Willdatsun Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 Bought this '71 off a chap (Craigslist I think it was) in San Pablo. Here is is arriving in England. Originally a burgundy red truck, It is very scruffy with a terrible primer job, even all over the weatherstrips, and inside the cab, no prep, just primer dumped all over the truck. A lot of if fell off when we washed it! Windshield was bad and it needed brakes and steering joints doing and a few other jobs. Luckily truck is rock solid and pretty straight too. Engine is L20B. We took the bed off and sandblasted it inside and out, and painted it underneath and inside in a darkish red (but brigher than the original colour) Then did the back of the cab, (becuase you can't get to it with the bed on) and also sandblasted the exposed frame and suspension. Then we gave it a nice coat of primer and some 2K black paint with matting agent. Also converted to RH drive (see http://community.ratsun.net/topic/45664-has-anyone-converted-a-521-from-lh-to-rh-drive/) We repaired the tank which needed the pickup pipe soldering back in. Then we put the bed and tank back on , So now it looks like THIS underneath! Then stripped and prepped the cab and the truck went off to a professional bodyshop to have the exterior done. Stay tuned to see how it turns out! (Also see my Facebook page for updates (datmanuk) 5 Quote Link to comment
konig209 Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 Holy shiet. Good save. 2 Quote Link to comment
Dolomite Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 What the he'll is this world coming to? Idiots selling classics out of the country, dude deserves to be castrated with a spoon dipped in shit. Will, congrats on the new truck, it'll be a beauty. I just hate the guy that sold it out of country. 2 Quote Link to comment
mrbigtanker Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 Very nice truck,congrats and get more pics up of it. :thumbup: 1 Quote Link to comment
haubstr Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 You don't happen to have a picture of the engine bay when you got it? Also did this have a dash pad that looked like it has been recovered? I'm pretty sure this is my brothers old truck he sold about 4-5 years ago... Quote Link to comment
Willdatsun Posted December 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 Seriously Dolo, you have so many trucks out there still, I see pics of these in the junk yards still with good bodywork, I see people breaking these things up just because they need a part or two for another one.. I don't think anyone is going to miss the odd one going accross the pond. besides, you lot get our Minis, Jaguars and Range Rovers :) I've even sold a Skyline to a chap in USA. :P Pic for Haub.. Truck had no battery tray, (we made one for it) . Choke flaps were missing, no washer bottle , wirin or jets. Wiring harness had been rerouted in engine bay. Same truck? 1 Quote Link to comment
datson4life Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 What the he'll is this world coming to? Idiots selling classics out of the country, dude deserves to be castrated with a spoon dipped in shit. Will, congrats on the new truck, it'll be a beauty. I just hate the guy that sold it out of country. I agree with u, but then again some of my dream cars i would like to immigrate out of another country to here 2 Quote Link to comment
Dolomite Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 Yeah, I sure wouldn't pass on a Hakosuka, Kenmeri, or Tekkamen Skyline, but I'd understand if someone hated me for it. Where I live we don't come across clean, straight 521 very damn often. I'd been priming an old guy to let go of an all original first year 521 but some asshole swooped and sweet talked him out of it after he pulled it out of the shed and cleaned it up. Old man never called me to see if I'd match what the other dude offered($1,000), I would have in a heartbeat. 1 Quote Link to comment
Jester Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 You should lift the cab while you have it this far. Might as well give the front half the same treatment. Looks great by the way. 2 Quote Link to comment
Willdatsun Posted December 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 That can be done another time. Truck has actually been sold and the buyer asked me to respray it. I suggested doing the back end blasting while the bed was off as it didn't add much to the price, but taking the cab off and blasting that etc would be quite expensive if I am being paid by the hour. You don't tend to see under the cab much anyways, but you definately see under the back from behind, and that's where most of the rust tends to start. Here's the bonnet (hood!) 3 Quote Link to comment
mrbigtanker Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 Looks good my friend. And you guys are allowed to have our so called 521's. Most guys here bubble gum them together any way and dont do shit to them. And if you look on craigs list there is a bunch for sale right now in Los Angeles and inland empire area. And they are asking more then what there worth. But if there getting those prices then I wonder what I can get for mine. :devil: And by the way Dolomite there was a pretty straight 521 that just sold on ebay for 1300.00 bucks. Not perfect but way doable. 2 Quote Link to comment
Jester Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 Gotchya. I didn't realize it was a customer rig. That makes more sense. They should be very happy with your work. Pictures look good. Not sure if you masked off the brake line or someone else, but, a good trick for stuff like that is aluminum foil. Comes off a LOT faster. 1 Quote Link to comment
konig209 Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 What the he'll is this world coming to? Idiots selling classics out of the country, dude deserves to be castrated with a spoon dipped in shit. Will, congrats on the new truck, it'll be a beauty. I just hate the guy that sold it out of country. Ha a guy i know is hunting down 10 521s t9 ship to mexico. 1 Quote Link to comment
Willdatsun Posted December 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 We used duck tape over the handbrake cables etc as it provides some protection from the sandblasting. Well... here she is..... New windscreen installed. More pics to come 2 Quote Link to comment
Jester Posted December 20, 2014 Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 Wow! Looks great. Personally, I'm glad this truck found someone to restore it. 2 Quote Link to comment
olderdat620 Posted December 20, 2014 Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 Hey Dolomite did you forget that Datsun is from Japan and you say taking out of country(USA) We are lucky to have them 3 Quote Link to comment
mrbigtanker Posted December 20, 2014 Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 This truck first off is looking beautiful. Bravo I am so jelly I love red and that looks really good. 1 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted December 20, 2014 Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 Man that is beautiful. What red is it? 1 Quote Link to comment
Willdatsun Posted December 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Thanks folks. Its a VW colour, called Paprika 2 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Thanks for the color info. Beautiful workmanship, so talented. Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Looks great, and a RHD conversion that actually makes sense! 3 Quote Link to comment
haubstr Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Definitely my brothers old truck...We took off the battery tray and installed a Miata battery in the bed under the part of the wheel well that had the charcoal canister in it. If it is the same L20B engine that we built it was bored .40 over w/flat top pistons, and a closed chamber A87 head. The only difference is when my brother sold it, it had dual carbs on it... Glad to see what you are doing to it. It needed that love. 1 Quote Link to comment
Carter 71 Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Truck looks great Will 1 Quote Link to comment
Willdatsun Posted March 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 About time I posted some finished pics! Very happy with the end result. Sorry to see this one leave. 3 Quote Link to comment
mrbigtanker Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Wow very nice truck it went some good hands man. Cheers mate 1 Quote Link to comment
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