Looks a heck of a lot like something from the 30s? I'm not one who likes foreign stuff all that much being put into traditional rods, but after searching for a decent frame for my Kid's T truck, I got to noticing how similar the frame is to a lot of 30s model car frames... Cut off the body and bed mounts, bob the rear of it a bit, lose the ugly torsion bar/A-frame front end in favor of a straight axle...and it starts to get even more presentable... It's boxed from the factory, and stout enough to handle whatever motorvation would go on it... anyone used one? I'm sure someone is going to be a bit put off by destroying a perfectly good mini-truck frame for use under a 70+ year old piece of american tin...
dude............ima start lookin at junker datsun trucks now! if u would use that frame.......people would be all "thats not traditional", and stuff.....i wouldnt care, thanx for the heads up!
I knew that, I've been told that the front needs to be pinched and horns like a duece frame put on the front and it's supposed to be really close. If someone needs one my friend here is begging for someone to haul off the 78 Datsun x cab remains out of his driveway. It's a little longer than a standard.
Interesting. I guess without the frame horns, you could set it up for a suicide mount for the front end. Maybe an X-tra cab would be a good length for a fat man-friendly stretched cab RPU. Datsun/Nissan 620 doesn't ring a bell with me, what year range would those trucks be? BTW, anybody know what bolt pattern or typical axle ratios those came with? If its a five lug pattern, the rear end could be a good match for a four banger or an inline six. Hmmmmm...
I think datsuns were 6 lug. 2wd toyota pick-ups have similar frame shapes and have 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern hubs
Yup! The Dot Rod or something like that...but he left the front end in place. The frame itself was a reasonable fit BUT I think the rear kick was curved a little different. NO problem with a channelled rig or a fabricated floor. Don't the perpetually crafty Aussie's use 70's Toyota Land Cruiser rails on some rigs to get past the DOT rules about fabricated frames and serial numbers? They do have a nice contour...
It's the old "Lil Hustler" of the early 70s, I don't know what years are the same, but mine is a '73. They made other variations of the 620 in other parts of the world, even a sedan that I think went to south america, still had the lil p/u's front end on it. Yeah, they have a wierd 6 bolt pattern, not the same as would be on some 16" chevy wheels though, unless I use another rearend, im going to have to use those ugly lil hustler rims....at least I have an excuse for running "traditional hubcaps" now
NO! You guys don't EVEN get to go looking at my DATSUNS for hot rod parts!!! For all the SHIT I've had to take for years being a classic Datsun guy...wearing a groovy vintage Datsun trucker hat to Autorama amongst Rulers...you gotta EARN the right to suddenly come sniffin' round in MY dimented World, Homies! Go! Scat! SHOOO! Go git you a small block Chevy or somethin'!!!
been a fair amount of that kinda stuff done here and in Aussie over the years, the mitsi L200 or something utes......
I used a mazda frame from a old AMT kit under a AMT 40 sedan kit once. worked real well just moved the rear wheels back a little hahahahahha
Datsun/Nissan, Mazda and Chevy 6 lug wheels are all the same. i've had a couple old Datsun trucks, back in the day, and i saw several guys run 16" 6 lug Chevy truck rims on their mini trucks. had a friend run em on his Nissan for a while. i still have a trailer made from the bed and rear frame of a 1980 Datsun/Nissan truck.
Hey Dot-son boi you change avatars like i change underpants...oh wait, i aint wearin any. Carry on FWIW who cares what someone else says about your car. if the parts were easy to come by, you did it yourself, and you didnt build a "credit card car"... then dont sweat the petty shit... or is that dont pet the sweaty shit... anyhow
A buddy of mine used one under a Willys. Bobbed the front of the frame a little, pro-streeted the rear using a fabricated crossmember and the original rear frame rails, and added an appropriate crossmember to attach the rear to coil-overs. Wheelbase adjusted at the splice between the main rails and the pro-street section. Used a four-link at the rear and the truck front end. It was just getting to the rolling chassis stage when I saw it, but seemed to be at least as cool as most scratchbuilt chassis, and the builder was proud of his cleverness. Saved the customer some bucks, besides.
HAHA!! It's so funny seeing someone else called Datsun boy on this site. I'm the one with the ultra rare vintage Datsuns round here. I had almost picked up a 39 Chevy truck (missed it by this much) and was gonna use the Datsun frame. I was running some mags that came off my friends 54 Chevy on my 97 Nissan.
Ha Ha...Purple is THE Original HAMB Datsun Man!!! Never thought we'd ALLOW Datsun stuff here without a good old fashioned flame attack! What's next? Y'all commin' ta buy my stash of vintage Datsun speed parts???
My 72 Datsun P/U even had King Pins in front, no ball joints. Landcruiser wheels from the 70's have hub cap clips, look like old steelies, 6 on 5.5 i think, 15 x 6 with 3 3/4" backspace, would go well with the datsun brakes. I think any of the minitruck frames would be a candidate with pinched front and a bobbed back.
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