BillC Posted June 18, 2019 Report Share Posted June 18, 2019 All, I'm a relative newbie to the forum and I could use some advice. I found a 70 521 cuz I needed parts (windsheild, trim etc ) for my 71. It's a garage find of sorts and it's in decent shape for its age. On the good news side it is a CA truck with current non OP and the engine (L20 with a 5spd) starts and runs. So the question is, should I part it out cuz it has a lot of good parts on it or should I try to find a good home for it? Your feedback would greatly be appreciated. Bill P.s. I floated a price if 1200.00 on craigslist with a parts explanation and got a few nibbles. I'm kind of leaning of leaving in tact but the parts or so hard to come by. 2 Quote Link to comment
BrothersGarage Posted June 18, 2019 Report Share Posted June 18, 2019 Depends the quality of the metal you're working with and your skill level. If you do decide to part it out I would suggest trying the Classified section here (or shoot me a pm if it has the lower tray on the passanger side in good condition! :D) 1 1 Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted June 18, 2019 Report Share Posted June 18, 2019 Realistically I think you'd be lucky to get $400 for it, and believe me I love these trucks and would like to save them all. You can probably get near that for the motor & trans if they are in good shape, but the rest just doesn't look like it's worth much when every panel is damaged like that. Common 521 parts are like coins...gotta be mint state to pull the good money 3 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted June 18, 2019 Report Share Posted June 18, 2019 Strip it for your own parts. Then scrap. Or if possible just store it somewhere and strip as needed. Having a spare engine and transmission is good insurance. 3 1 Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted June 18, 2019 Report Share Posted June 18, 2019 sell it whole. to somebody to store in their backyard most part trucks I see in Northwest are in back yards runners that get smashed go to the dump with a lot of spareparts gone 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted June 18, 2019 Report Share Posted June 18, 2019 It is really nice to have parts for the other 521 you own. Do both of your trucks have L-20-B and a five speed? 2 1 Quote Link to comment
BillC Posted June 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2019 Thanks to all that responded. Really great advice. I think I'll keep it for what I need parts wise and offer up for sale the parts that I dont. Say, question for you. Is there any real difference between a 1971 and a 1970 521. They appear to be identical to me. 2 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted June 19, 2019 Report Share Posted June 19, 2019 (edited) The interior 1970 door locks likely work by pushing the interior door handle forward, while the 1971 would have the door lock pull thingy(pull up/push down) above the exterior door handle, but on the inside of the door glass, but this is not the rule, it's a guide. Edited June 19, 2019 by wayno 1 2 Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted June 19, 2019 Report Share Posted June 19, 2019 (edited) A 1971 521 will have a crude evaporative emission control system, there is a cover in the bed ahead of the left rear wheel well, a vapor separator tank under that cover, a valve on the left inner front fender, close to the carB with three hoses, and a sealed gas tank cap. The 1970 521 may also have this system if it was imported into California originally. There is also a difference in the fuse box on L-16 521 trucks. Some trucks have three fuses always hot, and three ignition switched hot. Later 521 trucks went to having four always hot fuses, and two ignition switched fuses. The 1971 may have had an electric choke instead of a manual choke. Model year 1972 521 trucks got the electric choke nation wide, this may have happened earlier to the California trucks. 1972 521 trucks got shoulder belts instead of a lap seat belt only. Edited June 19, 2019 by DanielC 3 2 Quote Link to comment
BillC Posted June 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2019 Thanks again to all that have weighed in on this topic. No trivial matter for me personally cuz I really like these old trucks. That said, I've decided to keep the important parts (mostly mechanical) and part out the rest. Ill post this to the classified section later today. I'll also respond to those looking for specific parts. Say, question for you ok? I am going to disassemble and tag the parts. By chance is there a guide to tear a 521 down? In kind of curious, how many overall hours should expect to in invest in the process. 2 Quote Link to comment
BrothersGarage Posted June 23, 2019 Report Share Posted June 23, 2019 (edited) 19 hours ago, BillC said: By chance is there a guide to tear a 521 down? In kind of curious, how many overall hours should expect to in invest in the process. Not sure. I just got a parts 521 that literally came in boxes that I am putting together so I'm doing the same process as you - in reverse LOL Overall the process will take as long as you want it to - i.e. how much are you going to save? If it's just nuts and bolts stuff and the radiator and panels then you've got like 2 maybe 3 hours and you've got a roller you and take to the metal recycler. If this parts truck has better floor pans / leaf springs / a better bed then your current truck, then your ass is looking at a lot more vested time to get stuff off the parts truck. The hard part is in the end these trucks - much like many Datsuns - are getting harder and harder to find parts for and in many instances you're better buying a second vehicle (as you've done) to make your other truck whole - which means one less truck stuck in someones yard to be picked over or restored in the future. Edited June 23, 2019 by BrothersGarage 1 Quote Link to comment
BillC Posted June 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2019 Thanks BrothersGarage. Like many members I'm sure, if I had a quarter for old datsuns that I've owned and given away, I'd have a lot of quarters lined up. The older and more nostalgic I get, the more difficult I find it to get rid of stuff. Something about these old things and the good old days of the 70's. Truth be told, I myself enjoying throwing empty boxes in the back of the truck bed but I gotta move on. I think your right, having parts for my driver 521 is money saved. So it's time to disassemble this "grey eagle" and chronicle my progress. If memory serves, I found an old parts list somewhere in a pdf. think I'll print that out and check the boxes as I go along. 2 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted June 23, 2019 Report Share Posted June 23, 2019 I had a '71.... manual choke. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
BillC Posted June 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2019 They automated that too? 😉 1 Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted June 23, 2019 Report Share Posted June 23, 2019 20 hours ago, BillC said: By chance is there a guide to tear a 521 down? In kind of curious, how many overall hours should expect to in invest in the process. It all depends on how thorough you are. It took me over 8 hours to remove an entire wiring harness from a Lexus LS400 a few years ago. I could have saved about 4 hours by cutting wires, but I wanted every bit of it to remain intact. 1 Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted June 23, 2019 Report Share Posted June 23, 2019 Could probably dismantle a 521 in 30 hours. 29 hours for the front blinker housings, 1 hour for the rest. 2 2 Quote Link to comment
BillC Posted June 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2019 Classic!! 2 Quote Link to comment
mainer311 Posted June 24, 2019 Report Share Posted June 24, 2019 5 hours ago, thisismatt said: Could probably dismantle a 521 in 30 hours. 29 hours for the front blinker housings, 1 hour for the rest. So true. My front blinkers are so rusty, there’s no way. 1 Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.