Another 320 - new owner - 65

[fletchmpoon]

I’ve owned this truck for over a month and have done a few things that make me feel worthy of raising my hand and claiming to be a member of the 320 cult (anyone can just go out and buy one, right?).

Thanks goes out to Matt Stoffregen and Mike Pierce as she is now sporting new intake and weber.

 

She’s not perfect! But she runs, is proving to be relatively reliable and always brings a smile while driving.

 

Oh and for those that slam newbs….. the pics…..

 

 

 

 

 

[wayno]

Welcome to Ratsun :thumbup:

Very nice 65, great job on the oics.

[AZ_L320]

Very nice looking L320. Welcome to the 320 clan.

 

Dale - AZ

[satcat808]

Awesome 320 where did you get the Manifold and Carb setup from?

[fletchmpoon]

She got a bit of a workout this past weekend. From sea level to 4500+ feet, with a couple of hundred miles in between (not all of it paved). She saw deer, trout and an excited teenager (& yes that's an M1 built in the Saginaw, GM, plant).

 

 

 

 

 

Breakfast at the Bambi!

 

 

 

Laters!

[rkldesign]

Nice pics, looks like you are enjoying the truck. If you ever get down here in Napa look me up. I have two trucks right now and lots of spare parts if you need any.

I met Mike the guy you bought his truck from and he would be happy to see it being used.

 

Take care, Richard

[burrito213]

Is your intake seperated from your exhaust?

[wayno]

Is your intake seperated from your exhaust?

 

He put a plate over the hole in the exhaust manifold Marcos, see it in the photo below, so his intake is separate from the exhaust manifold.

[fletchmpoon]

Richard - I do plan on looking you up when I'm over that way. I hear you're a bee keeper (something I did when I was in high school). I heard you scooped-up Mike's spare parts before I bought the truck.

 

Marcos - Wayno is correct. A plate was fabbed to cover the hole. Made a gasket from a sheet of fel-pro exhaust gasket material (I've got a ton of the material left over if you need some). I thought about a custom header, but don't hear good things about the flange thickness on the header brands that I found.

 

If anyone knows of a good quality MGB header manufacturer - I'd be interested in starting with one and fabbing something a bit different to make it work with the constraints of the 320. No hurry - she's running nicely.

[fletchmpoon]

De hecho - she's been on a couple of camping/sailing trips this summer.

 

 

[Dattokai]

She’s not perfect!"

IT LOOKS BRAND NEW!!

[KFunk740]

Hi Fletch, the truck looks great. I just wanted to know where you sourced your trailer hitch from, and what (if anything) needs modified? I'd like to add a hitch to mine as well, and want to keep the stock bumpers.

[MatFink]

looks awesome! ha, the thought of towing things makes my little ute grind to a halt...used it to move a few of the bulky items last time i moved house(fridge/washing machine/couch)...loaded up with these items, myself and my mate, it was 80km/hr flatout! were you traveling far?

[rkldesign]

Fletch?

 

Yes Mike was kind enough to let his parts collection go. I was grateful to have some back up parts for my projects.

Yes we'd like to see your trailer hitch setup so we can do the same.

Yes the Beekeeping biz is great here in Napa, I am always with a supply of honey. I am using one of the trucks for my bee hive visits and honey sales. It is a great PR truck , everybody looks at it and sees my logo and phone number. One of the best ways to advertise my small business.

Here in Napa it is all slow in town driving so I am not pissing off any Beemers.....

Still have some parts available, points, bearings, some used stuff too, a J13 motor and trans.

Richard

[burrito213]

 

 

He put a plate over the hole in the exhaust manifold Marcos, see it in the photo below, so his intake is separate from the exhaust manifold.

 

 

Simply, amazing.

 

As for intake, what is in its place?.... I see pierce, is that mgb or ___ ? This is a J style motor?

 

Great great set up though. Truly impressed.

[fletchmpoon]

let's see.....

 

KFunk - I made the hitch. Fortunately my family has a muffler shop with all needed equipment and parts. I'll get pics soon and post.

 

Mat - it seems that every where I'm wanting to go is about 75 - 80 miles away from home. Most adventure trips end up being about 200 miles round trip (every trip in a 320 is an adventure, right?).

 

Richard - you're close enough to Yuba City, let me know when/if you're ever coming this way and I'll have my folks take care of you. You'd have a hitch and be all wired-up in a couple of hours. Again, I'll post pics next time I have the camera around.

 

Marcos - I still have the original E1 motor (very similar to the J13). Yes. The Pierce intake is for an MGB. It is available as a kit from Mike. Here is a link: http://piercemanifolds.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=P17-001 This is the kit that I have installed. I think it will work with the J13 as well. If in doubt, call Mike Pierce. He's got a 320 and is knowledgeable about what works.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Nice truck Jason. How does it run? Did you have to do any jet changes from stock?

[fletchmpoon]

Matt - the truck runs great. I haven't changed the jetting from what Mike Pierce set-up. Mike has a 320 and while speaking with him, explaining that the MGB intake was going on a 320, he told me that he knew what jetting was needed. He set it up and I haven't touched it.

 

Don't think I've forgotten about you and your shop....

 

I've got to solve a clutch issue in my truck, I'm getting some slipping. Clutch parts for the 320 are proving difficult to locate. If I can't find a simple solution for a new clutch, I may be shopping for an A motor, 5-speed and a 720 front end. & you should know what that means.....

 

Speaking of 720 front clips, have you already done the 720 swap on another 320?

 

I'm going to post for clutch parts in the parts wanted section.

 

I'll talk to you soon!

 

J

[wayno]

Yes he has done a 720 frame swap on a 320, it turned out nice.

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/34698-320-balljoint-conversion/

[fletchmpoon]

Yep. I've driven that truck. Pretty cool - going up hill doing 65mph in 4th....

 

Matt had another 320 owner lined-up that was going to do the 720 front clip swap. I'm not sure if that project has started/finished yet.

 

I'm on the fence about doing this with my 320. I figure if i do end up going for the 720 clip and all the modernization benefits that it brings to the ride of the truck that I might as well find that A15/5-speed to complete the modernization.

 

I'm actually quite torn. I really dig the 48mph average top speed of the 320 with the stock E1 but if sourcing parts for routine maintenance is going to continue to be a PITA I'm really considering the upgrades.

 

J

[wayno]

Yep. I've driven that truck. Pretty cool - going up hill doing 65mph in 4th....

 

Matt had another 320 owner lined-up that was going to do the 720 front clip swap. I'm not sure if that project has started/finished yet.

 

I'm on the fence about doing this with my 320. I figure if i do end up going for the 720 clip and all the modernization benefits that it brings to the ride of the truck that I might as well find that A15/5-speed to complete the modernization.

 

I'm actually quite torn. I really dig the 48mph average top speed of the 320 with the stock E1 but if sourcing parts for routine maintenance is going to continue to be a PITA I'm really considering the upgrades.

 

J

 

 

That truck has an A12 in it with a big cam, I also have rode in it.

My NL320 has 389 gears in the rear axle, I can go 60-65 fairly easy, but getting it going any faster I have to floor it, as there really isn't much left, I have a weber on mine, but your only going to get so much power out of a 1200, unless you spend a bunch of money.

The A14/15 series engines are good little engines, and you can still get parts.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Matt - the truck runs great. I haven't changed the jetting from what Mike Pierce set-up. Mike has a 320 and while speaking with him, explaining that the MGB intake was going on a 320, he told me that he knew what jetting was needed. He set it up and I haven't touched it.

 

Don't think I've forgotten about you and your shop....

 

I've got to solve a clutch issue in my truck, I'm getting some slipping. Clutch parts for the 320 are proving difficult to locate. If I can't find a simple solution for a new clutch, I may be shopping for an A motor, 5-speed and a 720 front end. & you should know what that means.....

 

Speaking of 720 front clips, have you already done the 720 swap on another 320?

 

I'm going to post for clutch parts in the parts wanted section.

 

I'll talk to you soon!

 

J

 

I have not started that project yet. I still have that spare front clip laying around if you're interested.

[Esteban]

Nice 320! Welcome to the club!

[fletchmpoon]

My apologies for the delay. A couple of you wanted to see pics of the hitch on the 320. Here are a couple.

 

Jason

 

 

[KFunk740]

Thanks fletch!  Sorry I missed these hitch pics before.  That looks pretty simple.  I was thinking that I could order this: http://www.etrailer.com/Specialty-Trailer-Hitches/Draw-Tite/41990.html

and then just have a local guy weld it to the frame rails for me?

It might block some of the bumper bolts, but maybe the bolt heads could be welded in place so that they won't need accessed again.

 

I'd also have to lower my spare tire a bit, or get a lower profile spare (wrong size is on it right now).