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Sickest 320 in the North America......


320Mia

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Thanks guys!! Garry, I completely agree, I will eventually have an original 320 someday! If I would have had a better starting truck I wouldnt have cut it all up.. I know how hard it is to find original parts for these trucks, I almost feel this was the easier route to go compared to try to make it original again..

Check out the projects threads for project monster Datsun, and you will see my cut up NL 320 4x4. And my Tan all stock NL 320.

Garry in AK

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  • 4 months later...

This guy has got his fabricating skills going on big time, I personally got to see this truck at his home, what a great guy, along with his family....and what a patient father (dad) he's got....his dads garage is being used for the body and paint. A man can never build a big enough garage. Great job, good old school craftsmanship....will look forward to seeing it when completed, will have to drive my basically stock one down and do a side by side comparison to get a real idea of how much work has gone into this truck.

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Hotpad! Thanks for the compliments all around! Really glad to meet you and you were able to see the truck in person, your one of the very few! Each day I'm closer and closer, same story lol.. I'll have to get up some more pictures for these mean demanding picture guys lol! Glad I could help out with some parts for you! And yes we will definetely catch up this summer with the trucks! Good luck with the truck you have yourself a sweet ride!!

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Thanks guys!! Garry, I completely agree, I will eventually have an original 320 someday! If I would have had a better starting truck I wouldnt have cut it all up.. I know how hard it is to find original parts for these trucks, I almost feel this was the easier route to go compared to try to make it original again..

 

I'm going to have to take notes on all the details.  I'm not enough of a car guy to even comprehend the design choices being made.  Would you be willing to do a Q&A session?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow dp320, sorry it took me forever. My fathers always had muscle cars as I was growing up, so I've been around cars & trucks for most of my life. I'm now 32 but really started doing my own work when I was around 22. I've always tinkered and fixed stuff but learned a lot when I went through a 4 year apprenticeship for millwright at my old job getting a journey mans card in mechanical repair, also learning to stick weld. Back when I was 22 I branched off from cars and got into the air suspension truck scene.. Basically learning as I went, a buddy of my dads owns a fab shop and any little piece or part I needed welded I would go to him, I guess I could say because of him sayin " if this is the type of work you want to be doing you need to go get yourself a nice welder". So I did, and basically taught myself to mig weld.. I run a Lincoln sp175 plus 220 welder. Nothing too special but it welds anything I've ever needed. I built a full custom gmc Sonoma with a chevy 350 air bagged, full custom front clip with 20" Boyd Coddington wheels.. Actually just sold it a few weeks ago. The first time I ever seen a 320 is when I knew that's what I wanted to be for my next project. I bought my girlfriend an engagement ring and bought the 320 I have now :) lol... I have VERY basic hand tools hand grinders, a home made brake. I do have access to a plasma cutter but it's not even mine. I use my dads garage for most projects and have a smaller blast cabinet. The few parts that I had machined was done from a friend, I don't have access to equipment like that. Paint and body?? I'm first to tell you that I'm not a body guy. I do the rough work then my father does the finish work. He has painted many of his own vehicles in the past, and is very picky when it comes to making something perfect. We sprayed the parts you see in the pictures at our home garage. The body will be sprayed at a shop by a good friend that paints and sells cars for a living.. I tell everyone that my dad is the paint/body guy, and a much better mechanic than myself and I'm the fab guy.. We are also building a prostreet Challenger (his car) now too.. Full roll cage, new back half frame 4 linked all that good stuff.. We'll hopefully I've answered some of your curiosity question and can answer more if you have any! :). I plan having the truck completed by the middle of July for a truck show I want to attend! Guess we will see how it goes!

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Twisted,

 

That's a great story.  I had you at much older than 32.  Looks like you network really well to get things done.  The painting and body work look just so professional, I knew you had some ace card.  The fabrication looks professional too.  I'll have to go back and look at the photos.  How did you know, or why did you choose, to set up the rear suspension like it is?

 

I cheaped out on my air compressor, bought a used 26 gallon unit.  I need to sell that and get a decent 60 gallon compressor.  The sandblast booth I can see makes a giant quality difference, may as well as get a sandblast gun for open use outside.  Shops want at least $500 to blast a body, and even if none of the media was recovered you'd still come out ahead doing it yourself.

 

At present I have a Lincoln basic arc welder (I don't even use that), a small gas welding set and a Chinese mig welder.  I have another project that will require a quality tig and plasma cutter, not sure yet what to get.  Needs to be able to do up to 3/16" aluminum, both cutting and welding.

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