80daterpillar Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Here's my project datsun pickup. I picked it up for 950 from a college kid as a daily driver. I have an old willys jeep that I like sinking money in to but I also couldn't resist putting a little in the truck. Here she is as I got her (not dead just hauling wood redneck style). A short while later I decided to lower it Then I decided to paint it. Primer: Black: Then for the final color, since I was having a friend paint it who works at a heavy equipment paint shop we decided on caterpillar yellow and black, thus creating... THE DATERPILLAR The wheels are stock tundra unlimiteds 17x7.5 and they don't require routing, however you do have to get the correct lug nuts as the holes are made for M14, NOT M12. I found that nissan/infinity had a lug nut with the correct 12x1.25 pitch and .73" hole diameter that I needed. Alas, now she sits with a tired motor that has 2 broken exhaust bolts in the head, whilst I ponder what to do next... I'm thinking chevy 4.3? Or maybe just budget build the l20b... Thoughts??? Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Welcome to Ratsun B) Great first post. L20b's are cheap, find one and get it going, hunt around on this site in the for sale section, and craigslist. Another vancouver Ratsun member. :rolleyes: Who did your bodywork? 1 Quote Link to comment
mcmlxxxv Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 nice truck :) you need a C14 for it not a L20B B) 1 Quote Link to comment
80daterpillar Posted October 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Welcome to Ratsun B) Great first post. L20b's are cheap, find one and get it going, hunt around on this site in the for sale section, and craigslist. Another vancouver Ratsun member. :rolleyes: Who did your bodywork? My friend and I tag teamed the body, the bed was rough! His boss did the paint... I'll leave the rest to anonymity. Not bad for 100$ in materials. Quote Link to comment
80daterpillar Posted October 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Welcome to Ratsun B) Great first post. L20b's are cheap, find one and get it going, hunt around on this site in the for sale section, and craigslist. Another vancouver Ratsun member. :rolleyes: Who did your bodywork? Wayno, you know anywhere I can take this motor to for a rebuild if I go that route? Tough to find a machine shop that would know these engines around here... Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Wayno, you know anywhere I can take this motor to for a rebuild if I go that route? Tough to find a machine shop that would know these engines around here... I don't know anyone that can get it done in a reasonable amount of time, I take my stuff to AC nutter on fourthplain in orchards, but it takes them sometimes months to do a head, as they do a lot of racecars there, and the racecars take priority. I had them do a LZ23 block and they put the block together, and a valve job on my modified head(they did the head several years ago), and it cost me under $1400.00, and they bought everything including the gasket set and even the oil pump, oh and a new cam also. Here's the thing though, it took them 5 or 6 months to do it. Quote Link to comment
The Birdman Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Welcome! Like Wayno said, great first post! I sure liked the way it looked all black! But the Cat look is cool too! All you need now are some Cat Power decals to make it official! :thumbup: Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 My friend and I tag teamed the body, the bed was rough! His boss did the paint... I'll leave the rest to anonymity. Not bad for 100$ in materials. I ask as I am looking for a reasonable body man that is looking for extra work on the side for cash, I can't say I really hate bodywork, but I am not very good at it, it takes me several times to fix just one dent, and when I think it is good, I will stand back and look, and then see that it's not good and have to do it again for the 5th time. I need someone that is good at puddy/mud, I have work right now if anyone is interested. Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 I have to say that "The Birdman" is correct, that black paint looked real good to me also, but black is a very tough color, every imperfection shows. Quote Link to comment
Skib Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 I need someone that is good at puddy/mud, I have work right now if anyone is interested. whatcha got? I might be interested... Im going to be moved back in PDX area next week. Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 whatcha got? I might be interested... Im going to be moved back in PDX area next week. What I have is my 520 project, it needs a lot of grinding and mud/bondohair, I need the same thing that was done to my 521KC project. One of the drawbacks is that I have nowhere around here for the work to be done, it will run and drive, but I think I might need to get new front brake calipers, as something is leaking and draining the master. I will also have to talk to whoever is doing it, and have them show me where I need to weld in new pieces of skin onto the surface to make the filling less thick. I have done a bunch of mods to this project, one makes mistakes when doing things for the first time, so when and if you came over to look at it, and decide if this is something you would actually want to attack, you would have to tell me what needed to be done before you would take over the work. I actually might have it painted also, but I bought a nice spray setup and thought I might try to do that one more time, I have sprayed a car once already, but it wasn't that good of a job, I think I put to much on to fast, but everything depends on the cost, as I don't have the room to paint either, unless I do it in my driveway. Quote Link to comment
80daterpillar Posted October 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 I did like it all black, It looked sweet, but I had to do the cat thing for my buddy. He's always wanted to do a cat truck, we've talked about getting some DATERPILLAR and L20B decals for it, next time he shoots a big ass shovel we're going to park them next to each other and email pics to CAT. Should be sweet. Thanks for all the kind words guys. Wayno, I've heard Nutter is awesome, but that time is their downside... I've got another couple leads I may try... Quote Link to comment
80daterpillar Posted October 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 I ask as I am looking for a reasonable body man that is looking for extra work on the side for cash, I can't say I really hate bodywork, but I am not very good at it, it takes me several times to fix just one dent, and when I think it is good, I will stand back and look, and then see that it's not good and have to do it again for the 5th time. I need someone that is good at puddy/mud, I have work right now if anyone is interested. My buddy is pretty much constantly busy, and I'm not sure he wants to do more on his time off, but I can ask for you. I got a couple friends that do really good body work, but don't have their own shop to work at. Ill get back to you. Quote Link to comment
JoeCool Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 WOW! That is a nice looking truck! :thumbup: 1 Quote Link to comment
80daterpillar Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 My most recent happenings, as some of you may know, are that I had some iding/missing issues that I attributed to a vacuum leak and thought it may be the adapter plate for my weber, as that has given me issues in the past, or possibly the mani gasket. 2 broken exhaust studs, and a broken head bolt later... The head is fixed, the block is awaiting my attack. I had planned on doing a motor swap/complete rebuild, but my l20b came back with great compression so I decided to just put everything back together and drive while I amass my parts to do a motor swap, which I have decided to be a chevy 4.3. I know, I know, diehard datty-heads will roll, but I'm a big proponent of sbc's and their availability and simplicity, which goes for the 4.3 as well. The good news is I finally got rid of all the EGR crap, however, I didn't really find anywhere there would've been a vacuum leak, so I guess we will just have to see... So that's where I'm at, here's a pic for the time being (yes I used it on another thread, sorry for the lack of originality :fu: ) Quote Link to comment
bananahamuck Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 I liked the DOT orange, my old 80 was that color ,,, but i the Caterpiller two tone and matching wheels is way cooler B) I have run into the line that runs up to under the air cleaner with the thermoswitch leaking and causing a heavy vacuum leak and because it`s next to carb throat you cant hear it.. Quote Link to comment
80daterpillar Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 I liked the DOT orange, my old 80 was that color ,,, but i the Caterpiller two tone and matching wheels is way cooler B) I have run into the line that runs up to under the air cleaner with the thermoswitch leaking and causing a heavy vacuum leak and because it`s next to carb throat you cant hear it.. I eliminated all the EGR stuff on the intake side previously when I installed the carb, so I really didn't have that many vac lines to worry about. Good idea though. Any ideas on whether the vapor return line/charcoal canister for the gas tank is necessary? It was leaking vac a little so I just eliminated it... Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Necessary, no, but having it properly connected will keep the gas fume smell down on hot days. If you cap it, you'll pull vacuum in the tank (since that's the tanks only vent). If you use a vented cap, you're back to gas fumes... Quote Link to comment
80daterpillar Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Necessary, no, but having it properly connected will keep the gas fume smell down on hot days. If you cap it, you'll pull vacuum in the tank (since that's the tanks only vent). If you use a vented cap, you're back to gas fumes... Ok, thought so. I may hook it up after I get it back up and running, just making sure it isn't a contributor to my problem, thanks. Quote Link to comment
80daterpillar Posted October 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Got the stud out, and the head back from the shop, just got to get her all together again! I miss my datty, and my stereo! Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Got the stud out, and the head back from the shop, just got to get her all together again! I miss my datty, and my stereo! Quote Link to comment
Jdm720 Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 I was expecting to see a Caterpillar engine in it (due to the title) :blush: Nice truck though :thumbup: Quote Link to comment
80daterpillar Posted October 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2012 The head is back on, which I owe my undying allegiance to WAYNO for coming through with some head bolts! Should be able to fire it up tomorrow, god I can't wait! It's been to long. As a side note, should head bolts be re-torqued after warm-up? Quote Link to comment
80daterpillar Posted October 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 So it runs and drives now? Quote Link to comment
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