Slickk1One Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Soo This is my first Datsun I picked up from my boss for 700$ My Plan is to use a complete 89 hardbody 2wd Z24i 5 speed & update the truck a little. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Yes, it's do able. Transmission is different length so the driveshaft will need to be shortened. Trans mount modified to fit and probably the hole for the shifter moved. Keep the Z24i's engine brackets on the block but they should fit the rubber mounts on the 521. The Z24i has a higher output internally regulated alternator and a tight fit, in addition the 521 will need some small wiring changes as it was set up for an external regulator. Welcome to Ratsun 1 Quote Link to comment
Slickk1One Posted November 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Thank you Appreciate it Yea I plan on using complete wiring harness all the way to the dash,The donor is a nice running & driving truck!! 2 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Welcome. If you have the complete hardbody truck consider doing a chassis swap. This will give you the correct ratio rear end, disk front brakes, ball joint suspension, possible power steering and also AC. I put a 1980 720 chassis under my 1966 520. My build thread link is below in my signature. We need pictures!!! LOL 2 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Just realized this is fuel injection. You'll need to fit a high pressure fuel pump and rig a return gas line from the engine. 2 Quote Link to comment
Slickk1One Posted November 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Well i heard from my own research that the hardbody is wider? Also i plan on retrofitting tank complete with all fuel lines. Im also going to cut out the firewall for a template to use the Brake booster. I have pics i just dont know how to upload them haha rookie i know.. 1 Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Wayno, another member here has put a 521 body on a 720 chassis. 1 Quote Link to comment
Slickk1One Posted November 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 I would really like to use the D21 hardbody chassis has anyone done this? Ive been searching but haven't found anything yet.. how do i upload pics??? 1 Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Listen to those guys above you. They know their stuff when it comes to the 521. 2 Quote Link to comment
uberkevin Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Photobucket. Copy and paste img code. 1 Quote Link to comment
Slickk1One Posted November 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Thank you making one now Will be uploading Tons of Pics!!! 2 Quote Link to comment
greenthumb Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 I guess the question is whether a D21 chassis will fit a 521. Charlie has done the 720, but anyone know if the 720 and d21 share the same chassis? 1 Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Good luck, post pics! Welcome to Ratsun. 1 Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 I guess the question is whether a D21 chassis will fit a 521. Charlie has done the 720, but anyone know if the 720 and d21 share the same chassis? The D21 is considerably wider than the 720. I don't think anyone has tried it. Probably for obvious reasons. 1 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 There are differences in the720 and Hardbody (D21) chassis. The D21 is said to be wider. The 720 wheel centers are wider from side to side than the 520/521. The 1980 720 rear end is approximately 2 3/4" wider than the 520 stock rear end. The frames are within a 1/4" of being the same width outside the frame rails. The spring perch centering holes are the same from 520 to D21 in the side to side measurement. The front control arms are longer on the 720 and D21. A torch and a welder can adjust some of the problems. 1 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 I suppose that it depends on if the 1989 D21 is wider than the 1986 Nissan 720, I think they are the same, but I could be wrong, I have seen a H190 rearend in a 1990 something, as I pulled an LSD out of it, but that H190 housing could have been wider. It really depends on measuring to see if the front and rear wheels will be centered in the fender wells without leaving a big gap between the cab and box, if it doesn't measure out to within 2 inches.......................... I put a Datsun 520 on to a 1986 Nissan frame, I am able to use the stock wheels barely, but the truck has been lowered, and it also has been modified a lot, so the frame length didn't matter to me, I used a stock 1980 Datsun 720 wiring harness, I have power steering and power disc brakes, but it has been Frankensteined together, if I were to make a list of all the parts that came on other vehicles, you would have to scroll down the page to read them all. If it doesn't measure out, you likely just need to use your frame, but upgrades are totally custom, everything needs to be made/fabricated to have power steering, disc brakes, if you want power brakes, that has to be made, your stock e-brake bell-crank might be in the way, so that may need to be modified, it's a lot of work either way. This is what I did for power brakes on my 521 with a Z24 engine, it's really tight/close to the clutch master, it's a modified pedestal from a late model 720 with a mid 80s Ford Courier booster I believe with the 720 brake master. It's a lot of work doing what you are planning, to bad your not closer, it's not that hard to do things if you have a plan, it's very hard if you are making it up as you go. I do have power steering on my 521 work truck with a 521 frame, but that takes a while to explain how I did it, I had to have a custom center link made, it was very expensive, custom parts suck!!! 2 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 Centering the front wheels front to back of the wheel wells is easy. The rear wheels on my 66 520 with the 1980 chassis are to far back in the wheel wells. There is 20 ways I can fix this: First I can take the spring packs apart and on the main leaf drill a new centering whole to line up the wheels in the wheel wells. Second spend $300 at a local spring shop and have a new main leaf made to center the wheels in the wheel wells. at the same time the spring sop will de arch the springs to get the ride height where I want. also the spring sop will shim the spring pack to set the pinion angle correctly. I will have this done as soon as I have the extra cash to do it. Hard to see in this picture but the rear wheels are pushed to the rear of the wheel wells. This is my 1966 520 on the 1980 720 chassis. 1 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 Charlie, I have seen drop blocks with adjustment holes in them, it could be moved forward or back a couple inches using these type of drop blocks, or an adapter could be made for the bottom of the drop block with adjustment holes(mini drop block, half inch thick?), but one can only go so far out of center of the leaf before the suspension doesn't work correctly anymore, and one would need to re-position the leaf mounts themselves. This does require the drive line to be modified(shortened/lengthened), but what your going to do also does. On my 70 521 that I dropped onto a 1985 regular cab chassis, I just left a slightly larger gap between the cab and the box, I fudged a little front and back, it doesn't look bad. Centering the front wheels front to back of the wheel wells is easy. The rear wheels on my 66 520 with the 1980 chassis are to far back in the wheel wells. There is 20 ways I can fix this: First I can take the spring packs apart and on the main leaf drill a new centering whole to line up the wheels in the wheel wells. Second spend $300 at a local spring shop and have a new main leaf made to center the wheels in the wheel wells. at the same time the spring sop will de arch the springs to get the ride height where I want. also the spring sop will shim the spring pack to set the pinion angle correctly. I will have this done as soon as I have the extra cash to do it. Hard to see in this picture but the rear wheels are pushed to the rear of the wheel wells. This is my 1966 520 on the 1980 720 chassis. 2 Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 There is a guy local to me who has supposedly put his 521 onto a narrowed D21 chassis. I haven't seen it personally, just talked on the phone. He even said that he shortened the D21 rear axle housing and then was able to use the stock 521 axles without any further modifications. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 If the 4 cylinder D21 then an H-190 with the same splines. Easier to swap the 521 rear complete. 1 Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 If the 4 cylinder D21 then an H-190 with the same splines. Easier to swap the 521 rear complete. Except their are drawbacks to the 521 rear, like not self-adjusting... 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 Well he did say 521 axles so I assume the backing plates and brakes would be included. The backing plate doesn't easily come off the axle. Self adjusters were new on the '82 720 so not D-21 exclusive. Could probably retro fit them. 1 Quote Link to comment
Slickk1One Posted November 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2015 Okay sorry been busy getting this started I want it done as fast as I can.. so far I have the complete harness wiring everything front to back seriously haha I have the whole donar which was a running driving truck so I have everything from gauges to tank fuel lines brakes, all the goods so this is the truck http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/Slickk1one/library/Mobile%20Uploads I want get this running ASAP lol I'll use my frame with the disk brakes swap but I have 33mm nissan turbo 300zx aluminum calipers & 02 Passport Rotors I heard I need spacers for the calipers on the caliper bracket?? What about rear disk conversation, I work at a Used Auto Parts Place With just about everything.. will the 02 Passport rear rotors work? I may re-drill the bolt pattern to use some forged 19" infinity wheels later 1 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted November 22, 2015 Report Share Posted November 22, 2015 Here is a little help. 1 Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted November 22, 2015 Report Share Posted November 22, 2015 Yeah. You totally don't want those mirrors. Plano Gato has a super recycling program for stuff like that. 1 Quote Link to comment
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