68 (or 9) sitting for 21+ years (lots of pictures)

[95silvia]

Kind of a newb to Datsuns, long life as a Nissan builder tho, back in Texas, I did buy one 200sx to do an sr20 swap (like this guy Marco) and got bored. Always wanted a sweet 510 like this guy (stock4door) Danny from ka24.net Anyway, I was asked by a friend to come look at some "stuff" in her families garage and see if I wanted any of the old "stuff" I blew her off for a week but she kept asking and insuring me that I would like some of this "stuff" so finally I went here is what I found: 

 

A little damage by the drivers side head light:

Thats about the worst of it!!! She's a real beauty!

 

Got a free ride home by AAA

Had to push her off even with the brakes off, 21 years of e-brake, all 4 tires were flat but the driver aired them up and they are still holding...

2 front rims are different than the 2 back, not that I care just noticed.

 

 

 

So from what I can tell it was a Boeing truck tell the old man bought it for 700 bucks in the 80's he drove it until he got a full sized chevy and parked it in 91... it sat there for all those years until I came and bought it for $300... well $400 if they find the title and keys... (I've already had my cousin make the ignition and door keys for me) Are they normally different? no pic but the headliner is light green and almost perfect as is the passenger side visor, drivers side has hard wear but no visor, hood pull knob is broken and so is the e-brake handle, but they both still work... missing the light pull knob too but i guess the red emergency one is the desirable one right? Rats ate the shift boot, I'll post engine pics later. its the J13... he drove it into the garage so ... who knows?   Let me know what you think, I already know I stole it. :angel:

[95silvia]

J13 looks pretty cool was very dirty but complete! 67hp! awesome. 

Keep or do a KA24 swap? or a SR, CA, FJ..... not sure yet and not making any plans but I would like to know what everyone thinks... seems like a shame to pull this mini-beast.

 This is the only rust I could find:

below the front hole you can see a ripple in the fender from an impact but thats not very bad either (above the first battery tray hole)

 

Ive seen s13/s14 motor mounts in worse shape than these, lots worse.

 

 

So I pulled the spark plugs and added a few caps of marvel mystery oil then squirted a quart of high mileage oil through the filler hole to the back of the motor with some marvel mixed in. waited an hour then turned it over by hand a little at a time, felt good....

 

new keys...

 

 

so with keys now you have to have???? --->  

[Tristin]

Looks like a nice score. 

 

Youre going to have a hell of a time cramming in those newer engines. It can be done, but be prepared for a lot of time, money, and effort. Its a quite a project. I would start with basic stuff to get it back on the road and running (and stopping) in perfect shape. Then once youve had it awhile, you can make the choice if you think all that work is worth it. 

 

Id clean it up and enjoy it for awhile before it gets stuck in the garage for the months of swap time.

[95silvia]

http://s74.photobucket.com/user/cjex/media/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20Christophers%20MacBook%20Pro/my%20521/IMG_0437.mp4.html

 

 

I can't figure out how to embed this video...

[95silvia]

sounds way better in person the starter is louder than the engine... like Tristin said I plan to drive it as is and love it for what it is first.

[Tristin]

Glad to hear. Engine swaps can be fun and am no way against them... its just that you should make sure youre ready to undertake something like that. Everyone cames in here thinkging they are going to SR swap everything (myself included) and then people get in over their head. Then the project rusts away in some yard unfinished. 

 

 

 

Where around the Sound are you?

[95silvia]

Glad to hear. Engine swaps can be fun and am no way against them... its just that you should make sure youre ready to undertake something like that. Everyone cames in here thinkging they are going to SR swap everything (myself included) and then people get in over their head. Then the project rusts away in some yard unfinished. 

 

 

 

Where around the Sound are you?

 

BTWN Renton and Kent

[Phixius]

awww, renton kent aint no south sound...

 

 

Nice truck.  good price.  I say do a swap, maybe L series first, then ka/sr whatever....  its not the same as a sr into a 521 as a RB into a 240sx... 

 

Is your Dash pad not cracked?  if so, super good deal mans...  you look to have a nice pristine 521.  how are the floor boards and the bed?

[Phixius]

oh, and what tail lights do you have?  68 carried over the 520 smaller lights and the 69 hand the larger 521 lights...

[95silvia]

awww, renton kent aint no south sound...

 

 

Nice truck.  good price.  I say do a swap, maybe L series first, then ka/sr whatever....  its not the same as a sr into a 521 as a RB into a 240sx... 

 

Is your Dash pad not cracked?  if so, super good deal mans...  you look to have a nice pristine 521.  how are the floor boards and the bed?

 

 

oh, and what tail lights do you have?  68 carried over the 520 smaller lights and the 69 hand the larger 521 lights...

 

Dash is 100% orignal and uncracked:

 

 

floor pans are solid with a small amount of surface rust on the passenger side:

the bed has no rust and no dents.

 

tails look like the bigger ones, I'm not sure though, but the bumper is from a 620... its coming off today.

 

can anyone tell what year it is by the vin?

 

[thisismatt]

Looks like a 69 to me. Very nice find and a sweet deal. Me gusta

[JoeCool]

Wow, good find. And can't beat the price!

[420n620]

look on the drivers door jam, their should be a date plate to find the month / year. 

 

see a reflector on the front fenders but not on the rear side of the bed, makes me think that theirs been body work done. But it's deff a 69 since it's got the J 13 & 521 tail lights w/ reflectors on the side. 70's I believe got the L series engine with out the reflectors. 

 

The dash pad looks in very good condition and if theirs no cracks, nice. 

 

anyways nice score. What does the odometer read ? 

[mrbigtanker]

Nice score dude,and swap a FJ20 in it.I would love to get one of those motors one of these days.Clean it up give the old girl a wash.A lot of potential there that is for sure.

[mrbigtanker]

So if I had to guess it's a 1970.It has a j block but bigger tail lights and it has a 69 front grill.It looks like it was going to be the cross over model.

[95silvia]

look on the drivers door jam, their should be a date plate to find the month / year. 

 

see a reflector on the front fenders but not on the rear side of the bed, makes me think that theirs been body work done. But it's deff a 69 since it's got the J 13 & 521 tail lights w/ reflectors on the side. 70's I believe got the L series engine with out the reflectors. 

 

The dash pad looks in very good condition and if theirs no cracks, nice. 

 

anyways nice score. What does the odometer read ? 

Yeah no cracks... 774877

I'll look at the door jam on the way to work.... Only one round reflector is missing and the circle where it was was in the dirt on the side... ill test the side for bondo patch.

[95silvia]

looked in the door jam there was nothing but over spray.... 

[wayno]

Welcome to Ratsun  B)

 

I would guess a 69 also.

See in my plate above the door locking plate on the door pillar, it says mine was built in 6-1969, mine had everything yours has, big taillights, round reflectors, and the J13.

Front rims look stock, but the back rims look like late 620 rims with the 521 hubcap installed.

[420n620]

here ? for date plate. 

 

close up for reference.

[MikeRL411]

If this 1969 has a VIN starting with "08", and yours starts with "06" then logically [that's how you get into trouble] yours is a 1967 model.

[XXL]

 

 

Is your Dash pad not cracked?  if so, super good deal mans...  you look to have a nice pristine 521.  how are the floor boards and the bed?

 

Looks to be a 520, so dash is steel.

 

As for engine swapping, I agree with what others have commented about it.  There is simply NO ROOM to swap anything bigger without major surgery to the firewall (and all the stuff going on behind it, like heater, etc.).  Heck, Datsun had to change up the sheetmetal on the 521 to get enough room for the L-series motors.

 

I had in mind a big-turbo'd KA swap for my 520 when I bought it, but, in addition to the swap modifications required, my truck is just in too good a shape to be cutting it up.

 

edit: Correction, I didn't see the VIN plate pic that says it's a 521.  521 with a 1300?  Probably a very early one (???)

[95silvia]

Welcome to Ratsun  B)

 

I would guess a 69 also.

See in my plate above the door locking plate on the door pillar, it says mine was built in 6-1969, mine had everything yours has, big taillights, round reflectors, and the J13.

Front rims look stock, but the back rims look like late 620 rims with the 521 hubcap installed.

 

 

here ? for date plate. 

 

close up for reference.

 

My door jam has nothing not even 4 holes where the rivets were taken out... when I paint it Ill sand it down maybe someone took it off and hid it... it was a Boeing truck but they don't keep records that old, they don't like paper trails.

 

 

[95silvia]

Im thinking just get it running nice... still need brakes... and clean the gas tank, and put some rallys on it and drop it 3 inches, maybe build a safari roof rack, and just enjoy it as is for the summer and maybe pull it apart for fall winter and paint it ... as for swapping I would build a bench swap, and do it all at once not pull a good truck apart and then run out of time or money, and I think what ever I do will be carbureted kinda like my own version of a rocky's auto 521.

 

on a side note does anyone use airbags on the 521s or 520s or 620s? I'm planning the blocks for now but air could be cool too, plenty of room under the hood for a compressor....

[420n620]

went and looked at my 69 521( light blue parts trk ) w/ the J and their is no date plate on the door jam so I say yours never had one. But my red 69 521 w/ J engine does, go figure. 

 

I agree, clean up the gas tank and fuel line, new fuel filter/s, change oil / filter ( NOt FRAM ), remove ALL the drums and clean the wheel cylinders up / inspect brake pads ~ replace if needed and bleed system, ( be sure to put drums on before bleeding ) check trans and rear end lube ~ top off if needed, drop rear, re index front & mount rally's and go have fun in it. 

[95silvia]

went and looked at my 69 521( light blue parts trk ) w/ the J and their is no date plate on the door jam so I say yours never had one. But my red 69 521 w/ J engine does, go figure. 

 

I agree, clean up the gas tank and fuel line, new fuel filter/s, change oil / filter ( NOt FRAM ), remove ALL the drums and clean the wheel cylinders up / inspect brake pads ~ replace if needed and bleed system, ( be sure to put drums on before bleeding ) check trans and rear end lube ~ top off if needed, drop rear, re index front & mount rally's and go have fun in it. 

I replaced and bled the hydraulic part of the clutch (master and slave) added oil ... but will change today, what filters do people use? I was thinking Wix... and what weight oil? 30 high milage? I still have no pressure in the brake system ... I filled the brake master and tried to use the pump and old nasty fluid came out (a little) and the new fluid didnt move... so there must be a hole somewhere, I got new wheel cylinders and shoes... we'll see how it goes.