Charlie69's 66 520 Build

[Charlie69]

Mike these brake kits are great. You have done all the work for us. I can not wait for the rear brackets. Mike the bearing sleeves are the best.

 

Mike I am wondering would the bearing sleeves work in the stock hubs with standard brake drums?

 

The bearing sleeves might help keep more of these trucks on the road.

 

This is by far the easiest & the best upgrade I have done on this truck.

 

It is time to go tear into the rear brakes and get the 1980 720 rear end for comparisson. Note: If you use a later model rear end I believe after 1983 you will have self adjusters on the rear brakes.

 

I just realized I forgot to tighten the rotor to hub bolts. Oops, that means I have to pull it all apart. Oh well more pictures to come.

 

I feel that with the quality and the contents of this disc brake kit it is well worth $500.

 

Mike thank you again for the disk brake conversion kit.

[WAGON JON]

The way you have the gauges set up is sick! Where did the tiny tach come out of?

 

 

1 Possible configuration.

 

[Charlie69]

thank you. The tach is out of a 1985 720 4x4.

 

This is the layout I prefer.

Edited January 24, 2020 by Charlie69

[burrito213]

oh wow, i am sure i will have little trouble when i go to the disc brake conversion set up following this thread. super nice build! ;)

[Charlie69]

I installed a 1980 Datsun 720 rearend in my 520. The 1980 720 rearend is 7/8” wider on each side for a total of 1 ¾” overall increase in with. The measurements were taken from WMS to WMS (Wheel Mounting Surface). The other difference is the hydraulic brake hose is on the passenger side. I also used the 1980 720 rear spring shackles & bushings as the 520 bushings were bad. The 720 shackle bolts are a smaller diameter than the original 520 shackle bolts. The 720 shackles are about ¾” longer than the 520 shackles.

 

I notched the cross member for the transmission mount and built a custom bracket utilizing a stock 1980 720 5 speed transmission mount on my 3N71B automatic transmission. Pictures will be included when I finish all the welding.

 

I am sending my 1980 Datsun 720 driveline to Mountain Drivelines (formerly Dicks Driveshafts Phoenix) to have it shortened & rebalanced. I have had Dick doing my drivelines since the early 70’s. This man is a wizard when it comes to drivelines.

 

Mountain Driveline

1560 E Lumbermens Loops

Show Low Arizona 85901

(928) 532-8452 Dick Brown

 

http://www.mountaindriveline.com/index.html

 

I removed my tail lights for cleaning & repair. The passenger side tail light housing is rusted out on the base of the reflector. So I am considering doing this when I get a job.

 

Here is a custom rear roll pan that I would like to build in the future for my truck.

 

 

This will be an expensive piece when it is completed. All the lights will be LED & the turn signal lights will be sequential. These lights will be flush mount with custom billet bezels. I estimate total cost of roll pan fabrication at about $1200.

[Bob3]

Great work! Keep it up. :thumbup:

[Charlie69]

Thank you Bob. After seeing how your MX520 came out it has inspired me to keep going on mine. Thank you Bob for the inspiration.

[Charlie69]

Just a quick note: I used a TRW Part # 18779 idler arm on my 520 L20B. This I got from Rock Auto as a closeout. It fits 1968 520, 1969 - 1972 521, 1972 - 1977 620 pickups. This bolted right on and gives me plenty of clearance on the alternator for adjustment. I am using a 1980 720 internaly regulated 50 amp alternator.

 

I also used a 1977 710 drive line which fit right in. My measurement from trans tailshaft seal to rearend pinion shaft flange was 51" (with rear suspension hanging off the ground). The 1977 710 measured 50 7/8" hanging. The 710 was a L20B 5 speed. Transmission yoke splines lined up perfectly with my automatic trans. Direct fit just need to install 2 new u-joints. which are a Precission U-joint Part # 391

[Charlie69]

Here is the drawing of the firewall for this truck. I hope to have made this week and installed over next weekend. This fire wall And trans tunnel mod will allow me to remove the 2" body lift. The Tunnel will be done by the old cut cut weld weld. When I get this piece I will have the old firewall cutout and use it as a template for trimming in around the wheel wells.

 

[mklotz70]

Don't for get to take pics!! :)

[Charlie69]

I broke my camera. But hope to have it fixed by the weekend. :D

[Charlie69]

I finished the front suspension & front brakes. Changed oil pan & pickup tube. Installed new u-joints. removed fuel tank & sender, sender is shot. Painted the bottom back half of the frame. Set cab on 4" blocks in preparation of cutting the tunnel & firewall out. Installed Cannon intake, Weber, thermostat housing. Cleaned up all 11 of my hub caps. I will sell off the best set for know to buy fuel gauge sending unit. I will also be selling a set of bumperettes with brackets. I will post pictures this weekend after I get my camera repaired.

[Charlie69]

OOPS Double post

[mklotz70]

Take a look on ebay for the sending unit. I bought a brand new one last year

[Charlie69]

Thanks Mike.

[wayno]

Hi there Charlie69, I would like to see pictures of your firewall mod as you go if possible. Could you note any surprises that appear and your reaction and fix. I am very interested as I have purchaced a 66 also and have many decisions to make. wayno

[Charlie69]

You bet Wayno, I plan on taking pictures and will document everything as I go. I am not sure when I will be doing it as I am dependent on my brother being able to fab the basic firewall at work, Be this I mean order the steel and lay it out, rough cut to diminsions in the drawing and then bent for the recess to clear the back of the motor. When I get the peice of new steel (12 or 14 gauge which ever is easier for him to get) then we will cut the fire wall out. I was hoping it would happen this weekend but that is not going to happen, no steel yet. I will be sure to put down in pictures & writing all that I have planned and any obsticals that arise and the changes in plans to work around obsticals. I will also be raisng the trans tunnel to achieve stock body heighth of of the frame. I will probably layout all the cuts on Sunday in preparation of getting the steel. I will also be pulling the doors of this weekend to eliminate the hanging weight & the general obtical of the doors. I am hoping to do all the cutting & fitting from inside the cab as the motor & transmission is in the truck. I have the cab sitting on 4" blocks on the rubber bushings that will be between the cab & the frame. I plan on cutting the firewall with my die grinder & my sawzall. This would be much easier & faster with a plasma cutter.

[Charlie69]

I have started on the custom wiring harness. Here I am stripping out unneeded circuits of a 1985 720 4x4 king cab harness. Main circuits kept from this harness will be the charging & power windows & power door locks. Ignition & lighting circuits will come from a 1980 720 regular cab 2 wheel drive 5 speed harness. The inhibitor (automatic transmission) & heating/AC circuits will come from a 1985 720 2 wheel drive regular cab pickup. Not sure if I want the seat belt warning buzzer as I find them annoying.

 

This is the 1985 720 4x4 king cab harness.

 

Here is Princess Buttercup guarding some of the other harnesses.

 

She has a mean tail whip just ask Pepper our Great Dane & the 3 cats.

 

Princess Buttercup enjoys here days chasing the cats in the back yard.

[Pacific coast Datsun]

What fun working on that wiring harness :D Oh & i like the parts guard... :rolleyes:

[Charlie69]

There are much easier ways to do the wiring but I like a good challenge. Buttercup is a great pet. I put her out in the yard in the morning and bring her in at night after she climbs up in her favorite bush & goes to sleep. She stays in our yard. I never thought a lizard would be trainable but they are. She learned her boundaries of the yard by being brought in early if she went where I did not want her to go. When I first put her out in the yard she would climb the fence and the side of the house. Now she stays in her yard and the table she is on in the picture is where she goes to sleep at sunset unless she is feeling ornery then she climbs into the bush.

 

Thanks Mark for the comments.

[Charlie69]

Today I cut the fire wall out & laid out the piece to weld back in.

 

I will be using a 620 pedal assembly, power booster, & master cylinder. I have disk brakes on the front thanks to Mike Klotz's talents.

 

The main reason for the new firewall is engine clearance. Right now I have the cab sitting on 2" blocks on the stock cab mounts. I will have to clearance the tunnel also in order to remove the 2" blocks. I want the cab at stock height off the frame.

 

On the flange that I drilled the spot welds out of, I plan on bending an angle on the new firewall to match the flange with the holes in it and the spot weld the 2 pieces together then grind welds smooth.

 

On the bottom of the cab as well as all around the cut out, I will drill 1/4" holes in the original floor spaced 3" apart to spot weld the new firewall flange to. Everything will get seam sealed when all the grinding & welding are finished.

The replacement firewall will be a nice flat surface with only holes that are necessary.

 

New firewall cut to ruff outside dimensions.

 

 

Prepping the top ridge for firewall removal.

 

 

 

 

I tried to cut just under the bottom ridge to remove the entire flange. The new firewall will be bent to lay with the original floor. The new firewall will have a 1” underlay of the original floor that will be spot welded every 3” and seam sealed.

 

More cut out pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

More this weekend.

[INDY510]

Nice!!!!

 

 

this is my area of expetise........ :lol: ........... I ended up shaving the cowl..... because I cut out my cowl drain

 

 

 

What are your plans for the cowl drain????

[Charlie69]

I like my windshield wipers so I will fab a cowl drain back in. Just 1 more piece of metal to fit, weld & seam fill.

[mklotz70]

Great work Charlie!

 

I was planning on removing the cowl drain on the NL to put the roadster engine in....I was thinking I'd braze or weld a tube...or two...in and run it down the inside of the firewall behind the heater box. You might have to go on either side of center since the blower motor may be too close to the firewall to fit the tubes.

[Charlie69]

Hi Mike, I plan on doing the cowl drain same as it was only on the inside of the firewall. As far as the blower motor goes I am goin to try to fit a 1980 720 heater & ac system with the blower mounted on the passenger side of the truck.

 

This truck might take a couple more years to finsh but I hope to have it driveable buy Christmas.

 

Question Mike, did you have to ream the new bushings when you replaced your king pins?

 

Thank you for the kind words.