Geojaxon's 620 build.

[Soundline]

How low are you going? I did the 3" blocks on my 74' and did KYB dampeners and it rides fine. The stock ones just hadn't made it 43 years...

 

If you do go that route I'm interested to see how they work out for you.

 

Nice truck, keep picking things apart, you'll get there.

[geojaxon]

 

 

For the lowering kit I went with 3 inch blocks from ebay and they went on super easily. I ordered some new shocks as well since the drivers side rear keeps getting bound up when jacking the truck up and down. I will install them when I re-index the front and adjust to make everything even. I also got a new driveshaft carrier bearing since mine was trashed. 

 

 

I decided to take the whole front end apart and found where someone has done some major repairs to the front clip behind the grill. It looks like it must have been pretty smashed up and they mangled it back to mostly where it was before. You can see all the bondo trying to make it look smooth. 

 

 

I am draining all fluids sometime this week and should be one step closer to taking off the front of the engine to try to set the cam timing up. I got a tiny USB camera to check down into the cylinders so I can see if anything inside is broke really bad. That way if its destroyed I can just pull the motor instead of trying to mess with setting it up.  I even took off the fenders and I ordered some primer and undercoating. Im going to prime anywhere there is bare metal and spray this cheap undercoating where the old stuff has fallen off. Im not trying to make this perfect but just pause the rust for a few years until I can really get the truck painted the right way. 

 

[geojaxon]

Hey everyone! 

 

I was able to get a little work done over the weekend but I got stuck. One of the shocks is not going to come off correctly. I was able to get the upper part disconnected and the lower bolt that goes through the shock eyelet was undone but the bolt is siezed inside of the shock eyelet. I have heated it up and tried pounding with a hammer. I think I am going to have to cut this bolt on the inside of the mount and then find a replacement bolt.  

 

 

I got all the other shocks on and took off the bumpstops everywhere but the drivers front where the shock is still stuck on there. I broke out the wire wheel and went to town on the rust under the fenders and then painted with black rusty metal primer. Hopefully this will keep everything from getting worse until it's time for body work and painting. I am going to try some spray can undercoating where the old stuff flaked off. 

 

 

Everytime I work on the old pickup I find something else that needs replaced. All the ball joints and tie rod ends are destroyed. I will have to order new ones once my car fund has built back up a little.  With each part I take off I find another thing I want to fix or make better, This wasn't supposed to be a frame off project! lol 

 

[geojaxon]

Long time no update so I am going to get one started today. Lots of things going on in my garage right now and hopefully the Datsun will get the reward for all this work. 

 

I got a little tiny camera and stuck it down the spark plug holes and checked around. Every one of my pistons has a dent in it from the valves just like someone else showed me in their thread. One on each side of the piston.  The valves are toast and the engine is a no go even if it was timed right. 

 

I started removing  everything to get this engine out of the truck and as i went I kept finding things that were not making me feel good about how this truck was put together. all the wires that connected to the carb area were super melted and covered in electrical tape to hide how bad the wires were. down by the transmission none of the wiring was connected. Im guessing thats for the reverse lights and maybe something else? I got feeling pretty worried about how crappy of a job everything in the truck has been done. I checked with the wife and she said i could do whatever i wanted so I decided to go big or go home....i bought a 1990 nissan with a great running KA engine and 5 speed and its time to try to get that swapped over to the 620. 

 

 

It came with a really nice aftermarket exhaust for like a civic or something. It's all chromed out but makes it sound pretty ricey. I can't complain for the price. It also has all the gaskets for a rebuild and a new timing chain I can install if needed.  I should have the motor out of the 620 by next weekend if everything goes as expected. then its time to park it and switch to pulling the KA and all the wiring that will be needed. 

 

 

 

[Lockleaf]

Redeye sells swap mounts for the ka 620 if you're interested. Icehouse sells the can am box to simplify wiring.

 

The d21 has the engine harness integrated into the body harness unfortunately. So you will probably end up pulling everything from engine bay and interior out, then begin the work of dividing out what you won't be reusing. Or swapping the whole harness and retrofitting it, if your a masochist like me.

[geojaxon]

I got the can am box and the mounts on order. I had a couple of friends come over this weekend and we got the old engine out, covered it up and put it in the bed of the truck.  We moved the truck to the side of the house where my Jeep is sitting. Now I have space in the shop for the Nissan and in about a week and a half when the registration runs up I am going to start labeling and taking the KA out of that pile of bondo. 

 

[]2eDeYe]

Mounts are on the way. Thanks for picking up a set :cool:

[geojaxon]

Got the engine pulled out of the Nissan. 

 

 

I am thinking i'm going to do a simple rebuild of the engine. that way it will never have to come out again. (fingers crossed)

 

when I got the truck it came with a whole gasket kit and a timing chain and guide. I will use those and see if there is anything else that might need machined or repaired. I'm going to get an engine stand this weekend.  Then i will separate the trans from the engine and get this rolling. 

 

 

I still have the wiring mess to deal with but i have a wiring diagram and i'm going to just go very slowly to decide what to cut and what to keep. 

 

[]2eDeYe]

Progress :thumbup: