The Dat521 project

[808DA6]

Looks good man. Are you sure you don't want to find a 5spd tranny to install before you slap everything together? Its one of the better things i've don to mine.

I've got a rough set of tail lights if you're interested. Coming up to the portland area anytime soon?

 

-Brian

[Gensaiken]

Looks good man. Are you sure you don't want to find a 5spd tranny to install before you slap everything together? Its one of the better things i've don to mine.

I've got a rough set of tail lights if you're interested. Coming up to the portland area anytime soon?

 

-Brian

 

Unfortunately i don't think i'm going to be heading north any time soon.

 

 

I'd look for a 5speed but i'm pretty awful at transmission identification plus I dunno if i'm up for the modification needed to make it work.

[Gensaiken]

Motor is in. Forgot to take pictures before I put it away for the day. When I get to putting the rest of the stuff in i'll get a pic.

 

Over all went in a lot easier with everything on the right surface and no roof above me.

 

Also my seat is supposedly done so when I get that i'll take some pics.. hopefully it came out how I wanted. :bored:

 

 

Pics soon.

 

 

MOTOR IS IN! :fu:

[Gensaiken]

took some pictures

 

 

 

 

 

I went to put the exhaust / intake gasket on and noticed that one side has slightly diffrent intake ports... is that going to be a problem?

 

[Gensaiken]

Well I've gotten a few things figured out and I'm getting closer to getting the truck running. Hooked up most of the fuel lines today and other hoses. I was hoping to get the belt on but it turned out to be the wrong size belt. So I will have to go get another one. My 510 shell had the correct size one fortunately so I will be using it as a refrence.

 

 

 

Cleaned the air cleaner on the carb. Looked like some one slapped it on there with out even oiling it the first time. So I oiled it up and it looks brand new.

 

Soon I will have more things hooked up and will later start worrying about the electrical mess. Hopefully that will get sorted out and then I can wrap all the loose electrical wires with some electrical tape to clean it up a bit more..

 

Supposedly my seats and door panels are finished.. but a friend of mine needs to pick them up. Hes been very busy so they'll show up as soon as he gets some time to get the pieces. Hopefully they look great.

 

Everything is comming together well. The major issue i'm having right now is missing parts. I still have NO tail lights or an ignition switch. I REALLY need these pieces but i'm on a budget... I've tried to deal with a few people so far but they've been kind of fading in and out of contact...

 

Hopefully I will come across these pieces soon so I can get this truck going.

 

Thats it for now. Hopefully I can get some more done this weekend!

[pl521sss]

took some pictures

 

I went to put the exhaust / intake gasket on and noticed that one side has slightly diffrent intake ports... is that going to be a problem?

 

 

That gasket is for a W53 cylinder head that has that notch on one of the port. Likely the fuel injection port but doesn't make sense for just one port.

I'm not sure why it's like that.

 

Your missing a 219 cylinder head on your truck!!

[Gensaiken]

That gasket is for a W53 cylinder head that has that notch on one of the port. Likely the fuel injection port but doesn't make sense for just one port.

I'm not sure why it's like that.

 

Your missing a 219 cylinder head on your truck!!

 

Yeah I honestly could figure out why one port was normal round and the other was almond shape. Before I got that one the guy showed me one with round exhaust ports which was the gasket for the W53 head .

 

Unfortunately Its kinda hard to find 219 heads. I'd sell it if I came across another one.. Plus I'm looking for a cheap stockish build not a road racer. :rolleyes:

[Gensaiken]

So a few things going on with the truck... still working on finding parts.. harder than it should be really..

 

I've been putting some diffrent throtle set up on the truck, the old set up was so ghetto rigged, people in the ghetto would think it was ghetto. Stole the pedal and throtle cable from a very early 620 which happens to be VERY similar and in nice shape.

 

While taking off the old 521 pedal I noticed the mount had actually been replaced since a hole has some how shown up where the pedal mounts to. How this happened I will never know..

 

 

Thats all going together slowly. The block I installed in the car was missing the stock oil temp... thing.. anyways went to nissan and they just happen to have a brand new one on the shelf.

 

Hopefull soon I will have a seat... its a slow process I guess.. :rolleyes:

 

 

Oh and on a side note I decided to do a subtle rising sun... but I forgot to bring a picture with me.. so I kind of guessed... does this look right?

 

 

The masked part will be a flat black, where as the unmasked parts will be a glossy... so if I mess it up it should be THAT noticable. :fu:

[shane_lxi]

^ I was going to do that, lol. Oh well, I'll do something else :(. Can't wait to see it going!

[Gensaiken]

^ I was going to do that, lol. Oh well, I'll do something else :(. Can't wait to see it going!

 

It didn't come out quite the way I expected... ended up painting over it. It wasn't as subtle as I thought it would be.

[shane_lxi]

Maybe do the hood in flat black, and use a clear coat in the unmasked areas? That might work a bit better than using another gloss black in those areas? Anyway, something to try.

[Gensaiken]

Maybe do the hood in flat black, and use a clear coat in the unmasked areas? That might work a bit better than using another gloss black in those areas? Anyway, something to try.

 

yeah that sounds a better idea. A lot more subtle. I've kind of given up on the rising sun on my hood for a while.

 

 

The project is kind of on hold till I get some parts or stop feeling frustrated :rolleyes:

[Gensaiken]

Alright, lot of progress all of a sudden. Started today with my seats and door panels finally showed up.

 

 

 

 

Hopefully this friday I will be picking up most or all of the parts I need to complete the truck.

 

If everything goes well, there should be a bit more activity in the next few weeks. :D

[Gensaiken]

Well I met up with a local datsun freak who lives in the boonies. He handed me a pair of tail lights (including most of the rear harness) and a guage cluster with all of the dash wiring. All of this for FREE. I gave him a set of 510 hub caps so I atleast gave him something back for the free stuff. Says he knows a private wrecking yard with some more 521's. Might get some parts I need there...

 

Anyways, most of the parts are going to work great. The lenses are very nice the housings are alright... except the backup light.. it appears to have rotted out. I think i'll try and find another pair of housings if I can. If not I think I can make these work.

 

 

But I finally got an ignition switch with an original datsun key, says "Nissan Motor Co." on the tiny key. Appears to work good unlike all the other switches that were attached to the harness I was given.

 

Pieces I need to get:

 

-Column switch for blinkers

-Engine bay Wiring harness

-Switch Knobs for Hazards and Lights

-Glove box

-Another dash would be nice but I could live with out it.. (remember I have a bunch of holes on my dash ;p)

-Driver's side front turn signal lens

[Farmer]

Actually I talk to the same guy 5 hours after the meeting with you. One nice guy.

 

larry

[Gensaiken]

Actually I talk to the same guy 5 hours after the meeting with you. One nice guy.

 

larry

 

Yeah, hes got a pretty amazingly clean 620. I can only hope my 521 is that clean at some point.

[Icehouse]

Why don't you guys get him to join "The Rat Nest" (as one guy on the BB list put it) :D :D

 

 

I may have some extra 521 parts laying around... I will check my moms barn next time I head out there.

[Farmer]

Yeah, hes got a pretty amazingly clean 620.

 

I actually took some pics of it today. Hes working on three others plus some cars. He even has a 620 motorhome thats in great shape too. He works for Brown and is a pastor of a church and loves Datsuns.

 

Larry

[Gensaiken]

Why don't you guys get him to join "The Rat Nest" (as one guy on the BB list put it) :D :D

 

 

I may have some extra 521 parts laying around... I will check my moms barn next time I head out there.

 

Let me know on the parts. I don't think the guy gets on the net too much, I'll mention the site tho.

 

 

 

I actually took some pics of it today. Hes working on three others plus some cars. He even has a 620 motorhome thats in great shape too. He works for Brown and is a pastor of a church and loves Datsuns.

 

Larry

 

 

Where did you see him? I met up with him earlier today to get the parts.. I think he said he was on his way to nab some parts from a yard after I finished chatting with him..

 

He's told me about some of his cars. Hes got some pretty uncommon stuff. Lucky his family doesn't yell at him for collecting all these cars. :D

[Farmer]

I was at the same yard hanging out. Ive seen him a few times. He strips most every Datsun that comes in. Im just glad I got to the last one before he did.

 

Larry

[Gensaiken]

I was at the same yard hanging out. Ive seen him a few times. He strips most every Datsun that comes in. Im just glad I got to the last one before he did.

 

Larry

 

Yep, he is very quick. Thankfully he wants things from cars that i'm not interested in. :D

[datzenmike]

 

I went to put the exhaust / intake gasket on and noticed that one side has slightly diffrent intake ports... is that going to be a problem?

 

 

 

 

Richard, here's my theory about the gasket. It's to match this intake with the odd grooves in the front two intake runners. This intake may be off a '78 W-58 truck head. Notice they aren't exactly on the bottom but slightly closer to the 5 o'clock / 7 o'clock position like the gasket.

 

Thats the theory, what those grooves are for.... I haven't a clue. A guess would be to have a thinner wall against the water passages in the front two runners. These runners would normally run cooler because of the rad fan blowing on them, specially when the engine is cold. ???? :mellow:

 

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/wreckingyard2608052.jpg[/img]"]

 

Both grooves join and then peter out.

 

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/wreckingyard2608054.jpg[/img]"]

 

 

That gasket is for a W53 cylinder head that has that notch on one of the port. Likely the fuel injection port but doesn't make sense for just one port.

I'm not sure why it's like that.

 

Fuel injector notches are at the top of the runners.

[Gensaiken]

Richard, here's my theory about the gasket. It's to match this intake with the odd grooves in the front two intake runners. This intake may be off a '78 W-58 truck head. Notice they aren't exactly on the bottom but slightly closer to the 5 o'clock / 7 o'clock position like the gasket.

 

Thats the theory, what those grooves are for.... I haven't a clue. A guess would be to have a thinner wall against the water passages in the front two runners. These runners would normally run cooler because of the rad fan blowing on them, specially when the engine is cold. ???? :mellow:

 

 

Heh, we may never know what that gasket is truely for. Just goes to show there is always something out there to challange the people who truely know datsun stuff.

 

 

 

 

Project realted stuff:

 

I opened up the tail lights and i'm going to look for some better housings (the reverse light section is basicly just dust).. I found moss growing in the reverse lens, cleaned that out and the lenses appear to be in decent shape. Everything else on it wasn't in quite as good shape as well. Broke a lot of the bolts off trying to seperate the housing from the lens... hopefully that won't cause me to need some new ones so I can put it back together.

 

Also spent some time tearing out all the ghetto wiring on the truck that the PO installed to make their ghetto lights work. Suprised a how much wire I tore out. At the same time I am very pleased at how unmolested the stock harness in the rear is. I feared for the worst. Saves me from having to cut it out.

 

Gauge cluster I got had some clean pieces on it so I took apart the one I got and the one that was in the truck and used to best of each to make a decent one. I was stunned to find that they use REAL glass to cover the gauge cluster in 521s! Figured it'd be plastic like the 510s!

 

I'm thinking of riping out all of the stock harness in the cabbin to replace it with a mildly unmolested harness I got from that guy (hopefully it isn't fried). I think i'm going to wait before I tear it out to see if I can find a good dash that way I can do both at the same time and save my self a lot of time.

 

Over all things are going well and if things keep progressing like this it should be going fairly soon. :D

[Gensaiken]

wondering if anyone can tell me how to remove the ignition from the dash of a 521?

 

Trying to put one back in and can't seem to figure it out since I didn't take it out.. :confused:

[bonvo]

is it a universal? all the dash ones ive seen have a ring around them and thread on from the back