Been involved pretty heavily over the past year or so with ratsun and what was once ODPL. I've got a 521 pickup that I've been trying to save, and an L320 pickup in the wings. Some of you may already know me from ratsun, I use the same user name there.
Been around Datsun's since I was about 4, I grew up in San Diego and dad and I used to go down to the docks and watch them unload the 'imports' in the early 70's. I remember seeing my first 240z and the oh so sleek 620 pickups. Dad has had a Datsun pickup or 3 ever since then. I was never really interested in them, and spent many years wrenching on Ramblers and Saabs.
We took a cross country trip in a nearly new '72 goon, in the summer of '73, and drove from San Diego to Wisconsin one summer. That trip left an impression on me. The car was a light yellow, with a black rocker stripe that read 'Datsun'. The excitement in Wisconsin over the car was unforgettable, no one there had seen anything quite like the 510.
The 521 is nearly ready for the road, and I'm rethinking the L320. Might not even do anything with it. I looked at this 510 as a 'point A to point B' car, decided against it. The guy called me and adjusted his asking price, and included delivery to my place. So,now I have a 510. I'm predominantly a 'simple' backyard mechanic. I like pushrod engines, so the L is new to me. I like live axles, so the IRS is new to me. In many ways, this is nothing like anything else I've worked on. The electrics are similar to both the Saabs and the 521, so at least I'm mostly comfortable in that area. Good thing too, because the electrics are, uh, interesting in this car.
A word of warning, it's a real mess. I didn't buy it to restore it, or repower it, or race it. I bought it to go across town, or up the valley a piece. No big plans for it, but I know enough to know that's what they all say.
The car is a '69 2 dr Sedan. It's got rust, it missing lots of stuff, and the engine siezed once I got it home and running. The PO claimed a bent rod. Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, I have another L16 on it's way for it. At this point, I'd like to get it running and see how the electrics hold up on the road. The car has been lowered and appears to have either a 620/720 4 speed in it. There are lots of questions on what was done and what pieces live under it now.
If anyone here knows any history on this car, please contact me. It came from Hood River, OR sometime last summer. I bought it in the Eugene, OR area.
I've never been a member of a model specific board, so the Realm is new to me. I'll keep my posts low for starters, I have a lot of reading to do.
So, here it is:
