Wylder's 65' L320 Build Thread.

[Wylder1324]

I've posted a few diff updates on here for my 320 but decided it would be more efficient to just keep it all in one place.

 

I purchased the 320 from a guy in Los Angeles back in 2010 with the intentions of shipping it over to Hawaii where we were living at the time. It was pretty basic but had a very nice freshly restored interior and an A14 engine. I wanted to keep it pretty true to what it was while adding a few modern conveniences. I brought it over to Sunrise Z up the road in Glendale California after getting some good references from some guys in my Z network. The first thing I wanted was to do the Disc Brake Conversion that Mike Klotz builds here on Ratsun. A few other items were H4 headlights, 3.89 gears from a Datsun Roadster for better hwy speeds, fixing a few electrical issues, repairing speedo (ended up going way overboard here ha) and some white wall radial tires. Long story short the truck had a home at Sunrise for about 2 years getting these things done (no one's fault some things just came up on both my end and Art's and it just took a backseat priority) but it ended up being a blessing in disguise as we moved back home to Texas in Feb after a few wonderful years in HI and it would have cost me another $1k to ship it home with our other 2 vehicles. I also had planned to have a guy I know in the VW scene build me a nice vintage style rack for over the cab w/ wood slats as well as laying matching wood slats in the bed of the truck. I had the truck picked up from Sunrise a few weeks ago and sent down to San Diego to Pedro's for this installation. I hope to have the rack and bed finished up in the next 2 weeks. It will then go on another adventure over to Las Vegas to a friend of mine who has done some work on my 85 720 4x4. I still haven't decided what all I will do there but mostly engine and body work.

 

This is where the truck stands now as far as what all I have done since purchase.

 

 

- Front Wheel Disc Conversion (dual res master w/ proportioning valve & steel lines)

- New Rear Drum Brake System

- Cooper White Wall Radial Tires

- 3.89 Rear Differential Gears from Datsun Roadster

- Custom Drive Shaft

- Rebuilt Clutch Slave

- Repair & Recondition Brake Lights & Wiring

- Recondition Radiator

- Custom Roof Rack w/ Wooden Slats

- Custom Oak Slatted Bed to match Rack

- H4 Headlights

 

I have not made a decision for sure yet but I am considering having Pedro build me a surf style rack that goes over the bed of the truck as well that will have the wooden slats. It will be contoured to go right up to the rack on the cab so that it appears to be one piece but with a gap in the same place that the bed gaps between the cab. I will post the pics of his progress so far and would love some feedback one what you guys think I should do.

 

Once it gets to Vegas here is a list of some things I plan to have done.

 

- Re-plate all of the Chrome Trim

- Powder Coat Wheels to match Truck Color

- Line-X the Bed in Matching Color

- Restore Factory Steering Wheel

- Retro Sound Stereo

 

Those are the only things I will for sure do to the truck. In the mean time depending on what kind of $ I have available to delve deeper into the project I am considering going ahead and having what little bit of rust the truck has cut out and going ahead and repainting the truck, but in the same factory color. I am also throwing around the idea of having the engine gone through and rebuilt while adding a few performance mods such as a new carb setup and exhaust etc. I have no delusions of making it a speed demon, but with the A14 it does have a little more potential for some oomph to make driving it a little more enjoyable on the highway. Again, I am open to any other suggestions on the truck that just may not have occurred to me. In the mean time, here are some pics of the truck from when I purchased throughout the restoration process to today.

 

[wayno]

I have seen this truck before, maybe another thread about the instruments being done?

This is a very nice 65 320, it's easy to dump a shitload of money into them, isn't it.

The A14 is a good engine, easy to find parts for, and there are a few upgrades out there.

Dual SUs would look nice in there, you should start looking for a setup.

How was your headliner put in, glued?

[Wylder1324]

Thanks I like to think shes pretty nice myself ha. You are def right about them becoming $ pits….sadly I have more than just 1 $ pit. I do like those dual SU's and it is something I have been considering. I haven't inspected the headliner and it was done before I got the truck so I can't say for sure. I will look at it asap and get back to you on it.

[burrito213]

Thank you for posting some of he brake swap pics. I am about to set mine up and wanted to reference ivesome pics for install. Nice truck. I think I've seen this truck on facebook .

[drew510]

_{Sounds like you are pretty good at research, but if you do go the SU route, look up ZTherapy. They are far and away THE experts when it comes to SUs. Steve, Pam, Bruce, and the gang are great people to boot!}

[datsunz]

Nice rig.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Super nice! I've seen it on facbook as well.

 

A weber DGV is a better swap in my opinion. They actually flow more than SU's and they are easier to keep in tune. And if you haven't already, have the distributor re-curved and throw a Pertronix in it. Other than that, there's not much else you can do without tearing into the motor. A header maybe, but good luck finding one that fit an A series in a 320...

[burrito213]

what rubber brake lines did you use for the disk brake swap?

[6l320datsun3]

What brakes master cylinder did you use?

[Jayden71]

Beautiful truck!!! :thumbup:

[AZ_L320]

Nice looking truck man! I like the color and the look!

 

Dale - AZ

[fourfiveten]

Little confused here, are those not flat top SU's in the engine bay already? Nice truck.

[wayno]

Little confused here, are those not flat top SU's in the engine bay already? Nice truck.

 

That would be my flat tops in my engine bay, I just used the photo for an example.

[Wylder1324]

Thanks for the love guys. As far as the brake master I believe its out of a 720....I will have to double check, i didn't install the brake kit a shop over in Glendale did that mod for me as the truck is a few thousand miles from me at the moment.

 

Im moving forward with my surf and cab racks as well as laying the wood in the bed....here are a few prelim pics of the process. I was going to go with oak in the bed as well as on the rack, but after seeing the bamboo I decided it was a must on the rack with the oak remaining in the bed. The oak will have a natural stain so that it will be a smooth match to the bamboo.

 

The planks in the bed will be screwed in and I will also have it Line-Xed w/ a color match spray.

 

[rkldesign]

I want to do oak in my bed as well. Could you provide the cross section shape? Or can you produce more for a second bed? Cost for lumber?

Thanks, RK

[mklotz70]

LOL.....I've been involved with this truck from the start and I just now find the build thread.

 

Was the brake hose too short or did they do that just to keep it from twisting? I think I already had the clips made before they installed the kit.....I could have sent you a couple......if I didn't already. Kind of a moot point now anyway :)

 

Looks awesome!

[Wylder1324]

Finally got stage 1 of the rack and the bed slats finished & installed. The next addition will be the full surf rack over the bed area. Once I finish that I will decide whether or not I want to move forward with building the benches onto and next to the wheel wells complete with storage under 2 and marine speakers under the other 2.....here are some photos of what we just finished.

 

[Wylder1324]

Im also trying to decide what I want to do with the old tool box....it doesn't really fit the look that the truck is taking on....but its a pretty neat old tool box :-/

 

[Z chopper]

tool box is nice idea but maybe try and find one that matches the body line or build one out of oak that fits down in the bed flush with the top of the bed

[Wylder1324]

Z-Chopper - Def not keeping it on the truck. Guy I bought it from says it was a dealer option for the truck though….so makes me want to at least hang onto it.

[MatFink]

LOVE the way the truck is coming along! roofrack is awesome.

[]2eDeYe]

Looks great, that bed slat idea turned out killer. :D

[Wylder1324]

The rack is finally finished. The truck was picked up today and is now enroute to its final location for restoration. High Impact Motorsports in Las Vegas, NV. Here are a few pictures of the finished product….not ver good angles, but I wasn't there to be choosy. I will try to get some better ones up once it gets to Vegas.

 

[Wylder1324]

Btw I am going to be painting the truck n Vegas as well…..at the moment I am thinking I will stick with the same color….but I'm open to suggestions.

[mklotz70]

rack came out great!

 

Restore it????? That's one of the nicest 320's out there...what the heck are you going to restore?? LOL :)