Modifications?

[Shane nakaya]

This is my 620, if you guys were to do something to it, what would you do? I am looking for suggestions/inspiratio

 

.

 

[six2ohyea]

Nice! Keep the patina. Maybe do an engine swap? What mods do you have already?

Edited July 9, 2023 by six2ohyea

[datzenmike]

In no order I would...

 

1/ Replace the rims with proper off set ones and lower slightly more. Run narrower tires on the front and wider on the back.

 

2/ Swap one of the KA engines in with it's 5 speed.

 

3/ It should have the 4.11 but may have the optional 4.375 differential so find out. For the KA the 4.11 would be best.

 

4/ Roll pan between the rear lights.

 

5/ Swap the later and larger 720 or D21 front calipers and vented rotors and a 15/16" master cylinder. If you like over kill get the VG30 calipers.

 

6/ A 2 1/4" exhaust pipe and large turbo muffler, nothing you can look through end to end. No 'fart cannon' and use a resonator.

 

7/ The regular cab poses a problem fitting bucket seats. They would need to be thin front to back. Nice black carpeting and door cards.

 

8/ HEI projector style headlamps. Has to be projector and not a 'conversion'.

 

9/  Get rid of that horrible '78-'79 grill, they are the worst, and replace with a '73-'77 one.

 

10/ If no optional sway bar, get one.

 

11/ New shock absorbers, replace all bushings with new rubber ones, not poly, replace all suspension and steering ball joints.

 

12/ Do you have the '79 only tan dash and interior? that matches the brown paint? Probably cracked so I'd replace it. Black is fine.

 

13/ Paint it black.

 

14/ put earlier 521 twin rear bumperettes on. The 620 had similar ones but may have been an option as most had the worst looking dealer installed crap.

 

15/ Move the tail gate handles to the inside of the box.

 

16/ Install electric power steering.

 

 

 

 

[six2ohyea]

22 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

In no order I would...

 

1/ Replace the rims with proper off set ones and lower slightly more. Run narrower tires on the front and wider on the back.

 

2/ Swap one of the KA engines in with it's 5 speed.

 

3/ It should have the 4.11 but may have the optional 4.375 differential so find out. For the KA the 4.11 would be best.

 

4/ Roll pan between the rear lights.

 

5/ Swap the later and larger 720 or D21 front calipers and vented rotors and a 15/16" master cylinder. If you like over kill get the VG30 calipers.

 

6/ A 2 1/4" exhaust pipe and large turbo muffler, nothing you can look through end to end. No 'fart cannon' and use a resonator.

 

7/ The regular cab poses a problem fitting bucket seats. They would need to be thin front to back. Nice black carpeting and door cards.

 

8/ HEI projector style headlamps. Has to be projector and not a 'conversion'.

 

9/  Get rid of that horrible '78-'79 grill, they are the worst, and replace with a '73-'77 one.

 

10/ If no optional sway bar, get one.

 

11/ New shock absorbers, replace all bushings with new rubber ones, not poly, replace all suspension and steering ball joints.

 

12/ Do you have the '79 only tan dash and interior? that matches the brown paint? Probably cracked so I'd replace it. Black is fine.

 

13/ Paint it black.

 

14/ put earlier 521 twin rear bumperettes on. The 620 had similar ones but may have been an option as most had the worst looking dealer installed crap.

 

15/ Move the tail gate handles to the inside of the box.

 

16/ Install electric power steering.

 

 

 

 

Mike, do you have examples of the tail gate handles inside? Been thinking about doing this. 

[datzenmike]

It's been 15 or more years. Can't find any pictures.

 

 

[Shane nakaya]

12 hours ago, datzenmike said:

In no order I would...

 

1/ Replace the rims with proper off set ones and lower slightly more. Run narrower tires on the front and wider on the back.

 

2/ Swap one of the KA engines in with it's 5 speed.

 

3/ It should have the 4.11 but may have the optional 4.375 differential so find out. For the KA the 4.11 would be best.

 

4/ Roll pan between the rear lights.

 

5/ Swap the later and larger 720 or D21 front calipers and vented rotors and a 15/16" master cylinder. If you like over kill get the VG30 calipers.

 

6/ A 2 1/4" exhaust pipe and large turbo muffler, nothing you can look through end to end. No 'fart cannon' and use a resonator.

 

7/ The regular cab poses a problem fitting bucket seats. They would need to be thin front to back. Nice black carpeting and door cards.

 

8/ HEI projector style headlamps. Has to be projector and not a 'conversion'.

 

9/  Get rid of that horrible '78-'79 grill, they are the worst, and replace with a '73-'77 one.

 

10/ If no optional sway bar, get one.

 

11/ New shock absorbers, replace all bushings with new rubber ones, not poly, replace all suspension and steering ball joints.

 

12/ Do you have the '79 only tan dash and interior? that matches the brown paint? Probably cracked so I'd replace it. Black is fine.

 

13/ Paint it black.

 

14/ put earlier 521 twin rear bumperettes on. The 620 had similar ones but may have been an option as most had the worst looking dealer installed crap.

 

15/ Move the tail gate handles to the inside of the box.

 

16/ Install electric power steering.

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have any recommendations for wheels?

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

There's no accounting for taste, I can't know what you would like, but they should at least fit inside the fenders. Outside they risk the fender openings coming down on them on bad bumps. In addition the tires will throw crap onto the body. Steering and braking will be improved because of the reduced positive scrub radius.

[six2ohyea]

4 hours ago, datzenmike said:

There's no accounting for taste, I can't know what you would like, but they should at least fit inside the fenders. Outside they risk the fender openings coming down on them on bad bumps. In addition the tires will throw crap onto the body. Steering and braking will be improved because of the reduced positive scrub radius.

Do you know the max size rim, offset and tire size to accomplish this? I bought some wheels recently and my calculations were way off. 

[datzenmike]

I'm totally guessing that the off set is zero on the 620 rim. You'll have to ask someone that knows. This means there's an equal amount of tire and rim on either side of the WMS. (wheel mounting surface) Stock '79 rims are 4.5" wide. With the stock rim width and off set and some space measurements on the truck you can use an on line calculator to eliminate poor choices and get something that fits and works properly.

 

 

 

 

[FrankRizzo]

On 7/8/2023 at 5:45 PM, datzenmike said:

In no order I would...

 

1/ Replace the rims with proper off set ones and lower slightly more. Run narrower tires on the front and wider on the back.

 

2/ Swap one of the KA engines in with it's 5 speed.

 

3/ It should have the 4.11 but may have the optional 4.375 differential so find out. For the KA the 4.11 would be best.

 

4/ Roll pan between the rear lights.

 

5/ Swap the later and larger 720 or D21 front calipers and vented rotors and a 15/16" master cylinder. If you like over kill get the VG30 calipers.

 

6/ A 2 1/4" exhaust pipe and large turbo muffler, nothing you can look through end to end. No 'fart cannon' and use a resonator.

 

7/ The regular cab poses a problem fitting bucket seats. They would need to be thin front to back. Nice black carpeting and door cards.

 

8/ HEI projector style headlamps. Has to be projector and not a 'conversion'.

 

9/  Get rid of that horrible '78-'79 grill, they are the worst, and replace with a '73-'77 one.

 

10/ If no optional sway bar, get one.

 

11/ New shock absorbers, replace all bushings with new rubber ones, not poly, replace all suspension and steering ball joints.

 

12/ Do you have the '79 only tan dash and interior? that matches the brown paint? Probably cracked so I'd replace it. Black is fine.

 

13/ Paint it black.

 

14/ put earlier 521 twin rear bumperettes on. The 620 had similar ones but may have been an option as most had the worst looking dealer installed crap.

 

15/ Move the tail gate handles to the inside of the box.

 

16/ Install electric power steering.

 

 

 

 

 

For those of you keeping score at home - I win.

 

I have a score of 11 out of 16, and I dont think you can install electric power steering with a KA24DE, so maybe 11 out of 15.

 

.

 

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

1 hour ago, FrankRizzo said:

 

For those of you keeping score at home - I win.

 

I have a score of 11 out of 16, and I dont think you can install electric power steering with a KA24DE, so maybe 11 out of 15.

 

.

 

 

Didn't someone here already install electric power steering on their 620?

 

I'd do a side exhaust, coming out of the rear quarter panel, just in front of the rear tire.

 

 

 

 

This is the exhaust I built for my '83 Toyota.

 

[datzenmike]

The Trans Am 'Cuda and Challenger 340 six packs had dual 180 mufflers and side pipe.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Side pipes are cool enough, but when they exit through the body panel... More cool.