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Looking to purchase a 521, would like advice.


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Hey guys, I am wanting to get some advice on purchasing an old datsun that I saw on craigslist, as I've never owned one of these, but always admired them. (I realllly want a 510). So I know general things to look for when looking at used cars, like rust in the normal spots, fluids, make sure the clutch is good, listen to noises in the engine, ect.. But what I don't know is any specific pitfalls for these trucks I should worry about.

 

Here's the ad for this particular truck: http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/4530095392.html

 During conversation, I found that the bed is rusted through on the bottom in a few spots, but he says the rails and sides are still solid. Are beds hard to find/repair? I've never welded before, but theres always time to learn, right?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice that you guys have :) I look forward to joining the datsun community very soon!

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The fact that it's daily driver is good as most things must work in order to do so. Vehicles that sit tend to go bad just from sitting. Because it's a runner you can hear it run and drive it.

 

There should be no odd noises when driving or stopping. Brakes on the 521 tend to need adjusting every 3-6 months for peak effect. They are drum all round and this is normal. E brake should hold truck on an incline. There should be no obvious wetness on the insides of the tires or drums indicating a leak.

 

Check the oil. Clean could just mean he changed it just for you buy dirty indicated that he didn't even care. Look for obvious oil leaks and a dirt and oil covered engine, again indicating indifference. Rad should be full and green with antifreeze coolant. Hoses and belts in good shape. Unexplained wiring all over the engine is not a good indication. Motor should start and run without stalling and certainly not when warmed up. It should not start up with a puff of blue smoke out the back.

 

It should change gears properly and drive without vibration. Steering should be responsive and the less play in the wheel the better. It should not pull to one side although it might wander slightly.

 

Gauges and all electrical work. A burnt out bulb is ok. High beams that don't work isn't. Check heater and wiper while engine is running. Is the charge light out? turn signals? Four way flasher? Unexplained wiring hanging under the dash is not reassuring. Are all the knobs and controls there?

 

Windshield and glass unbroken? Doors close and open without dropping, windows roll up and down. Cab floor under vinyl mat is free of holes? Bottle jack behind driver's seat? Seat belts?

 

No one thing wrong is a reason for not buying this truck nor is two or three, depends on if you can easily fix it or know how. Just know what you are getting into. $1,300 is a good price.

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it's had at least a minor front end collision from the looks of the drivers front fender. onn thing I would reccommend on kingpin trucks (which 521s are) is to jack up the front end until the wheels are off the ground and try to wiggle the wheels with your hands at the top and bottom of the wheel. A little play is expected but if you get more than that you are going to have some serious wobble heading down the road.

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The fact that it's daily driver is good as most things must work in order to do so. Vehicles that sit tend to go bad just from sitting. Because it's a runner you can hear it run and drive it.

 

There should be no odd noises when driving or stopping. Brakes on the 521 tend to need adjusting every 3-6 months for peak effect. They are drum all round and this is normal. E brake should hold truck on an incline. There should be no obvious wetness on the insides of the tires or drums indicating a leak.

 

Check the oil. Clean could just mean he changed it just for you buy dirty indicated that he didn't even care. Look for obvious oil leaks and a dirt and oil covered engine, again indicating indifference. Rad should be full and green with antifreeze coolant. Hoses and belts in good shape. Unexplained wiring all over the engine is not a good indication. Motor should start and run without stalling and certainly not when warmed up. It should not start up with a puff of blue smoke out the back.

 

It should change gears properly and drive without vibration. Steering should be responsive and the less play in the wheel the better. It should not pull to one side although it might wander slightly.

 

Gauges and all electrical work. A burnt out bulb is ok. High beams that don't work isn't. Check heater and wiper while engine is running. Is the charge light out? turn signals? Four way flasher? Unexplained wiring hanging under the dash is not reassuring. Are all the knobs and controls there?

 

Windshield and glass unbroken? Doors close and open without dropping, windows roll up and down. Cab floor under vinyl mat is free of holes? Bottle jack behind driver's seat? Seat belts?

 

No one thing wrong is a reason for not buying this truck nor is two or three, depends on if you can easily fix it or know how. Just know what you are getting into. $1,300 is a good price.

Good advice, thanks! I had no idea these trucks were drums all the way around. Probably gonna squeak like crazy, I know my bike does. Ill make a little mental checklist of these things, and look for them when I look at it later. I was thinking of offering 1000 because of the holes in the bed, and the dents in the front. I think he said theres a small oil leak, so I'll need to check that out.

 

 

it's had at least a minor front end collision from the looks of the drivers front fender. onn thing I would reccommend on kingpin trucks (which 521s are) is to jack up the front end until the wheels are off the ground and try to wiggle the wheels with your hands at the top and bottom of the wheel. A little play is expected but if you get more than that you are going to have some serious wobble heading down the road.

 Yeah, I saw that too.. Hopefully it wasn't too bad of a collision, and I can either pull the fender back out or replace it without too much trouble.. If part of the subframe was bent, or the rad support was messed up, should I walk away?

 

it doesn't look bad. and the price is kind of right, maybe offer him a bit less, its not a ratsun guy, cause to much lift. 

 

 

what do you want to do with it ?

 

enjoy it, rebuild it, motor swap it,?

I think my plan is to let it sit and rot in a field somewhere... I kid! I kid! I hadn't really thought about it too much. Probably drive it intermittently with my other truck and work on getting it as close to stock as possible. Somewhere in the future, I'll probably buy a new motor and take my time rebuilding it with a little more pep. I know I definitely want to get a 5 speed in there relatively soon, though.. I heard that the four speeds aren't too fun on the freeways.

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Go and look at it. 

 

Look for rust.

On floor boards, especially if the vinyl mat is still in the truck. 

Bottom of the front fenders.  Turn the wheel so you can look above, at the cowl, and down low, at the cab.  Look forward  and up, over the top of the headlight buckets.

look for rust under the battery tray, on the firewall on the right side, and on the underside of the hood, especially on the right side.

 

A 1972 should have shoulder belts.  If the bench seat needs upholstery, that can easily cost $300. to $500.

L-16 engine have a camshaft with clearance.  They normally make more noise than a modern hydraulic lifer engine.  There is also cam chain noise.   Cam chain noise can be more pronounced when first started, before oil,pressure builds. 

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one in Enumclaw washington for sale better condition

Link? I couldn't find it in a quick search on CL. Though I work 7 days a week.. Might be hard to get up there to look at it

 

Go and look at it. 

 

Look for rust.

On floor boards, especially if the vinyl mat is still in the truck. 

Bottom of the front fenders.  Turn the wheel so you can look above, at the cowl, and down low, at the cab.  Look forward  and up, over the top of the headlight buckets.

look for rust under the battery tray, on the firewall on the right side, and on the underside of the hood, especially on the right side.

 

A 1972 should have shoulder belts.  If the bench seat needs upholstery, that can easily cost $300. to $500.

L-16 engine have a camshaft with clearance.  They normally make more noise than a modern hydraulic lifer engine.  There is also cam chain noise.   Cam chain noise can be more pronounced when first started, before oil,pressure builds. 

Okay, good info about the noisier engine due to clearance and chains. Ill make sure I check it over for rust pretty good. We're lucky they don't salt the roads here

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The bumper has hit something, it is bent/damaged, you can see it in the photo, this means the fender has buckled(also seen in photo), and since this stuff is so easy to see in the photo, the inner fender has likely also been bent, the headlight assembly also could be pointed in the wrong direction now(left and down).

Check everything in that left front area, as it will need to be fixed, DanielC has done some of these repairs in one of his threads.

I bought mine in better shape for a lot less money, but that was a long time ago, and the head was cracked on mine although it was one of those cracked heads that pumped oil into the water jacket, not the traditional water in the oil, so at the time I did not know there was an issue, as I just checked the oil color and it was good.

It all depends on how bad you want a 521, if you really want a 510, then I would wait for a 510.

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So i went to check out the truck after work today... I think the ad should have said there were a couple good spots in the bed, instead of a couple rust spots in the bed. The entire bed was rusted out. :( Also both floorboards were rusted, and halfassedly repaired. Leaked oil, hacked wires, 'custom' fuse box, random bits of wire going to things in the engine.. 

The damage wasn't too bad, someone had backed into it in a parking lot. Looks like I could have pulled most of it out, no creases, ect.. 

All in all, this truck was unfortunately neglected for too many years.

 

so the search continues..

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Being in the Pacific Northwest,  you're in Datsun land so there's lots of local advice to be found. 

 

If it's a 72, it will have shoulder harnesses, which in my view is a plus.

 

The punch list might be pretty lengthy.  The bushings on the steering, king pins, glass, door rubber, brake lines, blah blah blah.  It's a 40 plus year old truck right?  I'm not saying all these things are wrong, what I am suggesting is that the work that awaits you might be more substantial than you know.

 

That said, I love my 521.  I hope you will too.

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unless you understand electricity wiring is not something you want to play with. SERIOUSLY reduces the price of the truck. My old man has made a custom wiring harness for his hot rod ford, but I just stare with my mouth open thinking, "what the fuck does this do.."

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unless you understand electricity wiring is not something you want to play with. SERIOUSLY reduces the price of the truck. My old man has made a custom wiring harness for his hot rod ford, but I just stare with my mouth open thinking, "what the fuck does this do.."

I had quotes ranging from $1500 to $2600 to build a new harness. I think if you have the time and patience you probably can make your own harness but for the average Joe it might seem like a federal tax return, in Latin.

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Yeah, I'm in the electronics industry by trade (audio equipment manufacturing) So completely re-doing the wiring harness wouldn't be too bad, but this truck was too rusted for me. Also I want something I can drive now, and I don't think I'd feel safe in this one on my daily commute. I'm looking into a 620 here in a couple days that should be in better condition.

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