tablebeast Posted February 6, 2018 Report Share Posted February 6, 2018 I set up a deal to get this 74 datsun 620 pickup today. 24k miles showing and I think that 124k is correct. The pics I was sent are terrible, but I checked the truck out in person last night. It was too dark for me to take more pics, but I did get a really good look at it. So, the truck is originally a California truck. It was driven to North Carolina by the previous owner about 15 years ago. It was then used as a mule on a farm for years and has now sat for less than a year. Right now the carb is sticky and needs tires bad, but other than that the truck is really just filthy. Never been cleaned, never been repainted, floors are super solid. Everything seems nice and tight. Cab mounts are perfect, barely ANY rust at all and only a couple of tiny holes i the cab corners. The bed is one of the best I've seen in an unrestored truck, especially on the outside. The brakes have been redone with new lines in the last few years. OK, so my plan is to rebuild the carb, slap on brand new tires, tune it up, take the bed off, rustproof the underside of the bed and frame, clean out/repair the gas tank, replace fuel lines completely. Looks like brakes were already parts bombed, so maybe I won't have to mess with that. Then after some serious power washing, we're going to buff out the original paint as clean as possible and then I'm going to tastefully pinstripe it with black, blue and silver. I'd like to get it to be a daily again, I don't think its far away. Its the most solid Datsun I've ever bought. Minor dings, scuffs and scrapes, but no wrecks or major damage. Perfect "Ratsun" material. If I told you what I paid for it, you'd slap me. I will get pictures back up as soon as I can. 1 Quote Link to comment
G-Duax Posted February 6, 2018 Report Share Posted February 6, 2018 Daily driving these things (I do) is a constant project. You never know what's going to fail next. Keep a running, licensed handy.....And always carry a tow fee in your wallet.....And have good excuses ready to tell your boss. 1 Quote Link to comment
tablebeast Posted February 6, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2018 Daily driving these things (I do) is a constant project. You never know what's going to fail next. Keep a running, licensed handy.....And always carry a tow fee in your wallet.....And have good excuses ready to tell your boss. Indeed, all good advice. I know that some kind of roadside assistance is going to be mandatory. I'm actually thinking of setting my roommate up with this particular truck. He needs a cheap little daily to sip gas. He also wants to learn how to work on his own stuff more and I think this might be the perfect learner. Its seriously so solid in all the right places. Just needs a bath and a weekend of tinkering to get it on the road. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted February 6, 2018 Report Share Posted February 6, 2018 I daily a 521 since 2000. Its a task to keep running. Some times once a month I have something going out but I know the truck. You or your room mate might not be up to the task but these are very simple trucks to work. on. If room mate is broke already It mite be better to get a nicer more modern car. In a few months of driving half the rubber hydrulic stuff might be leaking. 2 Quote Link to comment
hobospyder Posted February 6, 2018 Report Share Posted February 6, 2018 When you get a chance could you post or send me pictures of how the mirrors are mounted please? More so the upper mount and a measurement off the angle please? I have a set that don't include the third leg that I was planning on mounting to something and it would be extremely helpeful 1 Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted February 6, 2018 Report Share Posted February 6, 2018 Definitely clean out the gas tank. i strongly suggest you take the tank out of the truck, and clean it good. i would replace fuel system hoses, they are 45 years old. If you have a cooperative Nissan dealer, you can still get OEM filters. I would leave the carb alone, until you have ran it a bit. Fresh gasoline going through the carb will go a long way to cleaning it, and you may not have to replace it, or even work on it. Quote Link to comment
tablebeast Posted February 6, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2018 I daily a 521 since 2000. Its a task to keep running. Some times once a month I have something going out but I know the truck. You or your room mate might not be up to the task but these are very simple trucks to work. on. If room mate is broke already It mite be better to get a nicer more modern car. In a few months of driving half the rubber hydrulic stuff might be leaking. Luckily he has me around to sort out issues. While I have never had a 620 myself (yet), I have had several 720s, a 520, 510 Wagon, 810 Wagon, and a handful of Z cars. So I know these things better than most. The commute is about 10 miles each way. A nice, well lit, populated, and flat stretch, too. Plus he already has a big diesel truck as a backup. Just looking for something smaller and more fuel efficient. I figure worst case scenario if he hates it, I'll take it or we'll flip it. I've never lost money on any of my Datsuns, so I think the risk is minimal all things considered. Quote Link to comment
tablebeast Posted February 6, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2018 Definitely clean out the gas tank. i strongly suggest you take the tank out of the truck, and clean it good. i would replace fuel system hoses, they are 45 years old. If you have a cooperative Nissan dealer, you can still get OEM filters. I would leave the carb alone, until you have ran it a bit. Fresh gasoline going through the carb will go a long way to cleaning it, and you may not have to replace it, or even work on it. I agree completely on the gas tank and fuel lines are going to probably get replaced as well. OEM parts are always nice to get, I'll see what I can find. The carb is in rough shape and I figure for the $80 that I can spend to get a new one I would just rather take its sketchiness out of the equation. Quote Link to comment
tablebeast Posted February 6, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2018 When you get a chance could you post or send me pictures of how the mirrors are mounted please? More so the upper mount and a measurement off the angle please? I have a set that don't include the third leg that I was planning on mounting to something and it would be extremely helpful. It may be a month or more before I get it home, but I will get some close up pictures when I get a chance. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted February 6, 2018 Report Share Posted February 6, 2018 this is me Drain tank.( I wouldnt tak eit out myself As Im Lazy) put new gas and run 2 fuel flters if the truck is running and put new antifreeze in ans see what happens. maybe you get lucky and it runs fine. just dont let dirt get in there and plug stuff up. I give it a tune up by running it at HIGH RPM then put a rag over carb where it almost kills it to suck any dirt thru the jets. replace the rad hoses and ck the heater hoses. If kingpins front end, then grease them PB Blaster and bolts uyou think you might need to be taken off soon Quote Link to comment
hobospyder Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 It may be a month or more before I get it home, but I will get some close up pictures when I get a chance. it may be a year before I mount my mirrors, if I'm lucky, so no rush Quote Link to comment
G-Duax Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 PB Blaster all the bolts on the whole truck, they might need to be taken off soon... There, fixed :) Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 First get another picture hosting account. Photo buck for it isn't showing up here. Second, a new dealership carb is $665 10 years ago so probably an OEM is no less than half that. An $80 POS carb from China is going to cost you in added problems, break downs, don't work right, leaks. Don't buy it. For half that you can get a super rebuild kit and renew it yourself. As Hainz said, drive it with a new gas filter and change it after a couple of tank fulls. Quote Link to comment
tablebeast Posted February 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 First get another picture hosting account. Photo buck for it isn't showing up here. Second, a new dealership carb is $665 10 years ago so probably an OEM is no less than half that. An $80 POS carb from China is going to cost you in added problems, break downs, don't work right, leaks. Don't buy it. For half that you can get a super rebuild kit and renew it yourself. As Hainz said, drive it with a new gas filter and change it after a couple of tank fulls. Yeah a buddy of mine talked me into just rebuilding the stock carb earlier. It has a Hitachi on it I think. The one with the glass panel on the front. I'm going to do all I can to keep this survivor stock. Just clean the shit out of it, paint the floors with rust inhibitor, cover it with rubber mats, staple a mexican blanket on the seat, and drive the piss out of it. Someone drove it from California to NC 15 years ago and that guy sold it soon after arriving. Since then its had maybe 100 miles on it since as a mule on a farm and then just it has just been sitting now for less than a year. Thats the full story I got on it today. I didn't know about the photobucket thing. I'll fix that when I can get new pics. Whats a good host that you guys use on here? Quote Link to comment
tablebeast Posted February 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 What are the best size tires to get for the stock wheels? They are 14's. Will 205 75r14 work good at stock height? Quote Link to comment
hobospyder Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 I think it's 195 75 14. Should be 14x6 rims if stock, 205 is 8 inch if I remember right Quote Link to comment
sebpv Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 yes 205 is for 8in wide for a flush look. 195 is stock Quote Link to comment
tablebeast Posted February 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 yes 205 is for 8in wide for a flush look. 195 is stock So, will 205 70r14 fit? I think that should still be stock height, just wider. Quote Link to comment
sebpv Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 you'd be about 1in lower in tire height Quote Link to comment
tablebeast Posted February 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 you'd be about 1in lower in tire height So, 195 75r14 looks like its where its at. They seem to be easy enough to find online, though I can't seem to find any LT or truck treads. They all look like passenger car tires. Quote Link to comment
sebpv Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 nevermind 205/70 is about right. I was always told 75% of 195, 70% of 205, but my math differs from an online calculator. According to tiresize.com you'd have .2in difference in height Quote Link to comment
distributorguy Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 If you want to check tire height, use TireRack.com. They list actual measurements for every tire they sell. Handy resource. Quote Link to comment
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