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73 Datsun 620 As My First


Brandana

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So starting off with when and how this came to be. I was looking for my first car, more so towards an Impreza sedan when my buddy Joe woke me up around noon (I used to work really late) and told me to check out this truck, and I really don't like trucks by the way, but he told me it had a black hood with the rising sun on it. So with that in mind I got up, got ready and went out to the address. When it apeered into my eyes it was an old army/olive green, with red steelies that had the old chrome circular hub over the lugs, the black hood with a canvas interior on the bench and panels, and an asking price of $900. After a while I drove it home for $700, got it registered that day, then three days later the tranny stopped going into gear entirley. So since July of 2014 it has been a work in progress to make it reliable and restored to new with the old. With the constant break downs and repairs I've learned more about a vehicle than ever, which before was nothing more than how an engine kinda works, oh and cars have 4 wheels that allow it to move better on the road. Now with over $1000 worth of tools to fix it each time something happens I've come here for help and insperation on what to do when I'm lost in what i'm doing. I'll share the full story in the 'datsun stories' post, and I'll get some pictures of it on here when I find the camera again. I honestly love this truck and wouldn't get rid of it for much of anything, even with all the shit my friends give me for it.

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Good first time vehicle, lots of parts are swappable with other Datsuns.

 

Normally we go down this list when we get a classic, any classic really: new clutch, Weber carb swap, fuel pump, u-joints, wheel bearings, brakes, flush all fluids/refill, and filters.

 

I had one with a 5.0HO mustang motor and C4 automatic, others were stock with L16 and L20B rebuilt setups.

 

Have fun :)

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Thanks guys, everyone does tell me how they love to work on the old 4 bangers that's so simple in comparison to anything newer really and I'm seeing it. My buds are aslo telling me to slap a 305 in it, or the rotary from his 1st gen rx-7 if and when he puts the 305 he wants in it. Even though he's the on giving me the most crap for still having it when he's also the one who found it for me, lol. That's good to know that parts are greatly interchangable though thanks, and almost got all the fluids flushed and filled.

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The L16 you have in there currently is a good motor, it likes to rev up and makes decent power for its size, the L18 and L20B are bigger and dont like to rev as high and really wont see any gains.

 

To keep it reliable, a Weber DGV carb kit is a great step up, also loves to get a nice new 2" exhaust and a Magnaflow short case Turbo Style muffler sounds good.

 

In the meanwhile I would plan out what you want to do with it.....body, engine, transmission, brakes..... there is alot of newer Nissan parts that bolt right in for upgrades.

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the guy that tells you to put the 305 in there tell him to get his own rig and do it(Oh he doesn't)

I have the same here, Put a V8 in there then see him pull away in a Honda Accord

 

 

L motors are simple. Once you learn them youll never be a Slave/Sucker to getting ripped off from a mechanic!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

remember L motors have lots of aluminum parts so never over torq and buy a bottle of antiseze compound.

 

find spare parts on the side when people clear out stuff. Stat housings trans pinion drives get a elelctronic ignition is the best reliability improvement.

New heater hoses and find a good Rad also when you can  if you plan on keeping this for a awhile.

 

Nothing wrong with a Rotary but just buy a RX7 then. 

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Yeah my truck does make me feel like I'm my own mechanic, and I'll keep in mind the aluminum stuff when I decide to play inside the motor. Thanks again as always with the advice. I've thought about the L20b as well, but the L16 in it is still kicking good. The Weber carb comes to mind still but I rebuilt the Hitachi one with a minor rebuild kit already. Same with the exhaust, just need a little extra $ for it. Never thought of electrical stuff though other than hooking up all the loose wires around, I'll look into the ignition parts.

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Yeah my truck does make me feel like I'm my own mechanic, and I'll keep in mind the aluminum stuff when I decide to play inside the motor. Thanks again as always with the advice. I've thought about the L20b as well, but the L16 in it is still kicking good. The Weber carb comes to mind still but I rebuilt the Hitachi one with a minor rebuild kit already. Same with the exhaust, just need a little extra $ for it. Never thought of electrical stuff though other than hooking up all the loose wires around, I'll look into the ignition parts.

Same boat as you. Ever since I got my 77 KC I have become a very self relient mechanic with the help of everyone here. I have been changing everything in mine. L20b, Weber, ignition, etc......working to pay for parts! Exhaust and body work is next. Get some pics or the ole dawgs gonna start hounding :thumbup: aloha

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Nice '77 you got there DatsunHiLife. The body is in way better shape than mine and if it stays running good like it has then exhaust and body are in my next to-do-list as well, in that order. I decided that the camera I'm looking for has vanished until I forget that it dissapeerd, but in the meantime it looks like I need to borrow my buds or just get a new one.

 

In do time the pics will come around.

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the guy that tells you to put the 305 in there tell him to get his own rig and do it(Oh he doesn't)

I have the same here, Put a V8 in there then see him pull away in a Honda Accord

 

 

L motors are simple. Once you learn them youll never be a Slave/Sucker to getting ripped off from a mechanic!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

remember L motors have lots of aluminum parts so never over torq and buy a bottle of antiseze compound.

 

find spare parts on the side when people clear out stuff. Stat housings trans pinion drives get a elelctronic ignition is the best reliability improvement.

New heater hoses and find a good Rad also when you can  if you plan on keeping this for a awhile.

 

Nothing wrong with a Rotary but just buy a RX7 then. 

lol what EVERY SINGLE Chevy guy says who doesnt have a Datsun. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I found a '81 Datsun 280 zx that only needs a fuel pump and a battery to run. Everything to it is there plus some, but the carpet is actually the only thing missing, no big deal. It's all there like I said, but not all of it is on it like the front window to say the least. It's got 90,500 mi. on the origional motor with little to no rust with the exception of  2 bigger, but still minor rust spots on it. After that it just needs a paint job. Yet here's the kicker, with it I could get another one that is much more beat up and used to be a turbo and is a 2+2 coupe that I was told only needs the hydraulic clutch to go, maybe a battery as well. Well the 1st one is for $800 alone and both 280's together I could get for $950. I have little cash to spare for one with a trailer job or to be put in a shop where it's at so I can drive it home which is 3.5 hour drive one way. Is the other 280zx worth it for what is, either to get running, or for parts either with the 1st 280zx or my 620? Any chime in would be awesome guys.

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  • 10 months later...

Wow. I have been gone for some time. Almost a year now. Ok so an update to what's up.

I got the 81 Datsun 280zx Coupe with T-Tops and that alone without the 2+2. That trip to and back took 14+ hours with my grandpa and it was awesome, but not one we were up to again. Back to the old 620...well it doesn't run, has a flat, and I don't know if I want it at times. It's been almost two years since I put the truck in my name with a lot of people wanting to buy it or saying that this same truck used to be their's (who knows). Everyone esle still doesn't think that I need it anymore, but that's pretty much because I own 4 cars now (the 620, 280zx, '91 Civic hatch, '96 Miata with a welded diff). So now I have plans for the truck again, but that will be after I get my 280 and little Miata in better shape first.

 

But first a picture finally on how it is now.

Edit: I'lk have to uplaod a picture later. My bad.

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Yeah the body is still the same as when I got it about 2 years ago. I've pretty mich just played with the wiring to get all the lights running properley which has got me pulled over a few times with the warnings haha. After words I've only replaced the seats from the old torn and broken bench, to the really cheap, torn, but more comfortable buckets. It hasn't ran properly since before last winter when I did the wiring yet I threw in the battery first thing this year and it fired up eventually. Sadly drove it for a day before it straight up just stopped again. Literally just driving, with fuel in the tank, and then nothing. It scared me so bad because I was in the middle of slow traffic and I had the littlest bit of room to pull over.

 

Anyways it got home and now it sadly sits in its sorry state. Don't worry though I've not givin up on it yet. After I get my other cars running the way I want them to all I'll have left to do is my truck.

 

I may still have another Datsun truck, a '72 that has been sitting for over a year with a rebuilt motor pushing 150 compression that had a weber carb in it before the 2nd? previous owner sold it. It's been used as parts long before I ever seen it so it's pretty rough. Been thinking about throwing that in then rebuilding my own engine, or...SR20DET. I know it's popular, but not cheap and not the easiest of the two. Personally I'm up to the challenge and I now can make the dough to do so. Make take until next summer but again I've got 3 other damn vehicles haha.

 

Well I'm happy to get this updated (even though it's just pictures and talk of other cars) and it will continue more frequently. No idea how but it will happen eventually.

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i like the death from soul eater charm you got in there. overall the body looks to be in decent shape. maybe try blowing out the fuel lines, clean the carb, check your distributor.... let's just say full tuneup, and check your fuses. what sort of death was it? stutter stutter pop nothing or just off? check for fuel and spark, without either of those the truck won't go

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Yeah it just turned off like the ignition was turned. I've checked everything and it's spark for sure, but it's more like a short somewhere else that's causing it. I fixed my lights like I said then started it for a second then it just stopped. It worked fine before hand so I started to check every wire. Nothing! Oh man it hurts me. It's just somewhere that I had to over look and I'm gonna hate myself when I find out what it is. Just like last time when it was my external resistor for why it didn't have spark.

 

Thanks for noticing the soul eater skull. Non of my anime buddies ever caught on to that.

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Thanks for noticing the soul eater skull. Non of my anime buddies ever caught on to that.

loved the anime, I think I started reading the Manga but didn't get very far, life got in the way. It's a very distinctive skull, and is everywhere in the anime
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Oh sorry I left that out. Yeah there is no spark at the ignition coil, nor is there a reading of either ohms or volts at the external resistor so I replaced that again. Still nothing. It's been awhile since I've done anything honestly after that besides checking all that wiring.

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