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My '79 620


Dudeman

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Howdy! I've pretty much just lurked on the site for a while and figured it was about time I posted some pictures of my truck. This is the '79 620 I got from DatDoug a while back with a basically stock L20b (Weber and a header), a really straight body and pretty decent interior. Basically a great driver/platform for future mods. Since getting it I have added V6 2wd HB front brakes and rebuilt the stock steering and rear brakes. Now its pretty effin scary in the wet... can you say threshold braking?

 

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I recently bought a '73 for parts so now the poor '79 has to sit out in the cold and rain till I have room...

 

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Spare Matchbox Dizzy is always good to have

 

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Nice wheels and tire setup. 225/50ZR15 will be way cooler than the 205/60's on it now

 

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Excited to install this and see what kind of difference it makes

 

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And a couple A87s I've collected since getting into Datsuns...

 

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Working on getting this spindle off for Str8_69. I'm pretty busy so if you're patient I'll just give it to you for the cost of shipping

 

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The '73 had an L18, but the pistons in that engine have less dish than the other L18 pistons I have, and I'm not sure what exactly they are. The pistons in the truck are almost completely flat, and they have .75 stamped in the top. Bore measured with a cheap steel gauge was 85mm.

 

Pistons in the truck's L18

 

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Pistons from other L18

 

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I haven't cc'd the pistons, but can perhaps someone can shed some light on this...

 

Oh yeah and we can't forget Tarzan

 

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and Bedframe

 

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I'll also be willing to sell some parts if people need 'em. I've got basically the whole truck sans motor, plus some other odds and ends like a super nice late style grill (oxymoron, I know). I don't need to sell anything bad enough to like, start a for sale thread or think of prices or anything crazy like that, but if there's something you need that I don't really really want to keep it will probably be cheap.

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Ian, just want to say thanks for the headlight buckets.

 

And consider this some seller feedback. For two boring little headlight buckets for my 620, this was the nicest packaging i've seen in ages! I constantly buy hot wheels and vintage action figures on eBay, and this realy blows me away! Thanks for the extra effort man!

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The only difference between L18 and L20B pistons is the dish size.

 

L18........ 4.36cc....... 85mm diameter

L20B.... 11.36cc...... 85mm diameter

 

 

 

Excited to install this and see what kind of difference it makes

 

1117112115.jpg

 

 

 

The first thing you will notice is a reduction in body roll in the front. The hood will remain more level during sharp steering changes.

 

Adding a sway bar where there was none before or stiffening an existing sway bar will tend to reduce oversteer and or increase understeer. You may notice that the front end does not turn into a corner as well as it used to. There is a feeling the the front wants to plough straight ahead. Most vehicles are designed with slight understeer because it's easier to correct by the average (or unskilled) driver by letting off the gas and applying the brakes. This will shift the weight forward increasing tire traction and helping to turn the truck. If your truck has some understeer, adding a sway will increase it.

 

Find a level empty parking lot and drive in a circle while slowly increasing the speed. If the rear tires break loose first and start to 'come around' you have oversteer and a front sway bar will help reduce this. If the front end breaks loose or the front end is not turning where the wheel is pointing then you have understeer and a sway bar will only increase this.

 

Not saying you can't use one. There are many many things that affect understeer/oversteer. If the sway bar increases understeer you can counter that by running larger rear tires, softer compound, softer rear springs......

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Holy Crap thanks for the responses everyone! datzenmike I appreciate the heads up, as the truck definitely has the tendency to understeer. My 620 isn't my daily right now so I'm going to throw the sway bar on there anyway and will have to stiffen up the rear a little bit (and ad more power!) before I really drive it. But I like the idea of performing a before and after experiment to see exactly what happens...

 

I put the new wheels and 225/50ZR15 Goodyears on today and they are definitely more aggressive... they stick out past the fenders and I don't know if I like that, but the Toyota 4x4 wheels that were on there before are really heavy, and to me lightness and contact patch matter most. I will have to do some testing to make sure they don't rub... I'm curious to see which setup you guys think looks cooler though cause I can only keep one set so shoot me some feedback

 

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I'm getting pretty close to doing the motor and have always wanted to run an L18 with flattops and a peanut head (~10:1 compression) because I wanna rev the crap out of it :D But I'm considering putting L18 pistons in the L20 with a peanut head (slightly higher compression IIRC), and eventually I will be adding coilovers up front. Dunno what I'm going to do about the rear end though...

 

I'll also be wanting something slightly larger than the 32/36 so when I have the monies I'll be on the hunt for a 38/38 or single Weber sidedraft or set of SU's or something

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2eDeYe' date='02 December 2011 - 07:40 AM' timestamp='1322840452' post='586703']

I have a set of basket case SU's that I won't be using...? :)

 

Rebuilding carburetors is fun... Any chance you have a manifold to match??? Oh and I think I have an engine hoist lined up but in case buddy doesn't come through would you happen to have one I could borrow/rent on the cheap sometime soon-ish?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Holy Crap thanks for the responses everyone! datzenmike I appreciate the heads up, as the truck definitely has the tendency to understeer. My 620 isn't my daily right now so I'm going to throw the sway bar on there anyway and will have to stiffen up the rear a little bit (and ad more power!) before I really drive it. But I like the idea of performing a before and after experiment to see exactly what happens...

 

I put the new wheels and 225/50ZR15 Goodyears on today and they are definitely more aggressive... they stick out past the fenders and I don't know if I like that, but the Toyota 4x4 wheels that were on there before are really heavy, and to me lightness and contact patch matter most. I will have to do some testing to make sure they don't rub... I'm curious to see which setup you guys think looks cooler though cause I can only keep one set so shoot me some feedback

 

1201111357a.jpg

 

1201111354.jpg

 

1201111354a.jpg

 

 

I'm getting pretty close to doing the motor and have always wanted to run an L18 with flattops and a peanut head (~10:1 compression) because I wanna rev the crap out of it :D But I'm considering putting L18 pistons in the L20 with a peanut head (slightly higher compression IIRC), and eventually I will be adding coilovers up front. Dunno what I'm going to do about the rear end though...

 

I'll also be wanting something slightly larger than the 32/36 so when I have the monies I'll be on the hunt for a 38/38 or single Weber sidedraft or set of SU's or something

 

Hello I have a 38/38 that I think is to much for my stocker if you a 32./36 how bouta trade u pay shipping?

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Rebuilding carburetors is fun... Any chance you have a manifold to match??? Oh and I think I have an engine hoist lined up but in case buddy doesn't come through would you happen to have one I could borrow/rent on the cheap sometime soon-ish?

 

Ya one of them is torn down...I ended up getting a set of webbers so I never finished messing with them :rolleyes:

I do have a manifold to go with them, not sure about the linkage.

 

I have a hoist, it is either in Northgate or Everett but I can track it down if you need it. :)

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  • 1 month later...

Howdy again! Seems like I never have enough time to work on my truck or post on Ratsun so my visits back will be sporadic. Olderdat I'm gonna be sticking with the 32/36 for now but if I decide to go that route I'll keep you in mind. And Str8_69 I've made a few attempts to get that damn spindle off but I think I need a bigger hammer... :blink: Gonna try to get it this Thursday tho.

 

Good news! I just got brand new 280ZX flattops, oversized stainless valves/guides, and a reground cam for the L18 I'm going to build!

 

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The Pistons are ITM which is a cheaper Taiwanese manufacturer but I trust that they'll hold up

 

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The guy I bought the stuff from didn't really know anything about the cam, but it clearly has a longer duration than stock and "282" stamped on the end. It came in a Delta Regrind box that says 280 duration and .467 lift, but I'm not sure if the box is original to the cam I bought. If it is it'll be little better than stock.(shitty camera phone fail)

 

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Now though I get to move on to finding a machine shop to bore the block, install valve guides, etc. but I don't have any experience doing this. Anyone have recommendations in the greater Snohomish County area? I'd definitely prefer someone who knows these motors...

 

And Redeye if you track down your hoist I would definitely use it and give you beer or something... And I would totally buy/trade for your SU's...

 

Thank you all for your replies!

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  • 3 months later...

Slowly but surely I'm collecting the parts I need for my motor build. This Just arrived yesterday...

 

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Got her cleaned up, ports hogged out and big stainless valves installed

 

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He said he took about .025" off to get it level, but the casting mark is still visible so I hope it won't affect compression too much. I'll have to do some maths later....

 

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Next is cam selection. These grinds look good for a streetable (but not DD) screamer, but I love hearing other people's suggestions/input

 

http://schneidercams...0_Fdatsun4.aspx

 

http://schneidercams...4F_datsun4.aspx

 

Also I'll repost this picture, it's a mystery cam I got that I'm unable to find any solid information on. If anyone knows anything about it please let me know, as I would love to use what I have already but won't install an unknown cam in my motor. (Sorry for the crappy pic, the stamp on the cam reads "C 282")

 

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