'79 Datsun Camper

[yoloSun 40]

Hey guys, considering converting my camper back into a truck, or offering to trade; I know someone did the conversion back to a truck but I haven't been able to find it.

[datzenmike 37,336]

Easiest would be to make a flat bed for it. Or you'll have to source another box... which are usually rusted out junk. The gas tank on the '79 is bolted to the frame and there should be no big problem with the wiring. You'll need custom tail lights.

[wayno 8,736]

I could be wrong but I believe these motor homes are walk thru, he is going to need a back of a cab.

[datzenmike 37,336]

Yup, a window would be nice.

[metalmonkey47 1,509]

Seems like you would be better off selling it and buying another 620.

[yoloSun 40]

Yeah, it's walkthrough. The roof of the cab will need some sheet metal bent and welded in aswell. I'm on an island soooo...sourcing becomes troublesome. I know of a probably rusted box a dude in the boonies is using as tow-behind trailer...lol😅. 

 

I could go rat style failing that, but I'd rather just have a regular truck. Im good at rat since I come from the boonies and was always surround by old rusted dead n busted stuff I had to make work.

 

But I bet theres someone out there wants a mini-motorhome and has a Datsun.

[yoloSun 40]

7 minutes ago, metalmonkey47 said:

Seems like you would be better off selling it and buying another 620.

I took a look at the classifieds here on ratsun and...2000+ is...well I'm not sure what I can get for the rv - half that atleast. Then theres the trouble of waiting for one to crop up near me (not likely) or driving across a foreign country to get one, though that sounds like a nice road trip.

[Bleach 1,117]

small RVs tend to hold some value if they run and the camper accessories still work.

 

Yes, you may need to hold on to the cash and wait for the right 620 to show up. Maybe you can find one in Washington if you're close to the border.

[yoloSun 40]

1 hour ago, Bleach said:

small RVs tend to hold some value if they run and the camper accessories still work.

 

Yes, you may need to hold on to the cash and wait for the right 620 to show up. Maybe you can find one in Washington if you're close to the border.

Thats a negative on the accessories, no fridge no stove, unknown furnace operation. the shitter still works and i replaced the water pump. I installed about 1200 in solar stuff and added a wall mount smart tv.  

Just being a running mini-rv is worth atleast 1000 i'd say.

Minus the 1500 bucks worth of goodies.

[BrothersGarage 2,639]

6 hours ago, wayno said:

I could be wrong but I believe these motor homes are walk thru, he is going to need a back of a cab.

 

Yup, guy on Facebook just picked one up! 
 

Edited August 12, 2019 by BrothersGarage

[Bleach 1,117]

That yard looks familiar ....

[hobospyder 7,733]

Yeah it really does

[Icehouse 1,843]

What rear axle does it use?  Would be such a sweat car hauler if you lengthend the frame! 

[wayno 8,736]

My guess would be that has an H190 axle, but it could be the special mobile home axle that has a raised circle on the top of the axle housing like in the photo below.

 

 

The rims look like them one piece dually rims I have seen on late 70s early 80s mobile homes, I have no idea how the tire places/stores remove and install tires on them rims, I have heard some places will not touch them rims.

[yoloSun 40]

Well im not sure what mine is using, but it doesnt have duallies. I think this rv might have been used as a donor rv once upon a time. Considering the lack of a fridge, stove and 2 tires.

 

[wayno 8,736]

So this is not a dually?

[yoloSun 40]

No, it probably had the tires removed.

That is to say, it's most liekly a dually with the two extra tires taken off.

Edited August 14, 2019 by yoloSun

[wayno 8,736]

They made these mobile homes without dually wheels, they just didn't make them as wide as the ones with duallys on them, it would look goofy if it just had one regular wheel on it as the wheels would be way in the fenders and yours are not.

The dually versions back then were made 2 different ways, a weird single piece dually wheel like that one BrothersGarage posted a photo of or they used stock rims with adapters like in the photo below.

 

Edited August 14, 2019 by wayno

[yoloSun 40]

Oh wow..learn somethin new everyday. And here I thought it was standard operation to have duallies.

 

I was thinking...I could take off the motorhome part, get a box and put a canopy ontop, then instead of welding in a new back of the cab and sourcing a window, I could leave it open. 

Then you would have open access to the back from the cab...could still camp even.

Edited August 15, 2019 by yoloSun

[ByStickel 114]

There are still quite a few regular 620s for sale in the Pacific Northwest. I recommend you buy what you really want. Converting will be a pain in the A$$.

[hobospyder 7,733]

I would consider buying this thing myself with a king cab in trade as well but neither of my king crabs run and I wouldn't be able to give you a known good motor. And I may or may not have too many projects going on at this time to add another. And i cant get into Canada

[yoloSun 40]

Cant get into Canada?!? Did you try to use free speech over here?  That's a nono.

Just get a really good tan, put on a dress call yourself Martha & flick your wrist, customs won't give you any trouble. They might even celebrate.

 

Not having a working engine would be an issue for a trade, unless I had an SR20DET to drop in.

Edited August 15, 2019 by yoloSun

[bananahamuck 14,949]

You literally just described Hobo .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

[yoloSun 40]

9 minutes ago, bananahamuck said:

You literally just described Hobo .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

Ah, a wise man indeed.

[wayno 8,736]

I think you need to consider measuring the wheel base front to back before you start tearing things apart, if it has the same wheel base as a stock 1979 Datsun 620/kingcab 620 then you likely could make yourself a wagon(sort of a wagon), but if that frame/chassis has been stretched then a stock box will not fit.

I don't think it looks stretched as there is a lot hanging out past the rear axle, I suspect if you put enough weight way back behind the axle inside that house you could do wheelies.