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Project DIY: 1971 Datsun 521


Madness

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This is my 1971 Datsun 521

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I bought the truck a while back... October I think. Well kinda traded it. My buddy troy found the truck on craigslist and traded a busted dirt bike for it. I liked it but it wasn't the truck for him. I tried to get a price out of him for about a week and finally he said he would trade to to me for a 620... if I could ever find one in decent condition. Sure enough we found on in a junk yard that still ran, troy drove it home.

 

Not to long after I started collecting parts and doing a ton of research, that's how I found this site.

 

More of what everyone wants... (You've probably already seen them)

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Old interior. Looked like it had been re done in the last 10 or 15 years.

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The bad

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I'm going to try to do everything myself on this truck. Recently I opened a Mini Truckin magazine and noticed that not too often do people with show trucks actually do the work to them.

 

What few pictures I have of recent progress

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Interior progress

Blank panel

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Chalked and sewn suede

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1/2 scrim...

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The machine I'm using

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Finished panel

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Gauge cluster. Metal flake copper needles. Clear coated gray plastic. Black metal flake trim. Grey glass.

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This is the first time I've ever done interior and it probably wont be the first time it will be my first time :rolleyes:

 

This is turning out to be a really fun project.

Edited by Madness
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Nice Truck. The truck looks to have a good body on it. The floor is repairable. I like the work you did on the door panels and the instrument cluster looks like new! Are you going to do the kick panels to match the door panels?

 

Great truck and progress.

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I bought a mirror just like that 8 years ago at a swap meet at Bandimere speedway, if I can find it you can have it for your pass side. I hope I still have it somewhere, it's painted baby blue but you could sand blast it for sure.

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Madness, I luv your truck. That color is what I'm painting my KC 620, or at least close, Mtn. Fuji blue. Probably alittle darker than yours. I've got a question about your door panels, which look great, after sewing the panel, it doesn't look like the finished product. Is that plastic around the top and where the handles are? Can you go into more detail on getting to the finished panel. Thanks

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I really wish I had taken more pictures when I was doing the door panels. The outer "plastic" part is black sparkle vinyl with 1/4 inch headliner material behind it. I glued down the suede with the 1/2 inch scrim and tried to feather out the thickness... basicly. The 1/4 inch headliner material was cut with a half inch or so between it and the suede so I could have a nice flat spot to put my trim. Then I cut the vinyl to hug the suede and glued that down. Then I put my 3M chrome trim in that flat spot that I made which is actually pretty flexible. The 2 chrome pieces at the bottom of the panel I bought at a swap meet.

 

Hope that kind of explains it...

 

I bought the headlight covers on ebay (Classic Car Goodies) but found out that the shop selling was about a half hour from my house. You can go into any hot rod shop and find cool stuff like that.

 

Im holding out on the kick panels for now. I might try to hide speakers in them and I need to do my body drop before I make a template.

 

The white walls are actually port-a-walls that were shipped to me from turkey. :lol: In the picture they are just hanging from nails that I stuck in the bead. Hopefully tomorrow Ill be able to buy the tires I want. Im trying to find the shortest tire I can for the front (within reason) and the skinniest, tallest tire I can find for the rear (within reason). Its actually proving more difficult that I first thought. Bias ply would be cool...

 

Thank you for all the compliments! Im off to work on the dash, and I have a 3 day weekend. Pictures soon!

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This is my 1971 Datsun 521

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I don't know what it is about these pics but I love them. That shade of blue with the white of the snow and chrome, the yellow lights/cover that match the mirrors and white walls. Can't put my finger on it but they are great. Maybe just really good balance.

Edited by 72240z
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Madness, your 521 is freakin BADASS! I totally freakin am in love with it man!

 

The mirror is totally trick and complements the headlight trim well indeed. Great job on that cluster too, and I love the Door pannels! I have red sparkle on mine.

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This is my 1971 Datsun 521

 

I bought the truck a while back... October I think. Well kinda traded it. My buddy troy found the truck on craigslist and traded a busted dirt bike for it. I liked it but it wasn't the truck for him. I tried to get a price out of him for about a week and finally he said he would trade to to me for a 620... if I could ever find one in decent condition. Sure enough we found on in a junk yard that still ran, troy drove it home.

 

Not to long after I started collecting parts and doing a ton of research, that's how I found this site.

 

More of what everyone wants... (You've probably already seen them)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old interior. Looked like it had been re done in the last 10 or 15 years.

 

 

The bad

 

 

 

 

 

I'm going to try to do everything myself on this truck. Recently I opened a Mini Truckin magazine and noticed that not too often do people with show trucks actually do the work to them.

 

What few pictures I have of recent progress

 

 

 

Interior progress

Blank panel

 

 

Chalked and sewn suede

 

 

1/2 scrim...

 

 

The machine I'm using

 

 

Finished panel

100_0664.jpg

 

 

 

Gauge cluster. Metal flake copper needles. Clear coated gray plastic. Black metal flake trim. Grey glass.

 

 

 

 

This is the first time I've ever done interior and it probably wont be the first time it will be my first time :rolleyes:

 

This is turning out to be a really fun project.

 

 

that is very nice work on the door panel.

care to give more detail on "how to door panel".

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I've been through your build up several times and I cant believe i've never seen that. It looks really good, I think the red is a lot more old school, the black just reminds me of bass boat.

 

Does anyone know where I can get another set of non broken dash knobs just in case my hand crafted ones don't work out?

 

And how often does anyone use their choke?

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Check with tdaaj on the knob replacements.

 

I totally use my choke! My truck wouldn't start without it. The cable was stuck when I first got it, but I worked it free eventually.

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Im trying to find the shortest tire I can for the front (within reason) and the skinniest, tallest tire I can find for the rear (within reason). Its actually proving more difficult that I first thought. Bias ply would be cool...

 

Don't know how I would get them to you affordably but I have 2 white wall bias ply 700 x 13 studded snow tires that might do in a pinch.

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Thanks for the offer on the tires but I need 14's to use my white walls.

 

I got the lower portion of the dash wrapped in suede tonight. It turned out ok with very few wrinkles, the only thing i didn't like was I had to put a couple of folded seams on the lower outside corners but I don't think much of it is going to be seen.

 

I would be posting pictures if I hadn't forgotten my camera but I'll get them up as soon as I can.

 

Oh and it turns out that I might just need the headlight knob. I relocated the hazard switch to where the choke was because the choke cable is a cheapo aftermarket one with an ugly pull knob... I'll hide it somewhere under the dash if I have to use it.

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Grrrrr making me JEALOUS!!!!

 

The pics would be great. Can I have your opinion on how hard, easy, any pitfalls etc... it was to work the suede? Any reason you went with suede instead of something easier to clean/cheaper like ultrasuede?

 

I have a very similar project coming up and you seem like you have this down pat so any insight would be great.

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