Saved! 521 Show Survivor

[DATSKAOS]

What's up Ratsun,

So I got a call from Steroid a couple weeks ago telling me about a chopped 521 for sale in Barstow. I knew the truck very well it has been in the High Desert area for the past 30yrs..I used to always see it cruising Main St. while in my 720. Nice little piece of minitruck history...Anyway, long story short...It's mine!!! on with the pics..

1970 521 chopped 3" L20 w/5 speed, I have no plans to work on it till spring, I was told it does run w/a little TLC..the truck was built locally, maybe I can get in touch w/previous owner(s) for build pics or classic show pictures! -Ray

[Wide14u]

hell yes that is the shit

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Ray Mike sent me pix & told me the history on this 521 as the news developed that you may be buying it. So so kool I love the body mods !! You can almost buff out that paint & roll it like that for next summer. I may have the front lenses you can have so lemme know if you need them.

[DATSKAOS]

That's the plan Mark..buff it drive it! :cool:

[gman]

Congrats on the purchase Ray. Nice....

[1lo620]

You Suck.....that is it I am moving down to the desert, all the cool trucks are down there.....you scored on that baby!!!

[Jayden71]

Thats pretty cool. I dunno if I like the 720 front tho. Nah the more I look at it the more I like it. Thats a unique 521. :cool:

[fisch]

It is rad! Don't know about the rectangle headlights in a 521, but the history of the truck would make me pause before swapping round ones back in! It is era correct for a custom for sure!

[DATSKAOS]

Thats pretty cool. I dunno if I like the 720 front tho. Nah the more I look at it the more I like it. Thats a unique 521. :cool:

 

 

It is rad! Don't know about the rectangle headlights in a 521, but the history of the truck would make me pause before swapping round ones back in! It is era correct for a custom for sure!

 

I agree, I wasn't a fan of the lights, but indeed era correct. I remember seeing this done a lot on 620's and Luv's and thinking to myself...wannabe 720's.. :) I'll try the stock front end soon (gotta parts truck out back :cool: )

 

Here is a pic of the night she came home..

[521]

Super Nice! Congrats on the Stellar find.

[DATSKAOS]

So I was on my roof removing X-mas lights this morning and a Gentleman walks up and intoduces himself as Mike Hughes. He says "Is this your truck?" I reply "yea I just picked it up last month". He tells me "I built this truck in the 80's!!". :o WOW!! I was shocked that the original owner/builder was at my house!! He tells me the build started in '83 for his son, it was done in his garage less than 1 mile from were I live!! :cool: He returned with a camera to show his family the truck is still around..(and in good hands :) ) He shared lots of stories about his son's 'antics' with the truck, great stuff. He let me borrow some photos to scan for you guys..enjoy!!

 

Photos taken circa 1986 after completion

 

I found out the flames were added in 1991, the painter is still in business..gonna see if he has photos too!

[73dat]

nice very nice Ray :cool:

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Ray thats a HUGE deal to find the original builder! Post more pix if & when you can. Oh & tell him about us [sWDP]..maybe he can attend the BBQ later this year.

[]2eDeYe]

Badass, even cooler that you met the builder. Wonder how hard it would be to find a set of those wheels to get it even closer to the pics. :cool:

[elmerfudpucker]

2eDeYe' date='10 January 2011 - 08:29 AM' timestamp='1294676978' post='406917']

Badass, even cooler that you met the builder. Wonder how hard it would be to find a set of those wheels to get it even closer to the pics. :cool:

 

 

+1 on that, and as world wide as we are, if he wants them, all he has to do it post it, we will find them sooner or later!! :D

[freaky510]

Cool story nice ride but change that ugly ass grill :puke:

[chopderek]

If you wanna off the grille and headlights I would be player on buying them,I live in Riverside,Ca and could pick it up. Thanks Derek

[Steroid]

I talked to Ray tonight and He told Me about this thread. I had not seen it yet. As I lived in Barstow for 23 years, I have a good memory of this truck. Mr. Hughes also worked for the railroad, but in the Diesel Shop as either a mechanic or electrician. I always remember the truck with flames and the Crager wheels. I do not remember the truck in just yellow. I work with the 4th owner at the railroad and it was His first vehicle. I have literally hounded Him to purchase it. I never gave any thought to Ray being interested in it. As Ray is also a truck owner that will keep it alive, I trust that it went to the right owner!! You guys know how I feel about this subject. It is NOT that guys like Ray and I are on a mission to get the most trucks We can, We just want them saved and in appreciative hands. This truck could have gone a totally different direction and ended up destroyed. I am very happy that it has survived. :D

 

Mr. Hughes not only built this truck but He drove for years a customized Studebaker pickup. Don't know if He still has it (Ray, ask about that please) but it was a very light green for years and the last time I saw it, white.

 

This truck, as Ray has said, was built for Mr. Hughes' son. I never knew Him personally but the truck then went to the Johnson brothers, ironically also both railroad workers. From there it went to the 4th owner, named Eric. It then sat for years and I was told about it being purchased by a man named Roger, yes, another railroad worker!! Roger told Me about it and I went to see it about 4 or 5 years ago. As I had too many projects on My plate, I passed. It then went to, get this ANOTHER railroad worker (named Dave) who Ray bought it from. The truck has never left the Barstow area!! It is truly an "icon" to the town!! I should have a few pictures that I took in about 1990 when Eric owned it. I did take 3 photos (as it looks in the above photos) when I went to look at it at Roger's. I do know that Roger (a VERY big guy!!) shortened the steering column. It seems to Me that I recall a photo taken of it when Resolutions was held at Rock-a-hula (Lake Delores) in one of My magazines. Mark might have shot it there or Jarvis. The direction that You take, Ray, will be based on just how well the bodywork survived. I face this same delima with Wasserman's Wonder, which has a totally rusted out frontend. Restore as is or make minor changes? I personally like the tube grille. I have photos of other 521s with tube grilles. Keep in mind that those guys were NOT trying to copy 720 owners as that model was not built yet! Tube grilles were actually being phased out at that time period as guys were starting to build billitt strip grilles and "phantom" grilles. For the $$$$, I would go buy all new headlights. That will sharpen up the frontend and make the grille stand out better. It looks like water has gotton inside those lights, yes? New ones are about $10.00 per bulb. Also, as Mark has said, new stock turn signal lens' will freshen up the frontend!! Congratulations on Your purchase!! Keep trying to find more pictures. Ask Mr. Hughes if Chris Wagner did the louvers. I suspect that He did. He was one of 3 guys that locally did louvers. Also, did Rod Carson paint the flames? I can put You in contact with all the previous owners except for Mr. Hughes son. Cool!!! :cool:

[truckman]

nice, truck man you score big time change the front to stoke show more pic's of the truck as it is know. Please,come on :baby: OR :pirate:

[lil89ram50]

any updates on this guy?

[DATSKAOS]

any updates on this guy?

Well, not much to update yet :( I thought I could get this to the upcoming SWDP BBQ, but time has not allowed it. I've got my wife's 280zx in the garage right now so I won't get to this for a little while. I need to replace the engine harness with one from my parts truck, the current one is a mess :o I did get rid of the 'seat' that was in there and tossed in some buckets :)

 

 

 

old 'seat'...

new ones...

Just sittin', waiting for some garage time.. :(

[Tom@LRD]

Very cool to see the truck still in great condition over so many years. Good score!

[jon521]

ive been wondering, are you goint to change out those square headlights? also, do you have a thread or any other pictures of that other 521 you have?

[wayno]

ive been wondering, are you goint to change out those square headlights? also, do you have a thread or any other pictures of that other 521 you have?

 

 

That is his 521 kingcab project, here is the link.

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/5974-521-king-cab/page__view__findpost__p__75851__hl__datskaos__fromsearch__1

That truck has had the square headlights so long it just wouldn't be right to go back jon521, but that is my opinion.

[jon521]

thanks wayno.

 

your right about the lights, but i, personally, do not like the way they look, and i would change them back to stock myself. but that is just my opinion. DATSKAOS can do it how he wants (obviously) and thats what makes it his truck.

 

i like that KC though. i LOVE stock wheels with white walls.