1978 datsun 620 kingcab project -bags and v8 swap

[Slammy]

Not much of an update. Had a unproductive week but today i got some stuff done. Had hell coming up with something that was strong enough for bag mounts and wouldnt get in the way of the wishbone. So after some thought i came up with this.

 

[Icehouse]

Bending those mirrored bas must have been a bitch!!! My buddy Tom and I were complaining about bending tubbing just the other day :D

[Slammy]

Bending those mirrored bas must have been a bitch!!! My buddy Tom and I were complaining about bending tubbing just the other day :D

 

Its a love hate thing for me. I love what you can do with it and im pretty creative with it but its a bitch. I think alot people dont realize how much of a pain it really is. I used to be really damn good at it but im having a hard time now. Gotta get my grove back plus this time im armed with a laptop and a bending program to help with complicated shit like this.

[Icehouse]

Its a love hate thing for me. I love what you can do with it and im pretty creative with it but its a bitch. I think alot people dont realize how much of a pain it really is. I used to be really damn good at it but im having a hard time now. Gotta get my grove back plus this time im armed with a laptop and a bending program to help with complicated shit like this.

 

 

Computers sure can be a help!! I really like the Acurites at work. Those mills are so much easier, it's amazing how fast and accurate they can be. I can imagine a tubing bender being just as helpful.

 

Is your tubing bender for mass production? Mark at EOP had a massive 3 phase tubing bender.

 

I always like practicing on stuff at work, I've been trying to tig weld everything I build there just for extra practice :D For me it's a chance to get paid to get better at something. They have a hydraulic tubing bender, some how the next thing they need I will have to find a way to utilize it :D

[Slammy]

My bender is just a manual Pro Tools setup. Not too bad but i should look at putting hydraulics on it.

[Cuts metal like mad]

fuckin-a... when I first read V8 620 back when this thread was new I gotta admit, I had my doubts... fuck it, I was think "dumbass"... but hell with that notion, your a master craftsman my friend! Judging from the frame alone, I'd say it doesn't matter what your building, its gonna SICK!!

 

2 thumbs WAY up. :thumbsup:

[fastdadd]

it going to be ashame to cover that with bodywork

[Slammy]

fuckin-a... when I first read V8 620 back when this thread was new I gotta admit, I had my doubts... fuck it, I was think "dumbass"... but hell with that notion, your a master craftsman my friend! Judging from the frame alone, I'd say it doesn't matter what your building, its gonna SICK!!

 

2 thumbs WAY up. :thumbsup:

 

Thanks man, ive cut up plenty of shit over the years. What it is doesnt really matter to me. Since i dont have shit myself i gotta get my enjoyment out of working on other peoples shit!

[Slammy]

it going to be ashame to cover that with bodywork

 

We have talked about doing a tilt bed on it or something, but depending on how i do the inside of the bed alot of it should be visible

[Slammy]

Bending those mirrored bas must have been a bitch!!! My buddy Tom and I were complaining about bending tubbing just the other day :D

 

Well you were right! Today i had to redo that passenger side bar cause it was wrong and then i fought with the damn thing for a few hours after that gettin it to line up right. Ive mainly been working on the drivers side otherwise.

 

and after all that, today i slipped on the table and straddled a frame rail and landed right the fuck on my tailbone. Holy hell that hurt, thank god i wasnt standing, i was on my knees.

[Slammy]

Well after being a "Broke Ass" literally, i got tied up running Slammys automotive repair doing brake jobs and all kinds of shit on a few cars. I did get alittle bit done but then my notcher fucked up on me last night. Ordered the part for it today, do i went to start making bag mounts and realized i was out of plate steel. Then when i left the shop my truck started running like shit cause another coil pack died. Anyone else having a shit ass week?

 

Anyways heres the wishbone frame mount i came up with, not done but you get the idea. Just wanted to keep pics coming.

 

[521 Dropsun]

it going to be ashame to cover that with bodywork

 

Do what I do. Don't even put a bed floor in it:D

[Slammy]

Well the datsun has left and i got a new project coming tomorrow. It wasnt to the point i would have liked it to be before it left but we decided that since he was current on his bill that it was a good time for him to take her home for hopefully a short stay. He is gettin a house and it was going to make work on the truck slow down to a point i couldnt allow right now. I hate to see it go, hopefully he brings it back soon so i can get back on it. So thanks for the support and opinions guys. If you want to see what im up to you can check my myspace page, you dont have to be a memeber to view my pics

 

http://www.myspace.com/therealslammy

 

Also are the factory 78 hubs/spindles worth anything before i chunk them?

 

Thanks for watching guys!

[yello620]

Well the datsun has left and i got a new project coming tomorrow. It wasnt to the point i would have liked it to be before it left but we decided that since he was current on his bill that it was a good time for him to take her home for hopefully a short stay. He is gettin a house and it was going to make work on the truck slow down to a point i couldnt allow right now. I hate to see it go, hopefully he brings it back soon so i can get back on it. So thanks for the support and opinions guys. If you want to see what im up to you can check my myspace page, you dont have to be a memeber to view my pics

 

http://www.myspace.com/therealslammy

 

Also are the factory 78 hubs/spindles worth anything before i chunk them?

 

Thanks for watching guys!

 

 

Bummer to see this progress slow down, but thats life.

Hope to see it back soon. Feel free to post random pics of your other work, inspiration for our Datto projects.

 

And those 78 spindles arent worth anything in my opinion. If paying for spindles, why not upgrade to Hardbody spindles since they go on the same balljoints. HB's have a far better caliper design too.

[Slammy]

Bummer to see this progress slow down, but thats life.

Hope to see it back soon. Feel free to post random pics of your other work, inspiration for our Datto projects.

 

And those 78 spindles arent worth anything in my opinion. If paying for spindles, why not upgrade to Hardbody spindles since they go on the same balljoints. HB's have a far better caliper design too.

 

yup, we put hardbody spindles on this one. I just wanted to make sure nobody wanted them or something. Course i dunno about shipping those heavy ass things anyways!

[DATSUN-FREAK]

I LIKE the front susp.

[Slammy]

I LIKE the front susp.

 

Thanks

 

The owner was at the shop today. He is settled in his new crib and saving money so we can get back on this thing, stay tuned!

[1Low620]

Cant wait to see more progress on this Slammy, I've seen some of your other work on the s10 stuff and all I can say is wow.... you've also given me some good ideas on setups :)

[Slammy]

Datsun is back in the shop, materials to build headers should be here wed. Stay tuned!

[Farmer]

Finally :D

[Slammy]

Getting started on the headers. That ugly weld will be metal finished, not gonna leave it there. I plan to have all the visible welds TIGed

 

[goes2fast]

Numerous reasons. Let me think of some.

 

First one was because the front clip was narrowed, the motor had to be set back to clear the steering box

 

Second was cause it helped with exhaust clearance. I only have 1 tube per side thats kinda far forward over the upper control arm.

 

Third, was hood clearance. The futher back you go themore hood clearance you have.

 

Fourth was for cooling. I wanted plenty of room for radiator, fans, accessories and etc

 

Fifth, and this was a big one to me, was getting the motor weight behind the front axle centerline. The truck doesnt have power steering so i didnt want it having a bunch of weight hanging over the front end making it feel front heavy which would make it hard to steer.

 

I dont see how you could get a v8 in one these without cutting the hell out of it. The engine bay is tiny and so is the tranny tunnel.

 

I know you are much to young to remember, but back in the 70s there was a kit to put a small block Chevy in a 620 and it required little modification to the floor or firewall, just a couple of smacks with a hammer for clearance. The kit was just motor mounts, and headers, you had to scrounge a radiator from the boneyard. I don't remember who made the kit, but my next door neighbor at the time used it to put a 283/turbo350 in his 72 620. He was into weekend fishing trips, and had a camper on it, and was tired of his buddies with full size V8s leaving him on the hills. After the swap, they couldn't keep up with him! Just wanted you to know that it is possible to put a V8 in without cutting everything up, although in this case, with the drop it's a little different. I just ran into this thread today, and your work is top shelf. I wish I could afford to take my truck to you, but I'm poor' so I have to do everything myself, and keep thing simple. :cool:

[DISLEXICDIME]

Hooker maid it and baxters had a kit still but that was 3 or 4 years a go

[Slammy]

I know you are much to young to remember, but back in the 70s there was a kit to put a small block Chevy in a 620 and it required little modification to the floor or firewall, just a couple of smacks with a hammer for clearance. The kit was just motor mounts, and headers, you had to scrounge a radiator from the boneyard. I don't remember who made the kit, but my next door neighbor at the time used it to put a 283/turbo350 in his 72 620. He was into weekend fishing trips, and had a camper on it, and was tired of his buddies with full size V8s leaving him on the hills. After the swap, they couldn't keep up with him! Just wanted you to know that it is possible to put a V8 in without cutting everything up, although in this case, with the drop it's a little different. I just ran into this thread today, and your work is top shelf. I wish I could afford to take my truck to you, but I'm poor' so I have to do everything myself, and keep thing simple. :cool:

 

I think ive got pics of a truck with that kit installed. Some of my thoughts on that are, with the motor that far forward,cooling is an issue. I wanted to be able to easily get a nice thick radiator in there since i dont have much height at all. Second is the fact it doesnt have power steering, having the motor that far over the front wheel centerline would make it harder to turn and handle bad since it would be front heavy. Pickups already have that issue. Lastly, i did it this way to give me room for the steering, this truck has a 4" narrowed front frame and its a very tight fit when you consider i gotta get exhuast in there.

 

I dunno, i honestly dont see how in the world they get v8s in these things without getting into the firewall. There just isnt any room! Id like to see one in person.

[Slammy]

Well made some changes to my initial start. Im not 100% on that upper tube, seems in person it looks better than the pics. There is not much room at all on this truck, probably could have picked something easier to learn on but jump in with both feet right? lol

 

Im very happy with the front tube, its simple and clean. I didnt like how close i had those two tubes to each other intially and i honestly dont have enough duplicate bends to continue that. So i made the rear one kick straight back, then had to make it dip down to go under the rear exhaust port. Im also keeping everything fromt sticking out past the frame rail, dont want the tire getting burned when turning.

 

I dunno, lll look at it some more tomorrow. Now im thinking Id really like to get that upper tube to follow the lower one more closer i just dont know if i cant do it with what i have. Im gonna order another pile of bends as it is since ive used most of my lower angle bends already and the drivers side is gonna be nuts. You guys think it looks decent? Im so self critical its nuts!