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1973 Green Weenie


GRpufnstuf

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So today I got aligned, exhausted, and auto bodied. Not even half my list.

 

No suspension, oils or driveline. Oils tomorrow for sure and possibly torsion bars if'n it ain't raining. Otherwise I'll pack it all up and do it in sunny LA.

 

Driveline looks pretty good but I do need to space the carrier up soon.

 

Alignment was mainly just a toe adjust. No pix...

 

Exhaust shop:

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No finished exhaust shots yet but I promise they are coming.

 

Auto body:

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Looking and driving sweet!

 

So when I bought the truck I filled the tank for my trip home and it took 10 gal or so. The gauge went to about half even though the pump clicked off as if it was full.

This made me think the gauge was off a bit and I had no idea what this aftermarket fuel tank's capacity is.

Well today it took 15.4gal and took the needle right up to full from almost E. so I have a nice big 16+ gal tank which is nice. BUT it has a leaky something when it gets that full. Probably filler neck rubber (I'm hoping). I'll look at it tomorrow before I head south and ill be sure to keep it 3/4 or less full until I can fix it.

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Before you try to install those lug nuts, better double check the thread pitch. Chevy uses a 12x1.5mm, and Datsun/Nissan use a 12x1.25mm pitch.

Forgot to mention the lugs are the Chevy 1.5mm thread so I'm sticking with the dog dish caps for now. But I kinda like the bullet theme bullet side idea.

 

I'll still use my AutoZone .44 mag valve stem caps.

 

A pic of the Chevy they didn't go onto... Pay no attention the the chopped Wildcat in the foreground, nothing to see here..! The truck is on the lift behind it.

I really should put these pix in the Car Porn thread, but those are really My buddy Tony's cars to show off. He does some amazing work.

He is "Tonys_Customs" on Instagram if anyone wants more.

The funny thing is my truck almost got more likes yesterday than the Wildcat in the pix!

 

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Looking good.

Your truck takes my toughts to new paint and rust removal on my truck.

I like your Oldtimer as it is. But my offer stands if you decide you need it!
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Line 6 of the instructions adds more confusion! If you slide the circlip towards the front that means the gold tube contraptions are at the rear of the bars. But I swear they will run into the dust boots on the adjusters. Also I hope they clear my new exhaust... Eek, I didn't even think about it when I was having it done.

 

And my favorite instruction? "SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS" very matter of fact.

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Road trip to the south land (Portland, OR ---> LA, CA)

 

Got off to a late-Ish and a little rocky start yesterday.

 

Truck started fast idling the night before so I gave it a good going over looking for loose screws, air gaps and so on. Found a couple small issues and fixed them. The idle came most of the way down.

 

Hit the road south to meet up with Yello620 for some late model 620 AC interior bits. Good to meet a Ratsunner in person and we had a good 620 engine swap talk, thanks Yello!

 

Got a ticket for my tags (never got the trip permit) on the way to meet up. But the cop was cool and mellow. I did my usual yessir, nossir and he appreciated it.

$110 fix it ticket, so even if I have to pay it's barely more than the street sweeping parking ticket in my neighborhood ($76) and no points.

 

Rolled south on I5 at about 60mph average.

 

A pic of my iPhone GPS speedo app reflecting on the windscreen in HUD mode... Love it

 

4407af8460729d5ccb9fbf9d8c4a575c_zps6f51

 

MPG is pretty bad, like 14mpg right now. I guess that's fucking horrible for a 1.6 liter no matter what RPM I'm turning.

On the bright side I think this fuel tank is 20gal, I ran it to under E before stopping last night so I'll have a good read on the capacity when I fuel this morning. I guess I could measure the very square dimensions and do the math but this is more fun?

 

The job I'm rushing back to LA for has postponed 1 day so I'm taking my time this morning with my Haynes and '73 Datsun manuals adjusting mixture, rechecking all carb connections and screws, looking for a new set of plugs, and looking up the cheapest DGEV kits!

 

I'm currently in Corning, CA and want to make sure I get past Willams, CA as I've heard it's a Bermuda Triangle for 620 breakdowns.

 

Oh and my speedo, which always read kind of fast went crazy insane last night. It pretty much just reads 100mph at anything over 50 now. I can see something loose inside hanging down and wiggling around from behind the needle pivot and partially blocking odometer numbers. I already ordered a purple speedo drive gear to correct the fast reading but I guess it was more gauge that input.

 

Are these replaceable separate from the warning lights and fuel gauge cluster?

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I don't remember, have you done a valve job yet? 

If I remmember right, that Hitachi is a 26/28 progresive, versus the Weber 32/36 DGEV.  Here is where I buy my Webers:

http://www.webercarbsdirect.com/Carburetor_Conversion_Kits_s/25.htm?gclid=CJnw5_bnjLoCFQZyQgod3BoALQ

Weber recommends using a fuel pressue regulator with their carbs... Some people do, some don't.  I do, and  have had no problems with mine.  I like Weber's regulator #31800.063.  I'm also very happy with the fuel pressure guage I installed onto my carb.  I will put the same gauge on my 32/36 DGEV when I buy one for my 620.

Here is my thread for some tips for install: (different carb, but same basic install)

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/56764-i-love-my-weber-38-dges-heres-my-38-dges-install/

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I don't remember, have you done a valve job yet?

If I remmember right, that Hitachi is a 26/28 progresive, versus the Weber 32/36 DGEV. Here is where I buy my Webers:

http://www.webercarbsdirect.com/Carburetor_Conversion_Kits_s/25.htm?gclid=CJnw5_bnjLoCFQZyQgod3BoALQ

Weber recommends using a fuel pressue regulator with their carbs... Some people do, some don't. I do, and have had no problems with mine. I like Weber's regulator #31800.063. I'm also very happy with the fuel pressure guage I installed onto my carb. I will put the same gauge on my 32/36 DGEV when I buy one for my 620.

Here is my thread for some tips for install: (different carb, but same basic install)

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/56764-i-love-my-weber-38-dges-heres-my-38-dges-install/

I had the valves adjusted when I bought the truck, I do not have 100% confirmation that its don e or done right though.

 

I was actually just thinking about throwing a regulator on before I hit the road. I haven't found a spec for what the Hitachi needs, I'm guessing 3-6lbs?

 

I think my over-fueling is worse when this big gas tank is full. The rest if the adjustments and carb junk seem fine, at least curbside here at the Holiday Inn Express.

 

I'll read the weber recommendation and grab something at the Napa or O'reilly's

 

GOT IT "Test the fuel pressure output with a fuel pressure gauge. If the fuel pressure exceeds 3.5 psi, install a fuel pressure regulator"

 

This quote cracked me up too;

"This Weber carburetor has been manufactured using very high quality control standards. Through years of experience we have found that most carburetor problems are caused by other engine components."

 

Both from, http://www.webercarbsdirect.com/v/vspfiles/images/Weber%20Trouble%20Shooting%20Guide.pdf

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Thanks man, I was actually just thinking about throwing a regulator on before I hit the road. I haven't found a spec for what the Hitachi needs, I'm guessing 3-6lbs?

 

I think my over-fueling is worse when this big gas tank is full. The rest if the adjustments and carb junk seem fine, at least curbside here at the Holiday Inn Express.

 

I'll read the weber recommendation and grab something at the Napa or O'reilly's

 

My stock pump puts out around 4.5 psi maybe a little more....

 

I tried the junk Mr. Gasket regulator first..... It didn't seem to do anything, so I tested it, and it wouldn't go less than 4.5 psi.... The Weber carbs aren't supposed to have more than 3.5 psi, and the Weber regulator goes down to 1.5 psi.  Another decent regulator, is the one from Holley, maybe O'Reilly's has one... I haven't tried this one, but another member swears by it.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hly-12-803?seid=srese1&gclid=CPrsn5zujLoCFSU6QgodaTwAIA

 

hly-12-803_w.jpg

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Welp, I'm dumb.

 

Datsun gave me that beautiful window into the float bowl and I didn't use it.

Float is floating but it wasn't closing the needle.

Full up when the car was running. Fixed that and idle is back to almost normal.

Fuel press reg is in and set at 3lbs.

 

I'm hittin the road. I hope that float adjust fixed some of this mpg stuff. I would have brought my '66 4x4 f250 if I wanted 12-14 mpg (well 8-10 if I drove slow)

 

Updates later! I know you can't wait

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OMGDammit! I love my truck.

 

Not reg'd since 1996 (yes that back in the 1900's folks)'

I do a half assed spit shine on it and it goes ahead and gets me 1000 miles south with very minimal trouble.

 

Made it home and my truck is in the driveway WOOT. I wasn't sure it would make it up the drive, the street slopes hard and so does the ramp up the curb so lowered anything scrapes or worse. even my stock Mini Cooper scrapes.

 

Anyway, lots of plans after sitting in my truck for a total of 18 hours the past 2 days.

 

- I'm going to try and fit those Porsche 914 seats I got. I really like the bench but OUCH to my head back and butt

 

- I'll be looking for a 4.11 H190 third member

 

- Also on the look out for the shorty D21 5spd and a 720 bell house (for use on the L16 and eventually a KA swap)

 

- Probably going to do the Weber before I get to swapping engines.

The Hitachi started flooding out again. I'll get a new float in there but it just doesn't seem to hold any adjustment for long.

 

- the torsions are going in tomorrow or Saturday for sure.

 

- going to grab some cheapy pinto front shocks tomorrow. The old stockers I had in there really gave up the ghost around Stockton, CA. There is construction and that part of Interstate 5 can EAT A DICK. God damn that sucked, I'll be checking for bent control arms in the daylight tomorrow. I'll do real shocks when I swap to disc brakes. Yello620 had a good idea to mod the lower control arm rather than extend the upper shock mount into the sheet metal. I'll be working on that while I look for the rest of my swap parts.

 

- and finally the 620 disc stuff needs to get on sooner than later, just the late night traffic in town had me wishing for better stops

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Oh! I emailed Sway-A-Way with pics of their confusing instructions.

 

They replied quick with;

 

"The adjusters go to the back of the truck. The longer exposed part of the bar goes to the front. The dust boot is not used at th rear of the bar because the adjuster sits there."

 

Mystery solved

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Arrrrgh,

 

My pretty Nismo torsions don't fit or at least they won't fit a stock 620

 

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My transmission crossmember is too close to the stock bars for the big adjuster tubes to fit.

 

I could run them reversed with the adjusters at the front but it would be very close the the exhaust, probably hitting actually. And the the bars would be in opposite SAW's instructions, putting the adjusters out there where they'd get the dirtiest.

 

I am headed to the wreckers tomorrow looking for a crossmember I can mod with some pipe cut outs to clear the new girth.

Then I'll be back in business.

 

While I'm there I'll be looking for late model 620 upper arm spindles for my Beebani upper arms also early 720 24mm torsions (just n case). I'll take my calipers along for the measuring. Oh and maybe a ; aq-Ish rear end.

 

I'm determined to fit these Nismo bars. They are white and gold, they are Nismo, they are coooooool. At east worth a try I think.

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GR,

If the splines are the same front and rear why not install them with the adjusters forward to avoid the cross-member?

 

The bar itself will work fine as long as you have the adjuster working in the correct direction.

Hi Dime Dave,

 

I thought of this and one of the sets of drawings that came with the bars shows them installed that way.

BUT, I just got my exhaust redone and the adjusters won't clear the down pipe up front as it sits right now.

 

If I don't find a cross member quickly enough I'll consider having an exhaust guy redo things for clearance.

But for now I feel the cross member is my path of least resistance and least $$. I can mod it fairly easily once I have it in hand.

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New hood prop keeper thingy.

 

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I got it off of a VW Jetta. I spent a while at the wrecker looking at and pulling various keepers. The VW is the most re-usable I found.

To remove it you push a rivet kind of pin/post out either up or down and it pulls out easily. Just keep the pin for re-installation

 

All of the Japanese keepers I found were baked and brittle and relied strictly on the springiness of the plastic tines to keep them in. When they are pulled out they break.

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No progress report this week.

 

I came home and went straight to work. I haven't even seen my house in the daylight since I got back.

 

I've been DD the 620 and it's still idling fast and occasionally acting like its flooding at low rpm and missing.

Otherwise it's working great and getting low 20's for mpg. I'll have more time to diagnose and tune next week.

 

Last day of my job today and the boss asked me to drop a plastic slide off on my way home.

 

All I can think is...

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..."There's always money in the Banana Stand"

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Expensive day. But productive.

 

Found a tranny cross member and an in tact blue floor mat.

 

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My torn up bench is blue under the grey blanket I put over it so there is a tie in.

 

The cross member cost me something like $750.00 but it came with a free Miller...

 

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... I get tired of borrowing friends welders and stuff, next up drill press, then a small band saw, small lathe, quiet compressor etc. already no room in my garage for this stuff :) !

 

I also looked at a lot of 720 trucks at the north PikNpull in Portland today. Many seem to have larger than 620 torsions (I didn't have calipers with me) and I found an '85 with the short 5spd but didn't grab it... Yet

 

I suspect the '80 is the harder to find when trying to do the late model 5spd swap to an L series engine.

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