69 Datsun 521

[Arifaeth]

Hey guys, I'm new to the scene, and the forums. I'm picking up a 69 521, and I was wondering if anyone could give me some pointers of specific areas to check, and stuff like that. Also, if anyone has the knowledge, is there a way to find out in which of the three plants (Japan, Thailand, and new Zealand) this truck was made in?

[thisismatt]

69 is going to be the j13 engine, not the l16. Not as much support for the J engine.

 

As far as rust goes... The typical areas are floor boards, cab mounts, rockers, lower leg of the front fenders, as well as the top fender near the headlights, and across the front of the hood edge.  Check the seam at the bottom corners of the windshield and at the seam where the fender connects right there. Crap likes to collect in that seam and rust it out. Also the obvious areas of the truck bed along the floor seam.

 

Really everything else is pretty straightforward. Cracked dash is common. Dented rear bed corners is almost ubiquitous. Tailgates also seem to disappear or get creased from dropping onto the bumper.

[Arifaeth]

1 minute ago, thisismatt said:

69 is going to be the j13 engine, not the l16. Not as much support for the J engine.

 

As far as rust goes... The typical areas are floor boards, cab mounts, rockers, lower leg of the front fenders, as well as the top fender near the headlights, and across the front of the hood edge.  Check the seam at the bottom corners of the windshield and at the seam where the fender connects right there. Crap likes to collect in that seam and rust it out. Also the obvious areas of the truck bed along the floor seam.

 

Really everything else is pretty straightforward. Cracked dash is common. Dented rear bed corners is almost ubiquitous. Tailgates also seem to disappear or get creased from dropping onto the bumper.

Alright, from the pictures, the dash has a chuck taken out of it in the middle, on the lip that sticks out from the top. But the rest of it from what I can tell, body has some surface rust, but not much, and floor board has some surface. I can't see much cancer, but pictures don't tend to do it justice. I'm going out to look at it in person today. So I'll make sure to check those areas.

[datzenmike]

Look on the engine tag riveted to the cowl near the hood  hold support latch. Pretty sure all trucks were made in Japan. Some vehicles were sent to other countries as a 'kit' and assembled there to avoid some import taxes but this was much later. Kyushu is my guess

[mklotz70]

There are other places to get manuals online, but this will get you started.

http://www.bluehandsinc.com/manuals.html

 

[Arifaeth]

Welp, I bought the truck 😂

[Arifaeth]

Just now, Arifaeth said:

Welp, I bought the truck 😂

Soon as I can figure out how to post pictures I will