dat521gatherer's beater thread

[dat521gatherer]

I dedicate my truck thread to our late friend paul (71-521)

 

I found this 1971 521 truck on craigslist for $300 in renton and gave him $260 for it about 2 1/2 years ago. it ran and smoked but it started right up. a fellow nwde member went and looked at it and posted that it would be a good parts truck. I thought theres my beater truck i want. I didn't want to see it get parted out seeing that it still ran. besides I needed something to tinker with. the po said the cab had been wrecked and they put another one from the junk yard. hence the crunched bed and cab perch. I still need a cab perch.

 

I never thought this truck was worth restoring but i cant resist making it better.

here are some before pics of what it looked like when i got it less the canopy.

 

one of the first things i did was to paint the rims white and shins up the caps.

 

next i got a wiring harness (thanks tdaaj) for the engine and interior cause there was just too much hacked up crap that didn't work and it wouldn't charge. the wires at the volt reg and fuse box had been molested pretty bad.

 

i also got a seat (thx again tdaaj) cause mine looked like this. also i dont really care for buckets, besides i sometimes roll with 3 peps in the cab.

 

tailights got cleaned up and some red tape added to one.

 

i got very discourged with the condition of the floor pans. cleaned them up and primed them. it still needs new pans. look how bad they were. i never took an after pic.

 

both the right seat rail and the trans tunnel are bent up.

 

the front lower grill pan is crunched and rusty.

 

it was missing the back window and had a piece of plexi glass held in with some wood screws

 

i removed the plexi glass and sanded primed and put in a good used seal with the correct back glass. cost about $12 total. i tried the string method but ended up haveing 2 half drunk friends help me while i slid a couple different flat tip screw drivers around it . worked good for being a novice first time experience with glass.

 

it had 2 after marked dome lights in it. i put the correct one in and eventually hooked up some dome light door switches to it. the newer 521 dome lights on ebay come ready with a secont wire ready to run to the door jambs. the old originals need a wire soildered on to the dome light. it's the best upgrade i ever did. yeah it's not bright but it's sure damn functional. dome switches came a a option but i've never seen a 521 with them.

[dat521gatherer]

was the truck blue, red, or brown i dont know but i do know the right door has been replaced and doesn't line up. right fender has bondo as does the a piller.

 

the heater was bypassed with a kinked hose.

 

engine bay with my peculiar kangaroo washer bottle. APRIL 2012 FOUND OUT IT'S FOR A CHEVY LUV.

 

 

the freeze plug next to the battery was peeing so i put some epoxy on it and it never leaked again. i drove the truck looking like this for a year.

 

eventually i bought a weber from ebay with the cool aluminum air cleaner. the damn thing is so over jetted it's running at about a half a turn out. it's a 32/35 i always end up with the weird sizes. got a 33/36 in my other 521 i think.

 

it came with the original gas cap which is rare. i think the 510 had this same cap also.

 

this was a bad week when i painted this pos. anything was going to be better than what was on it. i just went with wally world red rattle cans . doesn't get any cheaper than that. i broke off my squirter nozzle on my hood. left the masking tape on so long the sun baked the glue onthe rubber permanently

 

i love the 521's with the line down the side.

 

time for this bed to go. it was rusted through the bottom and had some wood in the floor for the bed. after the bed was off i drove down the alley and drug one of my tail lights on the ground like a jackass.

 

i used a empty quart of oil as a gas tank in the engine compartment to move the truck around. time for a wire brush and some primer.

 

might as well paint the gas tank while it's out i had to stick the rubber filler tube next to the fire place to make it pliable enough to get it back on.

 

new bed is on with new hardware. got this bed for free up in shoreline from a guy that has a 521 dump truck. search dump and you'll find it.

 

the whole bed swap was easy, the hardest part was that damn filler tube. the bed loops that hold the chains were removed for some reason so i wacked some off at the yard and need them welded on. the bed is so much nicer than the truck i dont want to paint it. it's even better than the bed on my other 521. i should swap them.

[dat521gatherer]

now for the engine. it smoked worse than you'd ever imagine.it was burning more oil and water than gas. i had a lot of oil in the radiator and the breather hose on the valve cover looked like a steam engine going down the road. i had a hose from the valve cover going down to the road so i didn't choke on the shit. i drove the piss out of it like this. it still ran when i took it out. i cant wait to take it apart and check it out. i never had any water in the oil though.:confused: so i was over at pauls one day and he said he had a l16 he'd sell me. i bought it for cheap (thanks paul) and it sat around for months before i finally put it in. it has a w53 head on it. i decided not topaint the engine compartment cause i was in a hurry.

 

please somebody tell me why this thing has 2 dip sticks.

 

old engine out. say hi to jenny.:)

 

it had been a while since i pulled a dat motor and screwed up a few things. instead of unscrewing the speedo cable i pulled the whole plug out and as soon as it was tilted enough all the trans fluid ended up in the engine bay. i stretched out my copper oil pressure line, clutch hose also. banged up the top core support dragging it out. broke off the breather valve on the tranny:eek:

 

another pic of my engine out

 

so it's been in for a few months now and i got about 1000 miles on it.

 

interior as of last month. i have a 520/320 package tray and ya gots to have the locking glove box lock. i just rekeyed it myself last month. i want the fuel door lock bad!! i like the red light switch knobs and i put in the 320/520/roadster interior pull handles.

 

also recently i did the electronic dizzy match box upgrade and adjusted the valves. my dizzy thread here.

http://forum.ratsun.net/showthread.php?t=5194

 

next on the list to do is the water pump has 2 broken bolts and is leaking so you know what that means. yep more pics.:)

 

i'll be back. at least i have a thread to update now. l8r

[fisch]

I am really psyched to see this thread Dat521!

[]2eDeYe]

Way to save a beater.

 

Hi Jenny :D

[datsunaholic]

The 2 dipsticks are a "feature" of the late "crate" L16s. I have one (the W53 head was stock on them). Basically the 2 dispsticks was because when sold as a longblock they could either go in a front or rear sump vehicle, then you just use the dipstick proper to the vehicle, and remove/plug or cut/crimp (which is what they did at the factory for front sump setups) the extra one.

 

Another "feature" of the late L16 was the L20B type PCV breather.

[ronnny]

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj172/dat521gatherer/1971%20datsun%20521/71%20521%20ratsun/weber3235.jpg

 

What is the part number for that breather element? Having trouble finding it around here.

[moparvwfreak]

HI Jenny!

 

what a beater.... tiem to scrap it :D jk looks like a nice little rig. oh and the floor pans are rust free compaired to mine. i can almost Flintstone it going down the road. cant wait to see the finished project. its gonna be nice!

[yello620]

Your floor pans dont look that bad in the pictures. I would scrub them up with a wire brush and apply two coates of POR-15 on them. You will be amazed with that product.

 

I am also interested in you weber air cleaner. Mainly in the two aluminum peices that hold the filter. Dad had one on a 510 years ago and i would like one also if you ever decide to sell them.

 

Jason

[newkid89]

this truck is really good progresss good job

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Awesome progress & love the stories too :D Keep the pics coming please. Instead of this 521 going to a yard you saved it & are enjoying it..way to go !!!

[Mike Phillips]

Inspiring thread...

 

Now this is environmentalism... keeping a truck on the road that resources were previously used to create and keeping it out of a landfill.

 

[dat521gatherer]

I am really psyched to see this thread Dat521!

thanks fisch. really this thread is many monthes in the making and when i tried to post it i had like 11000+ characters and it said i had to cut it down to 10000. also said 39 pics was too many. so i just ended up doing some cut and pasting into 2 other replies without deleting anything.:D

2eDeYe;80328']Way to save a beater.

 

 

Hi Jenny :D

thanks

The 2 dipsticks are a "feature" of the late "crate" L16s. I have one (the W53 head was stock on them). Basically the 2 dispsticks was because when sold as a longblock they could either go in a front or rear sump vehicle' date=' then you just use the dipstick proper to the vehicle, and remove/plug or cut/crimp (which is what they did at the factory for front sump setups) the extra one.

 

Another "feature" of the late L16 was the L20B type PCV breather.[/quote']

you da man d'holic i thought i wouldn't get a straight answer on this.

HI Jenny!

 

what a beater.... tiem to scrap it :D jk looks like a nice little rig. oh and the floor pans are rust free compaired to mine. i can almost Flintstone it going down the road. cant wait to see the finished project. its gonna be nice!

thanks i dont think it will ever be done.

Your floor pans dont look that bad in the pictures. I would scrub them up with a wire brush and apply two coates of POR-15 on them. You will be amazed with that product.

 

I am also interested in you weber air cleaner. Mainly in the two aluminum peices that hold the filter. Dad had one on a 510 years ago and i would like one also if you ever decide to sell them.

 

Jason

i seen one recently on craigslist with the weber with it for $75. i was going to buy it for the air cleaner and then sell the carb but i was broke. i have the a couple pics one of a nice red one and one that doesn't say weber but none for sale. i only have one and would like another for my other truck.

this truck is really good progresss good job

thanks

Awesome progress & love the stories too :D Keep the pics coming please. Instead of this 521 going to a yard you saved it & are enjoying it..way to go !!!

thanks, nothing like picking up a cheap running ride to play with:D

Inspiring thread...

 

Now this is environmentalism... keeping a truck on the road that resources were previously used to create and keeping it out of a landfill.

 

thanks i agree.

[pl521sss]

Looking good

Where did you get the locking glove box?

All the ones I've seen doesn't have one including mine.

[ppeters914]

Nice thread. Are the dates on the pics correct 'cuz it seems you're going backwards in time? :blink:

[dat521gatherer]

Nice thread. Are the dates on the pics correct 'cuz it seems you're going backwards in time? :blink:

 

yeah dates are wong. i change batteries so often when it asks to set the time and i just skip it. also every time i move a pic around on my computer the date of creation updates to the date i moved the pic.

 

Looking good

Where did you get the locking glove box?

All the ones I've seen doesn't have one including mine.

 

i bought a nos glove box lock on ebay about a year and a half ago. found another one in the junk yard.

[motavated]

You are now my idol! Or that guy who can revive Bleaches rust bucket of a Z....

:lol:

 

Really nice! I would of seen potential in that truck too. It just that it sometimes so time consuming...

[impala_631]

looking good!!!

[sick620]

I love this thread its so..... inspirational :crying:

Keep posting! :blush:

[dat521gatherer]

recently got a dash cover with my screen name on it after seeing ramos's(forgot his screen name) 521 at the potd meet.

pic coming soon.

 

also bought glass run channels from 2 different ebay members gira7777 and idcozy and even though they are the nice rubber backed style they dont fit. meaning the damn window wont roll up cause its too tight. it will roll up but the window crank is going to break and shank me in the hand. i want to find the original style that are just felt with no rubber. that crazy purple 620 at the 2010 potd had the just felt style. i think i'll trim the insides down.

[dat521gatherer]

gauge needles kept falling to the left and i would stick my hand under the dash and tap on the gauge volt regulator and they would work for awhile. i bought a new one. but first i took my old one apart to see what makes it tic. i tried cleaning the contact points and the ground wire and put it back together but it didn't work. my new one reads consistently but the needles are both off to the left about a needles length. the gauges are adjustable and i plan on dialing them in. when i do i'll take a pic or 2.

old volt reg. damn thing is so simple inside i couldn't see anything wrong except the points being badly pitted.

[banzai510(hainz)]

I like it!!!!!!!!!

[dat521gatherer]

dash cover. yeah i know its blue and the truck is red. i should shave down the lump on the right side so it lays flat.

[Pacific coast Datsun]

I like the dash cover, what company makes it ? & i see you have the elusive locking glove box handle & red hazzard light knob :thumbup:

[dat521gatherer]

yep yep i got to have all the little option things. a clock would be nice. i'm trying to come up with a mount for a rectangle roadster clock i have.

 

dash mat is from dashmat.com and was $71 after tax.