70 Datsun 521 newbie

[d.p]

I got mine from a guy on Ebay and it worked well for the most part.  my only complain was the floor mats which seem to grow as I use them.  He can be contacted at shouldabeenhotrods@gmail.com

 

 

[wayno]

I also used a 1986 Nissan 720 2wd carpet in a 1970 Datsun 521, it actually fit all right, this photo below shows I didn't even have to trim it, it appears to have come up slightly short on the sides, maybe it shrunk over the years.

[d.p]

@wayno Is there even any carpet in that truck?  Looks to be rubber to me.  

 

[wayno]

Yea you are right d.p, I didn't think about that, it was a rubber/vinal type material, it didn't quite reach the sides as you can see in the photo, it had a backing material also, the truck was quiet with that in the cab, it had a Z24 in it.

[greenthumb]

That looks really good DP

I sent buddy an email. we will see if he responds

Does the carpet have any insulation backing at all? Precut for shifter? Hopefully not in my case...

[d.p]

10 hours ago, greenthumb said:

That looks really good DP

I sent buddy an email. we will see if he responds

Does the carpet have any insulation backing at all? Precut for shifter? Hopefully not in my case...

 

No insulation backing I just used fat mat IIRC.   It is precut for the shifter hole but not the screw holes which were a bitch to line up.   

 

Here is another pic where you can see the bottom of the carpet.

 

 

Like I said my only complaint was the floor mats which require a 'hair cut' every once and awhile.  Oh and the fact that its black so it shows all the coconut fibers and my dogs hair. 

 

 

[Greaser2]

I’m considering a dogleg trans. Not sure if I can find one locally but what’s a fair price?

[wayno]

Dogleg 5 speeds are not made for trucks, especially if you haul or tow anything, I was told by a Datsun mechanic that if I was ever going to use it as a truck to use 4th gear, I went thru 4 of them back in the 90s in 5 years, I was very tired of fixing/changing transmissions, what you need is a 1985/86 Nissan 720 regular cab/short box short shaft 5spd and an L block front  transmission case.

 

[Greaser2]

So, I will not be towing or hauling. I did locate one locally put the seller is asking $700 and not sure if that’s fair.  I will look at your conversion post of a 720 short. 

[wayno]

I was paying $200/$250 for them back in the 90s, but they are getting hard to find now.

By the way, around here transmission shops don't want to work on them Dogleg transmissions, don't know why.

They want $600.00+ to rebuild a transmission around here if you know someone, more if you don't know someone, what shape is it in?

[Greaser2]

32 minutes ago, wayno said:

I was paying $200/$250 for them back in the 90s, but they are getting hard to find now.

By the way, around here transmission shops don't want to work on them Dogleg transmissions, don't know why.

They want $600.00+ to rebuild a transmission around here if you know someone, more if you don't know someone, what shape is it in?

I’m not sure but he had pics of the gears and they look fine. Good to see the gears but not crazy about seeing the trans opened up. 

[DanielC]

There is a large nut and a slightly smaller nut on the mainshaft, and reverse idler shaft of the transmission.  You  have to pull the tailshaft housing off the transmission to get to these two nuts, and they need to be tight.

 

This page has info of my putting a long shaft 1980 720 five speed transmission in my 521.

 

[Greaser2]

I am seeing the 63a came in an A series and L series.  I would need the L series correct? The 63a I’m looking at came off an A12 engine. This trans won’t fit an L engine correct?

Edited December 18, 2019 by Greaser2

[wayno]

It will not fit an L block if it has an A series front case.

[datzenmike]

There was a 63A dogleg option in the '76 and up B-210 for A series engines.

There was an optional 63A in the '78-'79 A10 for L series and Z series from '80 on

 

$700 for a medium strength transmission is too much. They were just adequate in the 200sx car. Get an L series 71B and shorten the driveshaft and modify the mount. These were made for use with a six cylinder, so plenty strong.

 

 

[Greaser2]

13 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

There was a 63A dogleg option in the '76 and up B-210 for A series engines.

There was an optional 63A in the '78-'79 A10 for L series and Z series from '80 on

 

$700 for a medium strength transmission is too much. They were just adequate in the 200sx car. Get an L series 71B and shorten the driveshaft and modify the mount. These were made for use with a six cylinder, so plenty strong.

 

 

71B would be a 280z or zx right.  Would this put my shifter about 5 inchs back?

[datzenmike]

The L series 71B was 31.5" long and used in the following...

 

'77-'78 280z

'79-'83 280zx non turbo

'77-'84 810 and Maxima

'77-'79 620 truck

'80 720 truck

 

It was also used in the 720 diesel and Z series engines, the '80-'83 S110 200sx as a Z series and the '84-'86.6 S12 200sx as a CA series.

 

There's lots of them out there and all you need do is swap an L series front case on to convert to L series engine. I have an '85 CA18ET 5 speed from an S12 200sx with an L series front case on it in my 710 right now.

 

[d.p]

11 hours ago, datzenmike said:

The L series 71B was 31.5" long and used in the following...

 

'77-'78 280z

'79-'83 280zx non turbo

'77-'84 810 and Maxima

'77-'79 620 truck

'80 720 truck

 

It was also used in the 720 diesel and Z series engines, the '80-'83 S110 200sx as a Z series and the '84-'86.6 S12 200sx as a CA series.

 

There's lots of them out there and all you need do is swap an L series front case on to convert to L series engine. I have an '85 CA18ET 5 speed from an S12 200sx with an L series front case on it in my 710 right now.

 

 

 

Looking on car-part right now because I really want a five speed.  The 80 72 truck looks like it came with both a 4 and 5 speed manual trans??  I would pay good money for 71b tranny.  

[wayno]

Have you brought this up/mentioned it in your thread?

 

There is more involved than just bolting in the transmission, if you bought a long shaft 5spd you will need to make/buy a modified transmission mount, shorten the drive line by about 5 inches, put a soft plug in your existing yoke or remove your yoke and install a later type yoke, you will need to make a hole in your tunnel plate and fill the one that is in it now, if you have your bench seat anywhere but all the way back you likely cannot use a long shaft transmission as the shift lever is really close to the seat, but there are shift levers with different shapes that clear the seat a little better, here is a photo of mine in the 520 kingcab before installing bucket seats, the biggest benefits to the long shaft is the shift lever is closer to you and long shaft 5spds are easier to find, and they come with L block cases already on them.

2 hours ago, d.p said:

 

 

Looking on car-part right now because I really want a five speed.  The 80 72 truck looks like it came with both a 4 and 5 speed manual trans??  I would pay good money for 71b tranny.  

 

 

If you go with a short shaft 5spd you will need the 1985/86 Nissan 5spd, a L block front cover/case from a 71B 4 or 5spd, you will need to make/buy a modified transmission mount, put a soft plug in your existing yoke or remove your yoke and install a later type yoke, but the drive line will work the length it is, the shift lever will be exactly where it is now so no mods needed there.

 

Edited December 18, 2019 by wayno

[Greaser2]

I have no problem with taking the two trans to make a short trans to fit plus the mods. Working on cars keeps me out of the bars. I will be looking for them, just not a lot here in Texas to choose from. 

[datzenmike]

5 hours ago, d.p said:

 

 

Looking on car-part right now because I really want a five speed.  The 80 72 truck looks like it came with both a 4 and 5 speed manual trans??  I would pay good money for 71b tranny.  

 

 

The list I posted are only 71B 5 speed option years. I didn't think you wanted a 4 speed. 

[Greaser2]

Day one, everything is coming out.  Will get the block inspected and go from there.  Has the original block, couple of leaks in the usual places, a bit of oil coming out the tailpipe.  130/127.5/127.5/127.5 on compression test.  Just tired I’m thinking. 

[d.p]

Yeah they do get tired. 

 

What happened to your relocated battery?  

[Greaser2]

1 hour ago, d.p said:

Yeah they do get tired. 

 

What happened to your relocated battery?  

Took it out when I found my volt regulator died. It will go back later. 

[wayno]

That is the second photo he posted to this thread D.P, he likely relocated it after that but he just posted that photo again when starting a new phase of his build, some times it's easier to just re-post a photo rather than taking a new one.

Personally I would leave that engine in there and build an L20b on the side, then change them out and only worry about cleaning up/painting the engine compartment during that phase, but I am speaking from the point of view of a person that has only once thoroughly cleaned/painted an engine compartment before, I just get the outside nice and drive the shit out of them, I cannot own something that clean because then I would never drive it in fear of getting it dirty, I end up selling them when they are really nice before they get dirty and scratched up.