ezcruiser Posted September 10, 2008 Report Share Posted September 10, 2008 I found a 69 521 VERY close to home. I went and checked it out today and talked to the guy for a long time about it. It has the 1300 motor but it spun a bearing and he has it disassembled. The motor is out of the car, but the trans is there and is supposed to be good because he drove it for a while. Here are some pictures of it: The floor boards are kinda rusty but nothing is through. One of the fenders has a rust spot about the side of my pinky, and right under the battery tray is rusted. Not many dents at all, some in the rear corner of the bed. The frame seems to be straight, it is a little scaled but no through rust really. It is the blue color because he had some extra paint after painting his big chevy, is supposed to be a avocado/light tan color. I'm 100% new to 521's besides reading about them here, will do the whole search button in a minute... But I would like to know some of the things I should look for that I haven't already checked. I'm guessing I will end up swapping in a l20b or whatever l-series I can get my hands on, just because I really don't know what is up with that motor. I wouldn't mind rebuilding the motor, but I would need some pointers on seeing if it is salvageable without bringing it home first! BTW he priced it to me for 600. Burn my ears please!:lol: Quote Link to comment
peanut2425 Posted September 10, 2008 Report Share Posted September 10, 2008 If you can talk him down a bit from 600 I would say do it. It is not much use to him sitting in a paddock with a f'd motor so he should take less for it. Quote Link to comment
ezcruiser Posted September 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2008 I will negotiate for sure! Quote Link to comment
dat521gatherer Posted September 10, 2008 Report Share Posted September 10, 2008 $600 is too much. try asking $300 and go from there. how long has it been siting? it will probably need brake work. is the windshield cracked? does it have the bumperettes? did he say most of the electrical stuff worked before it was parked? have the engine parts been sitting out in the rain? it looks like everything is there and the engine just needs to be delt with. the main thing is if you want to put a l series in it the motor mounts will need to be cut and relocated. thats the main reason i stick with the 71-72 model 521's maybe the 70 also i forget what was the first year of the l16 in a 521 it was 69 or 70. Quote Link to comment
jefe de jefes Posted September 10, 2008 Report Share Posted September 10, 2008 Yeah , offer 3 or 4 bills. $600 might even be worth it depending on where you are located. I don't know if they are very plentiful in Nashville. Quote Link to comment
ezcruiser Posted September 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2008 Yeah, I figured it would be a cold day in hell before I found another 1300cc motor around here... Let alone the parts to fix it. I'll make sure I mention that and see if I can pick it up cheaper?! Also I had no clue about the motor capabilities, figured I could swap in a L pretty easy. I will search that too, no fear.:P Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted September 10, 2008 Report Share Posted September 10, 2008 $600 for an old Datsun with broken motor? You are basically buying a body for that. How long has it been sitting? Anything hydraulic can/could/will be seized up. Can't be driven to prove one way or another if everything else works. Tell him THAT!!!! Right now it's a parts car (minus the motor) don't pay much for it. Quote Link to comment
ezcruiser Posted September 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2008 Thanks Mike, didn't really think about the hydraulics and such!! Been sitting for a couple months. I've also done some reading about swapping engines into it.. Such as needing the L16 oil pan, the original 4spd... only if it was a 1600 truck. J13's are a different story....still digging... Anyone know of a chart or something showing engine compatibility/swap-ability? Would be cool to have, not just for my 1300, for all! Quote Link to comment
ezcruiser Posted September 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2008 Well, feel free to lock/delete this thread. The owner won't take any less than 500 for the shell and I don't want do it. He got it for free and is tryin to make some cash or "I'm taking it to the scrap yard"....:lol: Quote Link to comment
denveratsun Posted September 11, 2008 Report Share Posted September 11, 2008 That whole "'I'm takin' to the scrapyard" thing is a freegin joke! I get so tired of responding to adds for cheap,fixable machines that end up being way more work that they described...offering the owner what I know from years of experience the thing is worth...and having them throw that crap at me. Tell him to take it to the "yard man"...he will give the guy 150 or 200 bucks for it and a really cool truck will be destroyed. Thats cool though...they are still making these things all the time. They are EVERYWHERE!:blink: That line wears me out!:mad: I will give him 50 bucks for the door panels:D Too bad though, the truck looks like it would clean up pretty easy...sorta:mellow: Quote Link to comment
fisch Posted September 11, 2008 Report Share Posted September 11, 2008 Since you can live w/o it, you are in the best place to negotiate from. Tell him to contact you if he wants to get rid of it for $300-$350, and leave it at that. Remember the price of scrap has it being worth what, $200 to $250 to a junker? So you know he will want a little more than that. Man the price of scrap has really messed us buying field dattos for $100 lately huh! Just to give you an idea: I got mine for $225, which was a screamin deal for a pretty rust free New England Datsun w/ only 96K. The guy was retiring to Fla and had to sell his house, so he had to sell the 521. He wanted $500 for it, but it didn't run (had no battery), had no brakes, and no clutch (pedals went to the floor) so I talked him down to $225. I'd say it took me about $400 in parts to get it back on the road and registered, passed safety (brake cylinders, shoes, new brake and clutch master, Clutch slave, fuelpump, webber carb). And I've prolly spent another $400 in cosmetic things that it didn't need, but I wanted (520 all metal dash and rust free tailgate shipped from the west, NOS seat covers, hood emblem, stock rearview mirror, glovebox, stock rim and hubcaps, etc.) So I have about $1200 into the truck so far. But I am looking at a pretty expensive repair soon as the rear seal is leaking on my block. I drive it once a week at the most at the moment, and won't at all in the winter, but if it was a daily, I'd have to look into this repair asap. If you are looking at a L motor swap right away, it will obviously up your costs conciderably. But I bet you could fix that J, hell it is already out and apart, and winter is coming, so it sounds like a fun indoor project! Have it ready by spring to pop back in! Quote Link to comment
ezcruiser Posted September 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2008 I swear, you guys always have a way of putting things that make the situation sound better than what I think, lol. I told the guy I would probably give him $250, who knows... may get a call back? Yeah, I think the whole l20 swap sounds great in this truck. I'm kinda split on space now but if I got the truck for 250 it would be a solid move on my part. A nice winter project, give me an actual reason to spend so much time on craigslist and I love datsuns so it will be 100% fun:rolleyes: Haha, at the least I can part it out to you guys for shipping cost. Would be super cool driving it though.... we'll see! Quote Link to comment
dat521gatherer Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 scrap metal dropped waaaaaay down this last month. he could get maybe $50-100 for it if he took it down to a junk yard. all metals dropped. simon & son in tacoma is paying .02 a pound for steel. that's about $40 for a 2000lb truck. i took 500 pounds down the other day to clean up a yard and burnt up more cash in gas getting there. other places may vary. cans are down from .73 to .60 as of 2 weeks ago. wait for one that you dont have to screw with the mounts. if you really want put a want ad for 521 on craigslist. who knows who's hiding some rigs in there yard just waiting to be discovered. even if it ran with a 1300 motor i'd be hard pressed to pick it up for $500. Quote Link to comment
ezcruiser Posted September 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 Yeah, scrap is in the crapper... it would take a lot for me to get this going, but if I can find a machine shop that will turn the crank and help me find bearings for it I might just tackle it. Quote Link to comment
fisch Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 scrap metal dropped waaaaaay down this last month. he could get maybe $50-100 for it if he took it down to a junk yard. all metals dropped. simon & son in tacoma is paying .02 a pound for steel. that's about $40 for a 2000lb truck. i took 500 pounds down the other day to clean up a yard and burnt up more cash in gas getting there. other places may vary. cans are down from .73 to .60 as of 2 weeks ago. Now that is some great news for Datsun lovers! Hell yeah, $100 field retired dattos should be coming back! If they were not scrapped during the high point! Quote Link to comment
fisch Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 BTW I like that this one looks like it has the original floor covering! Quote Link to comment
ezcruiser Posted September 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 I wouldn't doubt that it is the original covering fisch! It has buttons or something on it to fasten it to the floor. Interesting at the least. Still waiting for him to email me back.... Quote Link to comment
ezcruiser Posted September 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 Welp, he replied. Says, "has to have 450" so, naturally I'm not partaking. :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment
Rubberman Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 ez, I'm heading to BullsGap to pick her up tommorrow, no just kidding. I luv the 620's. I hope he comes down on the price for ya. Good luck. Quote Link to comment
ezcruiser Posted September 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 Haha, you should man! If you do I get to help right? Since we're long lost neighbors! Quote Link to comment
Rubberman Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 I wish I could, but the wife would have a fit. Too many projects right know. I pmed you my phone# about the hubcaps. If you get this truck and need some help let me know. Quote Link to comment
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