Charlie69's 66 520 Build

[Charlie69]

I am going to go ahead and install all the saw tooth wheels and tires for now.  I will set torsion bars to stock height and see how the truck sets with the 2' lowering spindles and the 720 4x4 springs.

 

I do not want to sell the sets of 14" wheels I have.

 

1 set is stock 520 wheels and hub caps.

 

2 is 1978 620 disc brake factory steel wheels with stock 520 hub caps.

 

3 is 1985 720 ST alloys with centers, I have 5 of these.

 

4 is 1996-1997 Hardbody Alloys with centers.

[Anderson521]

Sweet truck man

[gene knight]

The sawblades rims and tires that is on Charlie's 520 build are mine and the rims are 15x8 and the tires are 205/60r15.

[wayno]

To keep your 14 inch wheels you have to make drop arms with stock spindles, it took me 5 hours to make a set out of 720 lower control arms.

Here are the second set of drop arms with the stock shock mounts removed, I went to stud/stud type shocks.

I can use 14 inch stock 520/521 rims if needed, but I prefer the 620 disc brake rims, I think they look the best of all the rims that except stock 520/521/620 hubcaps.

I think they look the best with beauty rings.

[ol' 320]

Charlie:

 

So sorry about Darla. Hope your transition to bionic parts goes smoothly. I went through having fingers reattached, which is a b..., so I can imagine the knee thing is no fun. But Christ, I hope you can drive this sucker this year.

 

I still have nightmares when I think back to you painstakingly creating that refrigerator-sized wiring diagram for the custom one off wiring harness you made, then lost.

 

Did you ever find that harness, by the way?

[Charlie69]

Thank you Gene for the wheels and the help.

 

Thank you Anderson521

 

Thank you ol' 320.

 

Yes it is the harness in the truck.

 

I need to get all the suspension work done and get the truck off the jack stands so I can finish the wiring  and the wiring diagram. 

 

I painted all the leaf spring hardware yesterday.  I need to get the rear end in and work on trans shifter linkage and check the driveline for fit.  I moved the engine and trans back 1/2" and it caused a couple of minor issues.  I also need to change out and set up the torsion bars.  Then I will get back to the wiring.

[Charlie69]

To keep your 14 inch wheels you have to make drop arms with stock spindles, it took me 5 hours to make a set out of 720 lower control arms.

Here are the second set of drop arms with the stock shock mounts removed, I went to stud/stud type shocks.

I can use 14 inch stock 520/521 rims if needed, but I prefer the 620 disc brake rims, I think they look the best of all the rims that except stock 520/521/620 hubcaps.

I think they look the best with beauty rings.

Thank you Wayno for the information and the pictures.

 

I will most likely go to the Z'd lower control arms at a later date.

 

I have a set of the 620 wheels like you have pictured Wayno.  These and the 96-97 hardbody wheels are my choice of wheels.

 

I have done all the mods to this truck at this point that does not alter the stock appearance from the outside except the shaved cowl.  I am going to do 2 beds for this truck after I find another stock 65-66 bed.  One will be stock and the other will be shave and modded with a custom roll pan with LED lights.

[Charlie69]

Pictures of progress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Engine Room]

That's neat how your trees grow car parts. Mine just grow walnuts :(

[Charlie69]

Oh how I wish it were true. LOL 

[gene knight]

I wish my trees grew car parts too

[Charlie69]

Torsion bars are changed out and set to factory specs.  Had a hard time getting drivers side apart.  Ended up cutting the driver side torsion bar in half because the anchor arm was stuck on the torsion bar.  I knew this from the last time I worked on them.  The right side torsion bar was week. The star bolt was rough on the right side, I had to dress it up.  Took me most of the day to do. 

 

Tomorrow I will work on the transmission linkage and my brother is coming over in the morning to weld the the brake line bracket on the rear end.  He will also pick up the leaf springs again and finis re-drilling the holes for the centering pin.  One leaf fits fine but the other leaf is to small.

[Charlie69]

My brother Garret came over and we work on the rear end to set up the brake lines on it.  work on a fixed problems with the shifter.

 

He also figured out how to clearance the lower control arms to fit the 14" wheels.  He said he would come back tomorrow and clearance the passenger side lower control arm.  Install calipers and pads.  Change out left front hub.

 

I still need to mount my fuel tank and fuel pump.  Make come brackets for the emergency brake cables and wire the tail lights. Then I can take it down off the jack stands and finish the wiring.

[gene knight]

You will probably have to modify the lca on the left side also to clear the 14" rim

[Charlie69]

Gene I thought we would leave that side be and run a 15" wheel with a low profile tire to match the outside diameter of the other 3 14" wheels and tires.  Just have to be different!  LOL

 

I will post pictures tomorrow.

[ol' 320]

My brother Garret came over and we work on the rear end to set up the brake lines on it.  work on a fixed problems with the shifter.

 

He also figured out how to clearance the lower control arms to fit the 14" wheels.  He said he would come back tomorrow and clearance the passenger side lower control arm.  Install calipers and pads. ...

This dude Garret sounds like quite the bro. After  couple of years of reading your posts, I have to say he sounds like a very handy guy to have around.

 

When is he going to get his own Datsun??? lol

[Charlie69]

The 1980 720 chassis is from a truck I bought in the 90's when I lived and worked in Bagdad AZ a little copper mining town.  Garret had wrecked his car in Phoenix AZ where he lives and had no way to get to work.  I gave him the 80 720 and all the parts to get it on the road.  Engine, clutch, transmission, brakes, tires and rides back and forth to Phoenix and Prescott for parts.  ended up buying tires and having an alignment done at the Texaco in Bagdad.  The owner Mike is a friend of mine.  He drove it for years and taught all 3 daughters how to drive in it.  So he has had a Datsun.  He with having 2 major back surgeries is into something more comfortable.

 

You are correct ol' 320 he is handy to have around.  He has trouble getting up & down on the ground because of his back.  He works for a heavy steel fabrication yard.

 

It is one of those things I help him he helps me, that is why were are on this earth to help each other.

 

My brother did not come over today as I had to do yard work.  So if his back cooperates next Saturday we will hit it hard again.  That gives me all week between doctor and PT visits to get some things done before he gets here.

 

  1.    Assemble, paint, & install leaf springs.

  2.    Install rear end

  3.    Install steel brake lines & tee on rear end.

  4.    Design frame bracket for rear hydraulic brake hose.

  5.    Change out left front hub,  clean, paint, install new bearings and races.

  6.    Remove lower ball joints and tension (strut) rods from lower control arms.  

  7.    Tie spindle and upper control arm up out of the way off the lower control arm.

  8.    Design frame brackets to hold emergency brake cables.

  9     Install gas tank and wire sending unit.

10.    Install electric fuel pump & wire.

11.    Wire tail lights.

12.    Wire automatic transmission.

 

If I can get all this done before next Saturday it will make my brothers work much easier.  The last 3 items are not necessary for my brother to work but in case I have some extra time I will get those items out of the way.

 

My goal is to get everything done under neath so I can take the truck down off the jack stands and finish the wiring and mount the AC evaporator.

[gene knight]

Little steps

[Charlie69]

Little steps

Better than no steps.  Moving forward.

[Charlie69]

1966 Datsun 520 Punch List

1. Assemble, paint, & install leaf springs.
   
2. Install rear end.
   
3. Install steel brake lines & tee on rear end.
   
4. Make & install brake lines.
   
5. Rebuild rear drum brakes.
   
6. Design & install frame bracket for rear hydraulic brake hose.
   
7. Design & install frame brackets to hold emergency brake cables.
   
8. Change out left front hub, clean, paint, install new bearings and races.
   
9. Remove lower ball joints and tension (strut) rods from lower control arms. 
   
10. Tie spindle and upper control arm up out of the way off the lower control arm.
    
11. Install gas tank and wire sending unit.
    
12. Install electric fuel pump & wire.
    
13. Wire tail lights.
    
14. Wire automatic transmission.
    
15. Wire fans.
    
16. Finish wiring.
    
17. Led mod to instrument cluster.
    
18. “C” notch rear frame.
    
19. Mount seats.
    
20. Buy, install, & plumb transmission cooler
    
21. Clean & paint wheels.
    
22. Polish grill, headlight bezels, bumpers, door handles and window cranks.
    
23. Buy & install power windows.
    
24. Buy & install alarm system with power locks and remote start.
    
25. Buy & install new tires.
    
26. Disassemble for body work &paint.
    
27. Body work & paint.
    
28. Re-assemble after body work and paint.
    
29. Interior upholstery.
    
30. Start and tune engine test drive.
    

[wayno]

I do believe that I will finish mine before you finish yours, originally I thought it was going to be a photo finish, but that list of yours..................

[Charlie69]

More progress today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rear end and driveline is installed.  Driveline is border line on perfect length.

 

Tomorrow Gene is off work so he said he would help me get the front lower control arms ready for my brother to finish clearancing them for the 14" wheels.

 

I will run this setup.  Thank you Wayno for the picture. I will probably not run the beauty ring so I can have some pin stripes around the lip of my rims.

 

 

Wayno you might beat me to the finish but I knocked off 1/10th of my list today.  LOL

[gene knight]

I'm not liking the leaf spring hangers leaning towards the rear of frame. The 4x4 Springs I'm running on my 521 don't lean that much

[Charlie69]

Gene this is because the leaf springs are out of a 1985 Nissan 720 4x4 and seam to be longer than the original springs. 

 

It is physical therapy day so when I get home from therapy I will get busy. Gene is coming over to help.  I will most likely make a junk yard run and get a few little things I am missing like a brake line tee bracket and some driveline bolts.

[Bory]

Sometimes the wrecking yard trips seem like a waste of valuable build time, but it's nice scoring factory hardware and assorted bits.