Pics of my new truck, shipped over from LA!

[KFunk]

It's a 1965 Datsun L320!

Thanks much to Matt (FunElan) for checkin it out for me! I'll provide lots more details later when I have time, but it's also my 30th birthday and my family is coming here for dinner. It was $2500, and it came with 6 extra stock wheels, a fresh bumper, a whole crapload of other spares, etc.! The motor is a slightly upgraded J13 (1300cc) from a later Datsun 520, and its supposed to be a fresh rebuild.

I just drove it home to Athens from Columbus (shipping company wouldn't come all the way here to the middle of nowhere).

Yeah, it's pretty awesome.

[schwarz75]

That appears to be a wonderfully well-kept pickup. I've never seen a Datsun truck like that one. Don't paint it, it looks perfect the way it is. I like the shape and chrome. Enjoy.. and Happy Birthday wishes!

[BlindRhino]

That is a great looking truck! There seem to be a few of the good old ones out here on the coast. My uncle still has his 72 datsun with a gajillion miles on it and nothing but changing the oil and regular maintenance.

[Chamonix72]

That is a great looking truck! There seem to be a few of the good old ones out here on the coast. My uncle still has his 72 datsun with a gajillion miles on it and nothing but changing the oil and regular maintenance.

You mean like this one? http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/cto/2430284168.html I'm partial to 521 and 620 models like your uncle's '72. Good thing I don't have space...

That IS one cool truck. Old trucks are just damn fun.

[KFunk]

That appears to be a wonderfully well-kept pickup. I've never seen a Datsun truck like that one. Don't paint it, it looks perfect the way it is. I like the shape and chrome. Enjoy.. and Happy Birthday wishes!

Oh yeah, the only thing getting paint is the undercarriage. This truck better last a while. Right now I'm thinking a couple layers of POR-15, followed by a thorough coating of dripless oil throughout the entire undercarriage and frame.

[FunElan]

Glad to see it got there okay Kevin! It's a fun little thing, enjoy it!

[KFunk]

You wouldn't believe the attention I get driving it. I thought the 02 got a lot of attention, but man I get all kinds of people giving me the thumbs up and asking me what in the heck it is.

[Mike Self]

first was a ''72 521. Same faded red, except mine was even more faded. Same underpinnings as your 321 but with a larger engine and slightly sleeker sheet metal.

Don't drive it in the salt--it'll make quick work of the sheet metal. My '72 had rocker panels made out of hardware cloth covered with bondo. No sheet metal left...and no floors either until I made new ones.

BTW, I still have a pair of "West Coast" outside mirrors for an early Datsun if you want 'em.

Many years ago I missed out on buying a 1958 (first year they were imported) Datsun pickup here in the Dayton area. Wish I had bought it.

cheers

mike

[eurotrash]

first was a ''72 521. Same faded red, except mine was even more faded. Same underpinnings as your 321 but with a larger engine and slightly sleeker sheet metal.

Don't drive it in the salt--it'll make quick work of the sheet metal. My '72 had rocker panels made out of hardware cloth covered with bondo. No sheet metal left...and no floors either until I made new ones.

BTW, I still have a pair of "West Coast" outside mirrors for an early Datsun if you want 'em.

Many years ago I missed out on buying a 1958 (first year they were imported) Datsun pickup here in the Dayton area. Wish I had bought it.

cheers

mike

Mike, Many years ago, I read a book called The Reckoning, and I could swear they stated that 1957 was the first year of import.. but maybe it was a sedan..?

[SteveJ]

That is way COOL!

The only thing I would do is to make up some magnetic signs to go on the doors- "Axis Motorcar Parts". Get an Alfa and you'd have all three covered.

[KFunk]

BTW, I still have a pair of "West Coast" outside mirrors for an early Datsun if you want 'em.

What do they look like? Actually, there were two extra mirrors in the stash of parts, and they look to be in great shape. I think they were circular.

I was told the mirrors on the truck weren't original (obvious as it looks like the original holes are farther forward), and they're probably going to have to go. I just can't see out of them very well.

And thanks everyone for the comments! It was a whole lot of work to get this thing over here. At least I didn't have to drive it all the way here this time!

[jakeb]

wow that is really cool, there was on listed for sale on the grassroots motorsports 20$$ forum.

[jerry]

i absolutely LOVE your truck!!!! i agree, don't ever paint it....

i bought a 1966 Ford F250 back in April. it was owned by the stockton school district and i don't ever want to paint over the school bus yellow. i spent today removing the front fenders, grill and bumpers to have them powder coated (inner fenders, not the outers). any other touchups will be with spray cans.

these old trucks, i feel, are a sensible complement to 02's. i love the straight six cylinder, unencumbered engine bay, simple dash and mechanical choke. and 4 spd on the floor.

[KFunk]

Oh yeah, I forgot to post a pic of the engine! I'll have to get a closer pic of the viewing window for the float level right on the front of the carb.

I found the factory hand crank behind the seat, and it slides right in a hole on the bumper. Unfortunately the crank bolt on this engine doesn't have the receiver for it. I'm hoping I can find a crank bolt from an original E-1 engine and swap it over. It'd be awesome to hand crank it sometimes on the street, or at car shows.

I just took it to a Cruise-In last night, and holy crap it got some attention. There were 40 or so very shiny street rods, hot rods, muscle cars, rat rods, etc., and a whole lot of them got passed right up as guys came over to check out the Datsun. These were the kinda guys that know almost every car by heart, and they had no clue what it was. Just from looking at it, most guys knew I got it from out west in the desert. They were very jealous. One guy said one of his friends spent like 11K on a car just to fix rust and do body work to get it back to stock, and it still wasn't near as clean as this truck.

It was a real hassle to get it, but it was worth it. I'm really lucky that the seller was very cooperative and helpful throughout the whole process. I've officially got the Ohio title, and put the Ohio plates on it yesterday morning, so now it's really good to go.

I'll have to get some pics of the underside sometime. I'm glad I went with the L320 and not the NL320 that has a unibody and a more stylized bed like an El Camino. The stock utility bed of the L320 is way more my style, and this truck has a real frame that's fully boxed.

[KFunk]

i love the straight six cylinder, unencumbered engine bay, simple dash and mechanical choke. and 4 spd on the floor.

Yep, same as my truck, except I only have an in-line 4. It really does feel like I'm driving a big, old truck. I first learned to drive a standard on a fire truck, and this feels a lot like that, but it's actually tiny!