A-ko Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Hi guys, been lurking on this forum occasionally for years, but now i have a reason to register and join. I'd been wanting a 620 for years now, and randomly discovered this not too far from where i live, parked next to a garage in a small town, right around Christmas 2015. I'd check on it every so often so see if it was still there, and finally this year decided to do a little legwork to figure out how to get ahold of the owner. Sure enough once i got ahold of him and we talked a bit, he let me come check out the truck and see if i was interested. I live in Iowa, where we salt our roads, and old Japanese steel just doesn't survive, so finding ANY Datsun is hard enough, let alone a relatively solid, early 620. So, yes, it needs a floor, and there's rust here and there, but it had been off the road since the owner retired in 1993, so luckily it was only on the roads for twenty years before it was parked. Anyway, after a while, we worked out a deal we were both happy with, and on this past Thursday he handed over the title. '73, so it's got an L16. 4-speed manual as you might expect. Frame appears to be rock-solid luckily, couldn't locate any rust-through anywhere...floors of course need help as well as under the battery tray, which is to be expected. Bed had probably 3 or 4 inches worth of accumulation from over the years, mostly mud, but luckily the bed is pretty damn solid with only a few dime-sized rust holes. Very complete truck, three very nice dog dishes, he couldn't find the third one but hopefully i can find one more. Engine is stuck from sitting but shouldn't be too hard to get unseized with some patience. Pretty clean under the hood. Seat needs to be re-covered but planning to replicate the original vinyl as well as i can, eventually. Stock radio, interior totally unmolested. Dash is even pretty nice still. It's gonna be a project, but i've wanted a 620 for so long and they're so impossible to find locally i'm super excited to get this thing on the road again. As far as my plan for the truck...well, mostly try my best to fix all the rusted out areas, get the engine running properly, rebuild the fuel/brake systems and anything else that may need attention. I appreciate the stock trucks, especially since it seems like so many seem to go the lowered/bagged/rat/whatever route (nothing against those of course, different strokes...) and i mean, we all have to dig the 620 for what it is originally anyway so why not try to preserve that? L16 with a 4-speed is what will remain in the truck. Engine mods...might happen eventually though. Should be a fun project and i know these forums are a fantastic source for knowledge/parts/etc from my years of lurking. Looking forward to a good learning experience as this is my first ever Datsun, and my all-time dream pickup. Thanks! Oh and what's the point without pictures? Yes it is completely covered in lichen. Looking forward to power washing this thing! Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Very very nice.... and straight! Must be low mileage... keep in mind that the odometer zeros after 99,999. If 20K it's probably 120K but if 80K it's probably right. Keep the wipers and get replacement rubber. Try not to get those cheesy clip on plastic things. Loose the heavy rear bumper. Try a want ad here... http://community.ratsun.net/classifieds/category/10-wheels-and-tires/?sort_key=date_added&sort_order=desc ... for the missing dog dish. The 521 dishes fit but I think you need the set to match. Eventually you'll want to replace those (they look like 6 ply nylon) truck tires. Get some radials, tires have come a long long way. The stock originals were 6 ply 6.00 x 14. In today's sizes that's 175/70R14 Glad to have you with us, welcome to Ratsun. Quote Link to comment
A-ko Posted October 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Thanks! Yeah the passenger side is pretty straight as well luckily, although the door is starting to rust a bit. If i remember correctly it's got something like 84,000 miles which i'm confident is original. Bumper is definitely going, that was the first order of business on my '77 Toyota Hilux as well. They look waaay better without em...and this ones rusted through anyway. Definitely preserving the metal wipers. Would look wrong without em. New tires are certainly on the agenda, as well as some period mags in case i feel like swapping them out. Always like having a stock/aftermarket sets of wheels to swap out when i feel bored. They would of course be something appropriate though...slots, turbines, etc withwhite letters...too bad vintage 6-bolt stuff is nearly impossible to find around here. Still need to trailer this thing about 15 miles home so i can dig into it. Cant wait! Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Though capable of 180K and more this is just too good looking for that mileage. I see the trim rings around the head lights are missing. They never stayed on. Quote Link to comment
A-ko Posted October 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 Got the truck home today and started cleaning it up. I actually dug the look of the lichen all over the truck, but it was way too satisfying to start cleaning it and see what what was underneath. Took a picture of it half-cleaned. It's gonna look good. Plenty of patina overall, really excited to get to work on this thing...when i have money again! And a side shot after a half-ass wipedown. Cant wait to actually properly wash this thing...But looking good now. Threw on a few dog dishes too and i really really dig the stock look. Huge fan of the stock ride height and narrow stock tires on these trucks. I mean i love custom trucks too but this one totally stock is really speaking to me. 4 Quote Link to comment
A-ko Posted October 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 Dash has a small crack but pretty nice overall. Headliner is like flawless. Seat needs help, of course. 3 Quote Link to comment
Speedymaru Posted October 31, 2017 Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 Sweet little truck! I'd leave it just how it is. Love the patina on it. Great find! 1 Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted October 31, 2017 Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 OH yea!!!!! just lower it and roll it as it is. keep the stock wheels and hupcabs. makes it look more like a classic Quote Link to comment
A-ko Posted October 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 No lowering will be involved. I love stock ride height on these trucks...plus it seems like everybody and their best friend's first order of business is to cut the springs. Nothing against it of course i just dont wanna do the exact same thing every other person would do! Quote Link to comment
geojaxon Posted October 31, 2017 Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 Very cool truck you got there. good luck with getting her rolling again. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 1, 2017 Report Share Posted November 1, 2017 No lowering will be involved. I love stock ride height on these trucks...plus it seems like everybody and their best friend's first order of business is to cut the springs. Nothing against it of course i just dont wanna do the exact same thing every other person would do! Well you won't be cutting any springs, it's just not possible on a 620. Strictly for looks, the truck looks better an inch or so lower. It's very subtle and has no effect on ride or handling. Tires at the tops of the fender openings. Quote Link to comment
A-ko Posted November 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 Haven't had much time or good weather to work on the truck, but doing what i can when i can. Took most of the front end apart the other day for cleaning/inspection. Luckily mostly solid but there are a few rust holes that need to be patched in the usual areas. All the hardware came apart surprisingly easily, except one bolt that snapped the head off. Should be easy to fix though. Got to take the panels to the car wash and give them a good cleaning which was nice since i can't take the whole truck there just yet... The floor isn't great, but it's a hell of a lot better than all the 620s that simply don't exist at all anymore in this part of the country. Amazingly this is better than my daily driver '77 Hilux i used to have. Just something we have to deal with here in the midwest. Should be quite the project patching this all up, but i'm looking forward to it. You people on the west coast sure are lucky you can find solid trucks! 2 Quote Link to comment
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