A forum for restorers, collectors, drivers and enthusiasts!
The DatsunForum literature collection library is extensive and varied, much like the history of the Datsun vehicles it chronicles. From time to time, we’ll bring you high-quality scans of these brochures for your enjoyment.
Here’s a great one for the first Datsun pickups that rolled onto our shores – and an awesome resource for anyone doing a restoration!
Contributed by Ted Heaton
Is your 320 water temp gauge off scale and reading too high or low?
It is adjustable.
I am doing some gauge maintenance and here are some pictures of the gauges. The little hole on the outside edge of the back of the temp gauge has a tiny star wheel that can be turned to raise or lower the needle reading on the gauge scale.
The wheel can be turned with the gauge in the dash with the right pick tool. Not as easy in reality as theory due to the wheel being stuck in place after 50 + years of age, but if you have the gauge out of the truck you possibly can free up the wheel.
When removing the gauge pod try to keep the gasket whole. Apply mild heat at the star wheel area and lube can be sprayed inside gauge pod from the needle opening. The gauge pod does not open easily but it can be separated at the copper folded tab rivets.
If you can free up the wheel reinstall the gauge and make the adjustment while the truck is running so you can set the needle where you want it to read at idle temp. OR, you can test it with the temperature probe, a thermometer, and a pan of water on your stove for additional accuracy.
The gauges in the 60’s Datsun vehicles were dated. The pictures show the build date in the European day-month-year format (DD-MM-Y). Note the speedo shown has 68 date (8) indicating it was a post production replacement part.
This one rolled across the block before we even arrived, so we had to assess it quickly as it was being hustled off to its new owner. Lot #49 was a 1983 Datsun 720 King Cab Pickup.
Click to view: Lot #49 – 1983 Datsun 720 King Cab Pickup
What’s not to love about this historical workhorse? A dry southwestern truck that’s been garaged, with factory-original stickers and very little of the wear that plagued these trucks – they were used and abused, generally, so to see a survivor wearing its original wheels and exterior goodies is simply a trip back in time.
Minimal interior wear and some fading is to be expected – This truck appeared a great candidate for a light refreshing, or just to drive and enjoy. We think the seller and buyer did real well on this one, since it crossed the auction block at $9,900.00.
Yes way. In February 1976, Hot Rod Magazine (which we ALL read and enjoyed) did a feature on not one, but THREE Datsun models from 1976… and modded them to boot!
The team at Creative Car Craft in El Segundo, California took a Datsun B210 sedan, a 620 Lil’ Hustler long bed pickup, and a 280Z and completely reworked the drivetrain, interior, and suspension.
We thought you’d really enjoy reading the article – it’s interesting to see what techniques were used then vs. now, as well as the driving impressions of the cars!
Click images for larger versions – Enjoy (and share)!
We first ran across Zackhery Damrau on a Facebook page… As most of you know, I’m an old Datsun collector, and a picture of a raggedy-looking Datsun 620 caught my eye.
My first thought is always, “Hey, that could be restored… or, that’d make a cool rat for cruising!” Well, no such luck for this truck – Zack had different plans. We’ll let him tell the story from here on out – it’s awesome!
This is my first build ever. The 620 was what got me into learning fabrication. You know the whole “Necessity is the mother of invention” thing? Well, I needed to figure out what had to be done as I went along.
I bought the truck with a KA24E swap last summer from mt good friend Jeremiah. He had already done an S13 240sx independent rear suspension swap on the rear of it, and planned on doing the front as well. But, like a lot of labor-intensive projects, he lost interest and I got a half-done project.
The day I brought it home, it had no lights, no brakes, and no clutch. So, like any good hot rodder, I drove it home on the interstate for an hour and a half. After getting it home, I did the basics to make it more streetable. I ended up getting some wheel adapters / spacers to be able to run 4 lug wheels all the way around.
Soon thereafter, I took it to my first drift event. Clutch was completely shot, so I didn’t do much actual drifting – but still had fun. In anticipation of the next event, I threw a stage two clutch in it. Only got to run one day before busting the welded diff – Better, but still not enough power to hold a good slide. More power fixes everything, right?
So, in went the most ghetto-ass turbo KA ever – PVC pipe and plumbing couplers. Believe it or not, it held 7lbs of boost just fine – and gave me enough power for the next drift event.
A little later, I got an opportunity to snatch up a totaled 2003 G35 for way cheap. I figured the VQ35DE would be a lot more reliable then my “Home Depot” KA-T (and ultimately different) so I jumped on it.
In a hurry, I pulled the KA and started chopping away at the firewall (with nothing more than a cutoff wheel) to make it fit – way too much, as it turned out. In hindsight, I could have gotten away without cutting the firewall at all. Obviously, some cutting needed to happen to stuff the massive Nissan 6-speed in there, but that’s ok – I’m learning as I go. I dropped the VQ in and lined it up with KA mounts. The starter didn’t fit because of interference with the truck front suspension.
No way in hell is that fitting.
Well, there’s an excuse to finish the job that was started before I got the truck. I said screw it – and cut off the entire front of the frame in order to replace it with tube frame and S13 front suspension. Hockey pucks made great transmission and body mounts, and a couple pucks on the factory G35 motor mounts made it sit just right. Here’s a few pics of the demolition and re-construction of the front end, and a link to a gallery of the rest of the pics (so you can see all the gnarly carnage):
CLICK for gallery of the rest of the front end construction and fitment of the VQ35DE.
The wiring has been the most frustrating part of the project – the part that’s pissed me off the most. If I had it to do over again, I’d have paid to have the harness and ECU done properly. As it stands, the ECU needs to be flashed to remove NATS (Nissan anti-theft system). The harness needs to be converted from 350z engine harness (that’s dependent on other harnesses) to a standalone harness.
Otherwise, it’s coming along better than I’d hoped. Big thanks to Grant and Beaux for helping where they can, and thanks to Andrew for all his help with the front end swap. Tons of hours went into getting it all to work together, and there’s still many, many more to go.
Comments? Hate? Suggestions? Free parts? Check out my thread! The Rat Bastard – VQ35DE-powered Datsun 620
Straight from the DatsunForum.com memorabilia collection, here’s a neat piece for those of you with a 1981-vintage Datsun!
This dealership press packet, in a glossy 9×12 folder, was distributed to Datsun dealers in late 1980 to introduce the 1981 Datsun model lineup, as well as to acquaint dealer personnel (and the local press) with specifications and updates for the coming model year.
The photos are official 8×10 glossy prints that the dealers could use when running ads in the local newspapers or magazines, and the attached articles served as press releases to be provided to automotive journalists.
Also included was information on retail pricing and specifications for the entire 1981 Datsun model lineup, as well as info on the NAPS-Z engine and the “talking” Datsun 810!
I hope you guys enjoy these scans of this rare piece of Datsun memorabilia.
(click on the pictures for larger images):
___________________________________________________________________________
Here’s a whole pickup bed-load of additional pictures of Zack’s Rat Bastard 620 build – We hope you enjoy it!
