72 521 might end up with a V8

[wayno]

Are you saying you plan to use a 521 to pull a loaded car trailer?

 

Anybody else have experience towing a load that size with a 521?

I have towed a 720 diesel with my 521 dually.

I also have hauled so much weight that the brakes didn't work that great.

Unless you are crazy like me, I wouldn't do it, trailer and vehicle behind a 521 is likely not legal, and personally I will not tow anything unless the tow vehicle is a dually anymore, it is predictable towing heavy loads with a dually, not so much towing with a regular single wheel rearend.

[Suspect]

the trailer Im planning to have custom made, just to haul this 620.  i hope i can have it made of mostly aluminum, it will have trailer brakes.  I used to haul several cars behind my V8 S-10 with a heavy trailer and no trailer brakes, I haven't run into a problem yet.  My v8 s-10 is 3200 lbs though.

[wayno]

the trailer Im planning to have custom made, just to haul this 620.  i hope i can have it made of mostly aluminum, it will have trailer brakes.  I used to haul several cars behind my V8 S-10 with a heavy trailer and no trailer brakes, I haven't run into a problem yet.  My v8 s-10 is 3200 lbs though.

 

I have hauled over a dozen 720s behind my 720 diesel with a towbar, I never had any issues except that the non-dually tow vehicle tended to wander because it was not a dually, I scared a passenger once because of this issue, I did not let anyone ride with me again after that time.

I don't think that legally you can build the trailer light enough to be legal to pull it behind a 521 in this country with a 620 on it, fact is the 620 alone is to heavy, before you start building the trailer, check your laws for how much total weight you can tow behind your 521.

[Suspect]

me and laws dont get along too well.  as far as i know as long as the tow vehicle is 1.5x the weight of what your hauling, its legal.  off the top of anyones head, how much does a L16 an 4 speed weigh?

[Suspect]

The flathead with clutch and trans is 620lbs + 2100lb 521 - 260lb L16 guessing 50lbs for 4 speed = 2410lbs all said n done

[Guest Rick-rat]

So why don't you just drive your 620? Or is it just a trailer queen to be looked at

[wayno]

Even a stripped down aluminum tow trailer capable of towing a vehicle will be 1000lbs or more, and then the weight of the 620, the numbers just don't work.

Even my 521 work truck weighs less than what you need it to weigh, and it's heavy for a 521, I'm not saying you should not do it, as I haul shit all the time that weighs to much, I am just saying that hauling a 620 sitting on a trailer being towed by a 521 is going to raise some eyebrows, and your likely going to eventually get stopped.

[MikeRL411]

 

me and laws dont get along too well.

Hope you have deep pockets with an attitude like that!

[tr8er]

Add weight to your 521. Weight Ratio met. Problem solved. Post tits.

 

 

Did I do that right?

[Suspect]

So why don't you just drive your 620? Or is it just a trailer queen to be looked at

I'm not sure how drivable it will be with the cam I have in it.  Also alot of the car shows I go to are in Detroit, which is completely across the state from here.  I live 18 miles from South Haven so you can map it if you'd like.

 

When I get this 521 done, and it don't like hauling, I still will have a ratty v8 521 and my 68 Galaxie 2dr ht, big block, c6, 9" rear will have no problem pulling a trailer.

[Royal Sierra]

I've pulled a 94 4 runner with my l20B 521. It did ok, but never hauled a trailer with it. Took 700lbs of junk to the dump..I just never trusted the single res master cyl. It failed once and scared the shit out of me so I never hauled with it after that.

[Suspect]

well I dragged the 521 to the garage today, looked it over good.  Its worse than I thought it was, probably not going to pull a trailer with it, the frame has some bad spots.  Its not going to stop me from putting a flathead in it.  I had ideas on what I was going to do about exhaust, and wheels and tires.....  but first before I get too carried away, I have to get the motor in it.

 

[Suspect]

[Suspect]

[Suspect]

 

Before I do this to this truck, I want to make it clear that this isn't a good 521...  most of you all have scrapped better trucks than this....  so talking about glutton for punishment, I think the truck is going to give me more problems than the old flathead.

[Royal Sierra]

 

 

Loving that stance..It'll look even better weighed down buy that flathead

[Suspect]

Loving that stance..It'll look even better weighed down buy that flathead

Thanks, I had these custom made 14" chevy rally wheels I bought for $15 bux a few years ago, remembered I had them, mounted up some G60/14's I had as well.  It looks like they took 4 wheels, cut them, welded up two wides out of them, G60's are barely wide enough.  It would be nice to find an old pair of 14" trailer wheels that are 6 lug.

 

something like this for the front 

[Suspect]

Well I had the flathead almost set in place to see what had to be done.  Looks like I'm going to have to do something with exhaust manifolds, the drivers side hits on the steering box.  On the passenger side the starter hit the motor mount just before it was low enough to slide back.  I should have taken pictures with it almost in, I had the coil (above the crank pulley) under the core support.

 

[Suspect]

Well its not looking good for the flat head.  I was told it was ready to run, after a few weeks of my and my dad trying to get the motor unstuck, we gave up.  It will need completely disassembled and rebuild.  The work on that engine is not something I'm wanting to get into right at this time.  On the plus side i just found another Datsun 521!  It appears to be better off than the one I was planning on building, so it looks like my original one is a parts truck.

 

 

[datzenmike]

Swap the exhaust manifolds to the opposite sides.

[Rocket Dog]

What about putting a Buick V6 instead of the rebuilt flathead?  I think it's been done before.

[Dime Dave]

I was thinking VG30DE for my 521.

 

I've already have collected a VG turbo bell housing to mate to my Mustang WC T5 and Ford Explorer 8.8 LSD rear axle.

 

With that driveline I might go with a VG30DETT

[Suspect]

I gave a running and driving car for that flathead, I'm not very happy that its stuck.  I'm trying to get the guy to swap back as I refuse to give him the title to my car until I feel satisfied in the deal.  The guy said I can get my car back if I trade him my volvo amazon.....   but still I'm stuck with a no good chunk of iron.

 

Right now I'm just planning on putting the new 521 back together using my other one.  I do have ideas buzzing threw my head on what powerplant I'd like to swap into it.  Part of me just wants to put a L16 and 4 speed in it.  I even had ideas on putting a Pontiac 151 and 5 speed from a S-10/Sonoma keeping it fuel injected....  make a dependable truck out of it.  I also have a 4.3L Chevy V6 as well as a 3.8L Chevy V6 just laying around.  I don't think the Olds 403 will fit very well in a 521.  I guess we all will have to wait and see what I come up with.

[DanielC]

For this....

"make a dependable truck out of it."

Do this.

"Part of me just wants to put a L16 and 4 speed in it."

[earlyvws]

Have u tried dumping seafoam treatment in it. My cousin did that to a seized 36hp vw motor I had and after about 2 days of pouring this in it freed up and spun smooth.