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Hi there. My name is Chris and I've got a strange Datsun situation. I'm hoping you guys can help.

 

The strange situation is that I don't have a Datsun at all but have found myself wrenching on a 620 lately. It's my uncle's; he's owned it since about 1979, and he is absolutely in love with it. The problem is that a former tennant of his stole the carburetor and a bunch of other small stuff. The house suffered similarly, but the problem is that he cannot repair the building damage because his truck is dead in the water. Actually, it's more like dead in the mud; it was up to the rear axle when he started working on it, even though the tires were fully inflated.

 

Since my uncle is a 71-year-old hippie and a tie-dyed-in-the-wool technophobe, I'm his conduit to the world at large. If you could still help me out even though I'm sort of an outsider to the Dat world, I'd really appreciate it. At the very least look at it as an opportunity to make a little money selling parts to us.

 

here's a bit of my background: Dad ran AA/Fuel Dragster in the mid '60s and worked for a Chevy dealer; I basically grew up on that car lot ('70s) as well as a Toyota lot (from 1983 to at least the early '90s); I raced sprint karts in the very early '80s and got really big into air-cooled VWs (built 'em, raced 'em, bought and sold 'em, and so on). Got real big into '50s American iron in the early '90s and eventually worked my way back to the '30s. Like I said, I don't have a Dat, but I do have a pretty cool stable otherwise: '74 VW Thing (my first car), '63 Volkswagen baja bug (historical car), '62 VW ragtop, '65 GMC pickup, '62 Ford unibody pickup, '50 Triumph Thunderbird (old drag bike), '32 Ford highboy roadster, an '86 Toyota pickup with 330,000 miles, and another '89 Toy 4x4. I also collect and swap pre-war bicycles. As you can see I get excited about pretty much anything, so there's a good chance I'll have my own bullet-side by the time I've got his on the road...

 

Oh, and I'm on Camano Island.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

chris

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Thanks for the welcome and many more for the generosity. I have to find out exactly, but I think the pickup is a '76. I'll call my uncle tomorrow and have him give me more info. A little while back i bought a reman Hitachi carburetor from a guy clearing out a closed shop ($20; gotta love eBay). It's a pro job that came in a big-name box.

 

Here's my first order of business: the cable bracket at the carburetor end is missing. I understand that Datsun offered two brackets, one that bolts to the manifold and another that's part of the carburetor itself. Since the one on his PU is missing, I'm thinking that his model had the carb-mounted bracket. This new carb that I bought, on the other hand, has no provisions for a bracket from what I remember.

 

Actually I may use this as an excuse to go to Skagit Steel tomorrow. If i do, I'll shoot some photos. In the meantime, can you give me some particulars to look for (i.e. how to verify if this is an L18 or L20 or, better yet, what the manifold should look like)?

 

Once again, thanks.

 

chris

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well, if that stock carb doesnt work out webers are easy to work with and reliable.. i think i have some pics let me see..

 

enginezs5.jpg

 

 

p6260074el1.jpg

 

 

p1100068nv7.jpg

 

p1100065cq8.jpg

 

p1100060il7.jpg

 

mine has a weber carb and a header.. also alot of bull crap cutt off.. really basic nothin special.. these rigs are super easy to work on and SUPER reliable your uncle loves that truck for a VERY good reason, im sure he'd be tickled pink to drive it again anyways theres some pics hope they help

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In the meantime, can you give me some particulars to look for (i.e. how to verify if this is an L18 or L20 or, better yet, what the manifold should look like)?

 

Once again, thanks.

 

chris

 

Threre will be a stamp on the passenger side of the block, up near the top edge..

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Well, I didn't go to look at the pickup today; instead, I had to go south. Gotta do the same thing again tomorrow. I might be able to convince the gal it's time for a drive north on Sunday. Thanks a bunch for the pics. The big one really sheds the light on that manifold bracket. Should be relatively easy to cobble up a carb-mounted bracket if I have to. And thanks for the ID tip, too.

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