Interior Questions

[Conner]

Hi All.  

 

In order to remove the bench seat in my 1964 L320 is it just four bolts (two each side)?  

 

Thanks!  

[320 Newb]

Yes. 

[Conner]

Great.  And what are the steps to remove the dashboard?  Windshield is still in place but I will pull the seat first.  

Thanks. 

 

[320 Newb]

Dashboard just has maybe 8 or 10 bolts. The steering wheel and column cover have to come off. The front edge of the dash nests down in a ridge so it has to lift up and out. 

 

Pro tip do all your wiper assembly stuff with the dash out. Ask me how I know. 

Edited August 31, 2020 by 320 Newb

[difrangia]

The whole wiper system comes out and can be worked on out of the truck and on the bench. The motor unit will work for LHD and RHD pickups but the stamped wiper system frame is unique for each. The park position is adjustable by loosening the lock screws rotating the round stamped cup on the engine compartment side of the motor unit, then retightening. The spindles that the arms mount on are prone to rusting up solid, so be sure that they are free to rotate before energizing the motor for the first time if the pickup has been inactive for a spell. Here's a vid of my unit running in a vise on the bench.

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2020 by difrangia

[Conner]

This is great advice.  Thanks both of you.  

[difrangia]

I'm not sure that the same motor use on both LHD and RHD works for the earlier box type wiper motor, but it does for the motor-off-to-the-side-or-the-gearbox unit that is in my video just above. The same unit is mounted with the motor pointing to the left (viewed sitting in the seat) on RHD pickups. The parking switch is then rotated to effect the correct 'Park' position.

[Conner]

Has anyone bought and installed this firewall kit:  

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1961-EARLY-1965-DATSUN-TRUCK-L320-FIREWALL-INSULATION-PAD-61-62-63-64-65/174132000201?hash=item288b1375c9:g:tOAAAOSwrcRdv3vK ?

 

Looks like I would have to remove my heater to install that middle part.  Compared to trying to reproduce those pieces that price looks reasonable.  

 

Also, what have people done to replace the panels that go into the fender footwells--on the right and left, not the firewall?  

 

I mean these pieces:  

 

 

[Conner]

Also, can anyone verify whether this defroster hose reproduced by Datsunparts.com for an early roadster may work on the 320 heater box?  

 

https://www.datsunparts.com/1404

 

 

[320 Newb]

I've heard good things about that firewall kit and I'm about to buy one. I was shocked at how much engine noise that steering column boot cut out and I'm excited to get a little noise dampening. That guy also makes the cards you posted for footwells. Maybe he could combine shipping and save you some $. Not sure about the heater hose. 

[Conner]

Thanks.  Keep us posted on how the kit works out.  I saw he also has door panels and repro sun visors for the 320 but I didn't see the footwell pieces.  I will look again or maybe they just aren't listed on ebay at this moment.  Those seem pretty simple and to my eye would be the easiest to do myself--the firewall pieces are pretty complex.  

 

[difrangia]

For the defroster hoses I went to a couple of local auto part stores with the diameter and length dimension and found a generic black accordian air-flow hose  that fit right in for about $6 each.

 

I do have a couple of the two-piece elbows that connect the heater inlet to the under-dash-fresh-airbox that I made up. Easy to install with two included Zip-Ties.

 

 

[320 Newb]

Steve that elbow looks great! Jake, who's 3D printing the steering boots said he'd also do that elbow if enough people are interested. 

 

Does anyone know if that elbow is used on other Datsuns? Roadsters maybe?

[difrangia]

What I've seen so far is that the 320 elbow is common only to the 320. The 520 is similar (I have a pic or two of the 520 elbow) but different on mounting surfaces. I've no idea on the size, shape, and relation of the intake/exhaust openings on the 520 relative to the 320. Anything that we can get re-popped is great for the 320 owners. I also developed a pattern for the front fender inner panel skirts a few years ago. I cut mine out with scissors from 1/16" neoprene. If anyone wants the pattern, message me. That would be a good laser-cut project for someone. I believe that i might still have a cad model for it on one of the old computers. The right skirt is visible in this pic:

 

[Conner]

The early and late roadsters have different heater boots than the 320.  

[Conner]

Here's another question.  My truck has a hole in the cab floor at the very front corner on the passenger side.  It's in the floor right up against the firewall in the corner with the side of the footwell.  It's probably ~1/2" in diameter and was plugged with a small rubber bung.  Does anyone else have this?  Perhaps the PO drilled a drainage hole there?  

 

 

[320 Newb]

Do you have a pic? As far as I know there are only 4x 1" cab floor holes. 2x by the fronts of the doors, and 2x right under the front of the seat.