Cain's 64 NL320 Project Thread

[thomascain]

Hey!

 

My name is Cain and I just purchased an NL320 after a few years of searching. I had it shipped all the way across the country from Oregon to Connecticut. 

 

I've been into minitrucks for about 10 years and was formally a photographer for StreetTrucks magazine. This has been my dream truck for a while and I am looking forward to sharing my build with you guys.

 

Right now the truck just needs a rear wheel cylinder to get on the road. It is a complete truck. I'm hopefully not going to have to be searching for any part made out of unobtanium. My plan is to drive the hell out of it until winter. 

 

This is my first photo of the truck in my presence. 

 

 

 

We drove the truck home about 20 miles with very bad brakes and without really knowing how to use a column shift. 

 

 

 

This is my brother and his son looking at the truck getting picked up to bring to my shop. 

 

 

 

I am getting sick of seeing this truck on a flatbed!

 

 

 

This is what I found behind the seat. 

 

 

 

It is finally registered and insured! 

 

 

 

 

[mklotz70]

Sweet....you got the registration sorted out.  Great first post!! 

[]2eDeYe]

Welcome, that's a good looking truck you got there :cool:

[twiztedintentions]

Awesome truck!! Looks like you have all of the "hard to find" parts in good shape!!! Perfect start for a 320, keep us up to date on your build! (Since I'm a slacker on progress pics). Lookin good!

[Conner]

Looks great.  Congrats on the new truck.  Is it a 62 or a 63? 

 

According to my FSM the bore of the rear brake cylinder is .77 inches (front is the same).  You can use a wheel cylinder from a later 1968 520 truck.  BECK/ARNLEY Part # 072-8377 or RAYBESTOS Part # WC37208 are listed as 3/4" bore for the rear.  They also have 13/16" (.8125 inches) diameter cylinders which I think were on the later 520s and 521 trucks and may also work. 

 

Sorry, part # for the 13/16" bore wheel cylinders is B/A 072-2561 (rear) and B/A 072-1936 (front). 

[Eagle_Adam]

great truck, great start, welcome to Ratsun! 

[thomascain]

Looks great.  Congrats on the new truck.  Is it a 62 or a 63? 

 

According to my FSM the bore of the rear brake cylinder is .77 inches (front is the same).  You can use a wheel cylinder from a later 1968 520 truck.  BECK/ARNLEY Part # 072-8377 or RAYBESTOS Part # WC37208 are listed as 3/4" bore for the rear.  They also have 13/16" (.8125 inches) diameter cylinders which I think were on the later 520s and 521 trucks and may also work. 

 

Sorry, part # for the 13/16" bore wheel cylinders is B/A 072-2561 (rear) and B/A 072-1936 (front). 

 

Thanks for this Conner. I ordered the 0722561 part this morning. 

[Amerikilla]

ALL THE BRAKE PARTS IN THE REAR ARE THE SAME AS ANY DATSUN TRUCK. LOL.

 

TRUST ME. I ALREADY REPLACED ALL THE WHEEL CYLINDERS AND SHOES ON MINE. 

 

DISCS ARE NEXT.

 

(SORRY FOR THE CAPS, IM NOT YELLING. I USE ALL CAPS AT WORK)

[dp320]

My name is Cain

 

This is my brother and his son looking at the truck getting picked up to bring to my shop. 

 

Able is still alive!

[Swedishcadillac]

Nice project! Sorry to Threadjack... But, does anyone know if the brake parts in a 1965 411 wagon (drums) are also interchangable with other vehicles? I'm going to need shoes, etc. soon. Thanks! Looking forward to see this truck come together...

[wayno]

Welcome  B)

Great first post, looks like a 1963 NL320 to me, but I have seen 64s with that grill, I have had one.

Take care of them hubcaps, your not likely to find anymore.  :lol:

[K_trip]

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[thomascain]

I'm still trying to get the truck back on the road. I brought it into the shop to get the follow items fixed. I have so far spent way more money than I anticipated as more and more parts keep needing replacement. 

1. Tires (195/75/14) 
2. Brakes (Adjusters, Wheel Cylinders, Shoes, Lines)
3. Drain the gas tank (As the truck has been sitting for years)
4. Build a battery clamp
5. Oil Change
6. New belts

I will have pics of it as soon as I can drive it more than 2 miles! 

[KFunk740]

I'm still trying to get the truck back on the road. I brought it into the shop to get the follow items fixed. I have so far spent way more money than I anticipated as more and more parts keep needing replacement. 

1. Tires (195/75/14) 
2. Brakes (Adjusters, Wheel Cylinders, Shoes, Lines)
3. Drain the gas tank (As the truck has been sitting for years)
4. Build a battery clamp
5. Oil Change
6. New belts

I will have pics of it as soon as I can drive it more than 2 miles! 

 

 Summitracing.com has great Hankook 195/75-14 whitewall radials for 80 bucks each, which I have on my truck now. 

[thomascain]

 Summitracing.com has great Hankook 195/75-14 whitewall radials for 80 bucks each, which I have on my truck now. 

 

Your post was why I decided on that size. I must have read it like 10 times. I decided on some cheap tires. I will buy something nicer when I get this thing on the road. Maybe some nice whitewalls from coker or bigger rims. 

 

Thanks Kfunk!

[DMC]

Very nice NL Cain!!

[thomascain]

Picked up the truck three days ago from the shop and I've driven it over 200 miles since then.

 

I had the following things done...

• New Battery
• New Brakes (Lines, Adjusters, Cylinders, Shoes, Master Cylinder, Bearings, Drums)
• Drained the gas tank
• New "cheapo" tires until I pay for some white walls
• Replaced coolant
• Oil change

 

Here are some images...

 

 

This is my first time on the highway! 

 

New battery

 

 

My lady driving it! 

 

 

All the old parts

 

 

Picking up some beer.

 

 

She can shift better than I can..

 

 

Thats my big head..

 

It was a pleasant surprise when the headlights worked..

[wayno]

What carrier did you use to have it transported to you, are you happy will them?

I really would like to know, I am going to be transporting a vehicle soon, and I want it to go smoothly.

 

It has a weird shift pattern, don't it.  :lol:

It's a good anti-theft device, when you have to figure out where first is, and is there a reverse???  :lol:

[KFunk740]

What carrier did you use to have it transported to you, are you happy will them?

I really would like to know, I am going to be transporting a vehicle soon, and I want it to go smoothly.

 

Wayno:

 

I don't know who Cain used, but I'll tell you this much:  The whole auto shipping industry is a mess of brokers, contractors and subcontractors.  There's countless 'brokers' that that have websites that sound like they're real vehicle haulers, but really they're just dispatchers that find space on a truck for you.

 

After getting really frustrated, I found this guy named Gilbert that had excellent reviews and cheap rates, and worked really hard to get my truck to me (from LA to Ohio).  I think he has his own broker business called Philam Auto Shipping http://www.philamtransport.com/

GIve him a call and he'll take care of things.

[wayno]

I know what your talking about, I filled out maybe 3 "get a quote" forms, and received way more than 3 emails, actually I would not call them emails, I received several responses back from companies I did not ask for a quote from, all but one I was able to "unsubscribe" from, one just will not go away, I have not called them yet to tell them to take me off there list.

I have talked to one broker that has history with the owner of the vehicle I am going to be shipping, his daughter has had two vehicles shipped through them, that's a good sign, they used them more than once, at least I think it is a good sign, the biggest issue is that the vehicle doesn't run, nor does it have functional brakes of any kind, e-brake or otherwise, so it's going to be a pain in the ass to deal with.

Wayno:

 

I don't know who Cain used, but I'll tell you this much:  The whole auto shipping industry is a mess of brokers, contractors and subcontractors.  There's countless 'brokers' that that have websites that sound like they're real vehicle haulers, but really they're just dispatchers that find space on a truck for you.

 

After getting really frustrated, I found this guy named Gilbert that had excellent reviews and cheap rates, and worked really hard to get my truck to me (from LA to Ohio).  I think he has his own broker business called Philam Auto Shipping http://www.philamtransport.com/

GIve him a call and he'll take care of things.

I will call them after the holiday, see if I can get a rough estimate, thankyou.

[K_trip]

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[thomascain]

There is so much to love here ... it's great to see your truck out on the roads!

 

Man, I sure hope you at least try to save that original paint.  I think the rusty spots would hardly be noticed after rubbing it out, and throwing some wax on it.  Heck - it might be some effort and you might still want to paint it some day, but it's something you can do now and I bet you'll really enjoy the look.  But then I have a thing for old trucks with original paint, showing the true history and character.

 

You really think I could save it! I didn't think so. 

[mrbigtanker]

Nice truck my friend,and i would like to point out that you have a better battery holder then maybe 90% of the guys on this sight.lol

[K_trip]

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[thomascain]

The truck is in the shop right now getting ready for summer... So far it has only been lowered. To do that we turned the torsion bars all the way down and put blocks in the back. 

 

 

The carb, generator and voltage regulator have all been rebuilt. I'm waiting on the parts but they should be back this week. 

 

We plan on removing all of the chrome trim and the passenger side mirror. The wheels also got sent out for powdercoat and I've been having trouble figuring out what color I want to go with. So I made this handy little chart to get a better sense. 

 

 

I'm thinking that I will end up going with a manilla color... I don't plan on changing the paint anytime soon.