Newbie looking for some guidance

[Kauai_bj80]

Aloha everyone I’m new to this site but happy to be a part of it. I always wanted a Datsun and now I think im ready for one. Just trying to get some advice on what I should be looking for. Im looking for a 620 pick up. Any suggestions on year I should be looking for? Also I’m from Hawaii so there’s not much of a market out here. All the cars out here overpriced. Is Craigslist the best place to look? 

[datzenmike]

Try for a '78 or '79 King Cab which has a larger interior, largest engine, is the latest, have front disc brakes, self regulating alternators, electronic ignitions, ball joint steering and NOT king pins and a 5 speed as a possible option.

[carterb]

Just be aware, 620's are old trucks and ride like old trucks.  This may be a surprise depending on your exposure to older vehicles.

Once you find one though, everything you need to keep it alive is cheap on www.rockauto.com.

Simple to work on and great support here and elsewhere on the web.

Good luck with your hunt!

--carter

 

...Hawaii, sounds nice.  My 620 woke up this morning to 5" of fresh snow!

 

[Kauai_bj80]

30 minutes ago, carterb said:

Just be aware, 620's are old trucks and ride like old trucks.  This may be a surprise depending on your exposure to older vehicles.

Once you find one though, everything you need to keep it alive is cheap on www.rockauto.com.

Simple to work on and great support here and elsewhere on the web.

Good luck with your hunt!

--carter

 

...Hawaii, sounds nice.  My 620 woke up this morning to 5" of fresh snow!

 

Thanks for the input. I have a pretty good idea what they ride like. My first truck was a 1973 Chevy luv  which basically had no power and rode like crap but that doesn’t bother me.  5” of snow sounds cold. It’s about 69 here. 

 

 

 

[Kauai_bj80]

I’ve been looking on Craigslist but everything I find is in the mainland, nothing here in Hawaii. Is there any shops or company’s that I could use to find or look at a truck  for me? 

[Bleach]

Can you have one shipped to you from the mainland?

[Kauai_bj80]

2 hours ago, Bleach said:

Can you have one shipped to you from the mainland?

Yes. The shipping from California to Hawaii is about $1000. My problem is I don’t have any friends up there to look at one for me. Most of the datsun’s here are in bad shape and way overpriced. 

[Bleach]

Unfortunately this one is a 2 hour drive from me. Maybe someone in Portland can help you by checking it out.

 

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/vancouver-1979-datsun-king-cab/6789013752.html

 

 

[Kauai_bj80]

16 minutes ago, Bleach said:

Unfortunately this one is a 2 hour drive from me. Maybe someone in Portland can help you by checking it out.

 

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/vancouver-1979-datsun-king-cab/6789013752.html

 

 

I appreciate all the help. Hopefully I can figure something out. I not in a rush just have to be patient and  find the right one. That would be a good start tho 

[AtomChurch]

You got a 2500 in kaua'i?!

 

Who do you know in town?

I used to know a guy in Kaua'i in the carvalho family.. He is a datsun guy. Worked on a couple of his cars. Shipped some over there.

I don't live in the state he shipped from any longer, i drove a few cars to the shipyard for him, but he lives there again. 

I don't know about the datsun scene in kaua'i anymore. No ties to it. But you might be able to meet a guy who knows a guy, and save a bit of money.

Just know what you want, and roughly what they are worth plus the shipping fee.

Also know there is a risk the car might be shipped with "tons of other parts to save money"

and the local government might consider them to be "undeclared items"

[Kauai_bj80]

1 hour ago, AtomChurch said:

You got a 2500 in kaua'i?!

 

Who do you know in town?

I used to know a guy in Kaua'i in the carvalho family.. He is a datsun guy. Worked on a couple of his cars. Shipped some over there.

I don't live in the state he shipped from any longer, i drove a few cars to the shipyard for him, but he lives there again. 

I don't know about the datsun scene in kaua'i anymore. No ties to it. But you might be able to meet a guy who knows a guy, and save a bit of money.

Just know what you want, and roughly what they are worth plus the shipping fee.

Also know there is a risk the car might be shipped with "tons of other parts to save money"

and the local government might consider them to be "undeclared items"

Yes I have a 2011 Ram 2500 that I use to tow my boat, I’m a weekend fisherman lol. The carvalho family is kinda big but I think I know who you’re talking about. I think he had a 510 or something, do you remember his name?  

 

          Im new to the Datsun seen here. I haven’t had any toys in about 10 years, my last car was a 81 camaro. I see a lot of nice cars/trucks(datsuns) that I like in the mainland but not sure what they are worth, don’t want to get ripped off. Not much of a market here, most of them are rotted out anyway. Definitely not looking for a major project, just something I can toy with. 

[AtomChurch]

9 minutes ago, Kauai_bj80 said:

  I think I know who you’re talking about. I think he had a 510 or something, do you remember his name?

Yeah.

 

Also the 510. tannish, Almost white. l20b dual makuni's. At least the last time I rode in it.

[Kauai_bj80]

1 minute ago, AtomChurch said:

Yeah.

 

Also the 510. tannish. l20b dual makuni's. At least the last time I rode in it.

Yeah 

 

 I can’t remember his name but I’m sure I can find out. I think he might have been from the south side maybe. I haven’t seen that car in years

[Ranman72]

atom was that guy  tiki or something similar to that 

[Kauai_bj80]

I think his name is Jason carvalho? 

[KoHeartsGPA]

tr8er is in Hawaii, you might want to get a hold of him, maybe he can guide you...

[AtomChurch]

His name is Jason. I wasn't going to name drop on the internets, but since its out.. He has run through this several times. He knows the ins and outs of shipping. At least on your end, of which only someone picking up in Kaua'i will know.

Or someone on the mainland. I don't know the details myself. So there might be a better way then straight to you.

 

Do you have any idea what happened to that 510? Is it still on an island?

[Kauai_bj80]

3 hours ago, AtomChurch said:

 

Do you have any idea what happened to that 510? Is it still on an island?

 

 I haven’t seen that car in years but I did see a 1973 Datsun 1200 in beautiful condition at my friends shop. 

[KELMO]

7 hours ago, Kauai_bj80 said:

 

 I haven’t seen that car in years but I did see a 1973 Datsun 1200 in beautiful condition at my friends shop. 

Dude, you can't say that here and not post a pic. (Sarcasm Font)

[Kauai_bj80]

3 hours ago, KELMO said:

Dude, you can't say that here and not post a pic. (Sarcasm Font)

I don’t know how to add photos from my iPhone hahaha 

[KELMO]

Neither do I...….cuz old guy.

 

Maybe Imgur has an app(?). That is what I use for posting from my laptop.

[KoHeartsGPA]

n00bs

[HOGIE]

You asked, so here’s some guidance. 

 

You said your concidering buying and shipping from the mainland so that opens up a lot more options. 

 

First piece of advise. Buy something that has already been mostly built. You’ll save yourself a bunch of cash in the long run by finding something that someone else took the time and cash to build and/or resurrect. When selling it impossible to get what’s put into it, your bonus. The more you spend initially ‘usually’ the more you’ll save in head ache and wallet pain later. 

 

Second piece of advise. Make sure the truck is complete, because your literally on an island. Shipping parts will kill any build if you buy an incomplete project. See advise #1. 

 

Third piece of advise. Shop in Oregon or Washington. Fuck Cali prices. You’ll save the cost of shipping by buying here. I’m not just bias because I live here. We’re flush with truck yo!

 

Last piece of advise. Make your truck like you want it to be but don’t listen to that bs. This place, RATSUN.net, is a great place to find Datsun community and knowledge, but people will tell you what you should or shouldn’t do to your vehicle. Fuck that noise. 

 

Good luck. Now get on it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and and don’t forget to post pics. 

Edited February 10, 2019 by HOGIE
grammar

[datzenmike]

Yes, try for the most complete that budget allows unless scrounging or making parts is half your fun. I don't care for problems but I have solved a few by being able to make something that works for a missing piece.

[The Taterhead]

On 2/7/2019 at 10:15 AM, Kauai_bj80 said:

I don’t know how to add photos from my iPhone hahaha 

Look at the postimage & Ratsun thread that is pinned near the top of the first page in the general section. I posted a how to in detail.