front side marker lights off a couple of early '80s Ford Ranger fenders. They were vertical and I welded them into the existing Datsun location horizontally. Three different times I have been making a tight u-turn or squeezing into a parking spot and clipped the stock front side marker lights. It either creamed the lights or the fender too.

 

Like I said on another thread, it would be cool to shave the side markers off and gas cap, door handles... but maybe another time. I have an aversion to cops. No side marker lights is an infraction of the vehicle code and probable cause. I have been pulled over for less. The other thing is that, I want to drive this truck, not show and shine it. It freakin' rains up in this neck of the woods and If I'm driving on the freeway at night in the pouring rain, I want to be seen. This is my solution. I know the Datsun Gods are gnashing their teeth over Ford and Toyota lights, but if I hate it, I can always change it. Nothing is ever chiseled in stone.

 

 

 

I found the NWDE site about five years ago and read a bunch of stuff on a regular basis. I didn't have a very good computer & worse web connect, so I never really posted. I looked through a bunch of the links and found Bleach Pages, 620.com & some other cool stuff. I thought, Wow! Datsun freaks that know stuff. I been driving this thing and pulling maintenance on it for all these years & I don't really know a damn thing about Datsuns.

 

It is pretty funny (maybe not funny Ha, Ha) how Ratsun.net came about. The story about Icehouse at the NWDE club meet was hilarious. This site is very cool. It looks like it is starting to get found and the participation is what makes it. You can see a definite difference in concept from the NW guys, the SoCal, the random Bay Area guys & Arizona & parts East.

 

Well, it helps that guys are actually thrashin' on their rides not just talking about how some day their going to drop in a SMC with a blower and slam it... but then they never do.

 

At some point, I would like very much to roll up to the D'Couve for Tuesday nights. At the rate I'm going, the truck won't be back together for months, but maybe just for the social lubrication.

 

So, I kinda knew about guys from the sites. I went to Canby and Blue Lake in '05 and '06 and wandered around. Didn't make Canby this year but Blue Lake was pretty much fun. My wife and I walked around for an hour or so and talked to a bunch of people. I bumped into that kiznook character!! Banzai!

 

I started to talk to Mike Klotz about the NL, but then my wife butted in and I couldn't get a word in edge wise. I ended up talking to Mike's kid. I wanted to find Bleach and ask him some stuff but that didn't happen. I liked the red Zcar, right? that's a Bleach mobile?

 

Oh, the gas tank was spotless inside. It blew my mind. My dad always told me when I first learned to drive, to always keep the tank full so that there won't be condensation and I always tried to do that. Looks like it paid off.

 

Nice weekend, suppose to storm all next week, got to get to work. If I don't do it, it ain't getting done.

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Nice truck & love the build pics. Looks like your doing it right by going slow. Thats alot of the subtle things not everybody can see or appreciate. Keep the pics coming :cool:

[datzenmike]

At first sight of the eyes as I scrolled down the page I thought it was a cougar, no kidding. Does he bring dead mice and birds home to share?

 

I personally would never remove the marker lights, however I don't particularly like their shape much either, so I allow a little latitude when people want to 'customize' them. Yours look fine to me ... Toyota, Ford, who cares if it looks OK and works well. I wired my marker lights up to flash when the turn signals flash. This way as I turn broadside to traffic, there are two extra flashing lights to be seen.

[drastic520]

wow thats a lot of pics! great job tho. got me wanting to go outside and take my bed off but its 10pm and the neighbors will be convinced that im a nutcase..... keep up the great work!!

[datsun dreamer]

Thanks for the teardown pictures:D!!!! I agree with mark(PCD) on the going slow, When its all complete you will have many years of enjoyment from the fruits of your laber! Maybe next year JCCS:D??????

[Figbuck]

I have been working on this thing so much. I'm afraid to even keep track. I dont want to know. If I had to charge for my time... I can't even go there.

 

I must whine and bitch a little, but only because I have been spoiled. In the past, I had a much bigger construction business and could use all the space I wanted in the shop or the yard. Yep, them were the days, so that's why I'm not really happy about doing this project in a one car garage. It must be some sort of cosmic lesson for me to just grit my teeth and keep my foot on the floorboard, so to speak... arr, arr, arr.

 

Here is the link for the whole build thread. Yeah, there are a ton of pics to go though and if you don't have a very fast connection, it will make you crazy. (click on the first picture then keep clicking on the back button in that window so it will cycle you in order from the begining)

 

http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee97/figbuck/

 

For the rest of you lazy 4uckers here is what I have been up to in a nutshell:

 

Primered the bed after I put it back on.

 

 

It was pretty beat up to begin with and there were some issues with welding the seams in the bed. This side was roached but the other side was easy.

 

 

I want to do a good job but I know this ain't going to be perfect. The deal is that this has been my daily driver for ever and that's all its going to be. I know it's going to get dinged and dented over time no matter how cherry I get it.

 

 

Finally getting some paint on. Man, that feels good. Prep sucks

 

 

I'm liking my blue color. This was the first coat or 2 part urethane on the inside.

 

 

Primer surfacer on the outside and second coat of urethane.

 

 

Start on the interior. A little personal predjuice that I have is that cars that have been repainted a different color and the inside didn't get done. Or worse, a Macco Embasador paint job where they didn't even spray the jambs. I just gotta do the inside. I grew up in the Barrio but I don't have to roll like I'm still there. Not that there is any thing wrong with living here or there, but at my advanced age and station in life, I have earned the right and paid my dues to be able to have a painted interior.

 

It wasn't as rusty as I thought it might be, but it was rusty and dirty enough to be a whole bunch of nasty sanding and grinding work. Applying chemical washes is no fun either but this is as clean as it's ever been and cleaner that it will ever be.

 

 

Prep and masking suck. I'm am fast and good. It still sucks.

 

 

Here iz me on TV. Hi Ma, I'm on the world wide web. Damn, I just like black primer. Why is that? It's is somehow intrinsically cool.

 

 

Two coats of Omni 2 part urethane.

 

 

I saw another guy on this site doing basically the same thing last week. Sorry I can't remember who, but he sprayed the same rubber undercoater I used on my bed and front wheel wells on his floor. I like the way it dried and stuff, so here it is. I'm also hoping it might cancel out a little road noise. I don't think I would have thought to do this if I hadn't seen his post.

 

 

I have been wanting to tear my truck apart for a long, long time and now I'm finally getting to do it. It's fun but it's a lot of work too. I'll tell you that it really helps to know that I'm not crazy. When ever I think that I'm out of my mind for putting this much time and money into an old Datsun, all I have to do is look some of your threads to know that I'm not nearly as whack as you are. :lol:

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Awesome pics buddy! Its the attention to detail that i like, no corners being cut. Its kool the way you shaved the gate handles, you cut out the bulges in the metal. And the blue is a nice color choice.

[fisch]

Totally inspirational! thank you so much for taking the time to keep us up to date on your progress. Lovin' it!

[Figbuck]

I have been putting in a lot of time in on my doors, new windshield and paint. I have spent a lot of time trying to find out if parts are available and how to get them. I want to do a good job but the reality is that I am running out of time. Here are some photos of what I have been up to.

 

I finally got my fenders and hood back on after painting the engine compartment and undercoating in the fender wells.

 

[/img]

 

I was looking for parts when I came across this creampuff '75 620. Before...

 

 

...and after.

 

[/img]

 

My new cherry doors. :)

 

v[/img]

 

Paint stripped, applied acid wash and conditioner, poured RustMort into seams inside door to kill all rust. Washed with detergent and wiped with solvent to prep for primer.

 

[/img]

 

Doors, first coat of epoxy primer.

 

[/img]

 

After primer, three coats of Acrilic Urethane for the interior.

 

[/img]

 

Packages of door parts and goodies! :D

 

[/img]

 

Another nasty job. Cut out the old windshield gasket. It was hard as a rock and had to be cut out in little pieces with a sharp utility knife.

 

[/img]

 

I'm amazed that I didn't cut myself of break the windshield getting it out.

 

[/img]

 

Primer/paint frame around windshield. I didn't want to paint first and then work on the windshield and run the risk of messing up green uncured paint.

 

[/img]

 

I always hated getting in the truck when it had been sitting in the sun and it was hot as hell radiating heat.

 

[/img]

 

I used a foil backed pipe/duct lagging insulation with an R6 value. It's an experiment! Might work, we will see. Got to be better than nothing. The headliner was dirty but still pliable and in good shape. I don't have the time or money to do a new one, so back in it goes.

 

[/img]

 

I had to do this over and over to get the gasket just right and the headliner straight.

 

[/img]

 

After I got the windshield installed, I got it reregistered and insured. I hooked the engine back up and took it for a spin. I haven't driven it for almost two years. I'm getting pretty excited.

 

[/img]

 

I put the seat back in temporarily to see how the new mirrors needed to be located.

 

[/img]

 

I shot three coats of primer surfacer on and block sanded between coats. Now I'm all caught up with my paint steps and ready for color.

 

[/img]

 

[/img]

 

First coat of color. It sprays like water. Very difficult to apply.

 

[/img]

 

Second color coat goes on much easier, but you still have to be verycareful not to over apply.

 

 

After two coats of clear coat. I used a flat/matte clear. It looks like primer because it doesn't have any sheen to it. The color looks nice in the sun but in the shade it almost looks black. Kinda looks like a military vehicle. Maybe a couple of official looking Ratsun decals and it will be Stealth Datsun.

 

 

That's the short version for now. Check out even more pics on the PhotoBucket album.

 

http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee97/figbuck/

[fisch]

I hooked the engine back up and took it for a spin. I haven't driven it for almost two years. I'm getting pretty excited.

 

Hell I am getting excited too! Thanks for the great update and the kick in the pants. Are you planning on lowering it or keeping it stock height?

[Figbuck]

I hope that I can do the disc brake conversion this summer. Maybe I will think about lowering it then.

 

My feelings about lowered cars and trucks are that they look cool. The lower the cooler. However, this is going to be my daily driver and eventually I will restore my fiberglass camper shell and put it back on. I never intended to build a cruiser toy.

 

Speaking of toys. I grew up going to the Oakland Roadster show. I think the first time was in 1959 or '60. I have watched the whole evolution of custom cars. If I had the time and money to build a custom chopped, channelled, sectioned, Frenched and lowered pickup... I wouldn't do it. I would spend the time building motorcycles. Cars are just too slow.

 

Someday, I will build another motorcycle trailer so that I can haul motorcycles to go play on the race track. Lowered trucks don't haul trailers very well. This thing already handles pretty well. I have tried hard to spin it out, but it tracks like it is on rails. I think it will flip before it spins out. I don't need to lower it for better handling. If it wasn't already fun to hustle through the twisties out in the mountians, I wouldn't be doing this in the first place.

 

Someday, I would like to have a couple dirt bikes again. I used to go camping in the national forest and tow dirt bikes. Lowered trucks don't do well on forest service roads, specially with a bike trailer.

 

Last but not least, I have tortured my back for years crashing motorcycles, falling off of horses and working as a carpenter. It's bad enough getting in and out of the truck now with out it being inches lower. So, everybody knock yourself out lowering your trucks. Tell me how that works out for you in another thirty years.

[]2eDeYe]

Nice update. I wish I was getting work done to mine, but I'm at the wait part of hurry up and wait... :P

 

I bet it felt great firing it back up :D

[DatDoug]

No one likes the side markers, what I mean is I want markers, it's just they have no style. I'm sure fed laws mandate a minimum size and rectangular shape. QUOTE]

 

DUde! The sidemarkers are very cool! They look so cool when there lit up @ night. They add color to it and it just really ties the truck together!:D

[Figbuck]

I'm running out of time. I got to get out of the house we have been living in for five years, so no more garage. Lot's of time consuming stuff. Finished the door and window restoration. Still have lots of work left on the interior but its a runner and can sit outside in the rain now.

 

This is my painted bumper experiment. Before view...

 

[/img]

 

bumper sanded with my hot set up disc sanders.

 

[/img]

 

Two coats of epoxy primer and a coat of Rustoleum Satin Black paint.

 

[/img]

 

I have hated getting leaves and junk in the heater fan. Leaves also pile up in the tunnel under the windshield wipers and clog the drain hole so the cab rusts from the inside out. This is my fix. Aluminum mesh screen and industrial velcro from the craft store.

 

[/img]

 

[/img]

 

[/img]

 

Here it is all back together. I cleaned and lubricated all the door lock and window regulator mechanisms so that the windows and doors work like new. I put in new factory window run channels & new neoprene door seals too... the full-resto! I love my Pegasus convex racing mirrors!! :cool:

 

[/img]

 

[/img]

 

 

On to Phase Two... Disc Brakes!

[Phlebmaster]

Very nice work!!

 

I will paint my grill black too, but I will paint the light boxes blue and see what that looks like.

Thanks for the idea.:D

 

Aaron

[]2eDeYe]

I'm researching so many ideas from you :D