620 upgrades

[Radiant-Designer]

Im new to the Datsun world, I have a few aircooled VWs but these are a different animal. I just bought a 77 620 and am looking for some ideas of what upgrades may be worth doing.

 

I did change the seat (the bench seat was designed for a 110 Japanese man, and 40 yrs of overweight Americans didnt help it any!) so I now have Corbeau racing bucket seats in it.

 

I took the bed off and painted the frame with POR-15. I bought the truck in CA, and its now in New England and the salt wont help any! So trying to keep it as good as possible. i will eventually get the POR-15 spray in bedliner to protect the bed.

 

it looks pretty stock. It does have an electric dist, which I thought was after market, but looking on here I guess in 77 the Cali ones had an electric Dist.

 

I was thinking of changing over to a Weber Carb, is there any one that is best for this?

 

The Dash is badly cracked, from the sun and all that. Has anyone tried Dash Caps? do they look ok?

 

Eventually going to disc. i know there is a forum member that makes the brackets, it will be a little bit before i do that due to cost involved.

 

5 speed eventually too, I keep trying to shift into 5th, where there isnt one.... and I figure a 5th gear wont hurt. my land lord has a 5 speed out of a 210, not sure if i will drop in or not, but I will try to research that.

 

I do want to get a rear slider window, one forum member has one waiting for a price.

 

Get new wheels. I assume most lugs with a 3" hole will fit. I have access to a bunch of old Mazda Mags, but the center hole may be too small.

 

How about it, what do you think would be worth while upgrades? Any order you would think be best to tackle these? Any thing you would do differently?

 

i will be using this car as an every day, not going to be a show car ever, but used.

 

If I could i would also like to put AC in it, but i think i should go factory not some after market one. i live in NH so it doenst get too hot here so I can live without it till I find one ;)

 

Since you all seem to love pics....

 

[Zeusimo]

Tach, Fiero Rad, 60A Alt, 32/36 Weber, Disk Brakes, 5 Speed, Clutch, White Walls, Repair Dash, Buff The Paint.

Basic New Car Things... Adjust Valves, Bleed Brakes/Clutch, NGK Plugs, Wires, Cap, Rotor, Ect, Ect...

And Most Important Of All, Slam It :P

[Str8_69]

Tach, Fiero Rad, 60A Alt, 32/36 Weber, Disk Brakes, 5 Speed, Clutch, White Walls, Repair Dash, Buff The Paint.

Basic New Car Things... Adjust Valves, Bleed Brakes/Clutch, NGK Plugs, Wires, Cap, Rotor, Ect, Ect...

And Most Important Of All, Slam It :P

 

 

You forgot Matchbox Dizzy. :P

 

Edit: missed that he has an el dizzy in the first post..

 

Ok, Cup holders!

[datzenmike]

First

 

I would want to protect my investment, and that means getting it running as well as it can. Unless you know for sure it was maintained properly and have receipts or a log book I would change the rear end (GL-5)and transmission oil.(GL-4) It's cheap insurance even if you plan a 5speed swap later. Next change the engine oil and filter. Do not go cheap on the filter, spend $6-$8. With the engine warm set the valve lash, set the timing and then set the idle mixture and idle speed. Inspect the fan belts and hoses and replace the coolant anti freeze. Coolant anti freeze should be changed every 2 years and if this is kept up it will save you much grief later. Replace the plugs, wires, rotor, cap and fuel filter. Grease the steering and suspension.

 

Now

 

Drive it around with some peace of mind that everything is as it should be. You may find the carb works now. Anything else that you do (tires, rims, 5 speed, bed liner, disc brakes.....) is secondary dress up or for personal comfort.

[mike]

That thing is clean and original... don't bother with a Weber carb swap, just rebuild the one you've got if/when it needs it. They're pretty simple and run nice and smooth once you get them straightened out. Check out the factory service manuals on olddatsunpickuplovers.com, they have a TON of excellent info.

 

5 speed swap is a great idea, get a long tail from a 280zx or another L powered pickup... b210 wont work for you.

 

The dash caps dont look perfect but they do look a hell of a lot better than a cracked dash... you could also get one of the carpet dash mats too, they look nice and they are cheap.

 

Check all your electrical connections and make sure that they're all clean and tight... Soaking your fuse box in vinegar or lemon juice is a must... consider it preventative maintenance. It will save you a few electrical headaches down the road.

 

If you're going to use it as a DD learn how to adjust your breaks and keep up on them!!! The drums work fairly good when adjusted properly but can be down right scary when they are not.

 

Keep the stock wheels and just paint them a nice silver (stock) color. Get some TR3 polishing compound and polish up the paint by hand (lots of elbow grease but WAY worth it) Drop it a couple inches and stand back and look at it with a big ol' grin because it looks so damn cool :cool: .

[Radiant-Designer]

Yeah I forgot to mention, I did change the plugs and wires, they looked pretty new, but looks can be deceiving so thought for the couple bucks why not. I didnt change the cap or rotor though, probably should. I just used a emry board to make sure there was good contact. And yes they are nkg plugs.

 

There is a frame tough guard filter on it now and the oil is still honey colored looks brand new. Air filter looks brand new too, also frame. The seller said he did it the week before and from the looks of it I believe him.

 

I will be adjusting the brakes, the drivers side front I think has a little leak....

 

Going to put a cd player in it too, just Becuase there are no am stations here and I need somethibg to listen to on the longer trips or being stuck in traffic.

 

I have been wanting a tach. I know they have one from datsun, not sure how easy it is to add after the fact but may be cheaper than an autometer one.

[Radiant-Designer]

Oh yes def have to change the antifreeze, its a Calif truck so it only has water in it now! The first week I had it I noticed the temp getting high, turned on the heat and limped home. Luckily it was just the hose clamp just wore through the upper radiator hose, easy fix. It did prompt me to find a broken bvsv or vacuume valve... Another easy fix.

 

So a fiero rad will work? Is that better than datsun's? Bolt right on?

 

Right now the temp hardly gets up to a quarter after 40 minutes on the highway.

[datzenmike]

Next oil change get something better than Fram. They used to be good but now are sold on reputation only. They are poor quality cheap pieces of crap.

[Radiant-Designer]

Any idea what may be causing poor milage? I'm getting like 21, and from what I have read it should be more like 28-30. I just cruised up north about 60 the whole way.

[Zeusimo]

New Air Filter, Tune Carb, Adjust Valves And Timing...

[datzenmike]

Any idea what may be causing poor milage? I'm getting like 21, and from what I have read it should be more like 28-30. I just cruised up north about 60 the whole way.

 

Throw the thermostat away and replace with a $10 one rated at 180F. They aren't worth the time and bother to test. The gauge should run just below half way into the 'run' range. The motor should be running up closer to boiling point for best efficiency.

 

Poor Mileage Causes...

 

Bad thermostat, running cold.

Timing retarded.

Carb running rich. Stuck float, incorrect float level, dirty needle.. carb floods.

One or more brakes dragging.

Poor front wheel alignment.

Speed... Keep in mind that to go 60 you need 4 times as much energy used to go 30.... it really adds up.

In town... Avoid using your brakes. Anticipate turns and stops and slow gradually. Every time you use your brakes you are throwing away the gas you just used to bring your vehicle up to speed. Accelerate slowly and evenly, see those brake lights way ahead? stop accelerating and hold speed and prepare to slow without brakes. Leave more room between you and the guy ahead so you don't have to jam the brakes on and can slow gently to match his speed.

Weight... Everything in or on the vehicle has to be accelerated up to speed or lifted up a hill, every pound. Empty the box or trunk of useless shit like golf clubs and car cleaning supplies.

Tires... must be properly inflated. A narrower firmer tire rolls easier. Run as high a pressure as recommended. Higher pressure is less dangerous than running them low.

Gas... sometimes a higher octane fuel will give enough mileage increase to justify the additional cost. Some same grades are different between makers so find one that works best for you.

Tune up... probably the biggest waste of gas is a poorly maintained engine tune.

[justin 620]

I am curious if the Ferio rad is worth it as well.

[datzenmike]

I am curious if the Ferio rad is worth it as well.

 

As I understand it the Fiero rad was a swap for the 510s L16. The 620 probably has a slightly larger rad, certainly the L20b could be gotten with the 3 core rad which was way more than needed. I see no sense in trying to fix something not broken.

[Z-train]

As I understand it the Fiero rad was a swap for the 510s L16. The 620 probably has a slightly larger rad, certainly the L20b could be gotten with the 3 core rad which was way more than needed. I see no sense in trying to fix something not broken.

Mike-depends where you are.My 3 core is at the upper limit here in the SW.And this is before i add A/C.

[dacaulker]

Dont waist your time rebuilding that stock Carb. Those are the biggest POS when they were new!

Webber is the way to go! a 32/36 will give you more power than the stock one will, without the headaches.

Match it up with a set of headers and you'll see and feel a 30% horsepower jump.

 

I also did the front disk brake conversion. It's the difference between stopping and just slowing down.

Defiantly worth the money.... The only draw back was i had to loose my OG 14" rims to do the swap.

 

That and a 4" drop and your ready to roll..

 

You will figure out what works best for you and your budget.

Nice truck, Keep it up.

 

 

 

 

 

[Radiant-Designer]

Hows the webber change fuel milage?

[justin 620]

Hows the webber change fuel milage?

 

Deffinently not an improvement, haha

[Radiant-Designer]

Lol I wouldnt think it would be.... I didnt know if it was a huge drop, or just a small change.

 

So some people say just rebuild the original, others say weber... Looking online i see a varity of prices for the weber kit, anything to look out for (a certain version of the carb, such as Italian made)

[Radiant-Designer]

Is there a partnumber for the 60a alt, or what car it came from? I am looking to buy a bunch of these things this week.

 

Or if anyone has one for sale hit me up

[Zeusimo]

Stock 620 Alternator Is Only 30A

Alternator From 81 510 Is 60A

It Is Bolt On And Autozone Has A Lifetime Warranty :D

[Radiant-Designer]

Great, getting one tomorrow!

Also ordered a 180deg thermostat and a new cap and rotor

Do good dashs ever show up for sale? Or can these be repaired?

Still debating the weber upgrade. Hoping a few more people weigh in with some reasons.

[yello620]

I pulled 24.1 MPG out of my weber on my last tank of fuel before the VG conversion. :D That was mostly highway miles though.

 

20 plus MPG is pretty normal for these trucks when they spend most of their time in town. Little better with some highway miles.

[Zeusimo]

I Repaired My Dash By Filling It With Paintable Silicone, Sanding, And A Little Color :D

[justin 620]

It's a noticeable drop...but it's worth it. Just buy one new direct from weber, it's only $270, and it comes with everything you'll need for the swap, minus a larger guage fuel line.

[Radiant-Designer]

now im getting like 20 so should track down the reason before I add another drop in mpg