dimlight65 Posted August 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 With the doghouse out, I'm grokking that nice flat floor and thinking, "Hmm, a WarP11 electric motor would fit nicely UNDER a flat panel twixt those seats." I couldn't tow with the thing but... 1 Quote Link to comment
DaBlist Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 Tom from Fired Up Garage would've ha that thin runnin" ba na Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted August 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 Looking at these two pictures, I realize why the rusty floor is just now bothering me so much. I couldn't see just how rusty it was until we vacuumed away the schmutz and schmort. Now, since I can't un-see all of the rust, and having come into a small pittance, I'm beginning to consider a different van... a running and driving van. Ok, so it is actually the pittance burning a hole in my pocket and infecting me with a bad case of gottahavititus which is making me want a different van, the rust is just a convenient excuse. 2 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted August 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 So I grokked the rust a bit more today... along with a couple other vans. The one van which "runs and drives" was not really any better cosmetically than what I have now. But it ran and drove... and is the same year model as yours truly... and had the coolest automatic step thingy when the side doors opened. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the seller was not as motivated as we'd hoped and wouldn't come down to a price I was willing to pay. Ok, he wouldn't come down to the price John allowed me to bring with me! If I'd been there alone, the words, "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!" would probably have been spoken and I would have given more than his asking price. I'm kinda dumb that way. The second van at which we looked was just as rough, if not more so, than mine, didn't run, and was NOT the same year model as yours truly... in fact it wasn't even the same body style. I was willing to settle for the newer van because... well, it's still a van, it was WAY cheaper than the other, AND it had the more desirable 300ci engine. John and Patrick kicked me in the ass and wouldn't let me do it though. So, to make a short story long: While bad, the rust isn't as terminal as the extra money in my bank account was making me think it was. I'm going to suck it up and finish this van... unless the '65 running and driving van owner decides to knock $1,500.00 or more off of his asking price! I'm not holding my breath. 1 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted August 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 The seller of the "runs and drives" 1965 is starting to sound desperate enough to pounce on. If he comes down another $300.00 I'm in. I think that if (and it is still a big "if") I wind up with it, I'll go ahead and keep the '62 as a "so far on the back burner that it isn't even on the stove yet" project. 3 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted September 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 Ok, so I still only own one van. They guy never came down to a price I could stomach... and y'all ain't never seen't MY stomach! I did get the bent rear leaf spring straightened today. Might be re-installing that soon. Fingers crossed! 1 Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 We keep going back and forth on that. One day I say, "Yes, let's drop the crap out of it." then we put these wheels on and I'm like, "Then again... this looks pretty good here." then we take a step back and John goes, "Yeah, but a smaller diameter tire and a drop would look so friggin' cool." I do need to replace at least one rear leaf spring but I'm having trouble finding replacements. We talked to a spring guy yesterday and he said $250.00 would fix the one borked leaf. I'm not ready to drop $1,000.00 for him to do all four though. I'll probably take him the two rears to have them match, then put in lowering blocks when reassembling. Up front we will probably replace the bushings and add blocks... unless we don't. So, to make a short story long, "Maybe?" Adding lift or lowering blocks to a steering axle is a bad idea. You may want to look at some safer options if maybe becomes definitely. I vote for definitely. :lol: 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 Adding lift or lowering blocks to a steering axle is a bad idea. You may want to look at some safer options if maybe becomes definitely. I vote for definitely. :lol: After looking at it some more, and reinstalling the rear leaf springs, you can't just put blocks on it. It has the axles under the springs, so they would need to be "flipped" to lower it. Only "easy" way to lower it will be having the leaf springs flattened by a pro. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 Leaf springs going back in, along with new u-bolts... Also noticed the leaf spring bushings were trashed so Tim got some new bushings and put those in... Interesting side note, the shop who repaired the leaf spring also custom made these u-bolts to the stock specs. Which means they can also make Datsun u-bolts to our specs for the next car we do blocks on. B) 1 Quote Link to comment
goes2fast Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 After looking at it some more, and reinstalling the rear leaf springs, you can't just put blocks on it. It has the axles under the springs, so they would need to be "flipped" to lower it. Only "easy" way to lower it will be having the leaf springs flattened by a pro. I would do the flip, almost as easy plus more drop. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 I would do the flip, almost as easy plus more drop. Honestly, it looks "easy" in the back, just weld on new spring pads on the bottom of the axle and get some shorter shocks. On the front, not as easy. It's not a "tube", it's a cast iron I-beam that is a different size on the top than it is on the bottom, with nothing to attach the shackles to. If you made custom length shackles, maybe? But I don't think you could weld on spring pads... Tim has no fear of welding cast iron, though... :rofl: 3 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 So, finally gave Tim a kick in the ass to move forward on what seems to be the hardest bit... Hoist in the side door... Motor mounts unbolted so we could lift up the engine slightly... With it lifted up a bit, we put a jackstand under the bellhousing, then slid the engine forward a bit, and out we go... :thumbup: Out and on the floor... Now she waits for her new heart... Couldn't get the new engine in because our local parts store didn't have a pilot bushing in stock. Had to order that and can't get it until tomorrow. :crying: Also, it seems no one sells a clutch for these vans? :confused: Thankfully this one still looks to be in very good shape, so we'll pop the bushing in the engine, bolt on the flywheel/clutch, then hopefully get the new engine in tomorrow. :thumbup: 2 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Also, while swapping the engine is a complete pain in the ass, once it's in there it is really easy to remove the transmission without the engine. So if this clutch fails 5000 miles in, we can swap in a new clutch in a few hours. Once we find a clutch, we'll probably buy one and keep it around just in case. :thumbup: 2 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted September 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 This thing is the "Datsun 1200" of Ford trucks! Everything is so "tiny" compared to... hell, ANYTHING else I have ever seen on a Ford. Flywheel? Wee. Clutch? Miniscule. Transmission? "Squee" inducingly tiny. Driveshaft? Looks like one of the rods I used for the "four-links" in my Baja 1200. Differential? So precious, I just want to take it out and hug it. 3 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Got the new engine off the stand today, and so the install prep begins... New pilot bushing installed... Clutch and flywheel on and ready to go in... Engine actually went in a lot easier than we thought it would... :thumbup: Bellhousing bolts all in, engine mounts tightened up, and the radiator mount bolted back up... EI dizzy back in... Carb back on... Got the clutch z-bar back in and it seems to work great... :thumbup: Throttle actuation is wrong for this carb set up, so we will need to get crafty there... :sweat: But glad to see this project moving forward in a positive direction. Some changes are taking place at the shop so we won't have as much time to work on this as we wanted to, but it will be at least be roadworthy by Tim's November 14th deadline. B) 4 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted September 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 Engine actually went in a lot easier than we thought it would... You must be using some new definition of the word "easier" with which I am unfamiliar! But I am ecstatic beyond words that we're this far along. Thank you sir. 2 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 You must be using some new definition of the word "easier" with which I am unfamiliar! Well, easier than I thought it would be. I thought it would be much worse... :rofl: But I am ecstatic beyond words that we're this far along. Thank you sir. It is my pleasure. 1 Quote Link to comment
bananahamuck Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 I looked under a dudes van at billetproof a few years ago and he had welded up a little "carriage" (truss maybe) like affair that was basically a box that was form fitting to shape of beam and the bolts went through.. And top of box was pulled up tight to bottom of original perch. Can't remember what gauge of metal but it seems like it was pretty hefty .. It had apparently been on the van for many years.. ... But that is Rat rod,, form over function type guy show so take that as you will. . Man i tried like hell to word that ,, and i'm not sure if i even understand what i typed. Honestly, it looks "easy" in the back, just weld on new spring pads on the bottom of the axle and get some shorter shocks. On the front, not as easy. It's not a "tube", it's a cast iron I-beam that is a different size on the top than it is on the bottom, with nothing to attach the shackles to. If you made custom length shackles, maybe? But I don't think you could weld on spring pads... Tim has no fear of welding cast iron, though... :rofl: 2 Quote Link to comment
bananahamuck Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 Oh,, and i am almost positve those i beams are forged,, not cast iron. 2 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted September 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 I looked under a dudes van at billetproof a few years ago and he had welded up a little "carriage" (truss maybe) like affair that was basically a box that was form fitting to shape of beam and the bolts went through.. And top of box was pulled up tight to bottom of original perch. Can't remember what gauge of metal but it seems like it was pretty hefty .. It had apparently been on the van for many years.. ... But that is Rat rod,, form over function type guy show so take that as you will. . Man i tried like hell to word that ,, and i'm not sure if i even understand what i typed. No, that made perfect sense to me. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around why I'd need another pad. In my head the existing pad would align the U-bolts and keep the axle where it needs to be. If rotation is the issue, "spacers" could be sadwiched twixt the bottom of the pad and the spring while surrounding the U-bolts. Now THERE'S an explanation which makes no sense! I'll draw it up in Paint and have John post it up for y'all to approve/ridicule. Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 No, that made perfect sense to me. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around why I'd need another pad. The contact patch of the beam gets cut in half when you flip it. Could be a little floppy... But your spacer idea has merit. :thumbup: 1 Quote Link to comment
floyd17 Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Falcon was a Ford car. Econoline is the van. I drive a E150 Ford Van at work. Don't know if they still call it Econoline but pretty sure that's where the E comes from. Owned a '62 Econoline back in the '70s. It was a retired Bell Telephone lineman's van. 170 cu in ? 4.54 diff, top speed about 60? Good times!!!! Sounds like a datsun ;) Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted September 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 Wiring harness arrived the other day and the radiator ought to be here today or tomorrow. Woo hoo! 2 Quote Link to comment
q-tip Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 I'm with Naner on this one, pretty sure they're forged steel not cast iron. Engine is in.......excellent.... Quote Link to comment
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