1hr40minlate

I know where he got the idea... Hello Bleach, The truck had the decals on it when he bought it. He had one of these stickers in his glove box. Yes click on the thumbs for bigger pictures. I will see if the owner can take some better hi res photos. I would also be interested in a hi res scan of the decal. Please PM me with details on how I could get it from you. I may do something fwith it for my 520. 1hr40

While on a business trip to MN I mentioned to my customer that I was working on a 67 520. They told me that their Uncle had restored an old Datsun a while back. We got him on the phone and he was very surprised that there was someone else crazy enough to want to restore an old Datsun Truck. I told him there were a bunch of folks here on Ratsun that were all about the old Datsuns. His truck is incredible. Super Sharp! Check out the bed cover. He modified it with aluminum supports and electric latches. The logo and lettering is all hand painted. You can eat off of the engine compartment! Sorry for the pics quality. I only had my phone with me. Maybe if there is enough demand we can get him to do some better shots when the weather warms up a bit.

After trying to sell my buick roadmaster wagon and only receiving lo ball offers ranging from 500 to 750 dollars I think that I have found a better use for the engine and transmission. I am going to swap the lt1 into my 75 280z. Is there anyone here in GA that has done such a swap? I considered swapping the engine into my 520 but sanity returned a bit later. If there is interest I could document the swap as it occurs.

Hello, Sorry to be soo late in replying to your post. I hope this year has been better for you. Any chance you still have 520 stuff? Thx Michael

Hey Cruz, The truck is still available. Send me a PM with your contact info if you want me to call you about it.

Next Project! Feeling that my need for speed was not in any way going to be satisfied by a motor swap in my 520 I pulled the trigger on a deal that has been 20 years in the making. Back in 1983 a restoration project was started on a 1975 280z 4 spd with A/C. The project stalled out somewhere near 1985 which is when I found the car. The owner did not want to sell the car still intending on finishing the project. I moved away and forgot about the car. I moved back to town in 1994 and the car was still in the garage! Still not for sale. I moved away and then returned in 2008. Car was still there but now it is mine! This first batch of photos was taken after I had the car moved to my shop. So far I have removed the fuel tank to have it thoroughly cleaned. Gas does not age very well. The fuel pump was stuck but with a little carb cleaner I was able to free it up and save some $$$. It does look like it was replaced at some time so I hope it will have many years of good use left in it. I have installed the center console but that is it so far for the interior. I will post progress pics as the project moves along. Click on the thumbs for larger images.

Hey Bleach, Not sure if there really is a link between the 411 and the 520. The 411 did come with a j-series motor. The 520 has a j series motor. Motor mounts should be the same. The 411 could also have come with a R16 as in the 411 sss. Maybe the R16 was a bolt in option for the factory and they did not have to change the frames motor mounts. Maybe then the R16 would bolt into the 520. 521 is to 510 as the 520 is to the 411? Again no clue on my part just asking. M-

I know that I have put the 520 up for sale but just as I did so an R16 from a roadster became available. Since the 411 could either have a J series motor or the R16 does that mean the motor mounts are the same or did they weld in different mounts for each version of car. I know the R16 is not as stout as the L20 but if it is closer to a plug and play install I may just keep the truck and ditch the road master wagon. Thank you!

I need to go faster! I have weighed the options for making my little 520 go faster and have decided that it would be easier to start with a different vehicle. I drive this truck just about everyday. Yes it needs some things like a working brake light switch. Some wiring and door gaskets and other trim pieces. The paint is thin in spots and there are some small rust bubbles where you would expect them. It is still the best stock 520 that I have seen on the east coast. I am asking 2,000.00. May never get it but I have to start somewhere. For an extra 500.00 I will include a 5 speed and an L20 that came from a running 78 king cab 620. The replacement vehicle is a 75 280z that has been sitting awaiting final assembly after being stripped to a near bare chassis and a repaint nearly 25 years ago! Here are pics of the 520. I will post pics of the Z in the appropriate forum when I get it to my warehouse. Thank you!

I think that they are the same block. I also think that the same block was used in forklifts that went as large as 1800cc. Maybe stroke it a bit too? When I had a roadster there were some forklift parts that worked on the R series motors too. As I figure it out I will post the findings. The first thing I am going to do is an axle swap. I have to drop the RPMs. Seems like the motor has enough torque to pull a taller gear. 1hr40

Hello DanielC, For me it is kind of like hot rodding a flat head Ford. Sure there are better ways to go but there is something appealing to seeing how far I can go with the original design. I do have an L20, 5 spd and rear from a 620 that I could put in the 520. I am not too interested in fabricating the motor mounts and would prefer to have any mods be bolt in so that later I can return the truck to bone stock. I saw that someone else posted that these trucks aren't worth that much in stock form so you might as well go custom. I just have not come around to that way of thinking yet. Later, 1hr40

I read somewhere that the J series motor was a design that Datsun licensed from MGB. While Datsun of course made it better there are some parts that may swap. The other day I saw a hi po aftermarket head from Moss motors. It is a crossflow design that bolts onto the MGB 1800 pushrod motor. Sounds like it would be the cool ticket for a bored out J-13. I was going to start by comparing head gaskets. Then if it looked promising start to look for a used setup. Then again I could just use the cash to buy a real nice 75 280z that has been in dry storage for the past 20 years. Any thoughts?

I think that we are just going to let the insurance company keep the car. Thanks to all that posted. Perspective is a good thing! 1hr40

Here's an unusual question. Has anyone swapped in a Saturn twin cam into a 520 or 521? My wife car has just been totaled. We are all fine but the floor pan on the car is bent so the insurance company totaled it. The engine runs great and is a 5 speed. Seems to look like it might fit. I'd have to find a transmission to mount up to it. It gets 35+ mpg and has 135hp. There are mods to take it higher. I have not yet committed to keeping it yet and wanted to get the groups opinion. Thanks 1hr40

I have been offered a 1970 521 It no longer has the J16 but now has an A15 with an automatic. Has a camper shell on the bed. Supposedly only has rust in the bottoms of the front fenders. It has sat for quite awhile. The A15 was rebuilt. I am going to take a look at it tomorrow and grab some pictures. Anyone need this truck? The cost will be 750.00 - 1000.00 1hr40