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74 620 V8 Swap


*fart*

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Hey Guys... Been a while since ive been on here.  The winter was long and the datsun hasnt been running... 

 

Some of you might remember my truck got stolen last november.  I got the truck back but they took my weber carbs, radiator, plug wires, battery and banged up quite a bit of the front body. 

 

I dont know if they blew up the engine or tranny, and i dont feel like buying a new carb and all the parts just to see if they blew it up.  

 

I decided that I am going to put a sbc 350 in it.  Been doing some research and am really close to pulling the trigger on an engine/tranny.

 

I know a few guys on here have done the swap so if you have any suggestions or knowledge to drop on my before i jump in please do.... 

 

If anyone is near the east coast and wants to gamble on my L18 and 4speed lmk... I will be getting rid of the rear end too... 

 

Cheers... 

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I picked up the donor heart for my 620 the other day.  Been driving around with this dead weight in the back of the van for a week!  Now i just gotta start the work on the truck and get the stock motor pulled... 

 

Anyone interested in an l18 and 4 speed?  Ran and drove when the truck was running last... 

 

Oxford%2Bswap%2Bmeet13.jpg

 

Oxford%2Bswap%2Bmeet12.jpg

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Yeah... ill get rid of the fram filter... haha... The motor is a crate motor stock specs from the mid 90s... Supposed to have 60k miles on it.  Also got a 700r tranny with an overdrive.

 

I plan on getting rid of most of the stuff off the front...  Get rid of the AC parts, and will lose the power steering pump and assembly... 

 

All i need now is to find a good 9inch rearend and get a driveshaft made... 

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I have the tools and parts to make what i need.  Ive heard stories of people notching out the firewall so that the distributor can fit back... 

 

The good thing is that this truck needed floor pans anyways...   I have the replacements so i will do them at the same time i modify/replace the tranny tunnel.  

 

Its also gonna be a good time to put the roll cage in since ill have the best access to the frame through the cab... 

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Yeah haha... I work with brian...   You should def drop by... ill need a hand! haha...   I think brian showed me some pics of yours ... blue right?  Looks mint!  

 

Make a secret kill switch for your truck!  Or just dont move into the ghetto... hahah

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Yes, mine is this blue one...

 

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/65918-small-factorys-datsun-620-truck-for-trucking/

 

I used to live in providence, but moved out to the woods in Smithfield years ago. My truck is always garaged as well. I will be installing a hidden kill-switch in it soon. I drove it to Home Depot today and felt I could come out to an empty parking space very easily! Haha...

 

Sorry to hear yours was stolen. It's amazing the high theft rate on the vintage Japanese stuff. I know someone who had his first-gen 4runner stolen. A mutual friend to Brian and I had his 15-or-so year old boring Honda Accord stolen from his house in Providence, twice! 

 

I was shocked to see your local. In the last 20 years, I have only seen one Datsun (not just a Datsun pickup, but just a Datsun) and that was at last years Steel-Yard car show. Someone had a 620 there and remembering saying to myself to keep that model in mind for a possible purchase. I was more excited about it than most of the other stuff there...

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Thats 620 is sick Small Factory!  Looks good!  youll have to bring it by sometime... 

 

 

Thanks Denmarkboy!  Jesus... so many naysayers...   People forget that this was a common swap in the 70s 80s?  Thats why they make motor mounts headers and tranny mounts for the 620... I think there was an article in hot rod about this... 

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Jesus... so many naysayers...   People forget that this was a common swap in the 70s 80s?  Thats why they make motor mounts headers and tranny mounts for the 620... I think there was an article in hot rod about this... 

 

It's just that they've seen many a big plan go the way of dreams, leaving a truck in pieces. :)

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I'm not a fan of putting a small block in the truck.  After putting a small block into a 240z, I decided I would never do something like that again.  The car was fast and could light a set of drag radials up moving and 30mph, but it was so hot and loud I hated it.    It's hard to shed all that heat when everything on the body is close to the engine and exhaust.  Mind you this a car in Phoenix, AZ where the summer temps can be almost 110 degrees all month long.    I would sacrifice brute force for either a turbo 4 or normally asipirated modern V-6, but to each his own.  If that's what you want to do, research it and develop a plan with a budget.

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There you go!  To each his own... haha...   

 

I hear what you are saying... Ive had high power turbo 6's, and some BPU turbo 4's both are fun.  Ive always wanted to learn build a v8.  On top of that i wanted to keep everything simple... no ecus...  After the truck was stolen and all my good parts stolen... I decided to pick up a cheap drivetrain and swap it in.  It will actually be comparative to what I would have had to spend if i kept the L18... As for the noise and heat ill have to deal with that... 

 

This project will get finished..  My goal is by the end of the summer... I started my own custom motorcycle business a few years ago.  I have enough tools and machines to make everything i need to.  The motor and tranny were the biggest hurdles money wise, and i scored them pretty cheap... The sheet metal for the tunnel i will make myself.  I have a good tubing bender to bend my own roll cage.  I will be making the exhaust custom from the headers back.  The motor mounts and tranny mounts i can either buy or make.  

 

I will update as regularly as i can ... and honestly what motivates me partially is people telling me i can or shouldnt do something...  That usually means im on the right track... haha

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Thats 620 is sick Small Factory!  Looks good!  youll have to bring it by sometime... 

 

 

Thanks Denmarkboy!  Jesus... so many naysayers...   People forget that this was a common swap in the 70s 80s?  Thats why they make motor mounts headers and tranny mounts for the 620... I think there was an article in hot rod about this... 

 

The V8 doesn't fit. Never heard of a kit for putting a V8 into the 620 because of this. (with enough time money and work, it can be made to fit, absolutely)  People may have done this and it may have been in Hot Rod but I think it more of an exception. There was a kit for a Chev or Buick V6 with special mounts and cross ember, headers and a few other things. Maybe you're thinking of this? It used to be featured in the top left .... http://www.davidcmurphy.com/olddat//620tech.htm but is now gone. It was a magazine article.

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The V8 doesn't fit. Never heard of a kit for putting a V8 into the 620 because of this. (with enough time money and work, it can be made to fit, absolutely)  People may have done this and it may have been in Hot Rod but I think it more of an exception. There was a kit for a Chev or Buick V6 with special mounts and cross ember, headers and a few other things. Maybe you're thinking of this? It used to be featured in the top left .... http://www.davidcmurphy.com/olddat//620tech.htm but is now gone. It was a magazine article.

 

I dont often question your advice / info . but in this case you are wrong. The kit in the lil Hooker truck is a v8 kit made by hooker headers ,that included , Headers, firewall, core support section , motor mounts , drive live , trans mount , 

 

IMAG1002_zps5grdpeir.jpg

 

 

IMAG1003_zpsooakwjfl.jpg

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Hey denmarkboy,  Im looking right now for motor mounts, tranny mounts, and maybe headers...   I found this site that looks like they have everything in need... 

 

http://www.powerbyace.com/Catalog%20page/Engine%20swap%20components.htm

 

Im just wondering if i need their headers... Or if I can buy some other 'block hugger' headers to fit.  Trimming the fender wells isnt a problem... 

 

Just wondering if a set of headers works better than others... there is always the option to make my own, but i dont really want to do that at this point... Maybe next year... haha

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I dont often question your advice / info . but in this case you are wrong. The kit in the lil Hooker truck is a v8 kit made by hooker headers ,that included , Headers, firewall, core support section , motor mounts , drive live , trans mount , 

 

IMAG1002_zps5grdpeir.jpg

 

 

IMAG1003_zpsooakwjfl.jpg

 

Good info. I've only seen the V6 mod. I assume the heater is no longer usable.

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Hey denmarkboy,  Im looking right now for motor mounts, tranny mounts, and maybe headers...   I found this site that looks like they have everything in need... 

 

http://www.powerbyace.com/Catalog%20page/Engine%20swap%20components.htm

 

Im just wondering if i need their headers... Or if I can buy some other 'block hugger' headers to fit.  Trimming the fender wells isnt a problem... 

 

Just wondering if a set of headers works better than others... there is always the option to make my own, but i dont really want to do that at this point... Maybe next year... haha

 

 

that looks like a great source for most of the parts 

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