79 620 Restore Options

[GarrettCuston]

I have a 79 620 5 Speed with a rusted roof.  Yes you heard correctly a rusted roof.  Sometime in the last 20 years a tree put a dent into the roof and well the rain and Texas sun has managed to make the roof rust through.  (Can't seem to get the pictures to load in obviously I'm doing something wrong)  Just wondered if anyone has replaced the roof or should I just put a sunroof option on it?  The rest of the truck will need to the be restored.  Everything in the interior will be to pulled out cleaned and replaced.  It does have some rust through holes on the side bed and I am sure it will need floor pans as the passenger side window was broken years ago.  The truck ran and droved when I parked it in the early 1990s.

 

This is a list off the top of my head of items it will need.

 

Roof

Floor Pans

Dash Pad

Carpet

Seat redone

Brakes

Gas Tank

Rubber lines, hoses, etc...

Everything needed to get it running again

Possible wiring harness

 

I am not scared of getting it back on the road again and I am fully capable of doing all the work myself.  Just trying to get ideas from everyone here.

 

When I figure out how to load the pictures I can get them loaded, so we can see what I am up against.

 

Roger

[Eagle_Adam]

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/691-how-to-post-pictures-and-keep-online-photo-albums/

[GarrettCuston]

If I have done this correctly here are my pictures.

 

 

Roger

[Ricky116]

My goodness! you have some work there! good luck. At least its the right model (disc brakes and a 5 speed)

[red76datsun]

Chop top low rider maybe? :)

[Eagle_Adam]

if you weren't so far away id say come cut the roof off my parts truck 

[GarrettCuston]

Ok, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that is not a lot of sheetmetal parts available for these trucks.  I have found floor pans in Asia, and JC Whitney has (1) passenger fender.  Other than that fleabay and craigslist are my only source.

 

Any ideas or things I'm missing.

 

I'm still working on my game plan for salvaging this rust bucket. 

 

Roger

[red76datsun]

Like Adam said, find a parts truck and chop the roof off and weld it on. Or get a whole new cab

[dscottdatsun]

Do a roadster!!! :thumbup:

[DatsunHooked]

Is that AC I see peaking out from under the dash? If so nice score. About the roof-unless you can get a strait panel and weld it on without distorting the roof panel, you may just have to go with a sunroof. Or a cab swap. Changing whole cabs isn't that hard on these guys.

[Kirden]

I would suggest a sunroof or maybe convertable project?

 

If you get a chance add some pics under the hood. If your firewall is ate up with rust your best option would be a cab swap. Sadly, a cab swap will most likely require you to get an entire parts truck, which may be in better shape over all.

 

Look at Wayno's threads where he converted 520s into kingcabs, that will show you how you will need to weld in a patch panel, if you choose to replace the roof.

 

From what I can see in the pictures you don't seem to have a bad start. First thing I would do is clean all of that stuff out of the bed. If your truck is anything like mine, the dirt and debree will have made lovely rust holes in the bed.

[GarrettCuston]

I PMd Wayno for his opinion. After reading his threads I believe he is the resident expert fabricator. Once I get the truck here in Pensacola from Texas. I can start the assessment of actual damage and rust and be able to clean the whole thing up and out. Should have it here next month.

[wayno]

I don't own any 620s, so I really have not payed much attention to the tops, it looks like the top kinda is raised on the sides, if the sides of the top are not bent, I would get another top, cut it to fit over what is there, then tack it into position on all four corners and in the middle, do not weld it, you have to make a tack/spot welds, after it is in position, start by tacking it in the middle somewhere, then move ahead 4 inches and repeat over and over till you get around to where you started, then tack it in between each weld, go all the way around, then start skipping ahead 4 inches, you want to make sure you don't get the metal to hot, if it does it will warp.

I really would need to see it myself to determine what needed replaced, to bad they don't make 620 convertible kits anymore.

[GarrettCuston]

I'm waiting on pics of the firewall. The truck may be to far gone. Floor pans, rocker, bottom of doors just to start with. May need to source another body and use this as donor vehicle. I know this vehicle was running when parked that is the only real good thing it has going for it.