New Owner - long time Datsun fan

[mshort07]

Just brought home a ‘68 Datsun 520 yesterday. Great little truck. I have some basic plans for it now. Replacing the worn out steering components, suspension parts, water pump, thermostat, wheels and tires. I also want to cut down the length of the steering column. 

For the past 5 years, on and off, I’ve been working on a resto-mod ‘69 Datsun 2000. That project’s near finished so I thought it was time to bring a “shop truck” project home even though I don’t have a shop. 

 

Now for the wheels. I like the look of wide steelies on the 520’s and 521’s. Any advise? Backspacing? Wheels from other vehicles?

[Bleach]

Chevy truck steel wheels are wider but not really wide. 16x6.5"

You can get steel wheels from Summit Racing in various widths. Or simple steel wheels can be purchased

 

https://www.4wd.com/p/trail-master-tm5-15x8-wheel-with-6-on-5-5-bolt-pattern-gloss-black-tm5-5883/_/R-DHGR-TM5-5883?gclid=CjwKCAjw8qjnBRA-EiwAaNvhwJwll3UE1KfA38ocvx_j-0h-0xQXl7dhMwX3W4Lf71vYM_qpvEQwfBoCWtMQAvD_BwE&ppcfon=1&gp=1&ef_id=CjwKCAjw8qjnBRA-EiwAaNvhwJwll3UE1KfA38ocvx_j-0h-0xQXl7dhMwX3W4Lf71vYM_qpvEQwfBoCWtMQAvD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!7836!3!329483539671!!!g!678642011727!&s_kwcid=AL!{7836}!{3}!329483539671!!!g!678642011727!&ecmp=s:google&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping&emlprox=out&ppcfon=1&gp=1

 

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Early (1979-1985) Toyota 4x4 pickup steel wheels are 15x6. They can be made to accept Datsun hubcaps. Later Toyotas had the same look, but different offset.

[mshort07]

Pics of the truck. Picking up 15x8 Chevy rally’s today. Got a bunch of new steering and suspension parts to go on it. Wiring’s a little wonky. Pervious owner cut up the front valence above the bumper. I’ll have to see what I can do to fix it.  

 

 

 

 

[mshort07]

The ultimate goal is to make the truck look like the roadster I’ve been resto modding for the past 5 years. The car’s almost done. I’m not going as far with the truck as I went with the roadster, at least that’s the plan for now. 

 

 

 

[mshort07]

Got the Chevy rally 15x8 wheels today. I couldn’t wait until next week to get the worn out 31’s off them so I took the tires off in my driveway. Took me a while but I got them off. Then I test fit them on the 520. 

 

I did some searching and saw 195/45-15 and 205/50-15. What’s the largest tire size I can put on the 15x8 rally’s without any issues? The truck has been lower by adjusting the torsion bars up front and 3 inch lowering blocks out back. Everything else I assume is stock. 

 

 

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

 

Well almost any tire is going to hit the fenders if you are low enough or hit a large enough bump. A 6" rim would have been closer.

 

Always liked that style rim. 👍

[mshort07]

Got the new wheels blasted, painted, new tires on, and put on the truck. Love the look. 

 

even ventured out into town. 1st trip of any distance for me. 

 

It’s become apparent that the smaller tires than stock has effected the top speed quite a bit. Did some searching and planning on changing out the rear end gears. 

[mshort07]

Pulled the bed off to swap out the diff gearing. Did my research about the H190, the stock gears, and the different ratios available. Since I had a few rear ends left over from my roadster project I decided to give the roadster gearing a test. Success! My tires I used are quite a bit shorter than stock so the extreme difference of the roadster gears seamed to mesh well with the short tires (195-50-15). At gps 55 mph, the dash speedo was around 54 mph. 

 

While I got the bed off I’ll clean the bottom and undercoat. I’ll also replacing the muffler and adding the missing tailpipe. 

 

[BrothersGarage]

Lookin' good!

[mshort07]

Been hard at work getting the truck done and back on the road. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 So now that it was all back together I decided to put it to a test. I needed to take my roadster doors to my parents house so I figured I’d haul Datsun parts in my Datsun truck. 

 

 

Well that went good so I figured I go a little farther and I drove to a fellow car nuts house. It was a one hour round trip of driving in 92 degree weather. Did great! Love it!

 

 

 

[Charlie69]

Looking good, nice work.  Get some mud flaps to help protect the sides of your truck.

[mshort07]

Already got some. Just not wide enough for the new tire. 

[mshort07]

I am dumbfounded. I think I had the parking lights working correctly a week ago. Then I replaced all the brakes and they’re not working now. 

I studied the wiring diagram and I’m still confused. I see that there is a separate wire for the tail parking lights and the front parking lights. 

Here’s the symptoms: light switch on parking lights and the front and the tail lights work correctly. 

Switch to headlights and the front STOP work and the tail stay working. I checked the switch for voltage testing and it seems to be working. 

I’m guessing something with the switch. Any suggestions?

[wayno]

I don't know about your 520 as I don't have a 520 harness in my 520 anymore, but my 320 works the that way, park lights on, front and back work, turn the headlights on and the front park lights quit working, but the taillights are still working, it may be that is the way it is supposed to work.

[mshort07]

That’s so strange. Anyone else see this with their lights? I thought I just had the wrong light switch in the truck. Anyway, after studying the switch and power probing all the wires I figured I could solder in a jumper wire and get the front parking lights to light up when the headlights are on. 

[mshort07]

How about another question? What is this? It currently isn’t hooked up. 

 

the above part looks like it works with this pictured below...

 

this was on the brake pedal like a brake light switch but not. Switch is open when the brake is pressed and closed when off the brakes. Are these items related to the engine bay sticker that says “this car is equipped with a fuel cut off”? How did this system work and where was the vacuum hose and additional wires connected to. Thanks

[difrangia]

On 7/12/2019 at 9:27 PM, mshort07 said:

 

 

 

 

Couple of knockout mid 50's Mopars you have there. More pics ??

[thisismatt]

It's a vacuum switch for coasting cut off valve in the stock carb, active when coasting in gear. If the switch is related I would think it was on the clutch, not brake.

[mshort07]

1 hour ago, difrangia said:

 

Couple of knockout mid 50's Mopars you have there. More pics ??

They’re my uncles cars. He’s a mopar guy but humors me when I show up with my Datsun’s. 

[mshort07]

31 minutes ago, thisismatt said:

It's a vacuum switch for coasting cut off valve in the stock carb, active when coasting in gear. If the switch is related I would think it was on the clutch, not brake.

That switch could have very well been on the clutch pedal but moved to the brake by a previous owner thinking it was a brake light switch. 

[thisismatt]

If you don't have the stock carb then it's probably all trash at this point

[mshort07]

3 hours ago, thisismatt said:

Great. I’ll get rid of it all

[gene knight]

looks good

Edited October 10, 2019 by gene knight