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My Free Datsun 521!


ArchetypeDatsun

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So looks like I'll be on this section of Ratsun a lot now that I'm going to aquire a free 521 from my aunt.

 

Little background; This truck belonged to my cousin andy whic he unfortunately passed on the 14th of this month due to some bacteria in his blood stream he was just shy of 40yrs old. My aunt which is in her 70's is now alone my uncle died many years ago when I was a kid and she is left with a huge responsibility to try selling her house with everything in it as well as 5 cars my cousin had with the 521. I visited her to or should I say yesterday afternoon with my mom and the cars came up in a conversation after she was talking about how she was even gonna sell the cars. I suggested I can help and save the datsun if I could help with other cars I'd try but that would be her decision, she looked over and said well you can have the truck it's yours you can take it when ever your ready and since it needs work Its free for you. Of course the inner child in me blew with excitement as I always wanted a 521 and wanted to buy this one from my cousin years ago when he held a car I wrecked in his property many years ago. At the time I asked to buy it he wanted $1500 as it sat I was blown away and said yeah no way man it doesn't even run. At the time these weren't seen a lot on the roads like today so value wasn't there now well you can get these for a decent price running and driving. Anyway I have 2 other datsuns my 79 810 & my 84 maxima in the driveway plus my parents cars and gf car makes a total of 7 cars and with the 521 that's 8 vehicles total lol oh my uncle is not gonna be too happy with us lol.

 

Anyway the 521 is gonna need some good cleaning on the outside, inside just a few cobwebs and dust that's about it, mechanical wise it's gonna need the gas tank put back in, maybe have it taken apart, cleaned, resealed, and spray painted black. I haven't seen the engine in years so don't remember the condition of the engine but I know it's a stock L16, 4 speed the only thing is I don't remember the year of the truck. It's been awhile since I've had a carbureted vehicle so I will need your guys help and probsbly be picking your brains as well as doing some research on here reading up as usual. I'm very excited to get this truck home once I can trailer it home somehow and slow start working on it.

 

Well can't end this without pics so here's the lovely 521!

 

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Thanks guys, I don't know how much my cousin liked datsuns but he seemed to appreciate them. I haven't hd a chance to really look the truck over more but I did notice the roof has a big chip from the paint nothing that concerns me really and the front of the hood a chunk of paint is gone shouldn't be too hard.

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You punk!!!

 

Guess what I recently acquired a 521 too!! and I bought another 810 wagon last fall!! I'm trying to stay ahead of you, though I may reduce the fleet size eventually.

Congrats man.

 

Edit- Now I had time to read all of your post, rather than my quick glance earlier. Feel like a jerk not seeing the post about your cousin. Wishing the best for your family, particularly your Aunt.

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You punk!!!

 

Guess what I recently acquired a 521 too!! and I bought another 810 wagon last fall!! I'm trying to stay ahead of you, though I may reduce the fleet size eventually.

Congrats man.

Ha, seems like 521 is the thing to get now lol! That's great news man I definitely need to see it now that we have a 810 section! Still got your 610? I need to reduce at least one car so the 84 maxima is gonna have to go soon as I get it cleaned up and get proper spark plugs and wires done I hate to part with it but I wanted a 521 a lot more, and thanks!

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sorry to hear about your cousin man , great looking part 521 start  , let me know what i can do to help you get it on the road.

 

I appreciate it, I had to try to save it and give it another chance who knows what would have happened to it. Thanks I'll let you know, for sure I will need the original tail lights and bumperetts if it's even possible to get them.

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Sorry about your loss. Can relate to your parking lot problem. Glad 2 see yet another old Datsun found a good home......its' been patiently waiting.

Yeah we rent from my uncle he's not happy of our car collection lol. Me and my gf are trying to save up to move out I just need a better job or find another one to have 2 jobs. The 521 definitely has been waiting a long time I'd say almost a decade last I heard it used to run I don't remember why the gas tank was off.

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Hey what were the other cars ? any old ones ? soon we will take over and have an all 521 site- then the world !

Just a Oldsmobile intrigue on some 20 inch wheels, a Eagle Vision, a twin turbo dodge stealth and another one but its wrecked. I don't know what my aunt is doing with those cars I think she's just gonna sell the house with the cars on the property she doesn't want to deal with people coming over and looking at them. I was hoping I could also save that dodge stealth but I have no room or money to fix whatever was going on with it.

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At the top are the coveted, hard to find US version 521 tail lights. Below it are the lights more like the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) tail lights. You can find them on fleabay from Thailand. The build quality is a little light (no pun intended) but if you fluff them up a bit with LED bulbs, paint the metal housing with rustoleum or similar paint they should work just fine. There is no metal bracket for the smaller tail light unless you actually buy a set off an old  truck in Australia, or Southeast Asia. Some guys make their own using wood or fabricating a metal frame.  The bracket support spacing supports the larger tail light but you can either relocate the inside bracket to accommodate the smaller tail light or make a bracket that holds the small tail light while bolting to the wider spaced supports.  Below is the first version of my tail lights that were mounted within the US market tail light bracket.  I have since gone to using an actual JDM bracket.

 

DSC00281a.jpg

 

100MEDIA36IMAG0512_zpsee60f981.jpg

 

New%20bumper%20and%20tail%20lights%20mod

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At the top are the coveted, hard to find US version 521 tail lights. Below it are the lights more like the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) tail lights. You can find them on fleabay from Thailand. The build quality is a little light (no pun intended) but if you fluff them up a bit with LED bulbs, paint the metal housing with rustoleum or similar paint they should work just fine. There is no metal bracket for the smaller tail light unless you actually buy a set off an old  truck in Australia, or Southeast Asia. Some guys make their own using wood or fabricating a metal frame.  The bracket support spacing supports the larger tail light but you can either relocate the inside bracket to accommodate the smaller tail light or make a bracket that holds the small tail light while bolting to the wider spaced supports.  Below is the first version of my tail lights that were mounted within the US market tail light bracket.  I have since gone to using an actual JDM bracket.

 

DSC00281a.jpg

 

100MEDIA36IMAG0512_zpsee60f981.jpg

 

New%20bumper%20and%20tail%20lights%20mod

Thanks for the info, what's weird is I was just looking at these Jdm tail lights on Japan Order website I think there like 2000 yen might buy them or wait to find the original ones.

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Ha, seems like 521 is the thing to get now lol! That's great news man I definitely need to see it now that we have a 810 section! Still got your 610? I need to reduce at least one car so the 84 maxima is gonna have to go soon as I get it cleaned up and get proper spark plugs and wires done I hate to part with it but I wanted a 521 a lot more, and thanks!

 

Still have the 610, just a slow moving project. I'll post some pics of the 810 when I get it back out of storage. Just keeping her off the wet salty roads here. I hope to pick up the 521 & the parts 521 this weekend!!

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Still have the 610, just a slow moving project. I'll post some pics of the 810 when I get it back out of storage. Just keeping her off the wet salty roads here. I hope to pick up the 521 & the parts 521 this weekend!!

Awesome man, looks like you got you hands full with projects! You gonna try to make it to Canby this year?

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  • 3 months later...

Finally brought the 521 home with the help of a few friends. I went to my aunts house yesterday morning and come to find out my older cousin from L.A. was there to look at the cars my cousin Andy that passed left behind. My aunt I guess gave the truck to him and came just in time he didn't hesitate to give it to me since I had first dibs I didn't even ask for it but glad to know its mine again.

 

 

So I have a totally of 5 Datsuns in one of my driveways lol the 810, maxima, Adams old pizzazzy 620 KC and a 76 620 single cab I bought as parts that I gave my friend James after he fell in love with it, and the 71 521 lol so you can say I have the disease lol.

 

The 521 turns over with a good battery not getting spark coming to realize the coil could be bad. The trans is a little iffy it goes into gear but doesn't always disengage when wanting to take it out. Also got a question for you guys did all 521 have tow hooks on the beds? Mine doesn't! Maybe they were cut off or that was stock?

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