Lumlo

Sorry this took so long, I've been out playing in the nice weather

Dave, you're welcome, glad I could help.

Here's what my 78 KC has....

Yes, that is my thought too. I kinda hated to put the weber carb and header on, but with the automatic and a fairly worn original carb, I was afraid of getting run over in the slow lane. Love the disc brakes on the '78 but the efforts to control emissions in the late 70's put a terrible drag on the performance. Will replace the white spokes with stock rims and go with standard tires size. Also trying to preserve the engine compartment look the best I can, so I'm working on an air cleaner adapter plate for the 2 barrel.

Well it took just 35 days, mostly waiting on parts, to get this little '78 road worthy. A quick rinse of the windows and coat of wax makes her proud. I'll spend weeks tweaking bits here and there, but I think she just might be ready for the 100 mile trek up North to Canby.

The donor engine I purchased came with a nicely ported peanut head and a brand new set of headers, plus this Edelbrock intake manifold. The inner and outer runners are slightly different diameters, I imagine to maintain the proper balanced velocity, so I have not messed with the intake. This engine is a stop gap, I am going to either rebuild the original engine or do a engine swap from a later model, haven't decided. I just wanted to get this 620 on the road in the meanwhile.

A month ago I picked this extra clean 1978 620 KC up from an auction. It had been stored for some time in a non running state. Towed it home and started to dig into the engine. After finding zero compression in #1 cylinder, I pulled the head Apprenently the intake seat decided to take a vacation Rather than rebuilding this engine, I found a donor motor than was in running condition. https://vimeo.com/65230330 After a bath, I decied to replace all the seals and gaskets Since it was out, one thing lead to another, and I dug in a little deeper Replaced the rings and rod bearings on this previously rebuild L20 Will update again once I get it on the road, (waiting on a center support bearing) Road worthy update: As some of you might know, I had a little issue with a missing pilot converter when I pulled the original engine and "auto" trans out. I was unaware there was such a thing as a pilot converter because this truck didn't have one. But once I started the reinstalled engine/trans combo it was all too apparent with a loud bell ringing sound coming from the bell housing that something was amiss. Memeber h190 supplied me with the missing spacer and I was set with the task of installing it. I found the easiest way was to remove the driveshaft, unbolt and slide the trans back, support the trans with a strap and using two breaker bars to unbolt the flywheel. Took just a few hours, start to finish.

h190 is sending me one, hope to have it in by the weekend. Unbelievable how clean this truck is, inside and out, it's nicer than the `74 I owned in 1980. Once I get a handle on posting pictures, I'll give you all a look. Meanwhile here is a short clip from the donor engine I used before I pulled it apart for a little freshing. http://vimeo.com/65230330

Yes, Let me know what you need for it. Thanks, Lumlo

In an other lifetime (70's) I was a line mechanic at a Volvo dealership. For the next eighteen years I ran my own BMW shop in Oakland CA (tough neighborhood). To say I knew what a wench looked like would be a fair assessment. For the last 25 years or so, I been riding a desk in one form or another. I recently moved to the country and am in the throws of setting up my home based shop for recreational wrenching. I've own many Datsuns over the years, but never an automatic. I bought this cherry bodied, frame and interior '78 auto 620 KC in non running condition. I pulled the motor and trans, aquired a donor engine and 4 speed (package deal) then set out to get this automatic truck on the road with the least amount of effort. The leftover engine (and possibly the trans) would be reworked in a timely fashion then swapped over at a later date. When I removed the trans, I was very careful to mark all pieces and placement coming off, I remember thinking it was strange that the flexplate bolted directly to the crank without a centering bushing of some type. Because I did remove the bronze bushing from the manual trans crank I used. But to answer your question "Yes" someone did misplace it! Somewhere in its 35 year lifetime somebody forgot to put it back on. Now this may have been an additional reason why it was park for so many years in a storage facility, but I'm sure the #1 intake seat coming loose was the final nail. Getting back to the chain of events, I reassemble the truck, primed the oil and fuel, hit the key and it fires on the first try. Of course it also makes a rather loud bell ringing sound coming from the flywheel hitting the starter. It was then I researched a parts schematic and realized that my gut was right about the missing pilot converter. Always listen to the gut, but life somehow has a way of drounding that little voice. So once I aquire a pilot converter and install it, we'll see if the trans has any leftover ill effects from the M.I.A. pilot. That manual trans (or possibly a 5 speed) might be going in sooner rather than later. Lumlo (a nickname I aquired at 18 while working at the dealership)

Hi all, new to the forum, tried posting on the classifies but was locked out for some reason, (maybe cause I'm a newbie). #12330-E3000 Does anyone have one of these? Fits between the "6" hole crank and flexplate, centers the torque converter. Going on a 1978 620 L20B automatic,dead in the water until I find one. Thanks, Lumlo Update: h190 came through with a spare pilot converter, I installed it yesterday, all is well. Thanks, Lumlo

I'm new to the forum, bought this 620 (my third) three weeks ago. When some men hit that certain age they feel something is lacking in their life, they change jobs, cities, wives. Some buy expensive toys, jet boats, condos, sports cars. My midlife yearning was to seek out and buy the best little truck I ever owned, and that's saying something, I've owned over 500 cars and trucks since high school. My first (1980), a orange 1974 620 L18 4 speed (later swapped to a 5 speed). Great truck. I'd throw two 3 wheelers in the bed and haul my ski boat behind and could still do 70 on the highway, though the boat didn't much like that. Second (1986), 1977 camo-ed L20b 4 speed, my work truck for my repair shop. Third (2013), 1978 tan (original paint), L20b kingcab, Automatic (for now) .40 over, W53 head (flowed), Edlebrock intake, weber downdraft, headers. Now I didn't do any of the machine work, I just wrenched the non factory mods together from a few donor sources. Bench ran the engine but have yet to drive the truck because I need one little part. The book list it as a pilot converter # 12330-e3000 superceeded to #12330-V0700. The spacer flange that fits between the crankshaft and flexplate, for supporting the torque converter. I ordered one (I think) from a parts warehouse, going to take about two weeks to arrive. The problem is they don't show the part I'm ordering in any of the descriptions, so I'm kind of in the dark as to what in the heck I'm getting. I'd like to hedge my bet by asking anyone out there if they have a extra/not needed converter plate. I'd be willing to pay fair price for part and shipping. As the project progresses I'll be sure to post pictures and feedback. Thanks in advance. Lumlo (believe it or not, is not my real name)