Suspect Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 I found this truck on Craigslist. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet, I really didn't need it or have the money for it but like always its hard to pass up a Datsun. Out here I find one of these 521's about once every 5-8 years. I've owned three 521's but never at the same time or I'd have one as a daily driver. This truck has some issues, and I may part it out but I'm not sure yet. It was converted early in its life to a Buick 231 with turbo 350 trans. The fire wall was modified and it looks like a good job doing it. It has threw rust everywhere and some spots in frame. Hood is totally junk, interior isn't all that bad, and door panels are junk. It also has a Chevy rear end, guy said he thinks it came from a nova. I hauled the truck about 150 miles one way, so approximate 300 mile round trip, with my 73 Datsun 620. 1 Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 620 towing a 521. That seems oddly familiar. Good score! Lets see more. Quote Link to comment
mrbigtanker Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 wow a 620 dually awesome,but not as awesome as the 521 good find and another one saved. Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 I am wondering if you use dually adapters only when you tow, or do you have it like that all the time? I have found that towing with a dually is much less stressful. EDIT, This is weird, when I came back to this post to add a photo, it was not there, so I made another one. Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 I am wondering if you use dually adapters when you tow, or if it is a dually full time. I have found it is much less stressful towing with a dually, this is mine. Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 How long ago was your 521 a 4x4, Wayno? Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 How long ago was your 521 a 4x4, Wayno? It was a 4X4 briefly a couple years ago, never made it to the road except when I towed it to blue lake the day of that photo, I didn't like it, so I changed it, seems to be a trend of mine, I put it on a frame, look at it for a while, then put it on another frame, ect. The truth of the matter is, I didn't think the 71hp diesel engine could push it threw the air on the freeway at higher speeds, and I don't regret changing it one bit. Quote Link to comment
Suspect Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 I bought the dually adapters, stuck them on the 73 to see how they worked and just haven't taken them off yet. They seem to work. Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 I have towed a lot of trucks home with a non-dually datsun truck, the first time I did it with a dually datsun I realized what I was missing, STRESS. What did you think the first time you seen them adapters? To bad 620 dually fenders are so rare, it would look good as a dually. Quote Link to comment
Suspect Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 they looked so rusty I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to use them. I cleaned them up and tried them. I like them, I thought about making fenders for them but if I do it will be on a different 620, my 77 Kc Custom. http://community.ratsun.net/topic/39884-dually-adapter-cleanup/page__hl__%2Bdually+%2Badapters+%2Btoilet+%2Bbowl+%2Bcleaner Quote Link to comment
Suspect Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 btw I like your dually truck, where did you end up finding your fenders? Quote Link to comment
gene knight Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 pm sent Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 btw I like your dually truck, where did you end up finding your fenders? I seen them up for sale in the NE US a while ago, and they looked like they cleaned up good, but they are so stout that it would take a lot to compromise them. I bought a whole rock crawler looking toyota truck to get the fenders, it had dual wheels with that type of dually adapter you have, and the fenders which needed repaired and modified to fit my 720 for $400.00 with a few other tidbits, another guy got the wheels/tires. The thing about dually setups is the backend is rock solid when towing a vehicle with a towbar, I found that towing with a non-dually, the rear tires(radials) move sideways because of the weight of the vehicle being towed, and when the back went right, the front went left, and it was much worse when the road had grooves/ruts in it, I scared the shit out of a guy once when I towed a vehicle for him, the road was really bad that night(scary), I towed another truck over the same road with the dually, and didn't have one scary moment, I vowed to never tow anything without a dually after that, well unless it is a short tow(no hiway driving). I had a tow dolly at one time also, it was a little better than a towbar, but it took to much room, room that I needed for datsun storage. :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment
Suspect Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 The tow dolly in this pick is one I borrowed off a friend, the one I usually use is a home made one that was made before I was born. The home made one works decent but it don't pivot very good and it tows horrible without a car on it. The toe is way off and its made so you can't change it. I did manage to haul a 510 600 miles from here to Kentucky then turn around and haul a 75 620 back on the home made dolly. That trip went alot smoother mostly because I was towing with a better truck with a decent L20b in it. The yellow 620 just has a tired wore out L16 and dogleg 5 speed. I guess I like a challenge, I could just tow with my Chevy S-10 with TBI 350 and 5 Speed. It is real easy, can use a dolly or car trailer, nothing seems to faze that truck. Quote Link to comment
Suspect Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 PiCtUrE bOmB Quote Link to comment
Suspect Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 All pictures were taken with my phone then uploaded to facebook with high quality setting on. After that I use firefox to just view the image, copy url and add the tags, its just faster and easier for me. So basically if you have a facebook, you have a free unlimited photo hoster. Quote Link to comment
mrbigtanker Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 not bad looks like you got some work on this one.there is a tailgate on ebay right now for starters if you want to start putting money in her.its doable. Quote Link to comment
mrbigtanker Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 trans cooler small custom battery tray and exhaust on right side this truck must of had a buick v-6 or some thing custom in it. Quote Link to comment
Suspect Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 yea, buick v6, had duals - well still has them complete out the back. I don't have the money to do it right, I'm still trying to finish a 620 I have all taken apart. Quote Link to comment
Suspect Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 oh btw I have a 521 trailer with rear end in it. Bed is solid but beat. Quote Link to comment
mrbigtanker Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 yea, buick v6, had duals - well still has them complete out the back. I don't have the money to do it right, I'm still trying to finish a 620 I have all taken apart. lucky guess 1 Quote Link to comment
konig209 Posted October 14, 2013 Report Share Posted October 14, 2013 oh btw I have a 521 trailer with rear end in it. Bed is solid but beat. i spy bumperettes!!!!!! ^^^^^ can i has lol. Jk nice Quote Link to comment
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