Project FTO

[thisismatt]

Nice work, nice progress, love the truck!

[datsunrides]

Home built. Not saying they are not out there, but I could not find a good used one or a NOS one. Got tired of looking and came up with this.

 

Mark

[raggmann]

You didn't by chance document how you made it with pictures?

Or is it just a flat piece of innertube and sculpted to fit?

[datsunrides]

No I did not document it. It is a 1 1/4" pipe sealing grommet with a little piece of neoprene rubber to fill in the rest. The seal fits tight around the column. I did need to make the metal retainer a bit more "round" to prevent the seal from deforming.

 

Mark

[datsunrides]

Fixed up my heater duct thing. Softened it up over the course of a couple weeks with baby oil so it would stop cracking. Then I scuffed the areas where it was already split/cracked and repaired the areas with plasti-dip. Seems to have done the job. I can flex it and the repaired areas held and no new splits! Finished product.

 

 

Needed to put in new brake and fuel return lines. Was having difficulty with the engine in, so I pulled it back out to make it easier to work the lines. End result,

 

 

 

Engine is back in and bolted up now. Just have to hook a few more things up and I hope to have it started up this weekend. Fingers crossed.

 

Mark

Edited December 24, 2018 by datsunrides
refresh pics

[Icehouse]

Dude everything looks awesome!! What tool did you use to flare the fuel line?

[datsunrides]

Use a double flaring tool, but only use the first step. Works great.

 

Mark

[dat521gatherer]

I LOVE IT. KEEP THE DETAILS COMING. GREAT JOB.

[Jester]

Wow. Looks great. Nice detial work.

[mklotz70]

Very nice! Great work!! I wish you had a few more pics of some of the items.....like the recovering of the dash :)

 

Sorry I didn't find this thread sooner....my input on the steering column shortening ...... When you shorten it 3", it will put the stock wheel down on your legs/knees and she probably won't be able to drive it like that. You'll want to go with a small after market wheel....when doing that, you can't get the 521 adapter any more. The 620 and 510 adapters will mount the wheel to the column, but there will be a huge gap on the backside. I shortened my wife's column, basically, the same way.....the trick is to shorten the center shaft 3", but only shorten the outer shaft the amount needed to make the blinker switch and horn contacts line up with the new adapter. I will do it that way on the next one. :)

 

I guess I'm subscribed now :)

[Cg240sx]

Guess it's been a while since the last update. I have been making progress, but went back to work :thumbup: 3 weeks ago, so progress is a little slower. So, here is where it stands.

 

Engine installed. Went with the S13 rubber mounts and slightly modified the engine mounts. The extra height of the S13 mounts gave me the clearence I needed for the center link. The engine mounts were sectioned to correct for the mounting angle. I'm using the S13 front sump pan.

 

 

 

 

Driveshaft rebuilt/balanced

 

 

Wiper motor and fuse block cleaned up. You can also see where the EFI wiring enters the cab.

 

 

New custom steering column seal

 

 

7/8" Master for disc brakes installed. I have almost everything I need to do the ball joint disc brake swap with vented 720 brakes. You can also see my new rubber fenderwell flaps I made.

 

 

Fuel pump mounted and plumbed. New hard line to feed the motor. Still need to finish the return.

 

 

 

Scirocco radiator

 

 

Firewall insulated and carpeted.

 

 

Dash and recovered dash pad installed. Kenwood head unit. You can see where I had to cut the tunnel for trans clearance. Still need to patch it up.

 

 

Computer mounted. Making custom kick panels to cover.

 

 

Fuse/relay panel for the EFI and electric fan. Also will have a custom kick panel.

 

 

Getting closer! :)

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

What are those relays to??? can i get a wire diagram??

[datsunrides]

Here is what I used for wiring. Icehouse has changed it a bit, but basically used the SR20 diagram. SR20 wiring diagram Relays are for,

 

IGN

ECCS

Fuel pump

Cooling fan.

[datsunrides]

Very nice! Great work!! I wish you had a few more pics of some of the items.....like the recovering of the dash :)

 

Sorry I didn't find this thread sooner....my input on the steering column shortening ...... When you shorten it 3", it will put the stock wheel down on your legs/knees and she probably won't be able to drive it like that. You'll want to go with a small after market wheel....when doing that, you can't get the 521 adapter any more. The 620 and 510 adapters will mount the wheel to the column, but there will be a huge gap on the backside. I shortened my wife's column, basically, the same way.....the trick is to shorten the center shaft 3", but only shorten the outer shaft the amount needed to make the blinker switch and horn contacts line up with the new adapter. I will do it that way on the next one. :)

 

I guess I'm subscribed now :)

 

Thanks for the comments. I have used a few of your threads to get ideas and inspirations for this truck. I have no pics of the dash since I had my upholstery guy do it, but basically all he did was sand it smooth, fill the cracks with some sort of epoxy to get it close to level, then laid down what he called landau foam, which supposedly allows him to sand it down and form it so the repaired cracks won't show thru. Then covered with auto grade vinyl. As for the steering, you are correct. The difference with mine is I swapped to buckets and they are mounted very close to the floor, gaining some clearance over the stock bench. I will be using a smaller diameter wheel in addition to this, but even with the stock wheel, I have room as is. As for the adapter, I was not aware of this and thank you for pointing it out. I was planning to use a 510 one, but guess I had better keep a sharp eye for a 521 specific one when I am junkyard hunting, or maybe a small OEM nissan wheel.

[mklotz70]

I'll be back on my project fairly soon....got some things to do :) A couple of ideas other 521 guys might like :) Anyway....

 

I'm glad to hear your buckets allow the stock wheel. I'm putting stock 510 buckets in Mend....but since my daughter is so short, I'm not planning on shortening the column at this point....but I might.

 

The spline/taper for the steering wheel is the same through out all the years I've tried....I had a pulsar wheel on a column at one point.

 

I'm looking forward to following more of this build!

[datsunrides]

Christmas update! Been working on her the last couple days and have made a lot of progress. Mostly smaller, time consuming things like wiring and such. Enough chit chat, on with the pics!

 

Trans cooler mounted and plumbed.

 

 

Radiator hoses. I went to the local Autozone and spent about 30 minutes going thru the hoses to find molded ones that would fit the KA/Scirocco rad combo. I hate flex hoses. ?

 

 

 

Also spent a little more time and found some molded heater hoses that fit nicely. You can see in the first pic that I stuck a freeze plug in the EGR hole rather than make a plate.

 

 

 

Throttle cable installed. This is from a S11, just because I happened to have it laying around and it fit the bill. The cable was a little long, so I cut the ball off and used a cable stop. Had to cut off the stock cable threaded part from the firewall, bit it works perfect.

 

 

Almost have the air intake done. Just need to weld on the mounting bracket. Made from some leftover 2 1/2" tubing and silicone hoses left over from my turbo Roadster.

 

 

Since I am going to use the stock aircleaner, I started making a bracket to support it. Now I just need to mount it to the body (and paint it).

 

 

 

Did some other things like reinstall the column cover and glove box liner, wired in the cooling fan and fuel pump and verified they work. I cut up the downpipe and found stuff to frankenstein it enough to get it to the muffler shop when the time comes. Also filled all the fluids in anticipation of hopefully starting it tomorrow. Still need to find some parts from a ball joint 620 to finish the disc brake swap and close up the trans tunnel and mount the shifter to get it on the road.

 

Mark

Edited December 24, 2018 by datsunrides
refresh pics

[datsunrides]

IT'S ALIVE! :hyper: :thumbup: Started up first crank even! :cool: Gotta finish the temporary exhaust and find a vacuum leak (I think). Got pics and a vid for you later. Gonna try and tie it up before dark. I'm stoked! :D

 

Mark

[datrod]

IT'S ALIVE! :hyper: :thumbup: Started up first crank even! :cool: Gotta finish the temporary exhaust and find a vacuum leak (I think). Got pics and a vid for you later. Gonna try and tie it up before dark. I'm stoked! :D

 

Mark

 

Good job. I dig it. Glad to hear it started on the first pull. :)

[datsunrides]

Today's activities.

 

Finished the air intake tube with the bracket and hose connections.

 

 

Got the airbox mounted. In the second pic, you can see I used some duct to route to the front of the truck for the intake air.

 

 

 

Coil/igniter mounted

 

 

My buddy Mickey (Mouse) stopped by and helped fab up the temporary exhaust. Quite the resourceful guy. :lol:

 

 

And the engine bay, pretty much done.

 

 

Uploading the vid now. Should have it up shortly.

 

Mark

Edited December 24, 2018 by datsunrides
refresh pics

[datsunrides]

Startup video. The exhaust leaks all over the place, mostly from a crack right in front of the muffler and there is some ticking from the engine, which I hope is just the lifters from sitting. Sounds worse on the vid than it really is. I'll work on dialing it in next weekend. Hopefully I did not buy a POS engine.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd4BTQZE2LI

 

Mark

[nismo dr]

everytime i see this thread, i say why is someone posting about a mitsubishi? then i say oh yeah.

 

then i say frickin a i dig your truck. then I say who the hell am I talking to

[datsunrides]

Started on the disc brake upgrade. Going the ball joint route.

 

Ripped the stock suspension off.

 

 

 

720 vented rotors/hubs/spindles

 

 

All new bushing/ball joints/bearings/calipers etc. All Rock Auto closeouts. ?

 

 

 

Beebani's arms

 

 

Found the upper/lower arms and T/C rods at a wrecker in Oregon and hope to have them here early next week. Gonna work at patching up the exhaust leaks tomorrow. Bought some epoxy stuff so we'll see how it works. Only out $4 if it doesn't.

 

Mark

Edited December 24, 2018 by datsunrides
refresh pics

[datsunrides]

Well, it sound a whole lot better with the exhaust mostly patched up! :lol: And after running the engine for about 10 minutes, the lifter noise is gone. Motor is nice and quiet now, idles great and revs quickly, all with no adjustments! :thumbup: Now just hope the trans is good. Verified the alternator charges and the cooling fan works. The KA temp sender even works with the 521 gauge. I used the L oil sender on the KA so the idiot light works. Pulled the rear brakes off to check and found the wheel cylinders are leaking and have soaked the shoes. No big deal, I'll just get new shoes/wheel cylinders/brake hose/combi kit. If ya gotta do it, might as well replace those almost 40 year old parts! Going to work on patching the tunnel and mounting the shifter while I wait for the brake parts to arrive. If all goes well, the wife plans to take it to Solvang this April while I take my Roadster. Also looking foward to try and make the trek to Canby this year, so long as work does not get in the way.

 

Mark

[raggmann]

The lifter noise you hear may be if you're running 10W30 oil.

Switch to 5W30 and it should go away for good.

On the '90 I had I'd get noise if I ran 10W.

It's almost that the oil is a little too heavy and takes a bit to reach the top end.

Just food for thought.Otherwise I wish I had your skills.

[datsunrides]

The lifter noise you hear may be if you're running 10W30 oil.

Switch to 5W30 and it should go away for good.

On the '90 I had I'd get noise if I ran 10W.

It's almost that the oil is a little too heavy and takes a bit to reach the top end.

Just food for thought.Otherwise I wish I had your skills.

 

I'll keep that in mind if the noise comes back. I am running 10/30 right now.

 

Mark

[kjz71521]

Imma pull up a chair on this one. I have a 71 521 hibernating that Im gonna transplant a ka24de in and bagg but I have to hold till the $$$flow starts up again.