Charlie69's 66 520 Build

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Ill post a pic of where the letters ended up & measurements soon. YW I like doing custom stuff like this.

[Charlie69]

I was going to install my lowered spindles and ball joints today, but I am having to much pain with my knees to get down on them and work on my 520.

 

I am going to take some pain pills and take a nap instead.

[wayno]

I hope you get to feeling better soon Charlie.

Your lucky that you have pain pills, I am in the middle of a case of Shingles, they gave me a antiviral medicine, and a anti inflammatory medicine, but they would not give me anything for the pain, I have to suffer, and I know who to thank also.

[Charlie69]

Sorry to here that Wayne.

 

I have surgery on my right knee scheduled for April 25 and 8 weeks after that I have the left knee scheduled.  After having both knee replacements done I will never have arthritis in the knees again!  So I have a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Wayne is shingles a 1 time thing like chicken pox?

[wayno]

The literature I read said most have it one time only, but I also read that some have them more than once.

I learn more every time I look up an after effect I am having, I now am having pain where the rashes were, I searched that and found out that for some the pain is forever, while others it goes away after a while, even more disturbing is that there are stories about some that have debilitating pain that just stops in one night for no reason, years later.  

What I have right now is a spike in right side head pain that can make me flinch every once in a while, and what feels like my neck is sprained or something, and very itchy skin where the rash was, I am trying not to scratch.

Sorry to here that Wayne.

 

I have surgery on my right knee scheduled for April 25 and 8 weeks after that I have the left knee scheduled.  After having both knee replacements done I will never have arthritis in the knees again!  So I have a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Wayne is shingles a 1 time thing like chicken pox?

[Charlie69]

Can you use any ointment where the rash was to help it not itch?

 

Wayno I hope this leaves your body never to return, and have you added to the church prayer list.  It sure can't hurt.

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Get better soon gentlemen,,,guess Ill stay quiet about my aches & minor pains HaHa.

Well heres where the letters on Charlies gate ended up. It was going to be a grill on my 92 Hardbody...the dimensions on the D is 3 1/2 high & 5 3/4 long...

[Charlie69]

Thanks Mark for the measurements.  I thought the letters were much taller.

 

I out to rename this thread to "The Old Fart's Aches and Pains!"  LOL

[Charlie69]

I took some pain pills and worked on the ball joints and spindles today.  Removal of old ball joints went smooth.  Install of lower ball joints went well.  The upper ball joints were another story.

 

 After trying to start the bolts in the upper ball joints for 1/2 an hour, I put 1 of the ball joints in my vise and checked the threads, well the threads did not go all the way through.  So I took a 9mm x1.25 tape and threaded the holes in both upper ball joints.  The thing about the threads was if they would have tapped the holes originally from the direction of the bolt threading in they would have almost worked. 

 

I got the spindles and the shocks in.  I will work on hubs and brakes next weekend.

 

 

 

 

[gene knight]

Looks good, who knows maybe you will have you truck on the road b4 I get grimace done

[Charlie69]

Gene you should have Grimace on the road long before me.  I have a lot to do that you have all ready done on Grimace!  But if you don't get your ass to work on Grimace it will never get done!  LOL

[Pacific coast Datsun]

The new spindles  look good sir !

[Charlie69]

Thanks Mark and Gene.

[KoHeartsGPA]

Looking good, brother!!

[Charlie69]

Thank you KoHeartsGPA!  Slowly getting there.  It would be much easier if I would quit changing my mind.  LOL

[KoHeartsGPA]

Took me 10 years to get mine to where I can drive and enjoy her, it was worth the wait, take your time, do it right and how YOU want it :thumbup:

[wayno]

It's better to have a plan and get it done than it is to do it the way we are doing it Charlie, I got the 521 kingcab done because I had a plan, the 520 kept changing because I wasn't working on it full time, actually the 521 had a U turn also, but I still had a plan, I keep thinking about other stuff to do with the 520, I'm afraid it will never be done.

But my 520 does get driven though, that is one of my things, I want everything to move under its own power, if it doesn't I am not happy.

One of two things will happen if you can drive it, it will get finished, or you will just be so happy that it moves that you won't care anymore and you will be happy just to be driving it.

[Charlie69]

I had a plan honestly I did!  LOL

[S30Jay]

That truck is looking good Charlie! I admire you for continuing on it despite your arthritis, I feel like I'm babying myself as I'm icing my back right now instead of turning wrenches in the garage! I wish you well with your upcoming knee replacements!

[Charlie69]

Thank you Wayno and S30Jay.  My knee surgeon is one of the best in this area so I am confident all will go well. 

 

I hope to have time to get the bearings changed and greased so I can install them and the front disk brake parts.  I will have vented rotors and bigger pads on the 1980 chassis.

[4perrev]

Sorry to here that Wayne.

 

I have surgery on my right knee scheduled for April 25 and 8 weeks after that I have the left knee scheduled.  After having both knee replacements done I will never have arthritis in the knees again!  So I have a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Wayne is shingles a 1 time thing like chicken pox?

Take it easy on the knees. Replacements are good for atlas 20+ years if you have moderate life styles. IE, Football player, motocross rider or rock climber would accelerate the wear. Had both my shoulders worked on years ago and they were 9 months apart. Crazy pain, but do all the physical therapy you can handle to make it heal faster! 

 

Nice work on the truck man. Just went through the build to date and I have to say, it is awesome. Love seeing the come back from the dead builds. Just can't get enough of the goods!!!!

 

I think shingles is an accelerate chicken pox that can come and go. Very painful at times. Sorry to hear Wayne. Hope you bounce back quick.

[Charlie69]

Thank you 4perrev.

 

I will keep going as I can.  Knees are giving me fits.  Surgeon is trying different pain medications as the standard Percocet do not work on me.

 

I want to get the front end work finished up and get it to the spring shop before surgery.  This will leave me with driveline needing shortened and new exhaust.  I will need to mount the tank so I can make new emergency cable mounts as the old ones prevented mounting the stock 520 gas tank.  I hope I do not need longer cables.  If I do I will get a pair of King Cab 720 cables.

[denmarkboy]

Thank you 4perrev.

 

I will keep going as I can.  Knees are giving me fits.  Surgeon is trying different pain medications as the standard Percocet do not work on me.

 

 

 

  I can completely relate , I HATE medication . And that makes me sick er . And I hate being strapped to a chair .

 

   But it does give ya time to plan the next accomplishment for your build . 

 

  Here is to your fast healing my friend ! positive thought's and datto's , it's the cure .

[Bory]

Just add water it will grow-

Oh, that just rusts the floorboards ha

[Charlie69]

Thank you Al.  It has to be a speedy recovery because I have the second knee scheduled 8 weeks after the first.  I hope to be able to walk good enough to make the SWDP Barbecue in Fontana the last of August.

 

Unfortunately I will not make Canby or Al's shindig due to surgeries and therapy.  Gene Knight offered me a free round trip ticket to go to both but I will not be able to.  Gene thank you for the offer.  Maybe you can take your nephew Nick.

 

Bory funny you say that.  Last August the night before I had major nose surgery my water heater blew up and sprayed hot water all over my bear metal 520 in my garage.  It immediately started flash rusting but I was in no condition to do anything about my rusting 520 or my blown water heater.

 

I was blessed with Mark ( Pacific Coast Datsun), my brother Garret, and Gene Knight came to the rescue.  Mark lives in Bullhead City AZ about 3.5 hours from my house, but at the time he was training in Winslow AZ for the railroad and had to come to Phoenix for a week of training.  Mark called and asked if he could stay at my house for the weekend to save him some money on hotel and I said sure you can even have my bedroom as I will be sleeping in my recliner in the living room.  I had to keep my nose elevated. 

 

So Mark comes down and sees the mess of rust on my 520 and Mark, my brother, and Gene decide that early Saturday morning they would take my 520 to my brothers about 4 miles away and sand back all the rust to bare metal and seam seal and shoot a quick coat of lacquer based primer to protect the metal until more body work and paint could be done.  They did that in 1 long weekend.  Gene donated the primer Mark donated the lacquer thinner and my brother donated the seam sealer.  Thank you guys.

 

Well in August our tap water on a cool day is 85 degrees so I put off installing a new water heater until 6 weeks later and Gene Knight came over and helped with that.

 

So Mark and my brother the Saturday before they primed my 520 they worked on some of the body work.  When Mark called letting me know he was coming down for sure I went to Harbor Freight and purchased one of they're stud welding guns for pulling dents.  I knew my brother and Mark would have to play with it.  He he!  I could not do anything physical, not even bend over.  Well they both played with the stud gun and loved it.  And I got some body work started so win win!

 

Mark knows owns the stud gun as I traded for some tailgate customization.

 

If we do not have good family and friends we would be pretty hard up in situations like these.  Thank you all I will never be able to say thank you enough.  I do appreciate all you have done for me.  I will be there when you need help!