1962 Datsun U320

[wayno]

I also rebuilt the 1963 L320 carb and installed it on that truck, but the neighbors were having a get together in their back yard, and the truck is real close to them, so I stopped short of starting it, I will do that tomorrow when they are not outside.
If that engine runs good now, then I will likely take that carb off of it, and put it on the U320 for Blue Lake.

[izzo]

awwwwwwwww yeah! Hope it goes well for ya mang

[wayno]

Well now, I bought this trim from Australia for my U320, as I did not get a full set with the truck, so SS320 was kind enough to sell me his set from his V320 he was scraping out, so I went to put it on today, as I am getting ready for Blue Lake, imagine my surprise when the rear pieces did not fit, they were short several inches, so I went inside the house and grabbed the few pieces of trim that came with the truck, lucky for me both rear pieces were on the truck, now everyone must understand that they were beat to shit, it looked like someone had used a punch on them to try and straighten them, I sent them to Ross up in BC, he did the best he could, and it was not cheap, they were the right length, but when one looks down the side, you can see that they are not perfect by any means.
Anyway this got me interested in why the V320 trim did not fit, well it turns out that the U320 is 5 inches longer than the NL320 and V320, so the next thing I looked at was the frame(I measured it), it has the same wheel base/they are all the same frame, so I got on my back and looked to see what was different, it turns out that the NL320 has a 12 inch long bumper bracket, and the U320 has a 17 inch long bumper bracket, so the U320 body is 5 inches longer than the NL320 and the V320 in back of the wheel wells, it is not noticeable, otherwise I would have figured it out before this.
The trim is on, between the trim I bought, and the trim that came with it that was worked on, I have a decent set, tomorrow I will find all the badges I can find and install them.

[wayno]

Well I finished putting all the badges on the "U", and then I made a tow bar for it that I can use without removing the front bumper, fact is I will be able to use it on any 320.
It's basically ready for Blue Lake, I am now deciding on if I want to try and tow it with the 720 turbodiesel, I know the work truck will tow it easily, but it's just a work truck, it's not a turbodiesel.

[izzo]

get the temp down a bit?

[wayno]

get the temp down a bit?

Not really, but if I don't try to go more than 60mph, it might stay at an acceptable level, I will do a test drive on my 5 mile circle before next Sunday, get an idea of to expect.
I still have to hook up some tow lights, the ones I had fell on the ground while I was towing that Volvo to the scrapper, now I have to make or buy a new set.

[DRIVEN]

Anything new in the last 3 months?

[wayno]

No, I worked my ass off trying to get that vehicle to Canby, then I lost interest, I suppose it is mostly because even after rebuilding the carb, I cannot get it to run correctly.
I cannot seem to find anyone that will rebuild the carb either, I almost sent it off once to a place back east, then that one fell through also, I cannot get a Kikki to work right, so I just bought a weber/manifold for it from pierce or whatever they are called, but I need to decide what I am going to do, you see Ken who I bought this from is mad at me now, because I put disc brakes on it, I can imagine what he will think if I put this weber and aftermarket manifold on it.

Anything new in the last 3 months?

[DRIVEN]

If the disc brakes keep it out of the ditch or someone else's back bumper then I hope he can overlook it.

If a new carb gets it out of the garage and on the road, I think most of us will overlook that.

[wayno]

It's kind of a one way trip, you see the intake manifold is connected to the exhaust manifold on the stock 320 E1 engine, if I use this new manifold/weber carb on the engine, I will likely have to use the header I have for it, or if that will not clear the fuel pump, then I will have to make a block off plate for the giant hole in the exhaust manifold, that's not a big deal, but having an exhaust system made is a big deal, as I will be stuck with it after it is made.
I am working on the front pond right now, I need to finish that and get the fish back in it.

If the disc brakes keep it out of the ditch or someone else's back bumper then I hope he can overlook it.

If a new carb gets it out of the garage and on the road, I think most of us will overlook that.

[izzo]

I remember the big upset for the disc brakes. I can understand keeping it stock. But some stuff i just hard to find, and a brake upgrade is hardly something to fret over. Same with the carb... I'd love to see a stock one on there, all rebuilt and working right. But if there are no parts, nobody that will rebuild it.. What are you gonna do? Find the next best thing...

No other carb will bolt up to it? Are there dimensions you can go off of and see if you can find another carb from that era to replace it with the keep the original look?

[wayno]

I could switch the carb on the NL320 onto the U320, buy it is a weber knock-off also, I can also go to the wrecking yard and buy that whole intake/exhaust manifold/head pipe off that 1967/68 Datsun 520, as I hear that the improved exhaust is most of the 7hp gain going from the E1 to the J13.
I also have a bunch of adapters for webers that I can try to use to just use the weber on the stock intake manifold on the U320, I have not decided what to do yet, but if I go with the conversion, I will keep every piece, I still have the stock lower control arms/drum brakes for the U320.

[K_trip]

I am working on the front pond right now, I need to finish that and get the fish back in it.

I wasn't going to ask, in part because my RL411 hasn't seen much attention lately ("let he who is without sin, cast the first stone"), but I'm glad to see someone asked. Like most folks, I love this truck.

I have to wonder what's wrong with the carb. Kit's are fine for fresh gaskets, diaphragms, springs, clips and such ... but they don't help with worn out bushings and other problems. I wish I was closer, I would love to take a closer look at it. With old carbs I often look for vacuum leaks while the motor is running, by spraying starting fluid around the base, throttle shaft, pressed in tubes for hoses, etc. I would start there, making sure there isn't another path for air to get in and mess up the air-fuel mix. I know you're a sharp cookie, and you know all this - sometimes a second set of eyes helps!

The Brakes, well ... It's a pickle for Ken, keep the truck and do it the "right way" or sell it and make the guy who bought it to promise he'll do it the way you wanted it done. I know some car collectors who are nit-picky about the way stitches look, making correct replacement decals, the list goes on. For some collectors, the only way it can be correct is if it was properly stored since it was new. Once you've changed the battery, tires, belts, etc ... unless you got proper NOS - you've messed it up - LOL It's your baby now, wanyo, and you've showing it lots of love. Nothing to feel badly about in my book!

[wayno]

What is wrong with the carb on the U320 seems to be the needle and seat, I can start and warm it up fine, but if I take it out for a drive, the first corner I go around, the needle/seat gets stuck open, and the engine floods while it's running, I have been able to keep it running by sticking something on the gas pedal and then I get the hood open and start tapping the carb on the needle and seat area, it then starts running correctly again, until the next corner(sigh).
The carb on the L320 out back worked correct the first time after I rebuilt it, but the second time I started it a couple days later, it was back to the same shit, I give it the gas, and it sounds like it's going to rev, but then it just starts missing and backfiring out the carb, that carb was re-built with the only complete rebuild kit I had, it worked great the first time I started it, engine ran good, but the next time, same old shit.

I never talked to Ken about the rebuild of the truck/U320, not one word, we only talked about the supposedly NOS parts he had for it, the aftermarket lenses, the price I was going to pay, and the lack of a title once I found out he didn't have one, as the first email he ever sent me said he had a free and clear title.

I lowered U320 about 2 inches, same as Mike lowered the NL320 before I bought it, the 320s look good lowered a couple inches, and I put drop arms/disc brakes on the front with Mikes arms and disc brake kit, one can not tell that I did all this except for the lowering of it, I got it going with the parts I got from Ken, but some of them would not work, or needed mods to make them work, like the rear brakes, the parts supplied were for a 620(metric), not a 320(SAE).

I burnt out on it getting it ready for Canby and then for Blue Lake, I was very unhappy at Canby, as the chrome was not done till the evening before(7pm), and when I tried to put the parts on, they didn't fit, that kinda took the wind out of my sails, I had to bend and cut the new chrome to make it fit for Blue Lake, that depressed me also, I put over $3000.00 into chrome, and only the hubcaps came out decent, after I threatened the guy, they showed up just in time for Blue Lake, 3 months late, will not likely use that guy again either, I am having a terrible time finding a good plater.

[DRIVEN]

The chrome shop issues have me bummed out too. I'll be needing some work done next spring. I think I'll look out of the area.

Totally understand why you'd be burned out. Hopefully the new carb shuffle will get you back on the road and reignite the project.

[RedBanner]

I have a brand new nikki carb from a j series motor (85 percent sure). Missing a linkage peice. And the accel pump. Its at my folks house and i could guide you too it if hou want it. Small brown box, top shelf. Right hand side, parents shed. Big glass float bowl cover.

[RedBanner]

Manual choke.

[wayno]

I am not to that point of frustration yet/at the moment, I was in August, but I have calmed down some.
I just realized that the carb is a Nikki, not a Kikki, I have no idea how I got that confused.
If your planning on selling it, I would be interested in looking at it when your in town.

I have a brand new nikki carb from a j series motor (85 percent sure). Missing a linkage peice. And the accel pump. Its at my folks house and i could guide you too it if hou want it. Small brown box, top shelf. Right hand side, parents shed. Big glass float bowl cover.

[Charlie69]

Wayno I am not sure if Pierce Manifolds still rebuilds carbs or not, but They might be able to steer you to somone.

[wayno]

Wayno I am not sure if Pierce Manifolds still rebuilds carbs or not, but They might be able to steer you to somone.

I did not think to ask them that, I might give them a call, thanks.