1975 Datsun Build

[Halfass'dfabricator]

I picked this thing up with the plan of trying my hand at building my first lowered mini truck. As with all my projects, things have not gone as planned


This is how it looked when I picked it up.

[Halfass'dfabricator]

By nature I am a 4 wheel drive kind of guy. I decided I was going to try and bring a little bit of the 4x4 world to the mini truck world....... I decided to bob the bed, allowing for a better departure angle when going over speed bumps and stuff


Decided 19" was a good amount to cut out.

[Halfass'dfabricator]

[Halfass'dfabricator]

During all of this I came to realize that I am not a lowered mini truck kinda guy So this thing sat for the last 8 months while I tried to decide what the hell to do with it. Last week I decided to finally try to go ahead and start working on it again, except this time I would go a direction with it that I am a little more familiar with.

Good bye IFS

[InstaGator]

I would love to have a King Cab 620.

[Halfass'dfabricator]

I decided to rob a bunch of parts off of my 72 LJ20 project and donate them to the Datsun casue Stealing the axles, springs, drop box, dual Toy cases, steering box, and whatever else I can use. I decided to go a completely different route with the LJ anways.

A picture of the parts donor

[dpdatsunman]

coming along sweet! I love what you did with the bed. I am building a 78 king cab right now. can't wait to see how this thing comes out!

[Midget28]

Any updates yet? I really like these trucks but they dont last long around here bc of all the rust.

[86DieselBurb]

Originally Posted by Midget28

Any updates yet? I really like these trucks but they dont last long around here bc of all the rust.

These Datsuns did not last long due to rust even in CA. My very first vehicle was a 78 king cab that I bought in 83. It was a CA vehicle from day one, and it was already starting to rust. Year after buying it. I found a Lows Engineering 4x4 kit in the recycler and put in on over a weekend. Sadly some schmuck stole if before I could take care of the rust and get it painted. They make bad ass looking 4x4's.

[G_Stratton]

This brings back memories.

My first 4X4 was a converted 75 Datson. I was told that the dealer in the area had a bunch of the little trucks converted and sold them off the show room floor that way. I had more fun in that truck then in any other 4x4 I have ever owned.

I cant wait to see your finished project.

[Pete3]

im so happy you went up rather than down

[1970gmc4x4]

I've had people ask if my 1975 toyota is a datsun, the dual head lights and size i guess, hell mines was even the same color at one time, thumbs up for pre-smog.

[Halfass'dfabricator]

Progress has been slow..... and by slow I mean I haven't accomplished much of anything worth taking a picture of Been spending most of my time working on other peoples stuff lately. I am going to get back on the suspension here shortly. I'd like to get the front finished up so I can figure out where exactly the front axle is going to be located so I can then work on mounting a Toyota IFS steering box and start working on a front bumper. I guess I should get off of here and go finish up the cage I'm supposed to be working on that is taking up all my time this weekend and not allowing for time to work on my Datsun.

[jeepn-jason]

cant wait to see this one.....my first truck was a 78 620 that i had lowered. God i miss that thing.....hard to get laid in but it was a ton of fun. Ive always thought these would look killer as a cab truck or just a beat down crawler

[Halfass'dfabricator]

I got the front axle under it yesterday and it sitting under its own weight in the front. It sits way to tall but I don't care at this point, I just want this thing to be driving. It looks like its going to tip over just sitting there I could clear my 44" boggers on this bitch.

[dpdatsunman]

coming out sweet, i would definitely go with the toyota ifs box, thats what i did, just made a simple adapter plate and it works awesome. Your going to have to shorten your steering column though, not that hard, just measure measure measure. haha! good luck!

[Halfass'dfabricator]

Slapped a tire on the rear to get an idea of how this thing was gonna look. Seeing it like this has kind of rekindled my motivation

[Halfass'dfabricator]

Started cutting IFS mounts off.



Pulled the rear axle. I have to cut the perches off and move them in an inch or so on either side. I basically have the front suspension almost figured out. Just have to move things around a little and get the pinion angle set right. Height wise I know where I'm at so I can get the rear set now to match.





Need to move the mount back a little and make my shackels.

[Halfass'dfabricator]

I am currently debating on what to do with my transfer case set up on this thing. I was originally going to go with divorced dual Toyota cases using a OTT adapter that I have laying around. Then I started thinking about maybe just throwing a Sami case in there.

The other day I grabbed one that just happened to be laying next to the truck and crawled under it. I have two cross members under this thing, one for the tranny mount and one under the back of the cab that holds the carrier bearing for the two piece driveshaft. I was going to have to cut the rear one out to fit the Toyota cases. If I go with the sami case which is about 12" flange to flange I think I can actually mount it up behind the second crossmember and keep the first piece of the two part drive shaft. I have a Sami driveline spacer that I am going to try to machine out to adapt the case to the shaft. I layed under this thing for quite awhile pondering this stupid idea

[Halfass'dfabricator]

Also, I have about a 116" wheel base so even having the transfer case that far back I would still have a decent lenght driveshaft in the rear. I would just run a 2 piece front set up.

[dpdatsunman]

those crossmembers were a serious pain to deal with, if you do cut them out, make sure you brace the frame before you cut, that frame will pop out a bit when u make the final cut.

[zukiscoot]

i can't belive youre abandoning the lj project after all the trouble you had buying it back from your buddy! oh well im sure it'll turn out for the best.

[Halfass'dfabricator]

Originally Posted by zukiscoot

i can't belive youre abandoning the lj project after all the trouble you had buying it back from your buddy! oh well im sure it'll turn out for the best.

Don't worry, I am not abandoning the LJ. I am just gonna take it in a new direction...... again I've had a really hard time trying to shove a motor into the front end of that damn thing.... so I've decided a rear engine set up is the sollution As soon as the weather clears up I will be playing with the LJ again. For now I am going to try to get this Datsun done.

[Jhfabjustin]

your crazy josh the snow is up here. and your still haven't been up to play.
Like'n the DATSUN build looks good.

[Corneilius]

This is my 91 2wd Nissan with a divorced t100l tcase sandwiched between the torsion bar and carrier bearing crossmembers. I can get you a flange-flange length of the case if you want

edit: I have since added a tube connecting the 2 rear "arms"