New World Datsuns...

I have a strange issue that I am wondering if anyone would know the reason for it, I have a 1963 Datsun L320 that I start every once in a while and warm up, well today I started it and it has a miss, so I figured out it was number 3 plug, now this truck engine has new everything, new plugs, wires, cap, rotor, points, condenser, even a new coil, so I figured out that just before I connect the plug wire to the plug while it is running and the spark plug wire starts arcing to the plug just before I put it on the plug itself, the miss goes away, but if I actually plug the wire on the spark plug it starts missing again, so I disconnected it again and let it arc again, the miss goes away, what could cause this?
I will pull the plug to see if the gap is correct right now, just wondering if anyone else has had this issue.

Well I guess never mind, I will leave the post there so in case it ever happens to anyone else they will have an idea what is going on, the gap was so small that there was almost no gap, so the arcing of the wire to the plug must have made the tiny arc in the cylinder hotter.
I opened up the gap and all is good.

Price is insane... but:

http://page9.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/k185391610

$817.00 is a bit much for me, I might have went $200.00 maybe, I would like to have it, but not for that much.
Thankyou for thinking of me.

draker » Wed Dec 16, 2015 12:21 pm wrote:Price is insane... but:

http://page9.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/k185391610

Yeah, too bad it's that much. I thought you'd like to see it.

Does it look like it has a two tone paint job on it?
It looks like the bottom half is slightly darker than the top half.

Thats what I thought too.

Too bad the pictures are out of focus ... that or my eyes are bad.

Neat, but I agree the price is too much. I think having the real McCoy is better anyway!

One day left and no one has bid on it, maybe I should make an offer of 10,000 yen, maybe the 100,000 was a typo.

10,000 is way more realistic.

The auction has been extended 6 more days.

No one is going to pay that much for a toy. Sorry!

I started this today and warmed it up, I had a coolant leak where the thermostat is to fix first, but first I had to fix the issue caused by the coolant leak, you see I was putting water in it to move it around, when I took it to Canby that first year it had water in it, well one winter I screwed up and didn't empty the water and 2 of the 3 soft plugs came out when the water expanded when it froze solid, so this is where I started.









I don't really know how to put in/install them type of soft plugs, so I asked the guy at the machine shop if I had an option, he told me to use a rubber plug, he measured it and told me the size(1 5/8") but as you can see in the photos above it steps down so I bought a 1.25" rubber plugs and I inserted them and used my Milwaukie Fuel 3/8" ratchet to tighten them, it kinda cratered the washer, I guess I tightened them too tight but they do not leak so I will leave them alone.





Then I fixed the thermostat cover, I searched my gaskets and could not find what I needed so I used a cereal box and made my own and used gasket sealer, one of the bolts leaked so I removed the nut and forced sealer around the gap, put a washer on it, then I put more sealer around the stud and put the nut on without a lock nut and all is good.



I made a small tank out of a gas can as the tank is empty after sitting so long(evaporated?), then I filled the bowl and connected everything up and started it up, I likely ran it for at least 15 minutes, maybe longer, the temp gauge did not work, I will figure that out after I get it out of where it is.
Here is the small temp fuel tank.



I did touch the clutch and brake pedals, there is some resistance in the clutch but not sure if it is working, there is fluid in the reservoir, but the brakes did not work and one of the reservoirs is empty, again I will deal with that when I get it out of there.
It appeared to be charging and the engine didn't rattle so I think it has oil pressure, I just now looked in the oil filler and the top of the head is not dry.

Not sure when I will get it out but it will be soon, I need to get the NL320 washed and on the road first, it appears to be ready for the road except for being filthy dirty.

EDIT

I just started the engine and watched the oil light go out, I then opened up the oil filler and looked inside, I have oil on the top end.
It appears that the rear brake circuit is the issue with the brakes as that reservoir is dry.

Well I pulled the U320 truck out of where it was being stored and cleaned that area up, put air in all 4 tires as 3 were low(not flat), I had bought fuel a few days ago so I put likely around 4 gallons of non-ethanol fuel in it total, first I checked the tank bottom and it was good then I poured a gallon in and checked for leaks, all was good so then I piped the fuel hose properly again and started it up, it likely ran for more than an hour total moving it around. It appears I have a rear seal leak(engine), I think it had that before, it has sat way too long, I will have to remove the engine but I planned to anyway as I will paint the engine compartment before I do the outside.
It will be the stock off white color that it started its life with.

It is in the garage now.


I pulled the fender off.


It didn't come off like I would have liked.











Next i took the door off, all was good there as I had this door off before because of the wreck it had been in in Australia that bent the door hinge pillar in that the guy back east did not tell me about.






Next I took the dash out.


Then I took the windshield out.


After the windshield was out I noticed where during the wreck it had compressed and warped.


Then I started straightening out the pillar, I bought this 10 ton Porta Power from HF, I decided I would not be using it a lot and am hoping time of no use doesn't destroy it.


Here are photos of straightening the pillar out, I didn't take photos of all the different angles I used it, I was focused on not screwing it up by going to far or not screwing up the side that was not wrecked/bent, I used sticks on both sides so I could see what was moving and where and how far, fortunately only the bent side moved and stayed in that position, the good side moved a little also but came right back to where it was when the pressure in the Porta Power was released, the good side door still works properly.






Once the pillar was good mounting the door to test fit it I took the door off again and and went to work on the fender mount bolts on the pillar, the bottom front corner was rusty/screwed up.


I did it my own way, it is not the right way but what I did will not effect it if I choose to do it the right way in the future as that pillar would need to be either cut from top to bottom or replaced, it is kinda bent up but the door works great now, it shuts easily and fit the door hole properly.




I will be cleaning the door hole up(sanding/ect.), then I will use POR15 on it that I still need to buy, I will buy some tonight, then after that area is done I will take the glove box door down to the paint place and have them match the color and then have them put it in the rattle cans they use so I can paint all them areas, it went on so nice on the Mini, I never had rattle can paint go on like that, but it will take quite a while to get there as I have rust spots to deal with, I will need to replace some metal in a few places, it is not too bad but has to be dealt with, here is one spot in the pillar just as it takes the turn back where the wing window starts, that area got bent in the wreck.

Yay! I was beginning to think I was the only one posting build updates! Nice job wayno! I forgot you had the u320. Glad you're going to make it nicer. I hate bodywork. It takes me way too long and I never get the results I'm looking for. I'd rather play with an engine all day,lol.

Keep it up, maybe in a year or two we'll be seeing that at a car show!

OK, first I attacked this today.


I cut the rust out.


Then I made a piece to fit inside.




When I was just about done, I filled/welded that small hole at the top, I will need to fill in with bondo or the like to smooth everything out.




I then mounted the door and fender to see how the door fit in the hole, it turned out alright, not perfect but it likely was not perfect when it was new, but it has been hit on the side and I am happy with the gaps.






I started cleaning around the windshield frame and the rain gutters, I need to put body sealer in this area because it was bent and when I straightened it the body sealer/putty came out, but I am mostly happy with it now as the angles look like the other undamaged side.


Here is what the other side looks like, it needs body sealer/putty also but I am not starting over on that side, just needs enough to smooth it out.


I think what I am going to do is get everything in the photo below that is painted white ready for for paint and the door jams also, this includes the channel under the hood near the windshield, I expect the doors and front/inner fenders will be next, I will likely paint them inside and out as pieces like DanielC does, it's a lot of work but smaller pieces that I can lay out flat will be easier to paint and I will not get impatient trying to do whole sides, I am positive it will take me all winter or more to do most this truck.

I did some cleaning up and then started looking to what to do next, I bought some POR15(gray) last night, so I removed the interior panels and put them in a safe place and then I did some sand blasting in the interior where it had surface rust under the back seat cushion, it took a couple hours to get this much done so far.


When the POR15 comes in I will cover everything I sand blasted, since it was inside the cab I could collect the sand and reuse it, I likely lost less than a 1/5 of a 5 gallon bucket so far, that was most of the interior rust, there is a little farther forward that I will likely do tomorrow.
I have been finding rust in a few other places, I somehow need to squirt some POR15 in this hole also as I don't want to do any cutting in this area as it will be hard to fix if the hole is larger, I do not have the metal grinding tools to work in a small place like this.

Pretty ambitious undertaking. Going back original colors?

Yep, going with whatever off white it originally was.
At first I was just going to get it good enough to sell, get the pillar straight and the door working properly, but the more I look at it the more I see what needs fixed, I just can not get as much as I have in it cash wise the way it is, I have lots of time now so I decided to make it nice and see if I can get a lot more, it's not really a rust bucket, we shall see how much I can get done before I burn out this time.