This Datsun NL 320 Lives On Thanks to 3D Printing and Elbow Grease

I was working my way through rows of gleaming exotics and pristine collectibles at a Saturday morning cars and coffee gathering when I noticed a wee little truck peeking out from a parking spot in the alley behind the venue. With time-worn paint and a faded logo on the door, the vehicle-later identified as a '64 Datsun NL 320 mini truck-was like the shy kid in the choir, hiding in the back row but hoping to be part of the show. I had to learn more.

The somewhat rare mini truck, a survivor of a once-popular breed that has all but disappeared from our streets, belongs to 31-year-old Zac Watts. The faded logo on its doors is that of his company. Known as IPF, his business specializes in the reverse engineering of unavailable stuff and the prototyping of new stuff. Before founding IPF, Watts worked as an engineer at Pratt & Miller and General Motors. He's done quite a bit in his brief time on the planet.

IPF is the enterprise of Zac Watts. He reverse-engineers unobtainable auto parts and builds prototypes on various sophisticated computer-controlled machines. The sign painter who lettered his truck tried to make the logo appear aged. At 31, Watts is anything but old.Paul Stenquist

Watts told me he was working at home during the pandemic and bought a 3D printer so he could make some parts for friends who were unable to buy replacements for orphaned Holden-built Pontiacs and Chevies. The pandemic side hustle grew, word spread and desperate car owners in need of out-of-production parts started showing up at his door. Among those was Bret Scott, who needed a wheel for an old Cadillac. Watts 3D-printed a plastic wheel that could be used for a fitting test. As car folk are prone to do, they got to talking about cars. Watts said he had been looking for a mini truck that could serve as a light duty parts chaser and daily driver. Scott said he had a '64 Datsun NL320. Though it didn't sell in big numbers, the NL320 had been a favorite of farmers in Australia and the U.S.

Watts can go old school when necessary. Here he poses with his 80-year-old machinist's lathe. Behind it is a double row of laser printers. He now has 16 3D printers in a variety of sizes.Paul StenquistA CNC mill is programmed for the start of another job. Chances are it will be the production of an unobtainable part for a classic car owner.Paul StenquistHere's where the magic starts: A 3D scanner generates specs of a component using lasers 3-dimensional modeling blocks and a table marked with dots to determine the shape of the object.Paul StenquistThe brain center of Watts' shop is where replacement parts and prototypes take shape. Pictured on the monitor is a nupital ring box that Watts designed and manufactured.Paul StenquistA compact 3D printer turns out a component for a Caprice center console. Some models of this car were produced with out console stowage. Watts markets a unit that drops right in.Paul StenquistThe owner of a custom Dodge Omni called Casper asked Watts to make him an aluminum oil pan with increased oil capacity for the show vehicle. Watts 3D-modeled the original pan with his scanner, redesigned it, added an O-ring groove in place of the original's gasket and machined the new version on his CNC mill.Paul StenquistThe Casper logo was etched in the mill using a template provided by the computer controller.Paul Stenquist

"It had spent years abandoned in a farmer's field and was in a state of despair," said Watts. It had no windshield or interior and was sitting wheelless on blocks. But it was a cool little truck with only a moderate amount of deep rust, primarily on one section of floorboard. A deal was made and Watts returned with a rented trailer, only to discover that the mini truck's miniature track width didn't match up with the trailer's ramps. But with some cobbling and a lot of work, Watts got it back to his garage and dug in on the job of getting it back on the road.

The venerable Datsun spent most of its life sitting abandoned in a farmer's field. Because the passenger side window was left partially open, a section of floor rusted out. The remaining metal is largely intact.Paul Stenquist

A full restoration wasn't part of his plan, but Watts did want his truck to accurately reflect its heritage. In simple terms, he wanted it to look like a stock '64 Datsun NL 320 but a bit more practical for daily use. The pockmarked, rusted-out metal of the passenger floor gave any passengers a view of the street below, so a floor panel was formed and welded in place. Over top of the repair, Watts replaced the original vinyl floor covering with aftermarket carpeting and applied it with adhesive. Gluing it solidly in place made it possible to form the carpet to the contours of the footwell.

The mini Datsun's interior is spartan but nice. The truck was produced with a column shifter, but Watts swapped in a '65 Datsun truck trans that accommodates a 4-speed floor shifter.Paul Stenquist

The interior upholstery was missing from the rusty bench seat frame that was still bolted to the floor, so Watts picked colors that resembled what was available when the truck was built and had a local shop cover the seat and make fresh door panels. A retro-look modern radio filled the empty spot on the dash. To make it look like original equipment, Watts digitally modeled the OE lighter knob and resin-printed new knobs for the radio. A pair of eight-inch speakers were installed behind the seat. A slew of small parts were missing-things like the glovebox and door bumpers, a mirror mount, turn signal lens, and gaskets for the headlight buckets. He made new bits on his 3D printers, which now numbered 16, in a variety of sizes.

Paul Stenquist

The exterior finish looked just as it does today, showing 60 years of wear and tear. Watts couldn't bring himself to hide the story that patina told, so new paint was out. The exterior trim was loosely held on with duct tape, so Watts 3D-modeled the one remaining trim clip and created a full set of new ones to secure the strips of stainless. Watts found a painter to add the name of his fledgling enterprise on the door in a style that made it look as though it had been there for more than half a century. He's now considering spraying a clear matte finish over the exterior to prevent further degradation.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This distressed relic of a '64 Datsun NL 320 invokes an era when Japanese mini trucks were a common site on American farms.Paul Stenquist

The electrical wiring was a mess, and to complicate matters further, the system was positive ground. A universal four-fuse aftermarket negative-ground wiring kit went in easily-a fairly simple task given the truck's limited electrical requirements, and a 12-volt alternator was wired in. Watts machined an aluminum bracket for the alternator. A motorcycle battery was judged adequate for the application, and Watts made a new home for the little battery in a box and bracket he produced.

A motorcycle battery provides enough power for little truck. Watts made the battery support and clamp.Paul StenquistThe 1200-cc engine starts easily and runs well. It's in amazingly good condition for an engine that has probably never been rebuilt. At full tilt, it generates all of 60 horsepower-Plenty for this little hauler.Paul Stenquist

Starting the old 1200-cc Datsun engine was the next step, and while it cranked, it wouldn't fire. Watts dug into the mill and quickly determined that the distributor had been installed 180 degrees out of synch and the carburetor was clogged with dirt and sand. To replace it, he purchased a 32/36 Weber clone, a 240-CFM model frequently used by enthusiasts when upgrading the 1200-cc engine. Watts made a 90-degree adapter on his CNC machine to match the carb to the existing intake manifold. After a little tuning, the engine purred as it should.

The truck came with a four-on-the-tree manual transmission linkage that didn't appeal to Watts, so he replaced it with a floor shifter version from a '65 Datsun truck. He of course printed a new shift knob that was consistent with the other interior bits he'd crafted.

The shift knob was designed by Watts and printed in 3D.Paul Stenquist

Today, Watts uses the truck as his daily driver and parts chaser. Car folk are drawn to it, an interesting and obscure piece of automotive history. Those encounters almost inevitably lead to questions about the vehicle's running gear and Zac's reverse engineering and part manufacturing capabilities.

Business is good, Zac is happily self-employed, enjoying his unusual ride and continuing to expand his component manufacturing capability. What more could a young car guy ask for?

Watts is so fond of the truck's patina that he plans to protect it with a coat of clear matte paint.Paul StenquistWhile owner Zac Watts upgraded the truck in a variety of creative ways, he didn't want to hide the story told by its faded paint and spotty corrosion.Paul StenquistWhile the truck's finish appears deeply distressed, it's underpinnings and structure are in relatively good shape, the result of spending minimal time on salted roads.Paul StenquistThe Datsun 1200 cc engine knocks out a potent 60 horsepower. It's said to be a favorite of forklift manufacturers.Paul StenquistThe bed is rusty but solid. Watts uses it to deliver parts and pick up materials.Paul Stenquist

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