low manufacturing questions

[mr68gts]

So in looking around here I noticed some differences in my conversion compared to most Low Manufacturing conversions I have seen. Some seem to retain the 6 bolt pattern and have disk brakes. Mine does not. As a matter of fact, I know they are CJ5 parts used in the conversion but I have drums in front. The rear was converted to 5 lug and retained the metric studs. (yes it get confusing when replacing tires!) Another thing to note is my truck has dual shocks int he front. All the other Low Manufacturing trucks I noticed only has single shock up front. Do any of them have the same cage around the transfer case as mine does?

Nothing has been changed on the conversion other than possibly the locking hubs and we changed the axle to under the springs to get it higher. Other than that, nothing has been modified since it came from it's conversion back in 76. So is mine in fact a Low Manufacturing conversion?

Curious minds wanna know man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul M

Front spring perch.

Dual shock mounts.(which are staggered on the top)

Transfer case mount/Cage.

Transfer case shifter.

Hubs.

Steer rod to axle bracket.

Bump stops for suspension travel.

Truck as noted in a previous thread.............."620 found..............."

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Paul im sure Steroid has more info on your suspension. PM him & he'll get back with you. Sorry im not much help but it's all i have.

[datsunaholic]

I'd suspect that is in fact NOT a LOW manufacturing conversion, simply because all LOW Manufacturing ones I've seen used their conversion hubs and you don't have them.

 

There were probably a good dozen plus converters back in the 70s (they converted more than just Datsuns- Chevy LUVS and Toyotas were common conversions as well before the factory made 4X4s) plus there are plenty of homebuilt conversions. My '78 was done by 4WD Engineering. I don't know where my '76 was done, but both use conversion hubs (the '78 is disc, the '76 is drum) using the original Datsun brake hardware.

[Steroid]

Hey Paul,

 

If that were a Low conversion, there would be a door tag near Your VIN plate. There was another outfit in El Cajon, which is closer to the San Diego area, that did conversions. A cousin of My ex-inlaws had one. I do have a slide taken at Escondido Datsun of one, but is was only posted on the old forum. Mavbe Bleach has it. It was a blue and white truck. Bleach, do You remember that photo? The front paper "license plate" and frame said Escondido Datsun.

 

Your brackets look professional, and not home made. Have You San Diego area guys asked around at either the dealerships or parts houses, etc. to try to track that company down? Also, Jimmy Conner did race trucks, but not 4X4s, in El Cajon. Asking the right person that remembers might solve the mystery. One last thing. John might be able to ask Fred at the museum who He bought His 4X4 trucks from. Hope that helps!

[steve g]

that thing is sweet!

[mr68gts]

Steriod,

 

I know for certain the truck was professionally done. There's no door tag but the truckk has been repainted also so it could have been removed at that time maybe? City of Industry is where I seem to recall it being convereted. Ring any bells?

Thanks for the help.

Paul

[tdaaj]

willamette wheel in oregon converted some too, they had a vin tag on the inner front fender well,pass/driver?, and were called "ugly truckling"

[]2eDeYe]

There were quite a few conversion companys for sure.

 

Yours looks to be engineered well.

 

It's the first one that I've seen that was all 5 lug. Any pic's of the rear?

[makya]

willamette wheel in oregon converted some too, they had a vin tag on the inner front fender well,pass/driver?, and were called "ugly truckling"

 

Not to add to the confusion, but mine was done in Oregon also, but by a different company. I've since changed cabs so it no longer has the tag though :(

[Lordmodelbuilder]

Hey Paul!

Didn't know you were into Datsun trucks.

Your Truck was probably converted by Baja 4WD. They were one of the 1st to do mini 4x4 conversions. They were located in Inglewood,Cali. Their transfer case mount was tubular just like yours. They also used Spicer 30 front axles. Selectro hubs were a common aftermarket hub back then.

I had a couple LOW manufacturing conversions & I know yours isn't their's. They did use the Model 30 axles, but all their conversions had the leaf springs under the axle. Also, they never had a straight tie rod directly from the steering box to the axle. They utilized the Datsun's stock idler arm & had more tie rods. Not sure if your truck had front disc-brakes stock, but if it did,then LOW would have put discs on the 4x4 axle.

Pretty sure their kit was a bolt-on also,not welded.

I will have to did up my old LOW catalog. Got it here somewhere. LOW manufacturing was the best in my opinion. Keep us posted,Brad

[mr68gts]

LOL! Funny that your on here too Brad! How's it goin? The only thing I know for sure about the truck is that it was axle over leaf till we raised it up. Nothing has been modified otherwise since 76 when my uncle got it. I understand the parts were CJ-5 (recalling from memory) and no disk brakes.

Paul

[WildCountryRose]

my boyfriend traded is 620 2wd for a 79 620 converted 4x4 with a LOW MFG transfer case and front end back in july and i've searched and searched the web and i haven't found much of any kind of information on the company.. only something about Spencer Low and something about stadium trucks and like 4 other people looking for info/parts for this.. my boyfriend calls it a dana 20 or 30 on crack.. i'll add pictures tomorrow when it's daylight .. any info on what LowMFG is where to find parts ( the ring and pinion he thinks is out on the front end)

[WildCountryRose]

my boyfriend traded is 620 2wd for a 79 620 converted 4x4 with a LOW MFG transfer case and front end back in july and i've searched and searched the web and i haven't found much of any kind of information on the company.. only something about Spencer Low and something about stadium trucks and like 4 other people looking for info/parts for this.. my boyfriend calls it a dana 20 or 30 on crack.. i'll add pictures tomorrow when it's daylight .. any info on what LowMFG is where to find parts ( the ring and pinion he thinks is out on the front end)

[datsunaholic]

The company doesn't exist as such anymore, and the special parts are no longer obtainable save finding one in a junkyard, which is extremely rare.

 

Ring and pinion are probably simply standard Dana-30 stuff, probably in 4.10 ratio but you need to verify that. LOW manufacturing didn't use anything unusual as far as the axle and transfer case, the simply made the adapters to make them fit in converted 2WD trucks. The conversion parts included (but not limited to) the output adapter on a Dana-20 transfer case and custom-made hubs to convert the Jeep front axle (a Jeep Dana 30) to use modified Datsun brake parts.

[mr68gts]

When i get ready to do the brakes ill see what i have exactly. Im pretty sure that they are jeep brakes on mine and not datsun as far as the fronts go. the rest is std dana parts but when you order the ring and pinion make sure its for a front axle. (reverse rotation i think)

paul

[mr68gts]

Also forgot to mention this. a person came to my house a few months ago and wanted to look at my truck. by talking to him come to find out it is a low conversion and he used to work there. he mentioned that the dual shock setup was the shop managers idea and not very many were done.

[WildCountryRose]

on Ken's the cover of the front end says low mfg, his 4wd shifter also says low mfg... i need to get pics of it..

[]2eDeYe]

I'd love to see pics :D

[WildCountryRose]

i'll post pics later today (gotta wait for the sun to come out, then gotta move the truck for the best pictures)

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Paul if im ever out your way id like to check out the 4x4.

[olderdat620]

Maybe I am outa line but my son now wants the California stepside covesion bed on his fishing truck- the bed that I bought when I was a 22 yr/ Marine .he came back from a two tour i Iraq and said I want that bed on my truck 30 yrs later. And Dad is gonna do it

[WildCountryRose]

[mr68gts]

sounds good mark. i hope to have it driving by the end of the year and done minus exterior paint.

paul

 

Paul if im ever out your way id like to check out the 4x4.

[mr68gts]

my truck doesnt have anything stamped low mnfg but the guy did say that its one if the earlier conversions before they started doing all that.

Paul

 

[]2eDeYe]

What component is that on? Any more shots of the truck? :D