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1970 datsun 521 J15 rat rod barn find


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The truck arrived today, I love it.

Its in great nick, some of the bits im going to need might be hard to find.

new rubbers for the doors and windows

seatbels should be replaced and I would like to find a centre belt as well.

very little rust in the floor most is just surface.

pulled the seat out to be retrimed

thats really just the start

 

I ran the tape over the back tray

long 2440mm or 8 foot

wide 1930mm or 6 foot 7 1/2"

 

I found out that my ute is a GN521 that means a long body.

 

more updates to come.

 

james W

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The video was fun, about a minute and a half into it I started thinking how awesome it would be if the last few frames were of you getting into it and driving off down the road.

But one can only get so much done in a video/day.

The 1984 Mazda B series door seals are the same as the 521, so if you can find a decent set of them, they will fit perfect, what I use is mid 90s Mazda SUV door seals on mine, they have a larger door, so you have to cut them to length starting in the upper 90 degree corner, you have to hunt around in the wrecking yards around here till you find the right one in good shape, I tend to grab 2 passenger side seals, as they are in better shape.

Early 510 window channel felt works fine in the 521, and that part is available aftermarket.

They made long box 521 versions, but the USA never had any of them imported, we have a couple members on here with long box versions, here is one in Europe.

DSCN0064.jpg

 

The truck arrived today, I love it.
Its in great nick, some of the bits im going to need might be hard to find.
new rubbers for the doors and windows
seatbels should be replaced and I would like to find a centre belt as well.
very little rust in the floor most is just surface.
pulled the seat out to be retrimed
thats really just the start

I ran the tape over the back tray
long 2440mm or 8 foot
wide 1930mm or 6 foot 7 1/2"

I found out that my ute is a GN521 that means a long body.

more updates to come.

james W

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I had a crack at getting the ute stared this afternoon.

Didn't quite get there,

Changed the oil

Oil filter, air and fuel filters

New fuel, and a charged up battery.

 

Ready to give it a crack,

After a couple of turns of the key nothing

Check under the hood and fuel is pouring out of the carbie.

The seal on the glass level window is shot.

Looks like I'll need to put a kit through it.

 

I do have a question that someone may know.

It's a Nikki carburettor but I'm not sure of the size it should be stock

1970 J15 521

 

I have ordered a workshop manual but it has not arrived yet.

Cheers

James

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It's alive!

 

We have been having issues with the distributor, we changed the leads, spark plugs, then the condenser, turned the key and bam she started!!! Purred like a kitten. Ya thanks dad for your help.

 

A day of chasing electrical problems. Rats had made a home in one of the corners and had a little nom nom on the wiring. When we started pulling the tape of OMG hoe did thus car not burn to the ground melted wires everywhere, dodgy bastards would just tape over the bad bits, she'll be right mate!

 

Brake system needs a full over haul master cylinder is fucked the the slaves are going to have to go to.

 

Front wheel bearing are gone and anything rubber for that matter.

 

Cheers

 

James W

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Hey

I'm starting the process of looking for some hubcaps for the 521. This will be difficult. I know

 

Do you know if the caps from the 520, 627 or 720 or othr cars, will work on the stock wheels of the 521?

 

This just might make it a little easier.

 

Cheers

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ok,

 

So i've been doing a little work on the truck.

 

Most of the wires are now fixed, and I can start her up when ever I want to. ya.

 

I've started cleaning the rusty parts of the floor up, its not looking to bad, the worst of it is dodgy fixes in the past.

 

13420539354_e42ed893ce.jpg

 

13420302203_f847a71419.jpg

 

I got the seat back from the trimmers today, it's vinal I'm pretty happy with it.

 

13533026844_8481025563.jpg

 

13532699945_05956f3e75.jpg

 

Getting there.

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  • 1 month later...

I'm thinking of doing the 720 4x4 rear leaf spring conversion, and I wanted to know of anything I should be looking out for?

I will also need to get all new rubbers as well, do you use 720 or 521 or are they the same?

 

Any help would be great

 

Cheers

 

James W

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started pulling out the dash today,

 

14201055332_6d6f68884c.jpg

 

turns out that the carpet on the dash could not be saved.

14223713353_45748bed0a.jpg

 

 

14016907588_1c866cfe54.jpg

Can it be saved? or is it dead.

 

so made up some patch bits today, its at this ponit that i realise that i have no idea how to weld.

14016921288_f5c9af13ca.jpg

14203582465_63f1146623.jpg

Just keep going.

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That dash can be repaired by cutting/sanding the ridges of the cracks flat, covering with body filler, and sanding smooth. Then you can cover it with material of your choice. Not exactly stock, but a neat option. You may also be able to find a replacement dash pad that would look nice, but still not stock. Personally I would try to find a metal dash. Those look neat and, even though it's not "stock," it's close and original Datsun stuff :thumbup:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just a quick update

 

Nothing works. Wiring is killing me.

 

Headlights, click once Parkers come on, click twice headlights come on, push the blinker arm high beam.

NO CHANCE it's all fucked up

 

And nothing else works either.

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This below sounds correct, one click park lights, 2 clicks headlights, push forward on the turn signal arm and you have brights.

Is your headlight relay good, it's the one with the red wires I believe, not sure which side it is on, yours is RHD.

Just a quick update

Nothing works. Wiring is killing me.

Headlights, click once Parkers come on, click twice headlights come on, push the blinker arm high beam.
NO CHANCE it's all fucked up

And nothing else works either.

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I was a little angry when i posted last night.

 

What i ment to say was:

This is how it should work.

Headlights, click once Parkers come on, click twice headlights come on, push the blinker arm high beam

 

Mine:

click once, Headlights and parkers come on headlight starts to fry and smoke , Click Twice parkers on headlight now fucked, Push High beam Headlighs off High beam on headlights off (even if it was still working)

 

im going back to basics,

Ive pulled the fues box and im soaking it in Viniger over night, Ive got new fues' to replace the old ones

I'll go through and clean and check the earth around the car

 

But now the blinkers have stopped working, the wiper have stopped nothing on the gauge works, I know they are all diffrent problems and i will take on each one at a time.

 

Come to think of it im still a little angry

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Below is my fuse box, Ive seen a couple of photos of 521 fuse boxes and some have a wire connected in the bottom left corner,

mine dose not.

This is the before photo I have soaked in vinegar looks much better.

 

14387329934_c43dfe2caf_z.jpg

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I wish posting a photo of my fuse block would help, but it will not as I have changed mine because I have had a lot of issues with starters and alternators, my starter is wired like a Ford with a remote relay, and I have an internally regulated alternator, I also have a 720 tilt column wired into my harness, so that changed the wiring for the key power, I have no bypass wire for the coil in the start position.

I went and looked at my fuse block, the 2 wires I have connected to that bottom left connection in your photo are wires that I put on there, one is to power a tach, and the other looks to be to my stereo, so that would mean nothing was on there before I made changes.

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So this is the cleaned up fuse box.

 

14202443149_c6b7da3cfc_z.jpg

 

It's Helped a lot of the problems, Wippers, indicators and Horn

 

I still have the one of the driving lights comming on when just the parkers should.

 

I Looked over the wiring diagram the bottom left corner goes to the ignition coil.

 

Cheers

 

James W

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So this is the cleaned up fuse box.

 

14202443149_c6b7da3cfc_z.jpg

 

It's Helped a lot of the problems, Wippers, indicators and Horn

 

I still have the one of the driving lights comming on when just the parkers should.

 

I Looked over the wiring diagram the bottom left corner goes to the ignition coil.

 

Cheers

 

James W

You did that by soaking the fuse box in vinegar?  Nice work!

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