In which a 4x4 620 is built

[SandyMush620]

Yeah, you're cheap, but so am I and so are we all!  I remember the days when a free hot-tank at Napa was commonplace.  I'd say it'll still happen...but I was told "no" last time I asked down there.  As far as lower-cost alternatives, you can dip your radiator in your own 300 gallon vat of hot solvent for free, drain it, wash it, and spray it with black paint for about $5.  Can I use your hot-tank...?

 

Ha!  -just messing with you!  

 

Definitely check out Brian's wagon project on 510realm.  It's in my spray booth currently.  He and I don't seem to be making progress very quickly...you are rockin' the 4x4 project though!  I'll probably see you cruising our 'hood soon enough.

 

P.S. - you'll love the Miller 211.  I have one, bit the bullet on the $ and never regretted it once.  For sheet metal and light (brackets etc) even 1/8" plate etc - I don't really use the "auto set" much.  I tend to keep the wire feed in a fairly narrow range and adjust the amperage (metal thickness indicator dial) to suit.  The 110 use really helps with portability, but rember to hook up to 220V if you weld thicker stuff- it's much smoother/more consistent.

Ha! You can use my hot tank for $100! Lol

 

So far I have only used the 220V on the 211 because there is a handy 220 extension cord at dad's shop just for welders so it's convenient to grab. The autoset is nice, but it still takes tweaking for me because I don't know what gauge steel I'm looking at. For sheet I'm still a little quicker with dad's welder because I used it when I worked in his shop, and the voltage setting is tapped, so it's not as fine-tunable.

[bonvo]

blueridge your alive! any progress on the 510?

 

on topic: everytime i see this thread bumped im hoping for pics keep them coming man i cant wait to see this thing done

[SandyMush620]

everytime i see this thread bumped im hoping for pics keep them coming man i cant wait to see this thing done

 

Thanks for checking it out; I will try not to let ya down with pics.  I will be back on it tomorrow attempting to knock out some of the small jobs that are holding up pic-worthy progress, like swapping the rear body wiring harness and finishing the cooling and brake systems. 

[SandyMush620]

Got a few small things done today.  I started by cleaning up the exhaust downpipe and cutting a little off of it because it was kinked near the end.  It's now installed with a new gasket and hardware, and it should be easy for my exhaust guy to build from it.

 

 

 

 

Then I pulled the rear body harness off of one of the 620 frames and installed it on the 720 chassis.  Here is where it connects to the cab harness under the passenger seat. 

 

 

The red and black wires are for the 4x4 indicator light, and the white wire goes to the brake lights. It serves to seperate the brake lights from the turn signal lights so the Euro-spec taillights work right. For those that don't know, the brake light switch output on a USA 620 simply connects to the hazard light circuit to operate the brake lights since the lenses are all red.  For seperate (amber) signal lights, the circuits have to be seperated, and the easiest way to do that is to run a dedicated brake light wire from the switch and leave the hazard cuircuit alone.  A previous owner had hacked the wiring at the lights to eliminate the bulbs behind the amber portion of the lens and combine the signal circuit with the brake circuit.  I ain't havin that noise.  Besides, I like amber signals. 

 

Using the 620 harness made the fuel gauge and pump operational and set the truck up for the tail and side marker lights, and the only splicing I had to do was for the fuel level sender since the 720 tank had a different connector:

 

 

The last thing I did today was get the clutch operational.  It just needed fluid and bled since it had all been disconnected.  I was alone at the shop so I gravity bled the line after bench-bleeding the master cylinder.  The pedal feels pretty good, but I will probably do a two-man bleed when I can.  I ran a lot of new fluid through the system to flush out the old, dark fluid that remained in the line.

 

 

 

On the way home I picked up an upper radiator hose that may just work to get my cooling system completed, though I may have to shorten it a bit.  They had to special order a power steering belt for me.  The '84 Nissan 720 4x4 must be a rare bird.

 

 

More to come!

[SandyMush620]

This upper radiator hose is preformed for a late model Chevy van, but it had the double 90 I needed to get the water flowing towards the radiator inlet.  I had to shorten it, and I ended up using part of a 620 hose because it had a tighter elbow than the van hose.  The two pieces were connected with a flared metal coupler that I found in a hose connected to the 720 radiator I snagged with the chassis.

 

 

 

I started filling the radiator and found a slight leak where the heater hoses were supposed to be. :rolleyes:  So I installed the heater hoses and filled it up.  With the cooling sytem in place, I was able to run the truck for more than a few seconds, and I checked alternator output (14.5V), filled the power steering resevoir and verified p/s operation, and then just let it warm up to see if there was going to be any drama.  It seemed to idle better and better as the plugs cleaned up, and it revs without hesitation.

 

A short cell phone vid:

 

 

I should be able to work on the brakes Friday.

[RCStealth]

Nice build you have goin on!  I like the dirrection you're headed.

 

Have you settled on an engine bay color?  IMO I'm thinkin that a dark grey, kind of like on Navy ships, would look pretty good and it would be a neutral as well.

[SandyMush620]

Nice build you have goin on! I like the dirrection you're headed.

 

Have you settled on an engine bay color? IMO I'm thinkin that a dark grey, kind of like on Navy ships, would look pretty good and it would be a neutral as well.

Thanks, I was checking out your thread last night.

 

The engine bay is painted. The grey came out lighter than what you are probably talking about, but it's pretty neutral and makes it easy to see in there.

 

BTW, does it look like the center hole in the Series 82 you just picked up will fit over these 4x4 hubs? Maybe measure one for me?

[SandyMush620]

Well, mama said there'd be days like this, and since everything had been going so smoothly up to this point, such a day was probably overdue.  The good news is that all of the brakes installed without incident, and I managed to gravity bleed three out of four corners, so I kinda have brakes.  Enough to get on and off the lift at the exhaust shop anyway.  The bad news is that that's the end of the good news.

 

Here's the brakes as found, full of the obligatory mud that the PO managed to get into every last nook on the chassis. 

 

 

Installed new cylinders since the bleeder screws twisted off of course.  New shoes as well.

 

 

The drums were somewhat siezed to the hub, so I coated the mating surfaces with a copper-based high-temp anti-sieze paste from Wurth Chemicals.  Good stuff.

 

 

 

Ok, so fun's over.  I decided that to prepare the truck for the exhaust shop, I would install a seat and take it for a spin around the lot.  When I fired it up, the exhaust seemed especially loud (even for an open down pipe), and sure enough, the pipe had developed a hole near the manifold. 

 

 

So I pulled the pipe to weld it up, but after numerous attempts and leak tests, I just couldn't seem to avoid pinholes in the beads.  It wasn't until after I had tossed the pipe in the scrap pile and was putting away the welder that I realized it was out of shielding gas, and that it may have been a successful repair if I had realized that before I started and switched bottles.  Oh well, at least the pipes are still available.  Oh, and I had to pause for a minute to put out the trashcan fire that I caused by welding too close to it.  Yay.

 

Then it got better when I tried to drive the truck out of the shop and discovered that it has no reverse.  So we are clear, the shifter moves into the spot where reverse should be in a convincing manner and stays there, but that position has the same effect on the output shaft as neutral.  Anyone know if there is a common 720 five-speed problem that causes this?  I will open the trans before I get another one with the hope that it is fixable.

 

So I walked away from the Datsun for the day and changed the transmission fluid and filter in the wifey's Highlander, which was a lot of fun and turned into a two-hour job because of the lack of clearance between the pan and subframe on one side.

 

Enough crying.  If I can't fix the trans I will be looking for one, and if I can't find one I will consider a powertain swap, though I don't really want that kind of delay right now.  If there are any East Coast guys reading this and you have a 720 five speed available, hit me up.

[SandyMush620]

Fun, fun.

 

[Dat Lurka]

All this progress I missed.

Git R done

[SandyMush620]

Ok, so here's the carnage:

 

 

One gear--reverse I presume since that's what I don't have--has been stripped of all its teeth and another gear of three.  Poor truck.  That's why I'm nice to my vehicles.  I will look for parts but a replacement trans would suit me fine too.  I know the KA transmissions have the same bolt pattern...are they the same length as well?

[datzenmike]

The 71C from a D21 Hardbody with a Z24i or a KA motor will be at least 31.5" (slightly longer I think) The 71C from an S13/14 is 4-5" longer still and not really geared for a truck if you want to crawl. The 71C transmissions are over twice as strong as the 71B. 

 

Reverse idler gear (large) and reverse counter gear (smaller)

[SandyMush620]

Reverse idler gear (large) and reverse counter gear (smaller)

 

Thanks Mike.  Pricing these gears with Nissan tomorrow, and still searching for other options.  I found a trans on CL that had been posted for a month and a half, and it sold the day before I called.  I will also post in the classifieds.   I am going to try not to let this hold me up for too long.  In fact, I may start the bodywork while I'm working on the tranny problem.

[RCStealth]

BTW, does it look like the center hole in the Series 82 you just picked up will fit over these 4x4 hubs? Maybe measure one for me?

Sorry for the late response.  Just eyeballing the 4x4 hub picture and mocking up a rim on the H223 that I have, the rims should work.  Let me measure the inside diameter of the center hole and get back to you so we can know for sure!  I will be going out to the shop tomorrow, so I'll let you know soon.

[RCStealth]

I have an S14 5-speed if you want it.  Asheville is about 5 hours from me, so that's not too far if we meet halfway.

[SandyMush620]

I have an S14 5-speed if you want it.  Asheville is about 5 hours from me, so that's not too far if we meet halfway.

 

I will let you know.  I am going to inspect the rest of the gears and bearings today and just order the two gears from Nissan if all else is good.  They are about $63 each billed through my dad's shop.  I've learned that the 4x4 720s have a slightly lower first gear, so I would rather keep it if it's not a money pit.  And yeah, let me know on the wheels.  I finally found a set that I want on CL but I haven't moved on them yet.

[RCStealth]

I also have a twin disk clutch, I think it's a competition clutch if I am remembering correctly.  New in the box, but has been sitting for 6 years...lol.

[SandyMush620]

Ok.  Finally tore down the trans a little further for an inspection before I order parts. 

 

 

The first sign that all is not well with the world was the extra scrap metal on the magnetic drain plug that was not the expected teeth from the two damaged gears.

 

 

Turned out to be guts from the center countershaft bearing.

 

 

So the Nissan dealer says there are three different bearings, then narrowed it down to two.  He said it would either be 2.7 or 2.8 inches in diameter.  My bearing is 2.45".  I googled the bearing number and found a site that lists the various Nissan/Datsun applications of the bearing.  The gasoline 720 was not listed, but the diesel 720 had this bearing in this location.  I think someone may have swapped in a tranny from a diesel.  The ID tag is long gone, and the dealer is trying to ID it with his contacts in Japan.  He's taking the possibility of a non-original trans far too seriously.  My understanding via search is that the gear ratios are the same in the diesel 5-speed as the 4x4 5-speed, so that's good.  As far as I can tell, the other parts I need are the same part number for both transmissions, so if I can get my parts guy to calm down and send me the gears, locknut and snap ring, I can get the bearing online and be good to go.

[RCStealth]

The diameter of the inside hole on those series 82 wheels is a little less than 4 1/4" wide.  Should work with 4x4 hubs, me thinks.  :w00t:

[SandyMush620]

The diameter of the inside hole on those series 82 wheels is a little less than 4 1/4" wide.  Should work with 4x4 hubs, me thinks.  :w00t:

 

Cool, thanks.

[SandyMush620]

Heck with the transmission...moving on to the bodywork.

 

 

Lil Hustler stripes?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SandyMush620]

A little rust on the bottom of the fender.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patched, filled, in primer.

 

 

[]2eDeYe]

Looks good :)

[sammyboy808]

I know you plan on doing a toyota axle, IFS, and a trailgear highsteer in the truck eventually.  I've had a friend install one into my truck.  I suggest staying away from a hydraulic assist IFS and I'll get a picture for why as soon as i get home to the main computer but I will get some pictures of what had to be done.  You WILL have to modify the steering again to match up to an IFS and may need to chop a bumper bracket to install the IFS far enough forward on the frame to make the angles work.  I'd be glad to send you any pictures I have of my truck and the finalized project to give you an idea of what may have to be done.  My truck will be a neverending project but if I can be of any help with my trial and errors hopefully you can avoid any unforseen problems.

[SandyMush620]

I know you plan on doing a toyota axle, IFS, and a trailgear highsteer in the truck eventually.  I've had a friend install one into my truck.  I suggest staying away from a hydraulic assist IFS and I'll get a picture for why as soon as i get home to the main computer but I will get some pictures of what had to be done.  You WILL have to modify the steering again to match up to an IFS and may need to chop a bumper bracket to install the IFS far enough forward on the frame to make the angles work.  I'd be glad to send you any pictures I have of my truck and the finalized project to give you an idea of what may have to be done.  My truck will be a neverending project but if I can be of any help with my trial and errors hopefully you can avoid any unforseen problems.

 

I was originally going to install a Toyota axle and leaf springs but I had a hard time finding all of the components I would need to put it all together, especially a divorced t-case with a passenger side drop.  I only plan to go that route in the future if for some reason I decide to make the truck more capable off road.  Right now I intend for it to be a nice daily driver, and the stock Nissan components should be fine.  When I say IFS, I'm referring to independent front suspension.  You must be talking about something else in your post since a straight axle and independent suspension don't go together.