Jump to content

Montana Datsun Revival


Recommended Posts

  • 1 month later...
  • Replies 150
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

We started working on taking apart the front end to remove the fenders and mount her fender mirrors. Plan on straightening out the core support area a little, and popping dent as much as possible out of fender…. and also plan to por15 paint behind fenders before reinstalling… 

44969F86-72CD-424E-8387-9998B5863D24.jpeg

69847340-2A19-4C0E-AD94-988AAEA50953.jpeg

3CB8E077-93F6-4CFA-9ECB-8D5B301F0557.jpeg

Edited by sick620
Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Lowered.

3inch blocks and one leaf removed the longest one of the pack. Will see how it feels when it’s road worthy and add traction bars or a helper leaf kit if it needs it/feels too soft.
 

torsion bars loosened I don’t think they will need reindexed, sitting a bit high in the front but I believe it’s sitting on the bump stops, will trim them as soon as I get to it. 


We just got all new brake parts and new shocks all around hope to get to that in the coming weeks. We also started wire wheeling frame and undercarriage rust and using por15 under the truck it’s been a huge project… still haven’t gotten front dent out or fender mirrors on. 

07D265E0-5352-4FAA-A059-0F0917A11510.jpeg

Edited by sick620
  • Like 2
Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

Did end up needing to reindex the front. Didn’t realize you can reindex torsion bars either at the front where it meets the control Arm or back at the adjuster, was a pretty simple procedure.. also trimmed bump stops and installed new front shocks.

8EF7DCB5-FE2E-4828-AE6A-96CCCE74DD9F.jpeg

  • Like 2
Link to comment

New shocks all around now and it’s sitting nice and low 👍… 

 

next up brakes 😑 tried to get a drum off with not much luck. Going to try more pb blaster and more love taps with the sledge hammer 🔨… we already have all new brake parts to go on probably do a disc conversion later down the road just getting everything functional for now… 

 

any recommendations for drum removal no threaded bolt holes in these drums unfortunately.

Link to comment

Have you used the manual adjuster to back the shoes all the way in?  If the drums are old enough you might have a big lip inside them.

 

If you have a torch, heat around the center bore can help with rust.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Updates:

finally got the rear drums off went big on the hammer and it was pretty easy with five as hard as I could swing it wacks to one side of the drum… accidentally snapped one stud off though 😕

DE3665E4-8283-45A3-870F-AC09F950D9F5.jpeg

FE45802B-28EB-4021-8F73-46FEA8C310C3.jpeg

the wheel cylinders that rock auto sent for the back are not correct at all so it’ll be a few days before it gets put back together with all new parts..

 

We have all new shoes, drums, cylinders, and soft lines for it… couldn’t find new hardware for the back so have to reuse the old stuff but starting wire wheeling and painting everything for reinstall… 


Update 2:

 

Started to disassemble L16 for a budget rebuild...

 

edit* see future post engine ended up not being a good candidate to just hone and run, Rebuilt a different motor for it. 
 

 

 

6BA0277D-3768-4043-89E3-BABA1028AC1D.thumb.png.5428d518e0456f9d77fe29be68dd9583.pngC3AEAF2B-9C51-4F66-97E2-8A970C8BF6B7.thumb.jpeg.c94a15da8955c194d5445a3824ed13b2.thumb.jpeg.1f6bca471258797b89ba78f2eb9a65c6.jpeg888D9D78-23B7-4AC3-A313-AC830ABD0C03.thumb.jpeg.6a2f969828ea3991909ef8fc32285a8e.thumb.jpeg.46acc1254e6569c93d4161823d1fd1c7.jpeg

 

 

Edited by sick620
Link to comment
12 hours ago, Crashtd420 said:

They like to substitute 620 parts for the 521... not sure why but it happens.... not just rock auto....

If they sent you ones with the brass tee , banjo bolt and everything you can still use them you just need to change the hard line fitting I believe the 620 is metric vs sae on the 521....

that's good information, we ended up already just re-ordering the plug and play 521 cylinders on ebay. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Not the update I wanted for her 521 but the l16 had a ridge in a couple cylinders and I didn’t feel comfortable just giving it a hone and running it, so I picked up this 720 from a ratsun friend local to me… came with the l20b in it as well as a z20 in the bed… gonna pull the l20b out of it and actually be able to rebuild I hope and put in the 521… then going to put the known good running z20 in the 720… 720 is pretty rusty and beat up so just gonna spray paint it and have a cheap beater/parts hauler truck out of the deal..

 

edit* Z20 ended up having rust in cylinders from sitting too long outside in the elements... 

we ended up rebuilding it for the 521 see future posts

 

AFDDD8F5-B559-4B15-9A18-47ADCF9FF80A.jpeg

Edited by sick620
  • Like 1
Link to comment

08CD6814-BE6F-4D62-B0EB-4B80D97DAE8A.thumb.jpeg.1c70075d6077e5e55ec7dce560f858f9.jpeg

 

pressure washed the 720 and under the hood so it’ll be easier to pull the engine when the time is right 

 

5BD8F120-059F-4D39-876B-0C19D51453F0.thumb.jpeg.8afc634fcb4ae039d2894ab8056337f2.jpegCFB57AD1-C124-47C9-B8FA-0AF6C149BEA4.thumb.jpeg.e991f78a246a75fc7725a3ff07d854d3.jpeg

 

got the z20 in the garage going to start tear down to hopefully rebuild the block, going to convert it to a l20b with head and timing cover… hoping I can find these parts so I don’t have to steal them from the 720 but might have to, oh and I’ll need a smaller flywheel I don’t think the 240mm setup will fit in 521 original bell housing…

Link to comment

Just to be clear the L and Z flywheels are all physically the same size but they have different bolt patterns for the different size diameter pressure plates. The 521's 4 speeds only used a 200mm clutch. I have heard that the 240mm may not fit. It may only need a little clearance grinding inside the bell. A truck L20B used a 225" clutch and that should work. If getting a 200mm or a 225mm flywheel be sure to ask for a 6 bolt mount to the crankshaft. 

Link to comment

z20 that was a really good runner sat in bed of the 720 for too long and was full of water, cylinder walls were too pitted from the rust and not useable. Would need a over bore... So I guess it was for the best... may keep block around in case I ever plan on building a special motor.

 

In the coming weeks myself and wide14u (ratsun member) plan to try and get 720 running with l20b and depending on condition of motor and how much work 720 takes to get driveable we may pull out the l20b and freshen it up and stab it into the 521... 

 

edit* 720 l20b ended up being seized... So we dropped the z20 off at the machine shop for rebuild. 

Edited by sick620
Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Re reading my thread I realize it may not be all that clear where we are with the 521 project currently...

 

The 521 smoked and probably needed rings. Pulled apart L16 to do a cheap fast re-ring job and learned it had bad ridges in the cylinders. Got a 720 (with l20b) and an extra z20 engine in trade. L20b ended up being seized and z20 had bad rust in two cylinders... we ended up biting the bullet and taking in the z20 for a rebuild... bored .030 over, polished crank and rods. 

 

stole the parts off l20b that is in the 720 that we needed (head, timing cover, flywheel) did a quick clean up of the head (lapped valves, new seals, and cleaned it well enough) There is a little rust on one cam lobe and I ended up needing to sand it down and now it has some pitting hopefully it works of i am not wanting to have to find a new cam or have this one reground... maybe in the next year or two we ill will build a nice head for it...

 

we should have it together and running in the next couple weeks.. head is ready to go on and most of the parts that bolt on are clean and ready to install...

 

z20 block bored 30 over, l20b head, matchbox dizzy, brand new weber, l16 intake, l16 exhaust mani.... It'll be a pretty nice little setup. This truck will eventually get the 5speed out of 720 when we are ready to pay for driveline work. 

 

22288C9D-8DB7-43E0-8367-6BFB4E8ACAD4.thumb.jpeg.7991bf820d82ddef69758da5e542612c.jpeg.877c28879fcbbc212dac839a1cf63e8d.jpeg707D9832-7F13-4E5F-9C85-01864D9B7706.thumb.jpeg.dbe4ef5d450563bf180de8002f7efb21.jpeg.bc1b6415d44433af557cf98abd020cc6.jpegDD21FD0C-C149-4CB1-A78E-977A5586FFAB.thumb.jpeg.b8fe9f268190f3acb429f04c4c57676b.thumb.jpeg.ad8633ac6ed1268d0d26b77f05161548.jpeg

620FBF13-19C0-42A9-97E6-B21145D37BA7.jpeg

 

Edited by sick620
  • Like 1
Link to comment

we ended up picking this thing up for $400 with a z24i in it and 4speed. It will end up going in the 720, this truck is fairly straight but roof was cut off for warmer california weather then reattached when it came to idaho. So probably make this truck into a trailer or part it out... IMG_1076.thumb.jpg.603f06872b2700aa73e266b900d805f6.jpg

Edited by sick620
  • Like 1
Link to comment

Does anyone know if a hardbody transmission and its driveline will fit in a 720? the hardbody has a 1.5inch shorter transmission believe so the stock 720 l20b driveline will be 1.5inches short... is this even an issue is 1.5 inches enough to be an issue with it being a slip yoke it would still technically work right? If I lower the 720 that would also in theory push the driveline farther into the transmission right? 

Link to comment

If an '81 and up that had a Z series engine in it the Z24i and 5 speed will fit. Transmission will be a little short and I don't know about the transmission mount location.

 

Did the 720 have a carburetor? The intake and carb, the distributor and the drive spindle will have to go into the Z24i to convert it to Z24.

Link to comment

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.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.