My *new* 1973 620

Post by **TrevDaddy** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 4:09 pm

Hey all! Nice to be apart of yet another forum. My name is Trevor and I live in St. Louis, MO. I am currently a student at Ranken Tech (automotive major). I love Japanese cars and working on them is a pastime of mine. I own a 2007 mazda3 that is my D.D. and slightly modified. Any who, I was in the market to buy an old Datsun, I love their styling and I heard that reliability aint to bad either. Originally I wanted a 240Z, but finding one without too much rust was totally out of my price range. I gave up for a while, then fell upon a beautiful 1973 Datsun 620 Pickup not 20 miles from my house!

I instantly knew I had to have it, and after some persuading of the parents we went for a test drive. Once I went around the block, tested the brakes, and checked for excessive rust I knew that she was worth every cent of the $2000 I paid. My plans for the truck are pretty simple: Get everything back in pristine working order, then hopefully a bigger 4cyl (topping out at 60mph isn't right). Maybe later a 350 chevy swap and some drift/drag sessions. This truck has so much potential. Here are the pictures:

Post by **PEZi** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 5:23 pm

definitely a nice truck man! welcome to the forums!

Post by **TrevDaddy** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 4:50 pm

PEZi720 wrote:definitely a nice truck man! welcome to the forums!

Thanks dude, I love those videos in your sig. That chick is hot as fook.

Post by **PEZi** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 5:33 pm

haha... yeah my thoughts exactly!

Post by **67 411** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:57 pm

welcome to nico, that truck is pretty clean do you have any engine pics yet?i have had 3 620's they are cool little trucks.

Post by **AZhitman** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:58 pm

Anything less than a restoration on that truck would be a crime... That is one sweet little 620!!!

Post by **Jdmstyles** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:05 pm

That's dashing. Great little truck you have there! It's in great shape for being over 30 years old. Personally, I think it's a steal if you got it for 2k.

Post by **TrevDaddy** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:35 am

Thanks for the props guys. I am going to keep it simple with this truck, minor engine swap for more usability, and slight body work. The suspension will stay stock for now (have to level out ride height first), just replacing the shocks will help dramatically. Already has a new dist. cap, plug wires, battery, starter, air filter, and booster.

I also need a few odds and ends...New side mirrors,New master cyl.New Speedo/Odometer cableClean up wiringShocks (KYB's are under $100)Steering work, possibly new bushings and steering box adjustment.

Any idea where I can get these besides a scrapyard? I've heard ebay and Napa are the best choices.

Post by **AZhitman** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:08 am

Yep - AutoZone and NAPA will be good sources.

Also, rockauto.com has some stuff for 620's as well - Good prices.

Post by **TrevDaddy** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 5:59 pm

AZhitman wrote:Anything less than a restoration on that truck would be a crime... That is one sweet little 620!!!

Sorry to break it to you, but she is destined to be a badass set of wheels some day. Big motor swap, nasty stance and paintjob, 16" zcar wheels. All dat. I love how the car looks now, but I think it can be better.

As for right now, I am faced with a tough decision...Do I send the 620 out of commission for a while and do a Ka24 swap, or do I keep the ol' L16 runnin? The carb is really weaksos on this truck, and I don't think a rebuild would do the trick. She runs really rich, and stutters sometimes when the choke is pushed in. The idle seems a little high, but healthy. I really don't know much about tuning carbs so this is tough.

So. I was thinking of my options, my goal is 180HP and reliability...

-built N/A Ka24-built L20 with sick Weber setup, or ITB's-Keep the L16 runnin and save for a RB!

Anyone know about the mounts needed (and any other mods for that matter) to swap in a hardbody KA?

Post by **PEZi** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:19 pm

into a 720 the swap isn't bad.. but i'm not too sure on the 620

i know people have done it, and i believe its not much different than the 720

get the engine brackets from the D21 and then your stock motor mounts may be ok... you'll definitely need a new tranny and will most likely need to make custom mounts for it as well... and i possibly a custom driveshaft

Post by **TrevDaddy** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 5:47 am

D21 Engine brackets? Is that another model of datsun? I know a tranny swap will also be necessary, and a driveshaft shouldn't be too hard.

punching out the bell housing tunnel is necessary, and I think making mounts could be easy if I know what i need.

Post by **seang** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 9:35 am

D21 is the chassis code for the 1986.5-1997 Nissan Hardbody. I've been around ka24's for a little while, and it's my educated opinion that you aren't gonna see 180hp at the wheels without several thousand dollars in mods. I think you could hit 165 at the wheels alot easier than 180, and this is with the DOHC. A Rebello ka24e raceing motor has 300hp with no turbo or supercharger. They are about $7,000.00, don't last very long, and arent streetable.

Modified by seang at 12:47 PM 10/11/2009
Modified by seang at 6:50 PM 10/11/2009

Post by **PEZi** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 3:40 pm

yeah to make power you're gonna need to bump up the compression of the KA... not sure it'll cost too incredibly much but yes its not incredibly easy...

i have to somehow pull 250 hp or so out of my Z24 through heavily modifying the head and valves and then getting after market high compression pistons... the modifying of the head is all mainly done by me but there's just no way of getting around the aftermarket valves and pistons... they will cost me

Post by **TrevDaddy** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 3:56 pm

Yeah so if 180 is tough to get out of the KA, which sounds right, is the SR20 a cheaper option? I know the engine will cost a pretty penny, but mods should respond better to it. It's a tough choice.

I know that Ka's don't respond well to boost, but SR's do. However, more modification is needed to get the SR to fit. Plus reliability is a must. This truck will be shared with the rest of the family.

In all respect, I would be very happy with 160HP. That would be more than enough to make it a fun truck until I go all out and V8.

Post by **PEZi** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 4:56 pm

reliability wise... i'd say go SR... it will make the power reliably as opposed to trying to boost a KA... i personally am not an SR fan... but it would be more reliable if you want boost

Post by **TrevDaddy** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 8:51 pm

Why are you not an SR fan?

Ok. Here is what I'm going to do. I have to survive the winter in this truck, so I'm going to spend a little money on the ol' L16 to keep her nice and happy. Seafoam, oil change, maybe a new carb, master cylinder, inspect the plugs, all that jazz. If I have to spend $300 to do that, so be it.

Come summer, I really will pull it out and do a proper swap. I think a N/A SR would be great b/c it is still very light, has good torque and responds well to bolt ons. The trick to getting it to fit shouldn't be too bad, I need to find a fabricator though, that would be nice.

By the way, what's your name PEZ? I would appreciate if you shined some light on your swap in your 720. What are you running and how much did it cost for engine work? Sorry for all the qustions, but I'm eager to learn about all this nissan/datsun stuff.

Post by **seang** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:52 am

Here's a couple worthwhile threads for you to peek at...

PEZi's picture thread, zerothread/404950

Phebmaster's "620 evolution" thread. L20 swapped with dual downdraft webers and comp cam. (I always wanted to see it with a z22 crank swap) zerothread/376286

Post by **PEZi** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:13 pm

TrevDaddy wrote:Why are you not an SR fan?

By the way, what's your name PEZ? I would appreciate if you shined some light on your swap in your 720. What are you running and how much did it cost for engine work? Sorry for all the qustions, but I'm eager to learn about all this nissan/datsun stuff.

i'm not an SR fan because of all the 'fanbois' out there.. i just like it when someone takes the time to do a turbo KA setup instead

my name is anthony... you can find anyone's name (assuming thy posted it in their profile) by clicking on their screen name on the left...

here is my build thread...a lot of stuff is constantly changing with it... however the engine build is finalized and you can read what i will be doing in my very last post on the second page zerothread/438016

i autocross the truck... and my SCCA class (EP) does not allow for swaps... so i will be building up the current engine (Z24) for around 250 HP... it won't be cheap because aftermarket pistons, cam, valves, EFI, ITB's all cost a lot... the EFI i want to switch to (034EFI) alone is $3500

Post by **TrevDaddy** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:47 pm

Thanks anthony...

I'm actually leaning away from the SR20 because it's going to be very expensive and hard to mount up.

The more and more I read, the more I want to stay carb'd. An L20 would be sick with a dual carbs. The problem is finding the engine and trans. There would be very little work in mounting up the bigger L-series, because it essentially came out of the same truck. In the super street article, Lawrence got 170 ponies out of an L20b and I think that is possible for my build.

I think this truck will come in two stages.

The first will take place in the next couple years. L20 swap, extensive bodywork and paint, interior/wiring overhaul, maybe a 5lug swap, basic sound system, and a cheap set of wheels.

The second will be when the title is actually mine (parents own the truck now, but they said later on I'll get ownership). Shaved exterior, v6 or v8 swap, Air ride system, wire tuck, relocate battery, sick wheels, all I can hope for in this truck. I know this will take a lot of time/money/patience, but a basically rust-free truck is in my possession.

I'm trying to learn more everyday. The world of mini-trucking is my new hobby though!

Post by **PEZi** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:08 pm

yeah... the biggest problem with all the stuff most of us like to do is that it isn't cheap... and the projects end up taking forever

Post by **TrevDaddy** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:06 pm

That's why I am just going to keep the L16 running smooth through the winter. I know that thousands will need to be invested, but I don't plan on selling this truck for a while if ever. A new job will improve cash flow, and I might have one lined up after this semester.

I really think a new carb and seafoam would do wonders for the engine, and I have to address the issue with the choke. Is automatic choke the way to go? I now it'll be $$, but a good carb and clean engine would really help this thing.

Post by **PEZi** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:50 pm

yeah just be careful with the seafoam... lots of people have messed things up overdoing it

Post by **seang** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:58 pm

I would take the head off, and clean the carbon out of the combustion chambers manually. I would also take the oil pan off, and clean that out manually with some gasoline and a paint brush, (the same thing works for the valve cover), then rinse with water, dry completley, and re install with new gaskets. I recently did this to my ka24e valve cover, and I dried it in a 200 degree oven. There are these baffles in there that need to be heated dry. I stayed at 200 degrees to avoid warping it. These manual labors are superiour to chemical treatments IMO. But if you don't wanna take on that kind of work, I guess seafoam can work. Just follow the instructions.

Also, I would stick with a manual choke carb, because I'm a control freak. A Weber 32/36 would work. There are used Weber carbs such as 28/32, 28/28, 32/34, 34/34, 32/36, 38/38, etc... A 32/36 is the most popular and flows 300cfm, which is plenty. Of course you might have to re-jet it, but just get someone who knows what they are doing. there is even a how-to thread on just this topic... zerothread/376140

Oh, your truck really only does 60? With 92hp stock?
Modified by seang at 12:04 AM 10/13/2009

Post by **TrevDaddy** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:11 am

I have no way of telling how fast my truck will go (speedo is out). As for the manual route, it sounds better for the engine and more fun. I could do those cleanings in about 3 or 4 days.

As for the carb, will any of those work as long as they are datsun based? I'm starting to think that it may not be a carb issue. The problem is that the car lurches at low RPM right when I put my foot on the accelerator. It sounds like the engine almost wants to die, then it slowly picks up and revs happy in the higher RPMs. My buddy said it might be a throw out bearing, or trans slip.

I just priced some SR20s, Ka24s, and RB engines on ebay. If I can find the right parts I'm going fuel injection. Just makes more sense in getting more power and not having to deal with a carb.

Post by **mixellexim** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:12 pm

Gorgeous truck. If you have any advice at all for me on where to buy parts for a '73 620, I'd be most grateful. I'm mainly looking for a wiper link rod at the moment, maybe a hood also, as mine flew open and got a bit smashed up. Any info would be appreciated.
Mix

My new 1973 620

My new 1973 620

FN-QR

Re: FN-QR (PEZi720)

FN-QR

Re: FN-QR (PEZi720)

Re: My new 1973 620 (TrevDaddy)

Re: My new 1973 620 (Jdmstyles)

Re: (AZhitman)

FN-QR

Re: FN-QR (PEZi720)

Re: FN-QR (TrevDaddy)

FN-QR

Re: FN-QR (PEZi720)

FN-QR

Re: FN-QR (PEZi720)

Re: FN-QR (TrevDaddy)

Re: FN-QR (TrevDaddy)

Re: FN-QR (PEZi720)

FN-QR

Re: FN-QR (PEZi720)

FN-QR

Re: FN-QR (PEZi720)

Re: FN-QR (seang)

Re: My new 1973 620

Nissan Forums

Infiniti Forums

Datsun Forums

Technical Forums

Classifieds / Marketplace

Nissan Motorsports

General Forums