mklotz70 NL320

[mklotz70]

It's been almost a year since I've done any real updates to this thread. I've been keeping things updated more on ODPL. Figured it was about time to throw some pics up on here.

 

I'm putting up a few pics, but I don't have much time to explain them all.....so hopefully, they'll explain themselves well enough :)

 

 

I "Z'd" the lower control arms to get some suspension travel back. I decided to build the pocket into the arm for the shock because there are no shocks as short as the stock shocks.....which I was bottoming out anyway. More accurately, there are no really short shocks that I was willing to pay for. I think I did find some 7" ones that were about $70ea.....I don't think so!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are still missing the mount for the tension control rod, but that will be added today.

[mklotz70]

I put up a lot more pics on the ODPL site, but here's the end result. I rebuilt the headlight switch and that took care of most of my inop lighting prob. I then got the light buckets cleaned up and shiny again. Had to massage the new tail light lenses a bit, but they're in. Added a brake light switch to the pedal since I had already wired around the hydraulic switch before last Canby.

 

 

[mklotz70]

I may regret putting these up, but here's some of the work on the disc brackets. I've talked for awhile now about being able to put Hardbody hubs/rotor/bearings/calipers onto stock kingpin spindles......so here ya go.

 

 

3/8" laser cut steel. It was going to cost as much to have the "ears" laser cut as the brackets, so I made them myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I shaved the mounting side of the ears parallel to the mounting surface of the bracket to clean up the small amount of warp from the welding. I was really please how little the 3/8" plate warped. I think I only shaved about .020" off at most.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some chrome powdercoat brightened them up a bit! :)

 

[]2eDeYe]

Looking good, that powdercoat looks like it's polished :cool:

[mklotz70]

That's about it for now. I'm in the middle of fabbing/mounting the TC rod mounts and finishing the LCA's. Then the brakes get mounted up. Lines get run. Still have a ton of work to do so that I can actually drive it TO Canby this year from home and not just the parking lot :)

[mklotz70]

Didn't polish it. I think I put it on heavy enough that that I could wet sand it and polish it, but it's just a brake bracket and it's not a show car! :) I did polish up a test piece last year and man does that stuff polish nice!!!

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Mike as always impressive craftsmanship! So basically to me it looks like youll gain an additional 2 inch drop w/ the new arms correct? And if so all you have to do is crank UP the torsions a bit to get a smooth ride. What kind of shocks will you end up running? Congrats on the brake brackets too.

 

[mklotz70]

Thanks Mark. Yep....about two inches of suspension travel will be gained. If I modified the bumpstop mounts and put the shorter urethane stops in, I could get the cross member down below the scrup line. As it is, if I get a flat on the front, I will probably grind with my fat butt in it :)

 

I'll have to look on the shocks...Monroe, I think. I'm pretty sure they are ones that I ordered for one of the 521's.

 

The back is getting air shocks for now to help make sure it doesn't slam the bump stops :)

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Mike please dont grind your butt on the street, it may hurt :lol: Hell you may as well C notch the rear at this point :D

[Bleach]

that is a show truck. :) Looks good M

[mklotz70]

Thanks guys.

 

These were actually the last thing I made this evening, but I'll post it first.

 

I got one set up upper control arm bushings made out of delrin :)

[mklotz70]

I gotta sleep, so just pics.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[]2eDeYe]

Nice, I really need to get me a lathe :D

[fisch]

Geezus Mike. You are even making your own bushings!:eek: You are a madman! Amazing stuff here that might as well be me watching a rocket scientist.

 

On the evolutionary scale of automobile knowledge, I am a amoeba next to you.

[NWOleman]

Mike that is so cool your making all that stuff! Sweet! Your truck looks like the drawing Fisch did of a wagon made into a Ute.

[mklotz70]

Thanks guys. I just wish I'd done more of this over the winter when I had more time. Trying to squeeze it all in before Canby is NOT the way to do it!!! :)

 

The rubber upper bushings get squished and distorted. I've had the idea for the delrin ones for several years now. I've even had the delrin for over a year....just finally got around to it :)

 

I thought that I'd have to freeze the urethane before I could work with it, but I didn't. :)

[Icehouse]

Look'n good Mike! It sure is a pan to be low isn't it? :D All the pictures are great, It took so long to load this page on my phone haha. Well worth it though :D

 

Using the Mill and Lathe is so bad ass, I've been trying to do it more at work since I can use anything I want. The lathe kinda scares me :( The Mill on the other hand is just way to much fun!

 

 

I just can't wait to hear how it drives, with all those new goodies it should be nice :D

[mklotz70]

Thanks buddy :)

 

It has to ride better than it does now!!!

 

The more you use the lathe, the more you'll enjoy it. I never thought I had much use for one until I came across a deal. There's a ton more that I can do with it that I just haven't had time to mess with yet. It's pretty nice having access to both :)

 

 

Would have been pretty hard to do these on the mill!

 

 

 

 

I did some more playing with the PC today. They're not perfect, but they don't look bad.

 

[pl521sss]

Impressive fab work Mike

[mklotz70]

Thanks :)

I'll just be glad when I get to drive it.....I sure hope it's before Canby!!!

[pl521sss]

I "Z'd" the lower control arms to get some suspension travel back. I decided to build the pocket into the arm for the shock because there are no shocks as short as the stock shocks.....which I was bottoming out anyway. More accurately, there are no really short shocks that I was willing to pay for. I think I did find some 7" ones that were about $70ea.....I don't think so!!

 

 

Mike, those control arms same as 521?

I've also replaced my front shocks and still bottoming out.

Can't find shocks that are shorter than 521 even with the Ford Pinto is not short enough.

[mklotz70]

They're pretty much the same. The 320/520 arms have a much narrower shock mount on them. The 521 has mounts that will work with pretty much any shock, but there's no shocks that will fit the earlier rigs. The 320/520 shocks are even shorter than the 521 shocks, but they are non-existant. I'm running 521 shocks on the NL. They might have worked if I hadn't cut the bump stops, but I think they still would have bottomed. With the setup now, I can bottom out and still have some room. I'll check and see if I took any pics that show how much.

[mklotz70]

The ones I took didn't have the shock bolt in, so they're misleading. I'll take some more as I put it together.

[DISLEXICDIME]

looking good

[slodat]

nice work Mike!