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Just got a Datsun 521 :)


Roge

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Might be good to pull yours out and check the plug on the back? I saw 2 different ones on ebay... one has 3 spades on the back and the other had 5....

Do you have any keys at all for It?

Door keys?

Maybe a lock Smith can help out and re key the ignition to match the locks.. not 100% sure if that's possible on those or not...

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If you are serious about fixing this truck up I would suggest buying another complete truck that might have the floor sections and some other things that you might need or have some better parts than on yours.  If you frame is rusted out bad I would find a regular cab 720 and use the chassis from that.  You will get ball joint suspension and disc front brakes and a removable rear trans cross member that really helps when pulling the engine and trans as 1 unit.

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There are cheaper OEM NOS ignition switches on ebay for the 521 and even the earlier 520 just Need to search harder

 

Using "" marks cleans out a lot of the generic parts that show up on ebay.

 

"datsun 521"  (512 results)

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2055119.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.X%22datsun+521%22.TRS0&_nkw=%22datsun+521%22&_sacat=0

 

Instead of

 

datsun 521 (3,021 Results)

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2055119.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.Xdatsun+521.TRS0&_nkw=datsun+521&_sacat=0

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There are cheaper OEM NOS ignition switches on ebay for the 521 and even the earlier 520 just Need to search harder

 

Using "" marks cleans out a lot of the generic parts that show up on ebay.

 

"datsun 521"  (512 results)

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2055119.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.X%22datsun+521%22.TRS0&_nkw=%22datsun+521%22&_sacat=0

 

Instead of

 

datsun 521 (3,021 Results)

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2055119.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.Xdatsun+521.TRS0&_nkw=datsun+521&_sacat=0

 

That's a great little bit of helpful info Charlie...I didn't know. :thumbup:

  • Like 1
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There are cheaper OEM NOS ignition switches on ebay for the 521 and even the earlier 520 just Need to search harder

 

Using "" marks cleans out a lot of the generic parts that show up on ebay.

 

"datsun 521"  (512 results)

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2055119.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.X%22datsun+521%22.TRS0&_nkw=%22datsun+521%22&_sacat=0

 

Instead of

 

datsun 521 (3,021 Results)

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2055119.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.Xdatsun+521.TRS0&_nkw=datsun+521&_sacat=0

 

This was good to know, just keep in mind that if you search "Datsun 320" a lot of stuff don't show that you will want to see if you own a NL320, so you need to search "Datsun NL320" also.

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If you are serious about fixing this truck up I would suggest buying another complete truck that might have the floor sections and some other things that you might need or have some better parts than on yours. If you frame is rusted out bad I would find a regular cab 720 and use the chassis from that. You will get ball joint suspension and disc front brakes and a removable rear trans cross member that really helps when pulling the engine and trans as 1 unit.

I honesty don't thing the gram will be that trusted just a bit of surface rust what I think it is is that it rusted through and ate at the floor stiffeners like Wayno said so I'm hoping it didn't get much at the frame I haven't worked much on the truck but take the starter off I have been setting up and area to store it over the winter so it doesn't stay outside and so I can work on it over the winter.
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It would probably be easier to talk about what upgrades you want... somethings could be used all though I don't know exactly what.....

Clutch master is available for the 521 so why bother with a 620 master..

 

Radiator I think they list the same ones for the 521 and the 620... so i guess it would work....

 

Beyond that I don't know unless you get specific....

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clutchmaster? What They all single resivoir!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe brake master you mean? I just buy a few spares. Thay all made in Taiwan now unless you luck and and find the NOS Japan made ones somewhere. They last forever. Taiwan ones last about 5yrs on daily driver

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/nissan,1970,521+pickup,1.6l+l4,1212310,transmission-manual,clutch+master+cylinder,1996

 

And yes I also meant brake one because my brake resivior was open when I got it so who knows how long it's been exposed to the element so I'm just gonna get a new one and what brands of parts do you guys prefer? Like centric or others like that?

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they all the same I believe.

Youll need to cut the threaded rod as most are too long when you mount them in the fire wall and the pedal will start pushing the rod and put pressure on the brakes.

I hack saw it with the nut on there then pull the nut off so it cleans the threads.

 

also On 521s best to replace the fuel filter often as water may go down the fuel hose and rust the tank.   I had issues yesterday and I swap mine about every year or too and run 2 filters as I used to get plugged idle jets on my Weber DGV.

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and if you replace the brake cylinder, make sure you adjust rod length such that there's a small amount of slack in the connection from rod/clevis to pedal (i.e. make sure rod fully retracts from the cylinder when the pedal isn't pushed). When I picked up my 521, this wasn't the case and over the course of driving several miles, each tap on the brakes left just a bit of pressure still in the brake system which built up over time. 

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more of the underneath of the truck got it stored and on jack stands ready to work on over the winter also we need new bushings pretty much all the way around like upper and lower control arm bushings inner and outer, stabilizing link bushings, sway bar bushings, king pin bushings, body mount bushings and it needs new brake lines cause there all cracked so do you guys have any suggestion on where to get most of these bushing??? and preferably polyurethane or something stronger.

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You might just need to re-adjust the jack stand onto the center of the plywood pads.

 

The frame looks normal to me, like any other frame in the Pacific NW, I suspect the top of the frame is the same, this is not a Roadster where they put this material between the cab floor and the top of the frame to enhance rust in them areas.

 

I suppose it depends on what you are going to try and accomplish here, if you just want a driver then cut out the rusty floors and replace them with good sheet steel stock that is thick enough not to flex, if you want a nice truck you have a lot of work ahead of you, I like drivers myself that look decent from a distance that are not going to fall apart, and I like them not to rattle a lot. :lol:

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