Jump to content

Boxboy's 520


boxboy

Recommended Posts

I've been peppering this site with questions for the last two months, and am just now getting around to posting pictures.  I am planning on doing a mostly stock restoration, but not getting legalistic about it.  It will be a long slow process, and I am not going frame off.  Just enough to make things look good and reasonably mechanically sound.  I have spent the last two months replacing all the things the PO who used it for a DD ignored.  Both MC's were shot and leaking, u-joints dry as a bone, tranny seal hemorrhaging, rear brake drums warped and adjusters frozen, stopping the minor rust on the floor board, new electrical stuff etc.  Still have to figure out how to afford Kingpins, and inspect the front wheel bearings.  Truck runs great, but leaks oil badly.  I'll get some gaskets as time permits.  <br><br>datsuns002.jpg<br><br>IMG_3810.jpg<br><br>IMG_3811.jpg<br><br>IMG_3813.jpg<br><br>IMG_3814.jpg<br><br>IMG_3818.jpg<br><br><br>

Link to comment
  • Replies 26
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Man! Mine was that color and one of the POs painted it primer grey. It's not primer, its just the same color as primer. But there are some spots where the original Dragon Green shows through. Yup: shitty paint job.

 

yours looks rockin! paint on some "rust encapsulator" then a bed liner and roll until the wheel bearings wear out!

 

about the "marking of territory" (oil leaks) mine used to cost me more in oil in a week than in gas! and this was when gas was $3+/gal. Rear main was out, rings were out, the old J13 had 212K on her. I tried to keep her original, but it was cost prohibitive to say the least. Maybe you'll have better luck. I am dropping in a longrod 2.1l. (basically a L20b block, with Z motor rods and pistons- bored out, natch) Even after scoring a free motor and gearbox (for $78) I have close to $1k in her and I don't even have the motor mounts moved yet! angry.gif

 

Well, keep us posted and rotsa ruck.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Yeah, the color is what I would like to go with in the resto. As to driving until the bearings go out, I may already be there. I have to do some inspection, but I have some bad vibration at 50mph and up. Kingpins are also bad. Real bad. Not looking forward to that job. I can tear her apart myself I think, but I will leave the reaming to an experienced mechanic. I just hope I don't monkey anything up getting them out. I am having fun with it so far, but get panicked about finding parts. Truck runs real clean, so I don't think I have any ring problems, but rear main possibly. Someday the engine will get pulled to re-seal the easy ones and then we'll see. I don't want to get into pulling the crank to replace that rear main! Rust is really not bad. Going to have it parked inside this winter and get the mechanical in order. Paint and body is hopefully next winter.

 

Sudo, didn't mean to vote your comment down, hit the wrong button trying to quote. Don't know how to reverse it.

 

Thanks for the affirmation!

Link to comment
  • 7 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Finally after about 11 months I have gotten my wheels blasted and painted. Foolish of me not to take before shots, but you guys know what 40 year old wheels that have been sitting under a fir tree for half that time look like. My hubcaps are a little rough too, but they will do for now.

 

IMG_4878.jpg

 

IMG_4874.jpg

Link to comment

Great looking.

I have been stripping my wheels and priming with acid etching primer, then painting with an argent silver paint. I discovered that the valve stem hole on the original wheel is .625" (rather than .453"). Some tire shops do not carry this size stem, so you may want to bring a set along when you have tires mounted.

 

BTW, what tire have you decided to mount?

Keith

Link to comment

Keith,

Thanks for the heads up about the stems. I will make sure I call ahead and ask if they have those. I custom mixed an antique white for my wheels. I was wanting to approximate the color of the faded/yellowed radio delete plate in the dash, and go along with the wood accent tones in my cab. I am not religious about being all original, although I am not going to do anything radical. For instance, I may bondo over the spot welds on the body for a smooth look.

 

As tot he tires, I am just going to swap my crusty ones for now and buff them out so they look nice. I have just spent $340 on my wife's car's tires, and she also just inherited a really nice all original 1950 Ford that I have to spend about $800 on tires for. I am going to make the ones I have last for now. My long term plans are for some 195/75R14's. I just found a guy here in Oregon City that actually can make white walls anywhere from 1-3/4 to 3 inches. They're not cheep, but that is what I am getting for the Ford just cause they are local.

 

Needless to say, my Datsun project may slow down a bit now with two classic cars. I was happy about the Ford, but not real happy if you know what I mean.

Link to comment

Got the front wheels on today. The guy at Schwabs wouldn't touch my 20 year old tires. Said I had to have tires less than 10 years old to legally swap them. So I had to buy two new front tires and didn't have coin left to do the rears. So here is a pic of the fronts. Hopefully by the end of the year I can do the rears. Keith, I when with 195/75R14's.

 

IMG_4891.jpg

Link to comment

Looking good.

So far, I have refurbished one wheel. I had a P205/75R14 Goodyear Viva 2 WSW mounted. It seems these old rims are so well built (and heavy) that very little weight was needed. (Your wheel shows no weight on the outside, so the color looks uninterrupted.)

Keith

Link to comment

There are weights, but they put them on the inside of the wheel. One of my rims was "slightly bent" according to the tire jockey. He said it wouldn't effect anything. I was considering doing 205's on the rear, but I kind of like the original "cookie cutter" look of the 195's.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.