Charlie69's 66 520 Build

[Charlie69]

Today we will set the bed and finish the front cab mounts.  It will be another long day as I will be swapping the rear leaf springs.

 

Here are pictures from last week.

 

The engine mount mods done to move engine and transmission back 1/2" for elelectric fan clearance.

 

 

 

 

Steering gear box and control arm clearancing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cab mounts extended and moved forward to fit the placement of the 66 520 cab on the 80 720 chassis.

 

 

[Charlie69]

Today did not go as planned.  My brother had to work and on his way home from work his jeep ate a radiator.  He put in a new radiator and he ended up with the engine running like shit.

 

I removed all but the 2 front bed mounts from the 1980 chassis and smoothed out all the welds that were left.  I then put a set of 4x4 springs on the 1980 chassis and I like how low it sits but I do not like the fit of the springs.  The centering bolt is 1" farther back and the 4x4 springs are about 2" longer.  I did not take any pictures today but I will on Monday when I work on it some more as tomorrow is Mothers Day.

 

I will lower the front end by torsion bars as my brother had the truck raised as high as the torsion bars would take it.

[Charlie69]

Lowered the front torsion bars.  Had to re-index the passenger side as it was almost 45 degrees off from the other one.  I have it within a 1/4" but I want it lower,  I will be re moving the last 2 front bed mounts today.  I am going to pull the cab back off because the front cab mounts need to be removed and I need to use the mounts from the 66  chassis.  After the cab is mounted properly then I will be working on the bed mounts.

 

Here is where the front sits now.

 

 

 

This is the way the 4x4 springs fit the 80 720 2wd chassis.

 

 

 

 

Gene and I took a stack of leaf springs to Valley Spring and explained to them what we wanted to do.

 

On this chassis what I decided to do is use these 4x4 720 springs, have new main leafs made to center axle in wheel well opening,  and the second leaf down in the spring pack will need to be shortened.  Valley spring will set the arch of the spring to any height I want, not sure how low I want to go until the bed is mounted.  The will install new Teflon anti noise pads between leaves and install new bushings front and rear.  If the cannot get OEM bushings they will make them.  They will R&R the springs and set the pinion angle.  This will be at a cost of about $300.  

 

This will make it so when I mount the bed I can make the gap between the bed and the cab stock,  This is a problem Wayno had was the cab to bed gap was about 1.5". 

 

The only other way to close the gap is shorten the frame and I did not want to go there.  My cab will be set on the chassis where it fits best and the bed will be mounted to match the cab.  The rear wheels will be centered in the wheel openings in the bed by doing the custom main leaf 720 4x4 springs.  After every thing is dialed in on the chassis I will strip it down to a bare frame sandblast and powder coat the frame.

 

Considering running a set of Bell Tech 2" drop spindles which will also upgrade the front to vented rotor Hardbody brakes up front.

 

This chassis has had new ball joints and upper bushings replaced recently.  I will check and replace any worn suspension and steering parts.

 

I hope to have this all done in the next month.

Edited March 23, 2019 by Charlie69

[gene knight]

Good luck with that

[Charlie69]

Gene If you help and work it can happen!  LOL

[gene knight]

No problem

[Charlie69]

I removed the 2 front bed mounts and smoothed all the left over welds from the 80 720 chassis,  Talked with my brother and I am going to wait and set the bed on and block the front up.   When the bed is where I think it should be we will pull a string line down the side of the truck along the lower crease of the cab and the bed to check if heights match and are strait.  I hope to set the bed on over the Holiday Weekend.

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Wow good work.you guys !!

[Charlie69]

Thanks Mark.

[Charlie69]

I did nothing on my truck over the Holiday.  My brother and I hope to hit it hard on Saturday.  I hope we can finish the cab mounts and the bed mounts.  On Sunday I hope to strip the old 66  chassis and get it out of the garage.

[Draker]

Always nice to free up some garage space. :) 

 

Good work.

[gene knight]

Yes it would be nice for you to have some room on your garage again

[Charlie69]

I hope to be able to get rear leaf springs done in a couple weeks.  This all depends on the getting the bed and cab mounts done.

[Charlie69]

Look at what is coming for my 520!  Thanks Gene for the tail lights.  OEM NOS Been trying to find & buy these for years!!!

 

 

 

[thisismatt]

Saw those on ebay.  I almost jumped on the tail lights myself, considering how cheap they were listed for.  Maybe not cheap to some, but considering how hard to come by they are...shoot...they should be worth $400+.  Good job!  Glad someone here bought them!

[gene knight]

Those are some nice corner lights for your 520 fenders

[Charlie69]

I managed to out bid 2 people on the the front lights and Gene Knight got the tail lights for me.  I had located these in the middle east a year or two ago but the seller would never give me information for payment so I could not purchase them.  I am glad now that it did not work out on those as these were much cheaper.

 

Matt do you need tail lights?

[thisismatt]

Not particularly, plus I have the larger 521 lights. I have NOS lenses and I think my housings are good.

[Charlie69]

OK just checking 1 of my tail lights is OK to rebuild the other one has eaten trough the housing.  That is why I was going to do LED custom tail lights.  Now I will just run these and save the expense of the LEDs.

[thisismatt]

I have a NOS 520 housing, but it is a 3 bulb made for other markets (clear, red, orange or clear, red, red). Would let it go cheap but probably no good to you.

[Charlie69]

I have three of those good used ones and like you say "not any use to me,"

[gene knight]

Thisismatt: are you using the 521 tail lights

[thisismatt]

Thisismatt: are you using the 521 tail lights

 

Bought to use, yessir

[Charlie69]

Bed mounts are tack welded in place.  My brother hurt his back ( hes has had two spine surgeries) lifting the bed and and my arthritis has flared up I can't walk or bend my knees.

 

So pictures will be later.   Hot soak and some good pain killers are next.  I am done for the day!

[Charlie69]

I received the lights and they are exactly as pictured and described.  Unfortunately I received 2 right front lights.  Ben said he would look for some lefts for me and offered full refund including shipping both ways.  I am keeping the 2 rights and hope he can find me 2 lefts.

 

Still waiting on my brother for a couple custom made shims/bed mounts to finish mounting the bed.