1966 datsun 520 kingcab project, act 2

[Eagle_Adam]

sweet freekn build man! dont know how i missed it but DAMN! deff a one of a kind truck :thumbup:

[wayno]

I got these today, they will compress to 8 1/2 inches without any rubber grommets.

I have just over 10 inches to play with,

 

But I have run into a problem, the piece of metal towards the bump stop that has a fresh cut edge in the photo below, it is in the way when I lift the wheel off of the ground, it looks like I will have to do a little modification, or relocate the lower shock mount hole, I will look into it when I have the time, I knew this was going to smooth.

[EricJB]

Hey Wayno. When I was searching for 90/10 front shocks for my 521, the closest thing around was 1st gen camaro, and they were too long. So I notched the upper tower and welded a piece of box cut into a U to make more room. Easy fix if you need it.

 

[wayno]

Hey Wayno. When I was searching for 90/10 front shocks for my 521, the closest thing around was 1st gen camaro, and they were too long. So I notched the upper tower and welded a piece of box cut into a U to make more room. Easy fix if you need it.

 

 

I am using an 86 720 frame Eric, so everything is differant than the 520/521 in the front, I also got rid of the eye type bottom mount, that actually gave me 3 extra inches of room for the shock, I now will be using a type of shock with the stud mounts on both ends, and that allowed me to buy a shock that is a half inch shorter than the 521 shock.

My goal here is to get this front as low as anyone else, with or without bump stops, but I will still have a functioning suspension, I have been toying with the idea of really going to the extreme, and buying a set of 720 drop spindles to get another 2 inches lower, but I am kinda attached to my stock looking type rims/hubcaps, and that would necessitate the use of 15 inch plus rims.

I am going to have to cut some metal out of the way, I don't beleave there is going to be any issues, but I always worry, as it is an important part of the suspension.

[burrito213]

wayno, very impressive. i really enjoy this build.

 

off topic, what welder are you using for your project?

[wayno]

wayno, very impressive. i really enjoy this build.

 

off topic, what welder are you using for your project?

 

It's nice to hear from you, how are you?

On this project I used my Miller "passport plus" using 120v, it is all right, but I put the 521 kingcab together with a cheap harbor freight machine with flux core wire, and that worked great for spot/tack welding.

That cheap welder is great, I still have it to this day, but it was/is a pain in the ass to move around, as it is 240v and heavy, the miller is easy to move around using flux core wire, but is also a pain when using solid wire and gas, but the welds are prettier.

[wayno]

So I got to the 66 project today, so here is how far I was able to get this afternoon.

This is sitting on the bumpstop, with about a quarter inch left on the shock.

Here is the bottom in the same position, sitting on the bumpstop.

Here is the UCA in the same position, sitting on the bumpstop.

Ditto

Here is the steering tierod arm in the same position, sitting on the bumpstop.

Ditto

And here is the said bumpstop, it is un-cut.

Here it is, the wheel jacked all the way up against the bumpstop.

 

In this position, the frame would be resting on the ground if I had a flat.

[wayno]

Here is the driverside.

 

 

I am unable to move the truck right now to get it to settle for the driving down the road level.

 

 

 

I have about 4 inches of travel left at the wheel.

 

 

[Farmer Joe]

so are you getting positive camber now during the full travel of the suspension now?

 

wayne, you're a braver man than i am.. this is much lower than my setup..

[wayno]

so are you getting positive camber now during the full travel of the suspension now?

 

wayne, you're a braver man than i am.. this is much lower than my setup..

 

I really have never needed to know about camber and toe and such, I just know what it needs to be able to be aligned.

I suspect I know what your talking about, I needed to take about 3 inches of width out of the front end, as it was I was using lengthened UCAs(about 3/4 of an inch), and it was catching the lip of the inside of the front fenders, so when I made this set of drop arms, I took 1 1/2 inches out of each LCA, this allowed me to do two things, to use stock UCAs, and to go really low and still be able to align it.

With the shocks I have, I was able to remove the original lower shock mounts, and go all the way to the lowest point of the original lower control arm, this happened to work out just right, so I didn't have to make new UCA mounts/shock towers.

Fact is I am unsure of how it will act around corners with them UCAs at that angle, it might work to my advantage, just not sure yet.

The way I am doing this a little at a time, I am able to think about what I have done, and what I am going to do next, or go back and change what I have done, which I seem to do a lot.

I am hoping to drive this to the greet and meet next spring, but that is what I wanted to do last spring. :lol:

[wayno]

Well guys, I brought it out from hibernation to see if I can drive it to the sunday Vancouver meet, here is what it looks like ATM.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bonvo]

wayno i cannot find the words to express how much i love this truck such a bad ass rig do want lol 

[wayno]

I have lots of plans, I am going to do this to my tailgate also, and remove the latches.

[831Sunny]

Datsun corp. should have made a extended cab back then..

i freaking love your truck.. its looks almost stock.

i hope you leave the old latchs. it gives it that old look to it.

[Charlie69]

Wayno that uni-body is hot!  What an imagination you have. LOL

[DeviousPsycho620]

Wayno, i love your build man. I'm excited to see it in person someone.

[wayno]

I am trying to figure this out, it baffles me how it can even happen, the rocker arms somehow get out of the lash pads, how can this even happen.

 

 

This is not the first time this has happened, what I can't figure out is why it is happening.

[DeviousPsycho620]

Could lack of spring pressure cause it to jump out? I'm no mechanic, but it just seems like a possibility.

[dat77sun]

so is it gonna be at the meet tomorrow?

[wayno]

so is it gonna be at the meet tomorrow?

 

It's the plan, it is not finished by any means, but I am trying to get motivated on it.

It's a preview sort of, I kinda want to see how it drives, since yesterday is the first day it has ever been on the road(my street).

I am trying to figure out why it is throwing the rocker arms out of position, fact is, I have never had this ever happen before in my entire life, I used this engine in the work truck for a half year before I made the LZ23, and did not have any of these issues, it seems to happen when starting up cold.

[DeviousPsycho620]

After doing a little research, i found out that this usually happens when the shaft springs are worn.

[wayno]

After doing a little research, i found out that this usually happens when the shaft springs are worn.

 

This head has maybe half a year on a rebuild with a fresh RV cam, I did not pick apart the machinists work, as he generally knows what he is doing, he builds/services race engines.

I will likely stop by the shop and ask what he thinks, I cannot have this happening, it makes the engine undependable, and that concerns me.

[DeviousPsycho620]

I feel ya. No one likes to be stranded. Good luck though. I hope you figure it out and it gets fixed.

[Mirrorimg]

I'm unfamiliar with your engine, but in the non-vtec honda B series, the cams interact with the springs in a similar fashion. In those engines, I have heard of the rockers popping out with more aggressive cams and stock springs because their design and some valve float. The valve lash may have been a little too loose which may have helped them pop out.

 

Are the springs original or were they replaced/upgraded? Were you in the upper RPM range when this occurred?

[Farmer Joe]

wayne, you said it only does this when you start it when its cold? 

 

id bet the valves are sticking due to the cold, and letting the rockers jump off. 

 

 

this isnt really related, but ive had this same thing happen on my L20. 

 

had a throttle blade screw come into the engine. the carb broke. 

 

the screw got caught in the intake valve on #1, held the valve open, and the rocker jumped ship. 

 

also it closed the plug gap on #1 too, but thats another story. 

 

 

 

 

since i dont think your sucking screws into the engine, i dont think thats why, but somethings holding those valves open. they aren't returning to close position fast enough. 

 

hope you get it worked out.