New Owner To A '68 520

[atceeze]

HI everyone! Just purchased a 1968 Datsun 520 within this forum. (Previously owned by @XXL and formerly owned by @boxboy)
I'm pretty stoked to see how far I get with this build. My main focus to date is to tackle as much maintenance as possible and update a few things here and there. Depending on how things pan out, there might be an engine swap sometime in the future. As for now, the least of my worries would be whether to keep a patina look or aim to get this truck repainted in the same color. Time will tell.

[pidge]

Looks nice. Congrats to you. 
-Pidge

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Nice truck!

[atceeze]

11 hours ago, pidge said:

Looks nice. Congrats to you. 
-Pidge

Thank you! I see this forum is chalk full of information. It'll be a minute to learn it all but well worth the read.

[atceeze]

1 hour ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Nice truck!

Thanks! I took a look at your introduction post and see that you're located in Nor Cal. I'm from Nor Cal as well. I'll be sending you a PM shortly as I'm already having some issues with the truck and could use some advice!

[atceeze]

Hi everyone, Just thought to share in this post and inform that this truck now has a new owner and belongs to @68PinUpTruck. Happy to see them have an account here and take advantage of the information this forum provides. Hopefully the new owner enjoys this little truck as much as my wife and I did. 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Well that was quick.

[68PinUpTruck]

Hi all! I'm super excited to be the truck's new owner. This forum was a large part of my decision to purchase the truck after seeing @XXL and @boxboy 's threads on the truck. I don't plan on modding the truck, rather trying to restore as much as I can and resto-mod where it makes sense to do so.  Anyone have great threads on restoration they recommend?

Thanks!

 

[datzenmike]

Try the 520/521 and the Project Datto forums.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

5 hours ago, 68PinUpTruck said:

Hi all! I'm super excited to be the truck's new owner. This forum was a large part of my decision to purchase the truck after seeing @XXL and @boxboy 's threads on the truck. I don't plan on modding the truck, rather trying to restore as much as I can and resto-mod where it makes sense to do so.  Anyone have great threads on restoration they recommend?

Thanks!

 

Cool, glad it's in good hands.

 

Restoring...that's a word that has many different definitions. To some it means simply working again, to others it means repaired, straightened, plated, painted.

 

I run a resto shop in Norcal and have learned many tricks over the years. Tricks that net better than factory results with over the counter supplies. Let me know if I can help, even if it's just with advice.

[68PinUpTruck]

It’s funny- I had the “what is restoration”

convo with my insurance this AM. 
 

basically, for me, I love stock classics. I’ve had my tuners, my Hondas/acuras and did my street racing days. 
 

What envision is eventually, when I rebuild the motor is to then do the body and chassis. Sandblast, repair, paint. Get that all solid looking and repair the small rust spots. 

 

My dad owned a mechanic/body shop when I was a kid, and my partners uncle owned one in SF for 30+ years. There are so many modern things that can be done to update while keeping the original vibe! 
 

With the advances of 3D scanning and modeling I think it’s gonna be a fun project and love to pick your brain sometime! 

[XXL]

49 minutes ago, 68PinUpTruck said:

It’s funny- I had the “what is restoration”

 

 

Website search defeated me... maybe @Stoffregen Motorsports can point you to one of his nut and bolt restoration projects. His work will amaze you. 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Hey Kenneth.

 

Fact is, I don't get business from my site so it's been relegated to the "work in progress" bin. Thank you!

 

Re- what is restoration? Well, it's a moving target really. I always try to maintain original body and paint, but on old vehicles, that's becoming exceedingly rare. I also try to steer clear of a "hardware store" restoration, which is easy to spot by cheap non-original fasteners, hose clamps and accessories. So if you have a vehicle with original paint and want to restore it, think twice. Maybe just disassemble everything and rebuild the mechanicals, throw all the hardware (including door catches, filler neck, brackets, etc) in a bucket and bring it to your local electo-plating shop. Blast and coat the frame and drivetrian and reassemble with enough new parts that it can go another twenty years. That's my favorite "restoration" the one with the original paint, but restored mechanicals.

 

Stay away from flashy colors on the chassis, steering, suspension. And most importantly, think about the heritage of the vehicle. What did it want to be when it was just a drawing on paper? Adding period accessories is a perfect way of expressing that.

 

Ironically, I make my living repowering old trucks with modern engines. When I was describing the above to an interested person, they said "but you put LS motors in them. How does that jive with your philosophy?" I never thought of it that way, but I do always try make mods look factory or period correct.

[XXL]

7 hours ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Hey Kenneth.

 

Fact is, I don't get business from my site so it's been relegated to the "work in progress" bin. Thank you!

 

 

 

FWIW, I was referring to Ratsun search. Things before the big site redesign seem to be lost in the matrix. 

[datzenmike]

I never use Ratsun search it's dismal. Instead go to Google, and type in what you want to look for and finish with the word Ratsun. If looking for a specific post try to get as many of the words in the title as you can.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Right. Google Stoffregen Motorsports and you will see much of the builds on forums, in magazines, on Instagram, etc. Oh yeah, Facebook, but I don't do FB anymore.

[68PinUpTruck]

On 5/29/2024 at 8:45 AM, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Hey Kenneth.

 

Fact is, I don't get business from my site so it's been relegated to the "work in progress" bin. Thank you!

 

Re- what is restoration? Well, it's a moving target really. I always try to maintain original body and paint, but on old vehicles, that's becoming exceedingly rare. I also try to steer clear of a "hardware store" restoration, which is easy to spot by cheap non-original fasteners, hose clamps and accessories. So if you have a vehicle with original paint and want to restore it, think twice. Maybe just disassemble everything and rebuild the mechanicals, throw all the hardware (including door catches, filler neck, brackets, etc) in a bucket and bring it to your local electo-plating shop. Blast and coat the frame and drivetrian and reassemble with enough new parts that it can go another twenty years. That's my favorite "restoration" the one with the original paint, but restored mechanicals.

 

Stay away from flashy colors on the chassis, steering, suspension. And most importantly, think about the heritage of the vehicle. What did it want to be when it was just a drawing on paper? Adding period accessories is a perfect way of expressing that.

 

Ironically, I make my living repowering old trucks with modern engines. When I was describing the above to an interested person, they said "but you put LS motors in them. How does that jive with your philosophy?" I never thought of it that way, but I do always try make mods look factory or period correct.

Yeah, I plan on taking stuff apart and then taking it to a shop to be electro plated and sandblasted, basically- let the pros handle the heavy lifting.  Thats how me and my uncle did his 70 Chevelle. We restored it from the horrific hardware store job that had been done to it to almost factory. Thankfully the previous owner had kept the original parts. 

I'm entirely onboard for looking factory or period correct. Doesn't mean that my next project car won't look factory except under the hood.