1970 521

[wayno]

ding ding ding your right about a wreck......but the bed is moved so i cant test your method. The gap between the bed and cab on passenger side is smaller than driver side.

Sorry for thread jacking.

 

It is a little more difficult, but take the time to get the front wheels perfectly straight inside there fender wells, then measure from front center to rear center of the wheels on both sides and make them the same, if that don't keep it from going down the road sideways, then the frame is likely bent.

[konig209]

 

 

It is a little more difficult, but take the time to get the front wheels perfectly straight inside there fender wells, then measure from front center to rear center of the wheels on both sides and make them the same, if that don't keep it from going down the road sideways, then the frame is likely bent.

screw me running wont ya but hey its worth a shot. I do know also that my axle is more likely to be bent when i did a diff swap there was binding on the crashed side when i turned it by hand.

[banzai510(hainz)]

if doing the dog walk I would look what at DTP said or the lowering blocks are off set.

 

I see alot of old GM trucks and old Volvo station wagons doing this.

 

I cant post photos anymore and wont learn

But 195 65 15 are about same OA as stock set up. I got my torsion bar cranked far as it goes with the double nuts on the bolts

and 3 inch 2deg Belltech block in back.

 

Im just not in to a super slammed 521s or wagoons even thought they look bad ass. I just dont like the things hitting , notching,axle wrap and all that shit.

 

if you PM me with your email I can send photos that way of my old set up and new stock wheel set up

[jrock4224]

side note ...staticly lowered and wanting to be low as any trucks pic'd.....u will be riding on th bump stops....i swapped mine out to different stops to gain 3/4 inch of ride......little red bell tech ones up frnt and some custom cut ones out back from a mazda....they started as point and i shaved them to the countour of the axle to be about 3/4" all the way around

[konig209]

if doing the dog walk I would look what at DTP said or the lowering blocks are off set.

 

I see alot of old GM trucks and old Volvo station wagons doing that

i see trippy part is that it did it before going moar low :-(

[banzai510(hainz)]

Joe and Eric had owned this 521 before so I cant vouch for if it dogged walked back them. They never said anything about this back in the day But I have a feeling rearsprings might have been removed

[skyblue]

i see trippy part is that it did it before going moar low :-(

hey konig you should probably talk about this on your thread cause i think people are getting confused. :geek:

[konig209]

 

hey konig you should probably talk about this on your thread cause i think people are getting confused. :geek:

ok sorry for thread jacking.

[devilsnake98]

Finally was able to pull the cyl head this weekend. Didn't find any obvious damage to any of the pistons, cylinders, or the bottom of the head. Looks like theres a lot of carbon build up on the chambers on the head around the valves and seats. Actually seems to have little ridge on the top of the cylinders and all of the pistons seem to be tight in the cylinders with no noticable damage to them. The head is a U67 casting, and has some mixmatched size hardware, is this a head I should bother getting redone, or look around if theres a head that will make more power for the same buck? Gonna pull the engine out and check out the condtion of the bearings and such prob next weekend.

[DanielC]

I think you need to pull the block, and also check the rings, their end gap, and possible other issues.   This is what you had for compression, "Did a comp test and found #1 cyl only has 45 psi, while the rest are 120 125 and 140,"

None are within factory spec.  Compression on a L-16, with an open head is a minimum of 151.  Even the difference between #3, and #4 is greater than 10 %.   You may have a L-20-B, which may have a lower compression spec, but I do not know.

 

To be honest, many Datsun L-engines are running around with lower compression than 151. But at that point you are losing power, and fuel economy.

 

When you check compression, if it is good, you can continue with a tune up. 

 

However, if it is bad, it is really good to then do a leakdown test.   Not many people have a leak down tester, but at this point, you do not care about the exact percentage of leak down, just where it is.  Many compression testers you can remove the check valve at the spark plug end of the hose for the tester, get a fitting to plug your shop compressed air hoses into, and put the cylinder at TDC, and just blow compressed air into the cylinder, and listen to the exhaust for air leaking out the exhaust valve, the carb for air leaking out the intake valve, or the oil filler cap for air leaking past the rings.  Listening for air at the adjacent spark plug hole(s) will let you know if the head gasket is bad.

[devilsnake98]

Finally able to get some work done on my 521. Life got in the way the last few months but have made some progress lately. Got my L20B torn down and found 2 pistons with broken rings, would explain my low compression issue, had the head surfaced and psi tested and all is good. Ordered a .020" over bore complete engine rebuild kit and got the block and crank to the machine shop.

Got another set of rear springs and u bolt plates from a parts truck. Got new shocks and u bolts for the rear to correct the hacked rear suspension it had. Also had to fab a new upper rear shock mount for the rear. Got it all in and it is about 2" taller in the rear than before, so it's not riding bump stops anymore.

Also tackled some rats nest wiring that was in the dash and under the hood. Took out a big pile of shotty and un-needed wiring from under the dash and returned all to stock to start out with.

Got rid of the universal big rig turn signal switch and put back in a factory turn signal switch and column cover, then the z-car steering wheel that was in the truck when I got it.

Picked up a set of Chevy Blazer 4x4 ralley wheels to put back on like it had before and painted them like before, for now anyway.

When the L20 block gets back from machine work, I'll be assembling and will have everything cleaned up and painted. Will post pics of the engine when complete, then will be dropping it in and hopefully getting this back on the road. Thanks for looking.

 

[JAKE719]

Awesome man, just read through the whole thread. Glad to see this thing is headed in the right direction again.

 

GIT ER DONE!!

 

-Jake

[oldskoolvws]

 

It amazes me how much mine is moved in after shortening. Between this pic and mine, it's like a mile. With the dish on that wheel, it looks like it's into the back of the seat. Refinish that wheel, it would be awesome!

 

[devilsnake98]

That is quite a difference oldskool, I'm gonna shorten my column after the truck is up and running/ driving again because it is so close to my chest. I'd like to refinish the steering wheel and find a z car horn button for it, it's a bit big bit finishes it off better than none at all. Also oldskool- what carpet kit did you use in you're 521? Ive heard of modifying a hardbody kit. Looks like it fits pretty good.

[jon521]

yes i would be interested in the carpet kit as well. 

 

devilsnake, you can get rid of the space between the wheel and the column if you want. i have the same wheel and it sits flush and my turn signals reset. there is a little rubber spacer behind the wheel i took off, then either use that or make a spacer to go between the steering wheel nut and the wheel. i know its not a big deal, but its just one of those little things that bothered me!

 

glad to see this truck still goin!

[converted_to_datsun]

I heard this thing got sold again haha glad to see it's in good hands. Keep up the good work dude

[skyblue]

yea looking good. glad to see it didn't end up in the pick n pull.

[devilsnake98]

Jon- I seen the rubber spacer you're talking about, I might have to try that but am still planning on shortening the column.

I can ensure this truck will not end up in a pick and pull. I actually saved 2 parts 72 521's from a farm in gaston last month. They are really rough and have lost titles due to sitting for about 10 years, but one engine does run and the other is complete minus the carb. A lot of good parts I and a buddy are going to use.

[devilsnake98]

Finally got my l20 back from machine work last week. Got it assembled and painted last weekend.

Then this weekend was able to put in the truck finally, rebuilt the weber carb, and fired it up. Shes alive once again haha. Didn't take a video.

After it was alive again, i inspected and adjusted the brakes, adjusted the throw on the clutch, cleaned up the fuse box so all the lighting, wipers, and heater work correctly, then went out and drove it for the first time. Runs great and has good power. It needs an alternator, and i need to put new tires on my rally wheels, but will be a driver once again very soon.

[banzai510(hainz)]

IM GLAD THIS RIG IS STILL GOING.

I had lost hope in this rig.

 

that is my clutch master in there. the eric owned this

 

 

interior looks great nice and stock

 

 

if you got extra moany I would put a 38/38 on there and match port the intake to the head if bigger than 1.25

[devilsnake98]

Got some more done last weekend and started in on some more yesterday. Got my new alternator in, turns out the alt that was in it was an internal reg unit, and the truck was still wired as an external. Long story short, a rebuilt alt and new reg, she charges again, no more ign light on in the dash. Also got new tires on my rally wheels and got them on. Went with a little bigger tire so I could raise the truck up and have suspension again, went with 205/60 15's, have the rear suspension all stock with just 3" blocks, then raised the front torsions to get it level, and it rides way better now. Also repaired the exhaust, cut the abused Flowmaster off that was pointed under the axle. Replaced it with a no name chambered muffler, routed it over the axle as it should be, and connected it to a N1 style fart can. I like it I know some wont, oh well. Got some window run channel on the way, and a new windshield seal as well, gonna get the windshield replaced soon due to a good size crack in the drivers line of sight. I have a few rust issues in the floor that I'm gonna take care of tomorrow. She's defenently getting there, will be getting new tags and dailying it within a couple weeks I figure.

 

 

[jrock4224]

i miss the lowz`........looks good though

[devilsnake98]

Today I took the 521 out for it's first legal drive. Got tags and insurance on it Friday, and drove it from my shop in sandy, to my house and around clackamas. All seems to be well, I'm gonna daily it this week to check it out for any bugs, then call it good enough to drive on a regular basis, it's pretty fun too.

[skyblue]

That color looks good on the wheels. I like that u didn't stretch the tires. I'm not a fan of that look. I'm with jrock, miss the lowz but it does look good.

[devilsnake98]

Yeah I didn't want a real small sidewall tire so it had to be slammed on the bump stops to look good. Ive seen past pics of the truck and the bronze color on the wheels looked cool to me so i put em back that way. at some point this summer I'm gonna strip off the olive green and paint the truck. It's gonna be white, only cause the paint is free to me, should look way better though.