Loren O's '72 521 -Found this out in the woods.

[banzai510(hainz)]

those should be a commong lug nut 7/16s

 

 

 

 

 

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W58 head round exhaust port W Delta cam 40$

 

R180 with 510 halft shafts 100$

 

2 L20 carb 1 with intake attacehed 20 for both

 

510 rad CSF manf Singapore. 20$ has broken braket on side cant verify if good. 20$

 

Monza Exhaust tip new in box 20$

 

510 drive line 20$

 

2 4speed trans good speedo pinion removed 25$ for both

 

510 front ST springs one coil cut 10$( just so I dont think your a free loader)

 

rear stock 510 springs cut. FREE

 

Oil pans( NOT 510) Lmotor maybe 620s FREE

 

stock 510 intakes to clean up L20s a few of them

 

Used rocker arms. maybe soembody can rebuild them.

 

South end people you dont need to drive to Franks in Everett. just let me know.Call txt

253 653 3690 see what I have . Doing some cleaning

Hainz

 

Local pick up only will not send

[Loren O]

Thanks! I already have some on the way. I was a little surprised we didn't have that many in stock at NAPA. Then again,we don't sell wheels & tires so there's not a huge demand for full sets of lug nuts.

[Loren O]

I found a set of 720 leaf springs,shackles for $80.

[wayno]

I found a set of 720 leaf springs,shackles for $80.

 

Are you trying to lower it in the rear, if you are, you are looking for 720 4X4 leafs.

[Loren O]

I meant 720 4x4 leaf springs. I guess I just forgot to type the 4x4 part .

[wayno]

I meant 720 4x4 leaf springs. I guess I just forgot to type the 4x4 part .

 

I figured it out after I seen the other thread, 4X4 leafs will give you a drop, I personally don't know the exact amount, I just heard it was a certain amount.

I put them on my 520, but I also took out 2 inches of the 4 inches of drop blocks I had in there, and I remounted the front leaf perch higher(about an inch)and basically stayed the same as I was before, it was a wash, I did it the way I did it to raise the rear lower shock mounts off the ground, because with 4 inch drop blocks my lower shock mounts would hit the ground if I had a flat.

 

I hope this above statement makes sense.  :)

[Loren O]

Yes,your statement makes PERFECT sense. Maybe I should have asked my question differently,or maybe a different question altogether. I drive from Canby to either Molalla,Oregon and/or to Estacada,Oregon on my way to & from work. The roads are full of ruts,potholes,dips,etc. I like the LOOK of lowered vehicles,but I don't know that my commute makes driving one daily very practical. Your comment about the shock mounts hitting the ground hints at the problem I worry about with my truck. Also,I want to be able to haul stuff when needed,maybe even tow something( like that Datsun powered boat we saw at Blue Lake,is a good dream example!) . I guess my question should be more like " how low can I make my truck,&still be able to use it like I want? " then the next question would be " what is the best way to make it that height ? "

[wayno]

Yes,your statement makes PERFECT sense. Maybe I should have asked my question differently,or maybe a different question altogether. I drive from Canby to either Molalla,Oregon and/or to Estacada,Oregon on my way to & from work. The roads are full of ruts,potholes,dips,etc. I like the LOOK of lowered vehicles,but I don't know that my commute makes driving one daily very practical. Your comment about the shock mounts hitting the ground hints at the problem I worry about with my truck. Also,I want to be able to haul stuff when needed,maybe even tow something( like that Datsun powered boat we saw at Blue Lake,is a good dream example!) . I guess my question should be more like " how low can I make my truck,&still be able to use it like I want? " then the next question would be " what is the best way to make it that height ? "

 

I can actually haul stuff in my 520, only because I notched the rear frame above the axle, when I haul stuff in my kingcab 521 and I hit a bump, it hits the frame(3 inch drop blocks), as I don't have bumpstops, if I had bumpstops, the axle would be sitting on them, sometimes I hit the frame without hauling anything.

You will have to give up things depending on how low you go, the lower you go, the more you give up, if you want to haul stuff, 2 inches is likely all you are going to be able to do and still have a decent ride.

​I have a 521 work truck that I use to haul stuff, it is stock height, and it always will be, the rest of these datsuns I own are for fun, i have went to extremes to have a decent ride in my 520, even though I can likely haul stuff in it, i will likely not use it for that, as my frame is less than 3 inches off the ground in the front, if I start loading stuff in it, the frame will get to close to the ground, and if I get a flat it will hit the ground, that is not something I wish to experience at hiway speeds.

That datsun boat is still for sale, yesterday the asking price was $600.00, I just don't need a boat.

 

I had 4 inch drop blocks in the rear when the lower shock mounts were bothering me, when I pulled them out and replaced them with 2 inch drop blocks, that fixed that shock mount issue, you can get it fairly low and still have a decent ride, it's just a lot of work.

BTW, all my fun trucks(520/521) are using 720 frames, the 521 frame has more room between the axle and the frame, and the bumpstops on them are modifiable, they look like a figure "8", when I used my 521 work truck as a DD non work rig, I cut the bottom quarter of the "8" off, it made the ride much nicer when loaded.

 

To answer your questions, 2 inch drop block kit, or 4X4 leafs in the rear, adjust the torsion bars in the front, and then trim the bump stops as needed, any lower and your ride is going to start to suffer.

[DanielC]

Wayno does good work, and he also makes his trucks work, not just drive around but really do some useful work hauling stuff.  Listen to him, good advise!

 

Wayno,

The comment you made "BTW, all my fun trucks(520/521) are using 720 frames, the 521 frame has more room between the axle and the frame," 

Does the 521 frame have more space between the axle and frame, and because you switch to a 720 frame, you give up some of that space, and get the body sheet metal lower?

 

When you use a 720 frame under 520/521, how it the truck titled?  In Oregon, the VIN on the frame of the truck is the important one.  How does Washington title a vehicle?

[wayno]

I suppose I did not say what I said correctly, I believe that what actually is true is that both have about 8 1/2 inches between the frame and axle with no cab or box on the frame, but the 521 leafs are much more stout, while the 2wd 720 leafs settle more, so if you use 2 inch drop blocks in both situations, both will drop 2 inches, but the 720 2wd frame was lower to start with when you have a cab and box on the frame because the leaf settles more, so the axle will be closer to the frame, while the 521 leafs will have more room between the axle and the frame with a cab /box on it.

I am not saying that when you put a 521 cab/box on a 720 frame it will be lower to start with either, but I had less room to work with going that route, if you put 720 4X4 leafs on a 521, you will likely have the same axle clearance issues that I have in the 521KC right now.

When one starts changing stuff around, each situation has it's own issues, one has to deal with each situation separately, I don't know a lot about 520/521 frames, as I don't have any stock ones under any of my rigs.

 

I have thought about the frame swaps a lot lately, it is true that the frame numbers are different, and to be totally legal, I suppose that I should have taken both titles and the rig to be inspected and then had the title changed to be legal, but I didn't go that way, and I had to give up the titles to get rid of the cabs/boxes at the scrap yards, if I had not got rid of them cabs/boxes, my place would have looked like a wrecking yard, and the neighbors would have had fits, if I had it to do again, and will likely will do on future projects, I will cut the 720  frame just in back of the front suspension, and weld it onto the stock 521 frame, that way the 521 frame numbers will still be there, but I will have a 720 front suspension, which has power steering, disc brakes, and ball joints, which is what I am after.

 

The VIN tags are what interest the powers in charge over here, they used to check the frame numbers a long time ago, and I suppose they still legally could, but I have not ever had anyone look for frame numbers since they stopped inspecting vehicles over here in Washington, actually I have not had anyone look at the VIN tags either except when scrapping a cab/part of a cab.

 

In Washington I can, or at least could scrap a frame without any title, frames were not an issue over here until maybe recently, I am not sure how it works now, as I had to take a load of scrap to Oregon last week because I had a trunk lid in my load, along with a few body parts from a wrecked auto that was repaired with good parts, "pacific coast shredding" told me they needed a title for even bolt on parts now, so off to Oregon I went at that guys suggestion.

[KlassicMotion]

In Kansas, they don't inspect frame numbers, unless it's a vehicle from out of state. 

 

I would think it would be easier to just cut out the frame numbers and weld them in place on the new frame... Clean the welds, paint the frame and what DMV inspector would know?

[wayno]

In Kansas, they don't inspect frame numbers, unless it's a vehicle from out of state. 

 

I would think it would be easier to just cut out the frame numbers and weld them in place on the new frame... Clean the welds, paint the frame and what DMV inspector would know?

 

Yes, I understand what you are saying, but that is not legal, as it is intentionally trying to hide something, but I just dropped the cabs onto the frames that are not hot(stolen) as the numbers are there to be checked, I am not trying to hide anything, and since the scrappers made me give them my title to get rid of the cab, that is my excuse for being ignorant, as they took the title from me when I scrapped the cab.

As I said before, I think from now on I will do it differently, I will use what I need off the 720 frames, and leave the matching numbers where they are supposed to be, like how ole320s truck was done in the link below.

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/34698-320-balljoint-conversion/

[KlassicMotion]

Yes, I understand what you are saying, but that is not legal, as it is intentionally trying to hide something,

 

I'm not trying to debate here, just giving another option....  Wayno's suggested method is the best for legality....

 

 

I call it a grey area....  it might be technically illegal, but as long as the parts are not stolen, my concious would be clear... I mean how different is it than Sun International modifying all the Lotus Elise S1's with Honda V-Tec engines, slapping a their VIN plate on the body and calling it a Sun International Spyder, and now it's a street legal car!?  They were allowed by the government to do it, but to me, that's more "crooked" than what we are talking about.

 

I don't think anyone that buys a truck knowing it has a different frame under it, will care one way or the other, as long as the title says it a Datsun and not a "Builder" vehicle....

 

I've heard this same debate on other forums...  This is a big "deal" with Mini enthusiasts.  Since Mini importation seased around.... 1972?? ( I don't remeber off hand), but there are thousands? of Mark III and Mark IV Minis over here titled as earlier cars...  That is "crooked", but it keeps cars on the road, and it gets cars over here that the government deamed "unsafe"....

[Loren O]

I bought these 2 inch blocks to go with the 720 4x4 springs I'm getting

[KlassicMotion]

That's ironic, I was just shopping for a set myself!

[Loren O]

I went up to where my 521 is STILL sitting, waiting for space in my friends garage so I can assemble the ever-growing pile of parts,do the engine&transmission swap,& get this truck ready to be driven. While I was there,i removed the rusty crome moons &flat tires,& put on the 6- lug slot mags I bought from Taadj. Here's a before pic.

Here's the pic's I took today,after the new wheels were on.

 

I think it looks alot better now. I wish I could get some real progress done on this,but it's an hour drive from my apartment in Canby,to where the truck is stored.

[wayno]

I like slotted mags, they are old school, and I like old school.  B)

Does it have shoulder belts?

[Montuckey Dan]

I'm diggin' the ol school slots. Looking good :thumbup:

[Rocket Dog]

I like slotted mags, they are old school, and I like old school. B)

Does it have shoulder belts?

Yes his truck has them. Loren, you can get new belts from planetseatbelt.com but they're not cheap.  Totally agree with Wayno, I like the old school look of slot mags.

 

[Loren O]

You know, I've never even looked to see if if had any seat belts at all. Since you reposted that picture,i see one in the photo,hanging out through the broken back window. So far I've mostly been collecting parts,& waiting for space in my friends garage,so I can get to working on it. I am not allowed to work on vehicles at my apartment,& the truck is still at the previous owners place,outside Estacada (about an hour from my place). I'm hopefully going to that closed down former wrecking yard in a few minutes to get some bumperettes/brackets,some dash stuff,maybe a Datsun radio,& maybe a radiator. I ordered a set of "Datsun" rocker stripes off ebay last night. By the way rocket dog,it's good to see you post here,i haven't seen you on in awhile.

[wayno]

If it has shoulder belts, it's likely a 72. :)

[Loren O]

Well,I only had an hour at that closed wrecking yard tonight. I managed to get the bumperettes & brackets but ran out of time.& daylight before I could grab much else. The windshield has been out for who knows how long,so the dash has been wet alot. The radio I was going to grab was frozen,& only a.m. anyway. I may still grab the Datsun/hitachi a.m radio/8-track player just for the nostalgia of it. I didn't have my allen wrenches,so I couldn't get the red hazard knob. I did get the door handles,but not the door pulls yet. The truck I was pulling from didn't have a.radiator in it, but I think the other one does. Hopefully tomorrow or sometime soon i'll be going back for more.

[Montuckey Dan]

Sounds like your dealing with some of the same issues i'm having. Good luck man! Keep it up :thumbup:

[Loren O]

Back when I bought this truck,i also bought an L20 & 5 speed that came out of a '78 620. they're sitting in a shed, & i've been waiting for the guy I bought them from to dig them out,& possibly deliver them,since I think that might be too much weight for my 510 goon to haul. It's been many months now. I read some about ka swaps today,but am going to hold off until my engine swap skills are better (as in I want to learn how to weld & fabricate,own my own welder,etc. ) ,& until it looks like more ka24/521 swaps are done sucessfully. I may be able to get a z22 from one of the 2 720 trucks I know of,so maybe I should just go ahead & build an Lz22. I feel plenty confident that I can handle this swap.

On a different note,the white "Datsun" rocker panel stripes I recently bought off ebay showed up today. I am looking forward to getting the truck cleaned up, use some polishing/cleaning compound & my buffer on the truck &.instal the stripes.

[mrbigtanker]

I went up to where my 521 is STILL sitting, waiting for space in my friends garage so I can assemble the ever-growing pile of parts,do the engine&transmission swap,& get this truck ready to be driven. While I was there,i removed the rusty crome moons &flat tires,& put on the 6- lug slot mags I bought from Taadj. Here's a before pic.

Here's the pic's I took today,after the new wheels were on.

 

I think it looks alot better now. I wish I could get some real progress done on this,but it's an hour drive from my apartment in Canby,to where the truck is stored.

You want to sell that driver side rear view mirror.