My dat rebuild

1962-1965 Datsun L320 and NL320 forums - The truck that started it all in the US. All 320-specific topics and discussion can be found here.
matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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Time for the floor pan.


matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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Lining up the floor pan and marking any adjustments.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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The floor pan is now in and I guarantee she now has at least another 10 years in her.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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My dad lives in Taree and if all goes well this lil fella will be at his house in about two weeks. The only thing is he lives about 9hrs driving time away from me. Oh well!:P

mklotz70
Posts: 323
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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Ummm.....Thanks guys, but I've got nothing on Matti!!!  He inspires the heck out of me!!!

I've got the tools, question is can I use them when I need them. :)  There's a big difference between having a TIG that will weld aluminum and being able to weld aluminum!

I gotta say....I cut up a 521 that had less rust!  Probably a good thing this thread wasn't around then or I'd still be trying to save it! LOL

My L has a good bit of similar rust in the rockers, but I don't know how much of it I'll fix before I sell it.  Floor boards for sure....past that...who knows.   My NL is really solid.  Needs some floor board work, but I think the rockers are much more solid...I'll have to look something. 

Loving the new plasma cutter!!!!  Got an entire 521 cab/bed sliced up yesterday and my elbows don't hurt!!  I'm keeping the frame as a test mule for a couple other projects I want to do :)

Matti......You getting any headaches from welding all that galvanized metal???  The fumes off that stuff are nasty....and I don't just mean the smell!  Be careful!! 

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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mklotz, just to double the intensity of the fumes I'm  also using flux cored wire. lol! I wear a odour/fume respirator and all the welding is done outdoors. Apart from these fumes you also get some burning paint and under body spray. Mmm Mmm. Gotta love it! A plasma cutter huh. What a bloody treat. I got a bloke at work to cut my flatbed tray with a plasma cutter. We removed a one foot section from the length of the tray. I dropped the grinder across the cuts for a quick tidy up, Braced the tray and migged her up. The tray is within 1mm across the diagonals. The right tools do make a difference to the workload and the end result. If I had a spot welder and a plasma cutter I guarantee I would of pushed the ute into the shed and pushed her out a week later ready to roll. (Cabin wise at least) Any way, Save what you can and shed a tear for the rest.
Cheers

mklotz70
Posts: 323
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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Smoke and fumes....gotta love em!!  I sure get some nasty stuff when the plasma cutter starts burning body sealer and undercoating.  The best was when I cut across the roof without taking out the headliner!  Man did that foam make some wicked smoke!!!!  It tried to rise, but was trapped in the dome of the roof.....like fog on a lake, but upside down...  really cool.....other than the fact I think the foam smoke was probably toxic! :)

The 320 in the pic you attached......are you saving that one?  is it gone?? are you parting it?  I'm going to be need a couple of pass side front blinker lenses.  Some better interior handles.  Those are small enough the shipping wouldn't kill me :)

Nap time...then work :(

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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I'm trying to salvage the green one pictured on the last page. This wrecked white one had all the jewelery on it in good nick. I offered them $100 for it. They agreed and when I turned up to get it at the arranged time the car was gone and the house was fenced off for demolishing.:(

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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another pic

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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This ute was the first one I bought. It was stored at my dads. When dad asked me if he could clear the area the ute was in I said he could scrap the cab and keep the rest. However my sisters boy friend wanted room for his XW and put all the datto gear in the cab. My dad didn't know this and asked his mate to remove the cab so naturally I lost nearly everything including some 521 gear. So we start again! Hey, if you look to the right you can just see the nose of my first car. Morris minor 1951        2 Door which I basically rebuilt with 120y full running gear. Rest her soul!

mklotz70
Posts: 323
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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I'm not in any hurry...I'll keep looking.   I may just put in tribar headlights with built in blinkers, then do something with the blinker area...maybe recess some projector style driving lamps??  We'll see.


matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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It's a gentlemens agreement. This guy sounds like an old school legend so it should all unfold nicely. He is even letting my old man use his car trailor to tow it to its new residence. I should have it at my dads house in a fortnight. woo hoo!    I have already posted a pic of the ute, so here is a pic of my wife cutting bolts out of the old flat bed tray. This is the tray thats on my ute now after a lot of mods.:D

mklotz70
Posts: 323
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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I've figured out 2 different ways that I can do the grill without needing the factory lense....and I think it will be cooler! :) 

Is she cutting those off with a torch???  Any woman's sexy if she can use a torch!!!! :)

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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She is using a 4" grinder. I tought her how to weld with a stick welder on this tray. She can use a torch (I have tought her this before) but we seldom need one. I just do my torch stuff at work. (like bending up rear shackles for the morrie to swing the datto diff) My idea for my grill goes something like this. Keep in mind I can't draw!:P

mklotz70
Posts: 323
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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Still....she's making sparks!! :)

While redoing the kingpins on my wife's 521.....she did all the sandblasting and parts cleaning on the stuff.  I came back from getting parts and all I had to do was paint the stuff! Sweet!! :)

I'll look forward to pics of the real grill.  At the rate you are getting stuff done......that should be about next week ?  :)



matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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Today so far I've only been able to get about 20mins of work done (my little girl is teething) This shows the order I do things in any way. The outer part of the A post.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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And the front piece has to be bent and shaped, but first the sill section has to be modified to allow the guard skin to fit over it and lign up snug with the rest of the sill.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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I got a bit of time again today so here I go again. Cut out the inside of the A post lower section

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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The replacement part for the inside lower A post

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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The lower A post inside section welded in.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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Next I made the curved section for the A post.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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These curved sections are all done with a hammer and a block of wood. This is the curved section welded in to the lower A post.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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The sill section needs to be modified for the guard skin to sit over it and lining up with the bottom swages at the same time. This is how I do it. (This is not a perfect fit, but it's bloody close) Mark up the cut. It's about 70mm long and 10mm in toward the centre of the car.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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I use a hacksaw for this part. It's a little less of a butcher effort.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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I then push the removed section in 10mm so the shoulder of the cut out buts up against the edge of the sill.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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Once this is welded in there is a small gap between the pushed in section and the sill. I shape a small piece of steel, put it in place and weld her up. Giving this out come. Now all the welds just need a quick tidy up and the front piece needs to be made.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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My steering column cover was looking really horrid so I pulled it off and started sanding it back. The top layer of plastic had all cracked and turned powdery so I'm stripping all that off and polishing the plastic underneath.

matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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More sanding to go but getting there!

mklotz70
Posts: 323
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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Dang you're a welding mad man!!!  I like how you stepped the sill in. 

I also thought it was funny how the download number kept getting smaller as I went down the thread looking at them.  13 people started checking out your pics, but only about 5 made it to the last one!  That's funny.



matti
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 5:00 pm

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Actually one of the reasons for the downloads stepping down like that is every time I put up a new post it counts the previos pages as 1 view. I posted 8 new posts yesterday. You said it started as 13 and finished with 5. In other words the numbers are dead on. 5 people viewed. Any way I don't know if I'll get to the datto today. I'm putting the A12 in the Morrie today. cheers


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