Differences between the 520 and the 521?

[wayno]

520 front sheet metal doesn't fit a 521 and it doesn't work the other way either. The core supports would have to be changed also to make the swap.

 

 

[johns66]

520 front sheet metal doesn't fit a 521 and it doesn't work the other way either. The core supports would have to be changed also to make the swap.

[johns66]

I have a 66 L520, single headlight version. I've always wondered if the front windshield was the same as an L521 or different, possibly not as wide? Mine has a nice big crack travelling through it vertically for the past 15 years or so. I need to get it replaced.

[wayno]

I have a 66 L520, single headlight version. I've always wondered if the front windshield was the same as an L521 or different, possibly not as wide? Mine has a nice big crack travelling through it vertically for the past 15 years or so. I need to get it replaced.

 

 

This is a good question, when you have it fixed tell us if it is differant, I have been told the 66 is differant, and then other people tell me it isn't differant, i have 66 also, but it's not a driver yet, so I have not fixed the windshield yet.

[ggzilla]

Different part numbers, no interchange

Windshield Oct 1967 up

Windshield To Sep 1967 J13 T-series

 

Hollander also says no interchange, but adds that some early 521s came with the J13 and use the same parts as a 520. Sounds like Nissan just called them 521s, maybe to push sales of the old model.

[ggzilla]

[DanielC]

There are differences in the doors.

This is a 521 cab and door.

This is a 520 door on a 521 cab. It fit really good until i put the catch back in the door.

 

Notice the catch on the 520 door is a little bit lower than the catch on the 521 door. It will not line up with the striker plate on the 521 cab.

[wayno]

There are differences in the doors.

This is a 521 cab and door.

This is a 520 door on a 521 cab. It fit really good until i put the catch back in the door.

 

Notice the catch on the 520 door is a little bit lower than the catch on the 521 door. It will not line up with the striker plate on the 521 cab.

 

 

The striker plates are also differant, the location of the catch/lock is in a slightly differant location also, so early 520 doors don't interchange with later 521 doors/cabs, and viceversa, I think it depends on the years involved. The cabs/doors are just differant, even though on the outside they look the same.

[DanielC]

I found that out. I have a 520 door, and I need a 521 door.

I am not ready to commit to removing the good door skin off the 520 door, and putting it on a 521 door frame. R maybe it would be easier to cut the inside part of the door off the 520 door, and weld in the inside part of the 521 door.

 

Does somebody have a 521 door they want to trade for a 520 door?

[wayno]

I found that out. I have a 520 door, and I need a 521 door.

I am not ready to commit to removing the good door skin off the 520 door, and putting it on a 521 door frame. R maybe it would be easier to cut the inside part of the door off the 520 door, and weld in the inside part of the 521 door.

 

Does somebody have a 521 door they want to trade for a 520 door?

 

 

I have 521 doors, lots of doors, don't know if any are good 521 doors, will have to look, you need just the pass. door? I am sure there is something good out there, just hope the outside is good also. How soon you need the door/doors?

[DanielC]

It is a long term project. No need to rush before Christmas.

[wayno]

It is a long term project. No need to rush before Christmas.

 

 

Both doors, or just the passinger door?

[DanielC]

I actually has an extra drivers side door, and I am 99% sure it is a 521 door.

I just need a passenger side (right) door.

 

I have noticed there are three different doors used on the 521 trucks I have,

Doors with a knob, at the rear of the door, that you can pull up to unlock the door, and push down to lock the door. This knob is in a bump in the rear of the door.

I have 521 doors that have the bump for this knob, but no knob.

I have 521 doors that do not have this bump.

Maybe later I will try to correlate door types, and the serial number, or build date.

[mklotz70]

I'll see if I can add my 2 cents in here......

 

The core supports are not only different, but they are several inches closer to the firewall....that's why it's so tight to fit an L series in them. Welder and sawzall means anything can fit :)

 

I've laid a 521 window on top of a 520 window and they looked the same to me. I'm pretty sure Datsunaholic came to the same conclusion too. We went through this years ago and I'm pretty sure the guy arguing they were different was in Australia.....it was more than a few years ago, so I'm not 100% on this.

 

Doors......The '68,'69 and early '70 521's had no pull knob, but the early '70's had the bump for it.

 

Keep in mind as you're dating these rigs....they got a year stamp when they were sold....not when they were made. So, a late '69, sold in '70 would show up as a '70. Heck, back in those days, They could have had a floor model that came in early in the year, but didn't leave until the very end or beginning of the next.....pretty rare though.

[DanielC]

Mike, that was worth at least a quarter!

 

Are you talking about door windows, or the windshield, or the back glass?

[mklotz70]

Thanks :) ....but maybe only a dime....I see that I had already posted the engine bay info. :)

 

I was referring to the windshields.

[520 gasser]

Hey I know this post is a little old but did any 520 come with the pull knob for the lock I have a 67 520 that the only part replaced was the driver door but it has a pull knob did someone put a 521 door on it

[Phixius]

yeah, that would be a 71 72 521 door. 520s and 68-70 521s didnt have a plunger for the door lock.

[520 gasser]

Ok I will have to track down a 520 door I don't like the pull knob on the one door

[XXL]

yeah, that would be a 71 72 521 door. 520s and 68-70 521s didnt have a plunger for the door lock.

 

 

I thought the 521 door wouldn't bolt up to a 520 cab because the hinges and striker were in difference place.

[DanielC]

The hinges are the same.  The striker plate is not.

This is a 521 cab with a 520 door, It was a very nice door, and I had the hinges adjusted to fit the cab very well, with out the striker plate in the door, because I did not want it to interfere with the door fit.

A 521 door.

 

In the background is the right 520 door back to back with a left 521 door.

[520 gasser]

That's what i have read but I have one with a pull knob one with out and a title and vin plate that say 520 on them. The truck had a j13 in it to and was sold as a 67

[mklotz70]

The door pull didn't even make it to the 521 until the second half of the year.  The stamping was there starting in '70.  The '68/69 521's did not even have the stamping for the knob. 

[DanielC]

They make minor changes on the 521 truck, it is very possible they made minor changes on the 520.   A "late" 520 could have had the door striker plate moved.   There are 520 trucks with two headlights, and 520 trucks with four headlights.   I think 520 truck also changed from a sloping down hood to the more flat 521 style  hood, sometime in the model run, but I am not sure.

[520 gasser]

My truck is the 4 headlight one but the hood still slopes down but I really don't know if it is flatter or not I have only seen one other 520 or 521 and it was running down the road