New to me 77 620

[Dusten]

I'm on a few of the fb groups, but I'm old and prefer forums.  To me they're easier to track and search.  

 

Yesterday I picked up a 1977 king cab 620.

 

I'm still working on figuring out exactly what I have.  

 

Her bones are good.  She starts stops and doesn't over heat.  The rust is minimal.  This is good because I can focus on the things I want to fiddle with versus the things I have to fiddle with 

 

Things I know for sure

Refreshed L20b with a 32/36 Weber.

Msd ignition and 6al box.

Z car 5 speed

Small lower block in rear

Z car steering wheel and seats

78 dash wiring and dash.  

Cheap repaint that is hiding some rust.  

Old man wheels with 205/75 and 215/70 tires.  

All the steering is new.  Brakes are new.  

79 tailgate

 

Things I plan to address quickly.

 

Remove rear bumper.  Fabricate bracket for plate.

 

Bleed clutch.  The trans is notchier than id expect and the clutch and all hydraulics are new.  So I suspect there's air in the line.  It doesn't take much.  

 

Address wiring through out the truck.  The dash is full of LED's that flicker, the wiring at the back of the truck is sketchy looking, there's a half assed stereo install and a parasitic draw somewhere.  

 

Install an actual working stereo.  

 

Install a USB charging port where the missing lighter is.

 

Remove the msd and replace it with OEM electronic ignition.  

 

Tune on the carb a bit.  It has a slight bog.  

 

Install a small tach(already ordered)

 

Disc brakes up front at a minimum.  I know kits are few and far between but I'll source something.

 

Rear view mirror is broken.  Replace.

 

Get some side mirrors I can actually see out of 

 

16" steelies with a 215/235 tire set but keep them about 26" tall.  

 

Lower truck after wheels and tires to look good and avoid rubbing.  

 

Install a horn cap and fix the horn.  

 

I'll probably come up with more as I go through the truck. 

 

I'll upload images later.  

[SWFL]

I'm interested in a cheap 77 myself, but learned that you can't just bolt on disc brakes unless you make custom ball joint control arms.

[Dusten]

10 minutes ago, SWFL said:

I'm interested in a cheap 77 myself, but learned that you can't just bolt on disc brakes unless you make custom ball joint control arms.

 

 

Mine wasn't cheap, and I know about the work it takes to put in disc brakes and I know there were a couple of small-time vendors that made kits.  I'll just keep my eyes open until something surfaces or I'll end up going for one of the willwood kits

[Dusten]

Drove it to work.  Got home and shut it off and the fan stays on.  The wiring is more fucked than I thought.

 

The po has an electronic battery disconnect for "security"

 

Or because his wiring sucks.  

[datzenmike]

The 71B 5 speed is the same one in the truck as the Z cars... other than some emissions switches. It's cooler to say it's from a Z car though.

 

Air in the clutch hydraulics will cause the pedal to depress way too easily before it actually starts to disengage the clutch. This is most noticeable when the gears grind when shifting into reverse. All other gears the synchro rings 'soften' the shift but this is very rough on them. Often loosening the slave bleeder will allow the fluid to gravity drain and push the air out. Clutch master may simply be low on fluid.

 

All year tailgates are identical but half way through '76 there was a cover liner on the inside that was an option.

 

I prefer the 'old man' rims with hub caps.

[Dusten]

4 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

The 71B 5 speed is the same one in the truck as the Z cars... other than some emissions switches. It's cooler to say it's from a Z car though.

 

Air in the clutch hydraulics will cause the pedal to depress way too easily before it actually starts to disengage the clutch. This is most noticeable when the gears grind when shifting into reverse. All other gears the synchro rings 'soften' the shift but this is very rough on them. Often loosening the slave bleeder will allow the fluid to gravity drain and push the air out. Clutch master may simply be low on fluid.

 

All year tailgates are identical but half way through '76 there was a cover liner on the inside that was an option.

 

I prefer the 'old man' rims with hub caps.

 

 

They old man rims are because they're some fake Alcoa looking American racing rims.  If I could get the dog dish caps to fit the 16" steelies i would. 

 

It grinds going into reverse if I don't go into fifth first and first gear is difficult when stopped.  

 

I'll bleed the clutch and if it doesn't improve get it rebuilt.  

 

If it's the same why doninsee slightly different ratios listed?

[datzenmike]

The 280z and the first year ('79) 280zx 5 speed used the same ratios (mid range) as the '77-'79 620 truck. You would have to identify the transmission to be sure but a Z car transmission will only have a reverse light switch just to the rear of the clutch arm dust boot. The 620 5 speed will have 2 or 3 extra switches for telling the emissions system what gear it is in or if in neutral. The 810 transmission will be the same as the 280z. 

 

The '77 620 did have an optional 5 speed but any L series 5 speed will drop right in to replace the 4 speed. It may have come with the 5 speed from the factory.

[Crashtd420]

22 minutes ago, Dusten said:

Drove it to work.  Got home and shut it off and the fan stays on.  The wiring is more fucked than I thought.

 

The po has an electronic battery disconnect for "security"

 

Or because his wiring sucks.  

While I believe you may have some wiring issues the fan staying on isn't necessarily a problem as long as they eventually shut off... I have the fans on my 521 setup that way to remove heat from the engine bay after shut down....

[Crashtd420]

1 hour ago, SWFL said:

I'm interested in a cheap 77 myself, but learned that you can't just bolt on disc brakes unless you make custom ball joint control arms.

I dont believe that to be true, why would you need a ball joint mod to bolt on a caliper bracket?

Old backing plate just gets removed and the new bracket bolts in place...

 

https://www.silverminemotors.com/products/1964-1977-datsun-620-520-521-310-front-brake-upgrade-kit

 

[Dusten]

7 minutes ago, Crashtd420 said:

While I believe you may have some wiring issues the fan staying on isn't necessarily a problem as long as they eventually shut off... I have the fans on my 521 setup that way to remove heat from the engine bay after shut down....

 

 

There is 100% wiring issues.  It's a fucking nightmare.  Especially to someone who works in aircraft.  I'm ready to roll it in my shop and gut it.  

[Dusten]

34 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

The 280z and the first year ('79) 280zx 5 speed used the same ratios (mid range) as the '77-'79 620 truck. You would have to identify the transmission to be sure but a Z car transmission will only have a reverse light switch just to the rear of the clutch arm dust boot. The 620 5 speed will have 2 or 3 extra switches for telling the emissions system what gear it is in or if in neutral. The 810 transmission will be the same as the 280z. 

 

The '77 620 did have an optional 5 speed but any L series 5 speed will drop right in to replace the 4 speed. It may have come with the 5 speed from the factory.

 

 

I'll verify the trans.

But I know the po swapped it

 

 

[datzenmike]

My electric fans are wired directly to the battery. (with fuse of course) It's common for the fan to come on after I stop and get out. All engines over heat when shut off, (heat soak) so this is a good thing. I have 180-F thermostat and the sensor is on @ 190 or 195F or what ever the late 90s FWD SR20 Sentra 200sx was.

[Dusten]

34 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

My electric fans are wired directly to the battery. (with fuse of course) It's common for the fan to come on after I stop and get out. All engines over heat when shut off, (heat soak) so this is a good thing. I have 180-F thermostat and the sensor is on @ 190 or 195F or what ever the late 90s FWD SR20 Sentra 200sx was.

 

 

Blower fan for the heater.  Not and e-fan.  

[Crashtd420]

17 minutes ago, Dusten said:

 

 

Blower fan for the heater.  Not and e-fan.  

That's a bit different.... 

[Dusten]

29 minutes ago, Crashtd420 said:

That's a bit different.... 

 

Oh I'm aware.  I'm quite competent as a mechanic and familiar with how a car work.  Lol

[SWFL]

5 hours ago, Crashtd420 said:

I dont believe that to be true, why would you need a ball joint mod to bolt on a caliper bracket?

Old backing plate just gets removed and the new bracket bolts in place...

 

https://www.silverminemotors.com/products/1964-1977-datsun-620-520-521-310-front-brake-upgrade-kit

 

 

Nice, but I have the feeling they don't just sell the adapter brackets. You'd still be stuck with king and link pins. For a truck I'm keeping, I'd rather change the frame to a ball joint one, or section in the ball joint control arm mounting brackets.

Edited April 23, 2023 by SWFL

[Dusten]

31 minutes ago, SWFL said:

 

Nice, but I have the feeling they don't just sell the adapter brackets. You'd still be stuck with king and link pins. For a truck I'm keeping, I'd rather change the frame to a ball joint one, or section in the ball joint control arm mounting brackets.

 

 

Unless the truck was immaculate I'd get a 78-79 before I swapped everything.  There's nothing wrong with king pins.  

[Dusten]

 

 

 

 

I weighed it.  This is with a passenger but not me.  

 

 

[iceman510]

Well it might have some messed up wiring, but that is a nice looking good condition truck.  Nice interior too.  Best of luck with it and your planned improvements.

 

I picked up a '77 last  year, but hasn't been on the road for 10+ years.  I plan to get it going in June.

[Danalive]

looks to be in pretty good condition, any photos of the z seats? i have a pair but debatin wether to sell them and stick with the factory seats. 

[Wildcat Walker]

My single cab with SR20DET only weighs about 1900 lbs with a single occupant, the extra cab length and iron block really make a big difference!

[Dusten]

1 hour ago, Danalive said:

looks to be in pretty good condition, any photos of the z seats? i have a pair but debatin wether to sell them and stick with the factory seats. 

 

 

I'll take some later.  They're not in the best shape.  But they're decently comfortable 

[Dusten]

I'll split this into two posts.

 

I titled it today which means a temp plate.  So I yarded the bumper and while I wait for a plate I'll make a bracket to mount back there.

 

 

 

 

And for whomever asked, the seats.  The bottoms are trashed so they're covered.  

 

 

 

 

[Dusten]

Now some of the wiring.

 

I wanted to remove the god awful battery disconnect.  The amplifier wiring and start investing the hack job under the hood.

 

This is the battery disconnect and what I started with. 

 

 

Just as a short example of what I'm working with....

 

This is the negative wire for the MSD box.

 

And the positive wire

 

 

These are the positive and negative wires for the marker lights.  They were at some point spliced into something even though the stock wiring was intact.  

 

 

I repaired everything and wired them nothing into the stock harness.  

 

There are still scotch locks in the image.  I'm still soring through things.  I rewired the horn but either my ground isn't getting from the steering wheel to the relay or the relays bad.  From testing I suspect the relay.  So I'll replace it shortly.

 

After pulling the bumper I need to rewire all the tail lights.  So that's next. 

 

 

 

 

The stereo mess....

 

[Dusten]

The previous owner must've found brown wire on sale because it's fucking everywhere.

 

The stock distributor is in place.  So I plan to pull the mad box and rewire the stock dizzy back in and replace the MSD coil with a stock one, along with the wiring.  

 

Is there a good source for an OEM quality coil?