1974 DATSUN PICKUP - QUESTIONS

[moorethomas1026]

Hey Guys, I wanted to start a quick thread for all the questions that I have... If you have the answers I would greatly appreciate it!

 

First Question for This Thread:

 

I have the engine out of my pickup and I noticed that the drivers side is about 1 & 1/2" lower than the passenger side (see pictures below)... Is this normal, and is it because I have the engine out?

 

Also I have been working on cleaning up my engine before putting it in; let me know what you think!

 

 

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

See what it looks like when the engine is back in.It's obviously been lowered... badly. You can adjust the left torsion bar tighter which will raise it level with the right side or loosen the right to lower level with the left side.

 

Nice '74. 

[banzai510(hainz)]

Jack up truck and your see the torsion bar square bolts 

there will be a jam nut then you can even out the bolt length.

 

nice motor!!!!

[datzenmike]

[moorethomas1026]

20 minutes ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

Jack up truck and your see the torsion bar square bolts 

there will be a jam nut then you can even out the bolt length.

 

nice motor!!!!

 

1 hour ago, datzenmike said:

See what it looks like when the engine is back in.It's obviously been lowered... badly. You can adjust the left torsion bar tighter which will raise it level with the right side or loosen the right to lower level with the left side.

 

Nice '74. 

 

Thanks for the responses, I figured that it would be pretty easy to square it up after I get the engine in!

 

I will keep you guys posted, the engine is supposed to go in on Sunday... I don't expect it to be completely wired in by then, but at least sitting in there so we can see if it is still leaning hard like it is. 

 

Here are some more before and after images since I haven't posted much about my truck yet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see the shitty old bucket seats in this picture... The bench seat is whats in it now!

 

 

[banzai510(hainz)]

You put the motor together?

[moorethomas1026]

 

11 minutes ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

You put the motor together?

 

The Motor is a super long story, I paid a mechanic to do it about 2.5 years ago... and he completely fucked me over. I think that he sold it for drug money or something

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ so I spent some time looking for a good engine the last couple of months and I found found one! Since it already had good compression and I saw it run good, I just spent some good time cleaning it up. I changed a lot of the gaskets and polished up the valve cover, got a new clutch set and put a weber on... just a lot of the basic shit!

 

 

[5t341tH]

wow that dash came out fantastic! engine looks great too

[moorethomas1026]

2 minutes ago, 5t341tH said:

wow that dash came out fantastic! engine looks great too

 

Thanks Man! I actually painted the dash in my apartment bathroom and got over spray on everything like 2 years ago... it was the only room in my apartment with a fan! I filled all the cracks with a 2 stage epoxy, it has held up well for 2 years... I can upload more pics of the process if you want!

[5t341tH]

3 minutes ago, moorethomas1026 said:

 

Thanks Man! I actually painted the dash in my apartment bathroom and got over spray on everything like 2 years ago... it was the only room in my apartment with a fan! I filled all the cracks with a 2 stage epoxy, it has held up well for 2 years... I can upload more pics of the process if you want!

yea I want to do it too but my dash is too far gone. It's missing chunks out of it. I need to find a suitable dash first

[moorethomas1026]

Mine was missing huge chunks too I just filled it all and then used textured paint to mask it! It was far gone I thought too the before pic is actually after I filled the cracks!

2 minutes ago, 5t341tH said:

yea I want to do it too but my dash is too far gone. It's missing chunks out of it. I need to find a suitable dash first

 

[klam07]

Nice bench! Is it a reupholstered original, or from a different truck?

I think I read about your engine debacle before, maybe on a different thread. You had something like 3 choices at the time for a replacement? The replacement looks good too

[moorethomas1026]

6 hours ago, klam07 said:

Nice bench! Is it a reupholstered original, or from a different truck?

I think I read about your engine debacle before, maybe on a different thread. You had something like 3 choices at the time for a replacement? The replacement looks good too

 

Thanks Bro! 

 

Yes, I got the seat out of another datsun pickup. I'm actually building the whole truck around the seat! My dad did upholstery for 30yrs, and this is the last seat that he ever did before he officially retired. 

 

The guy I got the seat from is this super cool datsun guy, he legit just gave it to me. 

 

Yes, I had quite a few different choices and now things are looking up and I should have a running pickup soon. 🙂

[420n620]

I purchased that 74 620 back in 2008 around Orofino Idaho. It had a blown motor when I got it. Just so happens down the street a auto/wrecker business had a wreaked 78 620 with front end damage to it. When they had a auction I purchased the 78 620 and put the running gear into the 74. Sold it and that owner blew the motor up and reinstalled another motor. Since then I lost connecting with him but would see it parked at a few different spots around town. Then one day to never see it again, thought it went to the scrappers.

It's great to see it has survived and in good hands again.  

 

[banzai510(hainz)]

Glad you saved it

looks like it’s in good hands

[klam07]

17 hours ago, moorethomas1026 said:

Yes, I got the seat out of another datsun pickup. I'm actually building the whole truck around the seat! My dad did upholstery for 30yrs, and this is the last seat that he ever did before he officially retired.

Thats right, now I recall. Awesome way to honor his last seat, it looks like such quality work, I'd love to have that bench! 

[moorethomas1026]

On 5/16/2020 at 8:30 AM, 420n620 said:

I purchased that 74 620 back in 2008 around Orofino Idaho. It had a blown motor when I got it. Just so happens down the street a auto/wrecker business had a wreaked 78 620 with front end damage to it. When they had a auction I purchased the 78 620 and put the running gear into the 74. Sold it and that owner blew the motor up and reinstalled another motor. Since then I lost connecting with him but would see it parked at a few different spots around town. Then one day to never see it again, thought it went to the scrappers.

It's great to see it has survived and in good hands again.  

 

 

On 5/17/2020 at 1:29 AM, klam07 said:

Thats right, now I recall. Awesome way to honor his last seat, it looks like such quality work, I'd love to have that bench! 

 

On 5/16/2020 at 8:59 AM, banzai510(hainz) said:

Glad you saved it

looks like it’s in good hands

 

Thanks for all the positive vibes gentlemen!

 

Check out this grill emblem that I made, I cut it on the water jet at my last job... Let me know what you think!

 

 

[AlexDeLarge]

Emblem looks great man, need to find yourself a early grill with the beauty rings.

[gene knight]

14 hours ago, moorethomas1026 said:

 

 

 

Thanks for all the positive vibes gentlemen!

 

Check out this grill emblem that I made, I cut it on the water jet at my last job... Let me know what you think!

 

 

nice datsun emblem i need a few of these

[5t341tH]

wow nice emblem. You should make them of the older grill emblem too. I'd buy one

Edited May 21, 2020 by 5t341tH

[moorethomas1026]

 

Hey Gentlemen...

 

I got the engine in this weekend and its looking great I just wish there was a magic switch to get it running now. I have a few question in regards to wiring, and most of them stem around whether I should use my old wiring harness or just start from scratch? I would hate to put the ugly wiring harness under this beautiful hood. Please give me some advice on what you would do if you were in my shoes!

 

If I am going to just rewire it my self ans skip the old wiring harness is there some type of wiring diagram for just the essential shit to get it running? Last night i wired up a few things, and began to try and start it, but i think that i was missing a few key components... 

 

What do i need to do to just get it started?

 

-Tom

 

 

 

On 5/17/2020 at 1:29 AM, klam07 said:

 

 

On 5/16/2020 at 8:59 AM, banzai510(hainz) said:

 

 

On 5/16/2020 at 8:30 AM, 420n620 said:

 

 

 

On 5/15/2020 at 9:52 PM, datzenmike said:

 

 

On 5/15/2020 at 9:41 PM, banzai510(hainz) said:

 

 

Trying to tag you guys so you have to answer 😉

[banzai510(hainz)]

whats wrong with the old wire harness?????  they don't go bad besides need cleaning up

1)You only need like the 12volt ON wire  which is the black/ white wire from fuse box key switch to the ballast resisitor then other side of ballast to the + side coil.

2)the 12volt HoT start wire goes to the +side coil. usually this might be a double lug wire already there for this.(look in wire schematic)

 

3)and the wire from the points to the neg side coil.

 

If electronic ignition or Pertronix let us know

[EDM620]

Those badges you made are sweet, I'm sure you could sell a few.

 

For the wiring, I would simply clean up the harness and if there are any "unused" wires you could trace them and eliminate them to further clean it up. The 620 had very few circuits.

[datzenmike]

Get various sizes of split harness coverings once you get it all sorted out. Easier than trying to clean it. Tape it up after if yopu like.

[moorethomas1026]

Hello Gentlemen, 

 

I just wanted to share a few picture updates with you all, let me know what you think!