Alright I'm starting my 74- I need some help tho...

[Mulisha620]

Hey Forum-

I have been using forums for a long time for various projects, absolutely the best way to obtain information for any project- I have checked out the Ratsun forums quite a bit over the years but have never registered or posted, but I am finally getting ready to start working on my 1974 620 short bed and I figured I would say hello and ask a couple questions-

 

I have a 1974 Datsun 620, short bed standard cab. It's Metal Mulisha Green (army tan/olive green??) it's hard to tell at this point- 4 speed manual, 4 wheel drum brakes-

 

I bought it from my best friend when he was in need of some cheddar and in the years I have had it I have fallen in love with it and won't let it go at this point-

It's got the L18, from what i can tell the truck is bone stock other than the trim being taken off. The original mirrors are gone, the bedside hooks have been carefully ground off (thank god). It has the original black bench seat in it that's in pretty good shape (I'm dying to get it re-upholstered)- The dash is done-skys, it needs to be replaced, and i think i still have the rubber floor matt somewhere, but other than that it's extremely clean.

 

I just put it up on blocks and took off the stock steel wheels so i can have them media blasted and powder coated gloss black. Blew everything out with the hose to remove the leaves and spiders- i still need to pressure wash the dam thing kuz it's been sitting for 2 or 3 years now.

 

So i am living at a commerical building complex at the moment but just gut a notice saying all people living in these commercial units have to vacate within ten days, (Because the guy in the unit next to me was living in his shop in a vw bus with no electricity at 65 years old and had a stroke, so the cops were here and saw it all and told the authorities) so I'll be moving over the next ten days,

 

but I'll be putting pictures of my datsun up within the next couple days- i might even be able to find one to keep you guys interested, because i would really appreciate the feedback.

 

Alright I found 2-

(And it's leaning because of cracked/blown out/flat tires)

 

 

 

And I haven't even told you the best part- my best friend's step dad has welded and worked on hot rods his whole life and currently runs a shop here in town painting cars, he step-notched the rear frame of this truck like 3 or 4 inches, solid boxed- i will post some good pictures of the step-notch soon- and the bracket he made for the upper shock mounts too-

 

What I REALLY need at the moment is a set of completely stock leaf springs, because the stock ones that were one this truck were down to one leaf and the truck bottomed out on multiple curbs from running from police here in town so they are bent the wrong way they're supposed to be- LOL- IT WASN'T ME but none the less this things needs a nice brand new set of rear springs- And I plan for it to sit a lil low, show i look for a set of 720 springs or should i continue my search for 620 spring?

 

ALSO ARE LEAF SPRINGS FROM A STANDARD BED KING-CAB THE SAME AS MY STANDARD BED SINGLE-CAB? OR ARE THE STANDARD BED KING-CAB REAR LEAF SPRINGS THE SAME AS THE SINGLE-CAB LONG BED??

 

Thank you all SO VERY MUCH for checking out my lengthy post and possibly throwing some information my way-

 

I usually drive my 1999 Ford F-150 Extended cab, it's really nice, BUT I'M PLANNING ON PARKING IT AND NON-OPPING IT BECAUSE I MISS MY DATSUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gary]

looks great :D those mirrors are nice too

[Laecaon]

Put a thread up in the wanted section. You will get better views. Leave this thread for future updates.

 

And nice truck. It looks like a decent start.

[pharouh]

Nice truck!

Running from the police? :blink: In a 620? :rofl:

Yes,the springs should be the same for all 73 to 79's as far as I know. Not sure about 720's.

Good luck.

[datzenmike]

The rear leaf spring may have been flipper over to lower the truck at some time. You could flip it back but a single leaf is just wrong. As for leaf springs the 520/521/620 and 720 springs are all the same length (1,200mm) and will swap but they come in a variety of rates (stiffness) and numbers of leaves. 720 4x4 springs are 'flatter' and stiffer and will lower the ride height yet resist bottoming out better than the stock 620 ones. I doubt it will be as low as a singe spring but safer. You can also remove/add leaves to get the stiffness you want.

[Mulisha620]

looks great :D those mirrors are nice too

 

 

Put a thread up in the wanted section. You will get better views. Leave this thread for future updates.

 

And nice truck. It looks like a decent start.

 

 

Nice truck!

Running from the police? :blink: In a 620? :rofl:

Yes,the springs should be the same for all 73 to 79's as far as I know. Not sure about 720's.

Good luck.

 

 

1. (To all) Thank you everyone!!! Everyone that sees it seems to likes it-

2. I took the mirrors off a project 1966 El Camino, they're the original mirror set, driver's side is broken tho-

4. Laecaon I will do that, thanks for the head up I appreciate it-

5. 620's evade police cruisers surprisingly well, especially at 7-8,000 rpm.

6. But will rear leaf springs from a king-cab shortbed fit my standard-cab shortbed?

 

Because that's what I'm working on right now I got a guy in a town 30 min away that's got a prestine untouced set of leaf springs out of a 76 datsun 620 KINGCAB-shortbed, and I need them for my 1974 620 standard cab shortbed- He said i could go get em for $30 for both, I have to take them off tho-

 

Will they fit?

 

I only ask because I almost swear I remember someone saying that leaf springs for a king-cab shortbed were the same length as standard-cab longbed leaf springs... is this true???????

[datzenmike]

yes, read my post above yours.

 

The rear leaf spring may have been flipper over to lower the truck at some time. You could flip it back but a single leaf is just wrong. As for leaf springs the 520/521/620 and 720 springs are all the same length (1,200mm) and will swap but they come in a variety of rates (stiffness) and numbers of leaves. 720 4x4 springs are 'flatter' and stiffer and will lower the ride height yet resist bottoming out better than the stock 620 ones. I doubt it will be as low as a singe spring but safer. You can also remove/add leaves to get the stiffness you want.

 

$15 a side is practically free.

[Wide14u]

welcome and your truck looks good

[Mulisha620]

yes, read my post above yours.

 

 

 

$15 a side is practically free.

 

 

 

Yeah he texted me yesterday and said he was gonna call this morning and give me a measurement bolt to bolt of what was on this truck he was parting out-

 

But if this is the case and they are all universal then I'm gonna head out and get them this evening.

 

But just for my own clarification reasons, for Datsun 620 pickups, the rear leaf springs are the same length, whether the truck is a shortbed or a longbed? Really?

[Wide14u]

they all are the same

[Mulisha620]

Oh WOW... I have spent 4 and a half hours laying on irrigation rock at a pick-n-pull at about 103 degrees miserable to get a prestine set of leaf springs off a nice 620 truck that was there, pulled them out and realized the truck was a longbed, so I left them there-

 

And they would have FIT! really?

 

:crying:

[datzenmike]

Why would Nissan have different lengths fore the same truck. The difference is a lengthened frame behind the cab

[Mulisha620]

:blink: Alright- I guess that goes to show that I should have been on here asking questions a long time ago-

 

 

I sincerely appreciate you guys taking the time to explain all of that to me, and I apologize for my first absolutely NOOB status thread.

 

 

I will go grab up those leafs then- so I can get my suspension all nice and straight-

 

I will post some pics up tonight of the step notch- I've had people tell me it's really nicely done-

 

If you think of anything else I should be taking pictures of?/Looking at?

 

I need to pull the carb to see what model it is so i can get a rebuild kit for it- Where on the carb is the model number stamped?

 

I will take pictures of the vin number as well-

 

Should I take pics of the serial numbers on the engine block and the cylinder head? where are they?

 

Sorry for so much all at once, i am just under the impression this is good information to have at hand?

[Peter_Pablo]

hoo... ridding loww sweet 620 dude.. cool ride

[pharouh]

The serial #s are on the passenger side of the block and the head. The one on the block is by the dipstick and the head # is a little towards the front.

 

One thing you really need is a factory service manual.Get one on Ebay.

[datzenmike]

If you take the leaf spring apart and turn the long main leaf upside down and stack the others below it starting with the next shortest down to the smallest and then bolt on, the arch will be upside down and really lower it. (maybe too much??)

[Mulisha620]

hoo... ridding loww sweet 620 dude.. cool ride

Thanks- It hasn't had very much attention at all in the past few years but it's still so sick...

 

The serial #s are on the passenger side of the block and the head. The one on the block is by the dipstick and the head # is a little towards the front.

 

One thing you really need is a factory service manual.Get one on Ebay.

Thank you very much for the info- That makes it easier on me, I appreciate it- And I was able to download a copy of the 74 620 service manual in a .pdf file- so I got it on my laptop/could print-

 

If you take the leaf spring apart and turn the long main leaf upside down and stack the others below it starting with the next shortest down to the smallest and then bolt on, the arch will be upside down and really lower it. (maybe too much??)

I'm pretty sure that would be too low yea, unless you were C or step notched? I don't know this is the only 620 I've had and when I got it the step notch was already there- So my idea of how low it can go and what works is a little off..

 

 

I have a few more pictures of this thing I was gonna throw up too, of the step notch especially-

[Mulisha620]

Driver's side step-notch-

 

Passenger side step-notch-

 

Rear shock mounts-

 

Engine compartment as it sits now (Took these pictures a couple days ago)

 

And finally my sweet interior, which is the cleanest part of the truck... I'm not really worried about the interior, It'll buff out-