Waynos 1966 datsun 520 ute

[wayno]

I got some work done today on the 520, I notched the passenger side frame for the rear axle, I will do the driverside tomorrow.
I use what ever I can find to do my modifications, I rarely will spend a lot of money to modify something, today I used pieces of frame to do the job, this is what I started with.

Here is the frame piece sitting on the frame, I ended up moving it back an inch from where it is sitting in this photo.

Here is what it looks like right now.



I am not sure if I will close the ends or not, in the end I likely will, but for now I will leave it till I get the otherside done, then I will decide.
And yes I use flux-core wire, I do all my welding outside, it's just easier to use flux-core.

[510freak]

Looking good wayno.
Cant wait to see more progress

[wayno]

I got it back on it's wheels today, the neighbor thinks I am crazy, as it is over 95 outside, but I would rather be hot, sweaty, and dirty, than cold, wet, and dirty, so I worked on it till I could drive it on the road again.

Passenger side rear

Driverside rear.





I did not close the ends or cover the holes in the bed yet, pass. side.

Driverside.

Now I can go lower, but I will decide how much after thinking about it for a while.

[devilsbullet]

well, to be fair you are a bit crazy...but in a good way. haven't seen anyone else weld 2 520's together and slap em on a 720 frame. and i'll always remember that first Vancouver meet...in you come, lugnut rolling around inside a hubcap, only 2 of the 4 windows in, duct tape holding down your air filter, and a crowd in about 2 minutes after you arrived as you started jacking the truck up and cussing out the lugnut that fell off lol

[wayno]

well, to be fair you are a bit crazy...but in a good way. haven't seen anyone else weld 2 520's together and slap em on a 720 frame. and i'll always remember that first Vancouver meet...in you come, lugnut rolling around inside a hubcap, only 2 of the 4 windows in, duct tape holding down your air filter, and a crowd in about 2 minutes after you arrived as you started jacking the truck up and cussing out the lugnut that fell off lol

I don't remember the cussing, but that may be something I have chosen to forget, my truck broke down 3 times getting to that get together, two of them I had to jack the truck up and crawl under it, I was an hour late, and then I tore the exhaust off on the last speed bump getting out of that park, it was an interesting first drive for that truck, before that day, I had never drove it farther than 3 blocks away from the house.
It's a little more reliable now, but I still don't drive it into Oregon yet, short drives till I work out all the bugs.

[RedBanner]

3 trucks lol. I.love the ute wayno. And yeah ya had some adjustments to make after you started driving it... but thats a project.
And its coming along great, liking the notch. Bet it rides alittle better now.


Just need to tuck the exaust alittle lol.

[wayno]

The exhaust is tucked up above the frame rails from front to back, but not in the photos I posted, I had to disconnect the rear exhaust mount when I raised the body off the frame, it was bending it, I had to disconnect a lot of stuff.

I might tackle the front leaf mounts this weekend, have not decided for sure yet, going to think about it tonight.

[izzo]

Man wayno that looks really good. I'm jelly of your stuff. Decided on a color?

[wayno]

Man wayno that looks really good. I'm jelly of your stuff. Decided on a color?

Yea, something light that won't show all the imperfections, off white, light blue or green, maybe a yellow, this thing has had so much welding done to it, the metal is like a spring looking for relief, but there is so much work left before it can be painted, besides the fact that I keep thinking of other stuff to do to it.

This truck looks nothing like what I envisioned when I bought it, things keep changing as I go along, it will likely never get finished at the rate I am working on it, get a bunch done, then think about it for a while(couple months).

[RedBanner]

Just about the time you think your done you will change your mind on some stuff lol, I can realate.

[wayno]

Just about the time you think your done you will change your mind on some stuff lol, I can realate.

That is likely my biggest issue, I keep finding things to do that were not planned.
This lowering thing takes time and thought, you can't just loosen a couple nuts and bolts and be good, shit starts dragging on the ground.

[RedBanner]

Just about the time you think your done you will change your mind on some stuff lol, I can realate.

shit starts dragging on the ground.

that means you almost there! Right?
Lol seriusly, its turning out great!

[Freaky5fukinten]

Lovin it !! Nice to see some options on notching the frame !! give me ideas !!

[wayno]

Lovin it !! Nice to see some options on notching the frame !! give me ideas !!

Welcome

[RedBanner]

[wayno]

I cut the front leaf mounts off a 520/521 frame, I plan on mounting these on this 720 frame that my 520 is sitting on, they are much closer to the frame than the 720 frame leaf mounts are, about an inch farther away from the ground.
When I mount them I will take photos.



I am not sure yet if I am going to try and sink them up into the frame yet, it would be better, but a whole lot more work, as if I do cut into the frame, I will have to re-enforce the top to keep it strong, as this is an important area.

[RedBanner]

Indeed it is! Ill be waiting to see what you came up with.

[wayno]

OK, so this is what I did, I cut these mounts off the frame, you can see how far the center of the mount hole is below the frame rail bottom

then I test fitted the 521 mounts,

I welded them in, as you can see, when you look at the frame bottom, and where the mount is, you can see it now barely hangs below the frame, I also used 720 4X4 leafs.



I have not dropped it on the ground yet, I have to make new box mounts, as I cut the ones I had on there off.

[RedBanner]

Hell yeah, 3 inch drop?

[wayno]

Hell yeah, 3 inch drop?

Actually no, I basically stayed even, but I gained undercarriage clearance, I took out the 4 inch drop blocks, and replaced them with two inch drop blocks and an angled wedge, this raised the back 2 inches, but then I used 720 4X4 leafs, that basically dropped it 2 inches, these two actions cancelled each other out, but my lower shock mounts were 2 inches off the ground, now they are almost 4 inches off the ground, so if I get a flat, they will not hit now.
I think I have figured out how to get almost 2 inches of drop in the back with minimal effort, I will have to see if I can actually do it.
All this effort was for undercarriage clearance, which was indeed successful, no surprises, now I need to work on the front clearances.
I cannot get much lower because of the frame, the only way to make it look lower is to do a body drop, but that is not going to happen on this project, it would be to much work, so that will be on the next project.
I drove it around, and did not hit the ground at all this time, that is a first time for me, I am usually always dragging on something, and I dropped the front back down before driving it also, so I am happy, and am ready for the Vancouver meet tomorrow at Bopp'in Bo's, and Blue Lake next weekend.