Looking for a 521 in the Washington DC or Baltinore area

[Roger]

Hi I'm out here in the Great Datsun Desert (the east coast). We lost all out Datsuns to road salt many years ago, but rumor has it that a (very) few may have been saved, now sitting in someone's garage, driveway or backyard. Many times they have been disassembled into a thousand pieces, the product of some person's hopes and dreams that has been long forgotten. I'm looking for such a Datsun, a 521 that has almost miraculously evaded the rust worms. If you know of one and can just steer me in the general direction where I might find it, I can do the rest. For shame to expose these beauties to the raveges of the road well salted.

[Eastcoast521]

I'm in the Annapolis area, where are you? I have a '72 521 that I might be convinced to sell for the right price.

[qwik510]

I am in Maryland too. Maybe it would make sense to buy a west coast datsun and pay to have it shipped out here. The extra cost of shipping will save you lots of dollars on rust repairs. I have 2 510s from the west coast. I got tired of dealing with rust issues.

 

Where are you in MD?

[fisch]

Might have to travel a bit, but for a 521 you may have no choice!

 

521 RI

 

 

I bet you've seen this ad for one. Most expensive 521 I've ever seen!

 

 

 

Lately I have pondered trading mine, but I REALLY don't want to so it'd take something equally old and cool and Datsun, like daily driver 1200. (Though I'd really like to trade a different car than the 521! Hard to part with these things when you are lucky enough to find one in the NE! I know I will kick myself when it comes to it.)

 

My link

[baja4]

Was parting out a pretty nice 521. Ran and drove,(except for stuck in third) before partial dis assembly. Could include what we still have to put back together. Very little rust. Far away, but could be shipped.

[Roger]

Hey everyone! I really don't know where to start in replying to your comments, so I will start at the beginning.

 

I looked into shipping, but they wanted $1100 or more. Heck, I could buy a drivable 521 and drive it home(and get a free vacation in the process, too). I'd rather spend the bucks on the vehicle rather than some shipper who would casually ding my original paint. on a 40 year old vehicle. Time is an issue right now and a "road trip" would have to wait till late Nov or early Dec. I am in no hurry to get the best possible project to start with.

 

Fisch, is that Datsun in Newport still available? Actually I like your Maroon 521. What a find!!!!!!!! That's what I'm looking for.

 

I'm in Beltsville Maryland, just outside Washington.

 

Eastcoast521, can you send me pictures? I'd like to see it if nothing else. Can't see too many 521 pictures as far as I'm concerned.

 

A number of years ago I remember seeing a few of these "projects" that had been abandoned in my travels. Just sitting for there taking--now all gone, gone , gone. Got to strike while the iron is hot! I like that red 521 in Riverside Cal that is on the Ratsun for sale list, and contacted the owner, but time to get it and shipping costs are just not in the stars right now.

Roger

[Eastcoast521]

I'll try and get pictures this week. Wouldn't mind selling - have my eye on a 720 KC in my neighborhood that has no plates on it.

[fisch]

Oh hey dude I remembered seeing this one too! It is way up in granville ny, BUT the price is right at $500, so you can afford the Uhaul!

 

ALSO, the dude spelled Datsun as 'Datson' so no one is looking at it. (I love it when they misspell!)

 

CL 521

 

[Roger]

Oh hey dude I remembered seeing this one too! It is way up in granville ny, BUT the price is right at $500, so you can afford the Uhaul!

 

ALSO, the dude spelled Datsun as 'Datson' so no one is looking at it. (I love it when they misspell!)

 

CL 521

 

 

Like I spell Baltinore..... Yeah, that one looks good for NY, but it is painted in black primer and you can't really tell the condition of the body. I guess I'm spoiled by looking at all those super examples from California and Seattle. You'se guys don't know how fortunate U are.

 

When I searched for transportation companies I think I accidentally broadcast my need to the entire industry, somehow, and I got about 20 unsolicited responses for transportation estimates. Most were within a certain (unacceptable) range. Some were then higher and some were lower. All were door to door services. I think I will wait a week or so and call some back. Maybe there is some wiggle room here considering the economy. It seems to me that the biggest single expense would be arriving at your door to pick the vehicle up and then delivering it from the rail terminal to the buyers door across the country. Maybe I can have it dropped off at the rail terminal in Ca., and pick it up at my rail terminal? Save a bit and make the whole transaction doable. I see truck examples and prices I can live with , but the transportation kills the deal.

I just drool and drool over those California 521's, I just don't know if I can pull the trigger on a east coast deal; I mean I can see myself getting emotionally involved(can you believe that one?) and buy a lesser example with "some rust" and eventually be drawn into putting thousands into what is essentially a "parts truck." BTDT. I just want to start the inevitable wallet-draining process with an excellent example of a 521, and unless I luck onto some project that has been sitting for 30 years in a garage in North Carolina, I probably have to have to break down and have one shipped.

 

 

 

A special maybe unrelated note: Have you ever had an old, original paint and condition vehicle and then paint it and then not "recognize it" as the same vehicle you once had before you spent thousands in new paint? I have--twice--and really don't want to repaint a vehicle again, and it's not the money. I can live with primer gray and yellow blotches around the doors, over a new paint job. I see these nice 521's with thousands put into the mechanical s and the rust and original paint is left as it is--I understand that philosophy of vehicle restoration and preservation and agree with it. That's what I want to do. I want an original paint 521. It almost does not matter how bad the paint is. A vehicle loses much of it's "soul" when you go and paint it again. So, I'm just looking for a truck that "speaks" to me, or stands out in some unarticulated way before I buy it, and I am mostly fearful of these east coast Datsuns. It would have to be a very special east coast 521 for me to buy it. Man I'm being picky this time 'round. Roger

[fisch]

I think that is smart. I have been really lucky. I bought my 521 in NH and it hadn't run in ten years, but it originally was a texas car, and had been garaged in NH so it is about as rust free as you can get for a non restored 521 in this area. Had to replace the tailgate, and there were a few pencil-eraser sized holes in the rocker. It was my first classic, and I really didn't know at the time how luck I was to get one in such good shape. Drivetrains can always be sorted, especially on a Datsun, but try to get the best body you can.

 

My second lucky pic was my 1959 Datsun. I found in on CL in New MExico, and had that puppy shipped to me in MA. I did not know the condition, and planned to rat-rod it anyway so I could patch it with street signs if I needed to. But it came from the desert, so my fingers were crossed. It got here and was even more rust free than the 521. Crazy well preserved body. Shipping cost me $1200 + a $70-$100 tip door-to-door (can't remember what the tip was, but it is customary.) well worth it as I could almost never find that car in the NE. I used Uship.

 

About a year ago there was the perfect 521 for sale for you in VT. That mint green color and the best shape I have seen for a NE truck. They wanted 4k. So it matters what you want to spend to get ahead of the game, or play the game and try to wait for the perfect sub $500 to pop up on CL. It happens, my 521 was $225!!!! (owner was retiring to FL and HAD to get rid of it.)

 

But in the last three years I am shocked to see how much Datsuns have come up in value around here. It is like people are catching on!

[Roger]

I think that is smart. I have been really lucky. I bought my 521 in NH and it hadn't run in ten years, but it originally was a texas car, and had been garaged in NH so it is about as rust free as you can get for a non restored 521 in this area. Had to replace the tailgate, and there were a few pencil-eraser sized holes in the rocker. It was my first classic, and I really didn't know at the time how luck I was to get one in such good shape. Drivetrains can always be sorted, especially on a Datsun, but try to get the best body you can.

 

My second lucky pic was my 1959 Datsun. I found in on CL in New MExico, and had that puppy shipped to me in MA. I did not know the condition, and planned to rat-rod it anyway so I could patch it with street signs if I needed to. But it came from the desert, so my fingers were crossed. It got here and was even more rust free than the 521. Crazy well preserved body. Shipping cost me $1200 + a $70-$100 tip door-to-door (can't remember what the tip was, but it is customary.) well worth it as I could almost never find that car in the NE. I used Uship.

 

About a year ago there was the perfect 521 for sale for you in VT. That mint green color and the best shape I have seen for a NE truck. They wanted 4k. So it matters what you want to spend to get ahead of the game, or play the game and try to wait for the perfect sub $500 to pop up on CL. It happens, my 521 was $225!!!! (owner was retiring to FL and HAD to get rid of it.)

 

But in the last three years I am shocked to see how much Datsuns have come up in value around here. It is like people are catching on!

 

 

Your Maroon 521 find is the prototype of my east coast search--something that I aspire to find in my search. :>) Need I say that I am jealous, envious, and seriously prejudiced against the usual east coast vehicles because of it?

 

I like that red 521 in Riverside and communicated with the owner. I don't think that is OEM paint, as it faded like a cheap, same color repaint --that's ok, that's, ok; I like it, I like it!.........then there is that green 521, also for sale on the Ratsun forum (also in Cal) that tugs at my heart plenty. Tug, tug, tug. No title, but who needs a title? I'm only going to spend money on it, not drive it. :>)

[dgi]

Did you read this post?

521 in OR

[Roger]

Did you read this post?

521 in OR

 

Yes, indeed. That's the green one I mention above. Nice!!! Does it have a title? I think it was initially red, as the pictrue of the interior shows a chip of the green paint where the red is exposed on the door jam. Still, that's a good truck. It is on my short list.

 

I checked out Uship and I think I canget a vehicle shipped through em much cheaper.

[Cosmo 521]

I sent you a PM.