REAL museum 620s

[kiznook]

From http://www.spencerlowracing.com

 

[NYC_HC]

Sweet pics ,but the red truck is supposedly in an actual museum ,so hows it not a real museum 620? Do they need a race history to be in a museum? I figured if they are spotless and rare ,ur in . BTW i could care less about either truck cause im not buying em, just trying to understand how a truck in a museum ,isnt a museum truck .

[]2eDeYe]

F'n sick. I wanna take one of those offa sweet jump.

[72 327]

Got a question was there a optional stepside bed on datsuns? If so I would LOVE to get one, but since I have only ever seen two trucks in pictures with a stepside bed I guessing it would be a real hard find.

[dat620]

i have 1 of them, and i know of another here in phx, they were made by an after market mfg company in la back in 70's and 80's, can't find the tag on mine, only know that they were popular in that era, i have a 6" lifted 620 that i will be putting it on, later on down the line:cool:

[72 327]

are they fiberglass?

[pope_face]

In regards to the real/not real museum 620 question above... I think maybe these are "real" because they are all original... or at least with correct paint and whatnot. Looks like all three were made by Low Manufacturing, but maybe the two above have all the stock or identical parts as used in the original?

[kiznook]

Actually, I think that they're all old pictures, and who knows where the trucks are now (probably crushed)

 

What I meant was these are a far better example of what was being displayed in previous discussions. That other rig was neat, but nothing special enough to be museum worthy.

[irsa76]

That 720 looks like it is a KC.

As for stepside beds, I've come across a guy here that makes them. If I can't find another 720 bed, I'll go the stepside when I rebuild mine.

[makya]

Mallotte mfg. in Lincoln Ca. used to make some, I don't know if they still do or not.

[72 327]

So there fiberglass then Im assuming. Well I have a hard enough time keeping the rear end of my truck down as it is. And fiberglass sucks I have a 65 corvette Im restoring and its a pain in the butt to repair when it cracks from a bump.

[1lo620]

I had one on my old Chevy Luv that now resides in Texas...the fender where fiberglass and the bed was metal...They seem to be alot more popular on the luvs than the 620s. There is a 521 running around the NW with a step bed on it...

 

[1lo620]

I am assuming by reading the Ebay add that the truck is just on display for the sale purpose at the museum. More than likely a consignment deal of sorts. ...Just my opinion.

[fiveNdime]

At least they could have used a Datsun forklift! GOSH!

[Eastcoast521]

They were made by California Stepside if my memory serves me correctly.

[Steroid]

There were 3 companys that made stepside beds. All were accessory items. My silver V8 truck has one and I own one extra set of fenders. Anyway, I will be posting vintage ads and brochures on California Stepside at a later date. There were located in Santa Clara, Ca. The second company was a supplier to Chevrolet only and installed as a dealer option on Luvs. The beds were made by Steel Beds International, the fenders by Fiberglass Designs and the boxs were rolled, stamped, welded and installed finally by Peterson Metal Fabrication in Hayward, Ca. where the trucks were then sent out to dealers. The 3rd company was Budd Anderson Inc. His fenders looked more like 1948-52 Chevrolet styling where the other two companys copied 70s Chevrolet Fenders. The dually fenders on My fourdoor project and Makya's truck are the 70s Chevy type. The difference from The C.S.S. fenders and the Fiberglass Design fenders were that C.S.S. made metal steps that were placed seperately. They could also be chromed. The Chevy Luv trucks all had fenders that the steps were molded into as one piece fenders. The information on the Chevy Luv conversions can be found in the August 1976 issue of Pickup, Van & 4WD magazine on page 31. C.S.S. ads are in virtually every magazine from 1976 through 1980. They had a huge advertising budget. Budd Anderson ads were scarce but with a little looking, I can track one down. The beds on Spence Low's trucks were California Stepside products. I believe that display is in Southern California. Spence now lives just 75 miles south of Me in Parker, Arizona. He is the same man that "converted" the blue and white fourdoor trucks in 1978 that are on that thread elsewhere.

[1lo620]

I will say this Steriod, you know you classic Mini truck Sh**t. That is why I am going to hit you up from time to time, I started out in this crazy hobby back in 86. And I loved that era of the Mini trucks. Today is mostly big wheels, body dropp and primer paint. I liked the day of the cool graphics vert tops, dancing beds, and just having a good time.....

[Pacific coast Datsun]

I will say this Steriod, you know you classic Mini truck Sh**t. That is why I am going to hit you up from time to time, I started out in this crazy hobby back in 86. And I loved that era of the Mini trucks. Today is mostly big wheels, body dropp and primer paint. I liked the day of the cool graphics vert tops, dancing beds, and just having a good time.....

Me too :D... Good history Mike as always.

[Steroid]

Thanks!! I'm just glad to be of some help. As always, I intend to verify all claims so that history cannot "drop through the cracks" and an accurate account is given. I wasn't everywhere, but if I didn't see it, I now know where to look. Mark will get a real sence of this during His visit for a few days after Reso. In any subject, accuracy has to be foremost. Rumors, speculations and storys can totally throw off a subject forever. Like finding out just who made Makya's truck. That was cool to Me because I knew I had read about it somewhere. Now We know the correct story about that truck. Someday, it is My dream to have all of this information available easily and have articles, vintage ads and brochures to substanciate a claim.

 

By the way, 1lo620, I am still trying to find out exactly what issue Your truck was in. I believe I have it. If it was in Truckin', then I know that I do. I have every issue of Truckin' since 1975. Do You remember at least what year that was?

[Steroid]

OK guys, here goes stepside bed history. This photo is of the first CSS truck to My knowledge built. This was photographed by Dave Bednarczyk in 1976. Notice that they have not yet designed their logo and there is primitive lettering on the tailgate instead of the later popular CSS logo.

 

 

Now here in 1977 is their ad with the logo

 

 

 

 

Here is Budd Andersons ad and some closeup photos. To Me, this fender design just didn't work. I never saw a Budd Anderson bed in person. Probibly because they were on the east coast.

 

 

 

 

Hey, I Just noticed on these bottom 2 photos the difference between a Permacast turbine rim and a Western (in the very bottom photo)

[Steroid]

And here is the Chevy Luv stepside info.............

 

[Steroid]

Is that a "Lotta Luv" in that photo or what!?!?!?!? I cann't even count how many are there!! Anyway, there is all the history on stepside beds that I know of.

 

Oh, and I was wrong on mentioning the rim manifacturers. Yes, the bottom truck's rims are Westerns, but the photo above it is NOT a Permacast. You can see, however, the difference as the Western "fins" come all the way to the edge of the rim where there is a polished outside edge on the other, like a Permacast. A Permacast, however, has the fins going all the way inside to the center cap. Both of these rims have a smooth area where the lugnuts go. I am not really sure now what that other rim is. Possibly a US mag.

[irsa76]

That 720 looks like it is a KC.

As for stepside beds, I've come across a guy here that makes them. If I can't find another 720 bed, I'll go the stepside when I rebuild mine.

 

Found it!

http://www.hughesstepsidebodys.com.au/

Late D21

Late Patrol!

Rear of Patrol

[yello620]

1lo620, I am still trying to find out exactly what issue Your truck was in. I believe I have it. If it was in Truckin', then I know that I do. I have every issue of Truckin' since 1975. Do You remember at least what year that was?

 

1Lo, I didnt realize that your truck was in a Mag. I am assuming the blue truck? Maybe that is why your truck always looked familiar.

 

Jason

[Steroid]

Have any of You guys seen this?????

 

 

http://images.google.co.jp/imgres?imgurl=http://z.about.com/d/4wheeldrive/1/0/-/S/1/Robert_NV_74DatsNissPat_3RROD.jpg&imgrefurl=http://4wheeldrive.about.com/b/2007/09/19/roberts-1974-datsun-620.htm&h=189&w=234&sz=76&hl=ja&start=66&um=1&tbnid=g_we-appu_mNlM:&tbnh=88&tbnw=109&prev=/images%3Fq%3D620%2Bdatsun%26start%3D60%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dja%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN