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My Dragon Datsun 521


DanielC

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In the 1970's I put these Stewart Warner gauges in dragon, and this is how they looked before last night.
Gauges1.JPG

 

I used a large file to remove some casting flash on the edges of the aluminium panel, then sanded it with a sanding block, and 400 grit paper, wet.  Then I used the blue one of these brushes in a drill to smooth over the sanding marks.

Nylox.JPG

 
After that, the gauge mount panel looked like this.
Gauges2.JPG
 
I put the gauge panel back in Dragon.
Gauges3.JPG
 
And then put the cleaned gauges back in the panel.  At one time, I had some fog lights on this truck.  the top hole was for a indicator light, the bottom hole was for the switch.
Gauges4.JPG

 

Wayno got a reply in while I was editing the post.  He likes volt meters.  Volt meters have advantages over an amp meter.

 

In the 1970's we used amp meters and we liked it.  Most cars that had a gauge to monitor what is going on with the charging system used amp meters. 

 

It is much easier to wire a voltmeter, especially on a 521, because a 521 used the positive battery cable to the starter to carry charging current from the alternator to the battery.   Charging current goes on one cable to the battery, discharging current goes on another thick wire, to the fuse box.

 

Since the amp meter reads both a charge from the alternator, and a discharge from the battery, you need to do some rewiring to make an amp meter read correctly.

 

First, you need to run a wire from the positive out of the alternator to the fusebox.  This wire needs to be big enough to handle the full output of the alternator.  For a 50 amp alternator, you need a bare minimum of a 10 gauge wire, and probably should use a 8 gauge wire.  Higher output alternators, even bigger wire. 

 

Then you need two more wires from the fusebox to the gauge.  One wire goes from the fusebox to the gauge.  The original wire from the battery to the fuse box is disconnected from the fuse box, and reconnected to the second wire going to the amp gauge.

 

Both of these wires need to be able to carry the full alternator output.  These wires are going into the cab.  You need to make sure these wires are very well insulated, and protected from any sheet metal edges.  Since these wires are directly connected to both the alternator and the battery, if they short to the cab, it is possible to have a few hundred amps of current in a short circuit situation on these wires.   These wires are always hot.  Another problem is the addition of the resistance of several feet of even a heavy gauge wire causes a voltage drop in the alternator output, so the alternator has to work harder to make up the difference.

 

A voltmeter only needs a single pretty thin (16 gauge) wire to connect. 

 

I have the amp meter.  A volt meter to match the oil gauge is about $45.00 to purchase.

Edited by DanielC
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I put this blue door on the truck today, just to fill the hole.
BlueDoor.JPG

My plan is to paint the truck, but I do not have a heated garage.  I can put heat lamps on smaller areas.  I can also put a little heat into the garage, with a small space heater, and if it gets close to warm enough to paint, I can.

 

i wanted to put a door, any door on the truck, so I can start fitting front fenders.  This truck was involved in a front end collision, and the cowl is pushed back where the top rear part of the fenders pushed on the cowl.

Edited by DanielC
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This is a battery I have been using in Dragon for quite a while.  As you can see, the battery has a sticker from April of 2005.  I got this battery used, it spent a few years in a moored boat, and it was discharged fully a few times, and then recharged, but became unreliable in the boat unless the boat was run a few times a week.  But it served several more years in Dragon.  the battery is a group 34 size.

OldBattery2.JPG

Yesterday, I went to Pick-n-Pull, and got this used battery, also a group 34.  This battery has these  lugs on the side, for a lifting handle, but the lifting lugs get in way of the battery hold down.
LiftLugs.JPG
 

The quick and dirty solution is to cut the lugs off, i just used a cross cut saw.
LugSaw.JPG

 

Here I am testing the fit of the battery hold down.  After sawing the lugs off, I had to do a little filing on the remaining part of the lugs. 
HoldDownFit.JPG
 

The battery hold down now fits, and I clamped the battery in place.
BattClamped.JPG
 

Because the positive battery terminal is so close to the battery hold down, I put a plastic washer over the positive battery terminal, then put the positive battery cable on the battery post.
PlasticWash.JPG
 

The battery is now completely installed, and it cranks the truck faster, and more importantly, longer.
BattInstalled.JPG

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This is a battery I have been using in Dragon for quite a while.  As you can see, the battery has a sticker from April of 2005.  I got this battery used, it spent a few years in a moored boat, and it was discharged fully a few times, and then recharged, but became unreliable in the boat unless the boat was run a few times a week.  But it served several more years in Dragon.  the battery is a group 34 size.

OldBattery2.JPG

Yesterday, I went to Pick-n-Pull, and got this used battery, also a group 34.  This battery has these  lugs on the side, for a lifting handle, but the lifting lugs get in way of the battery hold down.

LiftLugs.JPG

 

The quick and dirty solution is to cut the lugs off, i just used a cross cut saw.

LugSaw.JPG

 

Here I am testing the fit of the battery hold down.  After sawing the lugs off, I had to do a little filing on the remaining part of the lugs. 

HoldDownFit.JPG

 

The battery hold down now fits, and I clamped the battery in place.

BattClamped.JPG

 

Because the positive battery terminal is so close to the battery hold down, I put a plastic washer over the positive battery terminal, then put the positive battery cable on the battery post.

PlasticWash.JPG

 

The battery is now completely installed, and it cranks the truck faster, and more importantly, longer.

BattInstalled.JPG

Get a battery with the posts on the opposite sides and turn the battery 180 degrees.

 

520_023A_01.jpg

 

http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/pickup-1965-1972/electrical-1600-(l16)/battery

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I ordered this carb preheater duct from Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/CARBURETOR-PREHEATER-HOSE-dune-buggy/dp/B00FB7XO6E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512204582&sr=8-1&keywords=engine+preheater+hose.
1DuctBag.JPG
I stretched the duct out, cut it in half, and put the two ducts on Dragon.
2RtDuct.JPG

3LeftDuct.JPG

 

This is a bent door handle.  The plastic slowly sags when it gets hot.  This is more of a problem in Arizona, than in Oregon, but they sag in Oregon over the years.  One way to fix this is to turn the handle upside down and let it sag back straighter.
BentDoorHandle.JPG

 

Because it is too cold in Oregon, in December for the handle to sag back straight, I used this heat gun to heat the handle up, and gently bend it back straight.
Heatgun.JPG

 

The door handle was also put on the door with the silver sheet metal screws in the picture.  The door is threaded for a #10-32 screw.  I have a bunch of the black #10-32 screws.
HandleScrews.JPG

 

The screw holes in the door were slightly damaged by the sheet metal screws.  I chased threads in the holes with a 10-32 tap.
Tap10-32.JPG

 

This is the door handle back on the door.
DoorHandleOn.JPG

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I only have one pair of the chrome door handles, but lots of the plastic ones.
 
I plumbed the oil pressure gauge today.  When I was using Dragon as a daily driver about 25 years ago,  I used a copper pipe, with compression fittings.  It only leaked a little bit.
OilPressure.JPG
 
I used a 1/4 inch steel line inside the cab, from the gauge to the engine compartment, going through the choke cable hole in the firewall.
LineFirewall.JPG

 

This is where the line attaches to the oil pressure gauge.  The line just runs near the bottom of the dashboard, under the combo meter.  I slipped the line in through the glovebox opening, to above the gauge. There, I put two bends in the line, to attach to the gauge.   Before I attached the line to the gauge, I slid the line all the way left, and that gave me enough clearance to poke the engine side of the line out the choke cable hole in the firewall.  I probably need to put in a few small clamps to stop the line from rattling, and hold it below the glove box.
LineGauge.JPG
 
Inside the engine compartment, I put in a coupler, and used -4 Aeroquip SS hose.
LineCoupling.JPG
 
I also used this "T" fitting to keep the oil idiot light functioning.  There is an an adapter on the engine oil port to convert 1/8 BSP to the much more common NPT standard.
T_Fitting.JPG

 

I made the Aeroquip line this evening. 
AeroLine.JPG

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On Saturday, Dec 9, I took dragon outside into the warm Oregon sun, I wanted to adjust the door gap a little.  I wanted to move the whole door forward.  This is the top rear corner before adjustment.
DoorGap1.JPG
 
This is after the adjustment.
DoorGap2.JPG
 
The next three pictures are before the adjustment again, I just took them for reference.
DoorGap3.JPG
 
DoorGap4.JPG
 
DoorGap5.JPG

Door hinge pictures.  The hinges are bolted to the cab door post, and to the door.  You can adjust the whole door forward, aft, up, and down, by either loosening the door post to hinge bolts, or the door to hinge bolts, moving the door, and retightening the bolts.  You can also adjust the door in and out to the cab by loosening the door to hinge bolts.

I just wanted to move the door forward.  This was simple, I loosened three of the four door post bolts, on the top hinge, and two of the three bolts on the bottom hinge.  I then slightly loosened the two remaining bolts, but leaving them tight enough to hold the door.  I loosened the top bolt a little more, and lifted the back of the door, and tightened it.  This moves the top of the door forward, and up, leaving the door slightly crooked in the opening.  Then I loosened the tighter bolt in the bottom hinge, and the door moves forward, and down slightly, making it straight in the opening again.
DoorHingeBot.JPG

DoorHingeTop.JPG

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More door work, done last week.

DoorPanel.JPG

I removed the window crank, and the inside open handle.

CranksOff.JPG

Then used this tool.

DoorPanelTool1.JPG

To remove the door panel.

 

DoorPanelTool2.JPG

 

DoorPanelTool3.JPG

 

DoorPanelTool4.JPG

 

This is the back of the door panel.

DoorPanelBack.JPG

 

One of the clips pulled off the door panel. 

DoorPanelClip.JPG

That panel clip broke.

DoorPanelClipBad.JPG

 

This door has been apart before, and did not have the openings in the door covered with plastic.  The service manual from Nissan says to remove the plastic sheet carefully.  I am guessing plastic sheet was harder to come by in Japan, in 1970 than it is now, in 2017.

 

This is the door lock cylinder, it is the next thing to come out of the door.

DoorLockCylinder.JPG

The small clip on the door lock cylinder back is very easy to lose.  there is usually dirt, crud, and and window run channel in the bottom of the door for this clip to get lost in.

 

I place my finger over the closed end of the clip, and then work the end of the small screwdriver under the clip, wiggling the clip slowly off the back of the door lock.

CylinderClipRemoval.JPG

 

I then take the lever off the lock cylinder,

CylinderLever.JPG

 

Then I put the clip back on the cylinder. Did I mention the clip is really easy to lose?

CylinderClipOn.JPG

 

Then I used a pair of Vice Grips to remove the door lock cylinder retainer, it just slides off.

CylinderRetainer.JPG

 

Then the door lock cylinder easily comes out of the door.

CylinderOut.JPG

 

 

Next, I remove these screws around the door catch on the back of the door,

DoorLockAssyScrew.JPG

 

these screws near the bottom of the back of the door.  If you have an older 521, that does not have the inside door lock knob near the back of the door, these screws are not there.

BellCrankScrew.JPG

 

Remove the two screws holding the door inside control to the door.

DoorLockInsideControl.JPG

 

and unscrew the door lock knob, if you have one.

DoorLockKnob.JPG

 

With all the screws out of the parts of the door lock mechanism, you can fold the rods close to each other, and take the whole mechanism out of the door.

DoorLockMechanism1.JPG

 

DoorLockMechanism2.JPG

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After removing the door lock mechanism, the windows can be removed from the door.

Remove the sliding window lower stop, by removing these two screws.

WindowStopScrews.JPG

 

Roll the window about half way up.

WindowHalfUp.JPG

 

Remove the four window regulator screws.

WindowRegulatorScrews.JPG

 

While holding the window, push the window regulator inside the door, and slide the roller on the regulator arm off the sliding window roller track.

RegulatorRemove1.JPG

You can loop a string around the sliding window roller track, to hold the window.  This picture was hard to get with only two hands.

 

Remove the screws that hold the front window run channel, on the vent window to the door.  The window regulator arm is in a narrow slot between the inside of the door, and the vent window channel. 

VentRunScrew1.JPG

 

Removing the two screws lets the regulator arm drop out between the door and vent channel.

RegulatorRemove2.JPG

 

The regulator can then be removed from the door.

RegulatorRemove3.JPG

 

 

WindowOnString1.JPG

 

WindowOnString2.JPG

After the sliding window regulator is out, the sliding window needs to go to the bottom of the door.  This is why you need the string.

 

Remove the four vent window screws on the front of the door frame.

VentScrew1.JPG

 

This screw was already missing.

VentScrew2.JPG

The three bottom screws are sheet metal tapping screws.  The top screw is a machine screw.

VentScrew3.JPG

 

VentScrew4.JPG

 

This screw was stuck, and the head would not grip the Phillips head screwdriver.  This picture was taken after the head stripped, and was hammered back to try to get the screwdriver to hold.  It did not.

VentScrew5.JPG

 

I used a 1/32 cutoff disk to cut a slot in the top of the screw head.

VentScrew7.JPG

 

VentScrew6.JPG

Then a slotted screwdriver was used to remove the screw.

VentScrew8.JPG

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Use a slotted screwdriver to gently pry the window seal up out of the clips holding it.

WindowSeal1.JPG

 

This is one of eight seal clips. Part of the top of it is missing.

WindowSealClip1.JPG

Use a thin screwdriver to gently pry it away from the door.

WindowSealClip2.JPG

 

Grab it with a pair of pliers to pull it away from the door, and then lift it out of the slot in the door.

WindowSealClip3.JPG

 

Open the vent window.

VentRemoval1.JPG

Grab it with your hand,

VentRemoval2.JPG

Pull the top of the vent window frame toward the rear of the door.

VentRemoval3.JPG

Swing the top of the vent window outside of the door frame when it is clear of the door frame,

VentRemoval4.JPG

and then the vent window can be slid out of the door.

 

The sliding window is still in the door, my finger is on the top edge of the glass. Use the string, or just grab it and raise it up

WindowRemoval1.JPG

 

Hold a corner of the glass, once it is out of the window slot.

WindowRemoval2.JPG

 

Rotate the window so the bottom of the window is toward the front,

WindowRemoval3.JPG

 

And the window can be removed from the door.

WindowRemoval4.JPG

 

And this is why I took the door apart. A lot of the old run channel felt was in the bottom of the door. this is the rear channle, inside the door.

RunChannelOld1.JPG

 

This is the rear run channel at the top of the door.

RunChannelOld2.JPG

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I have found this window run channel from Mygrant Glass company works for the sliding window on a 521.  It is available from Mygrant Glass.  Unfortunately, they do not sell retail, you need to find a auto glass person, or company and have them order it for you.
WindowChannel.JPG
 
This is the adhesive I use to glue the run channel, and other weather strip on cars.
WeatherstripAdhesive.JPG
 
I then cleaned the door lock mechanism, and noticed a spring was missing on it.  The old grease was hard, and gumming up functioning of the mechanism. 
LockMechanism.JPG
 
Part cleaned, and spring replaced.
LockMechanism2.JPG
 
This is part that holds the inside door release handle.  It got cleaned too, hard to tell.
RemoteControl.JPG
 
Part cleaned, and greased.
RemoteControl2.JPG
 
This is the part that is needed if your 521 doors have an inside lock button, that pulls up and down to lock the door from the inside.  It also lets the lock knob that is inside the sliding window in the door work the lock mechanism that is outside the sliding window in the door.
BellCrank.JPG
 
I also wirebrushed some rust off it, cleaned old hard grease off it, and worked some new grease into it.
BellCrank2.JPG
 
I did a trial assembly of parts in the door, but did not take many pictures of that, I am trying to get a good order of pictures to put in this thread.  This is the lock mechanism,
LockMechInDoor.JPG
 
The remote in the door,
RemoteInDoor.JPG
 
and the bell crank in the bottom of the rear of the door.  This is wrong the two rods going down cross over each other.  I had to pull the assembly back out of the door, turn the bell crank over and make the rods not cross each other. 
BellRodsWrong.JPG
 
This is the fourth 521 door I put new sliding window run channel in.  On the third door I did, the sliding window was really hard to move.  

 

This is the rear top of the window run channel in this door.  On the thinner, upper in the picture, flange, the metal folded over is not crimped completely down, inside the channel.  I used a piece of steel on the outside of the door, to protect the metal, and with a pair vice grips squeezed the metal down some more.  Pictures of that later.
RunChannelOld2.JPG

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It was a day after Christmas miracle!
Oregon is going to raise the rates for car registration January 1, 2018.  I decided to do the insurance and registration on Dragon before year end, before the rates go up, and as a little extra motivation to get Dragon on the road again.

I was in and out of the Oregon DMV office in 12 minutes.

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Door reassembly. Pictures now, some text added.
After cleaning the windows, lock mechanism, and doing any repair you need on the doors, you can reassemble them.  I can pretty much guarantee you need new window run channel, see post 133, above.
Cut a piece of the run channel that is a little longer than the vent window, glue it in to the wing window track.
RunChannelFit1.JPG
Put the remaining run channel on the top of the window, a little past the front corner of the window.  Make two 45 degree cuts in both edges of the run channel, four cuts total like this.
ChannelCornerCut.JPG
The 45 degree cuts allow the run channel to fit in the upper rear corner of the door window frame.
RunChannelCorner.JPG
Apply weather strip glue to the run channel.
ChannelGlue1.JPG
Put the run channle, with glue into the track the window goes in on the door frame.
ChannelGlue2.JPG
I used this piece of wood, cut from a wood shim to make sure the run channel was in the bottom of the track.
ChannelGlue3.JPG
Like this.
ChannelGlue4.JPG
After the run channel is glued into the door frame, you put the sliding window in the door.  The slot in the door is slightly wider where the vent window frame fits, slide the bottom of the glass through that slot.
WindowIn1.JPG
Then rotate the window so the bottom of the window is down.
WindowIn2.JPG
Loop a heavy string around the roller track on the bottom of the window.  this makes it easier to pull the glass up from the bottom of the door.
WindowString1.JPG
Let the window go all the way to the bottom of the door, and then put the back edge of the glass in the rear run channel, back of the door.
WindowString2.JPG
Make sure the back edge of the glass is in the run channel.
WindowIn3.JPG
With the glass in the run channel in the back, start the vent window and frame in to the door.
VentIn1.JPG
Get the front edge of the sliding glass top corner started into the vent window run channel.
WindowIn4.JPG
Check again to make sure the back edge, and the front top corner of the sliding glass are both in the run channel, and carefully slide the vent window down into the door, and forward to where it is seated into the door frame.  Do not put any screws in to the vent window frame.
VentIn2.JPG
Pull the sliding window up with the string, and tie the string to the top of the door frame.  Pull it as high as you can, higher than in this photo
VentIn3.JPG
Put a crank on the window regulator, and make the regulator mount, and arm approximately straight, then put it in the door, using the back hole in the door.  Reach inside the door and pull the bottom of the vent window frame out, away from the cab, and then slip the regulator arm between the inside panel of the door, and the vent window frame.
RegIn1.JPG
Lower the sliding window enough to see the roller track.  Put the roller on the end of the in the roller track.
RegIn2.JPG
This looks like the picture above, but this is with the regulator roller in the track on the sliding window.
RegIn3.JPG
Lift the window regulator, and put the crank pivot through its hole in the door.  Then put the crank back on the pivot, and turn the window crank until the four mounting holes line up with the holes in the door.
RegIn4.JPG
Put the regulator screws in the door, loosely, then snug them, and finally tighten them. 
RegIn5.JPG
Notice the vent frame screws are still not in, but now you can start them.
RegIn6.JPG

 

This post was close to its picture limit, so it ends here.

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