From a Field to the Road

This 1964 Datsun NL320—one of approximately 1,200 ever made—was discovered sitting in an Oklahoma field as a pile of parts.

Since July 2024, IPF Racing has been rebuilding the rare pickup with a mix of preserved original character, period-inspired upgrades, reverse-engineered components, 3D-printed replacements, and custom CNC-machined parts.

The result is more than a restoration. The NL320 demonstrates how modern scanning, design, prototyping, and manufacturing can return an uncommon vehicle to the road without erasing the history that made it worth saving.

Build at a Glance

  • VEHICLE

    1964 DATSUN NL320

    Rare compact pickup • One of approximately 1,200 made

  • BUILD STARTED

    JULY 5, 2024

    Recovered from an Oklahoma field as a pile of parts

  • ORIGINAL SPECS

    1200CC • 60 HP

    Four-cylinder • Column-shift four-speed

  • CURRENT MISSION

    PRESERVE + ENGINEER

    Return a rare truck to the road using modern manufacturing

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IPF Racing Engineering in Action

Restoring the NL320 meant solving for parts that are rare, unavailable, or were never designed for the truck’s new configuration.

IPF Racing 3D-scanned the full interior, front bumper, engine bay, and turn-signal lens, then used that data to reverse-engineer and produce replacement components ranging from seals and mounting hardware to lenses, interior trim, and mirror mounts.

Custom CNC-machined work includes the Weber carburetor adapter, alternator and transmission mounts, and the three-piece wheels shown here—designed in-house with styling inspired by the Longchamp XR4 and engineered for the Datsun’s six-bolt pattern.

Current Configuration — Updated August 24, 2026

  • DRIVETRAIN

    1200CC + WEBER

    Original 60-hp four-cylinder • Weber 32/36 carburetor • CNC-machined intake adapter • 1965 four-speed

  • CHASSIS

    LOWERED + REWORKED

    Three-inch rear blocks • Two leaves removed • Turned-down front torsion bars • Custom-fit shocks • Four-wheel drums

  • EXTERIOR

    PATINA + CUSTOM PARTS

    3D-printed exterior components • Lexan windshield • Patina clear coat • In-house CNC-machined three-piece wheels

  • INTERIOR & ELECTRICAL

    PERIOD STYLE, MODERN FUNCTION

    Reupholstered interior • RetroSound audio • Custom controls and digital gauges • Full custom wiring harness

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Complete Build Specification

DRIVETRAIN

• Original 1200cc, 60-hp four-cylinder engine
• Weber 32/36 carburetor with a CNC-machined 90-degree intake-manifold adapter
• Carburetor and adapter hidden beneath the original air-cleaner cover
• 3D-printed oil-cap and fuel-tank-cap gaskets
• 1965 four-speed transmission with a floor shifter
• Truck originally came with a column-shift four-speed
• Custom transmission mount
• Original axle and driveshaft

SUSPENSION

• Three-inch lowering blocks in the rear
• Two rear leaf springs removed
• Front torsion bars turned down
• Custom-fit front and rear shocks

BRAKES

• Original-style replacement drum brakes on all four corners

EXTERIOR

• 3D-printed front splitter
• 3D-printed front turn-signal lenses
• 3D-printed side-view-mirror mount
• 3D-printed headlight-bucket gaskets
• Hand-cut Lexan windshield
• 3D-printed antenna plug
• Reverse-engineered weld tabs for mounting the side chrome trim
• Original patina protected with Poppy’s Patina wipe-on clear coat
• “Pleasure Chest” cooler installed in the truck bed for tool storage
• Custom-aged artwork by Tony Paints
• In-house-designed and CNC-machined three-piece wheels
• Wheel styling inspired by the JDM Longchamp XR4
• Custom six-bolt wheel pattern engineered to fit the truck
• 13×6 lips and barrels sourced from a former Formula SAE car
• Wheel lips polished and centers anodized by McNichols in Redford, Michigan

INTERIOR

• Custom-dyed car-mat headliner
• Original-style reupholstered seat and door cards
• Custom door-card mounting hardware
• RetroSound period-correct-style radio
• Speakers hidden behind the seat
• RetroBelt aviation-style seat belts
• 3D-printed accessory knobs matching the original styling
• 3D-printed transmission-tunnel access-port cover
• 3D-printed shifter boot
• 3D-printed shift knob
• 3D-printed rear-view-mirror mount with Datsun Bluebird mirror insert
• 3D-printed glove box and glove-box bumpers
• 3D-printed custom steering-column cover concealing the steering-wheel adapter
• Custom wiring harness for the illuminated steering-wheel center
• Marine-carpet flooring
• Floor-mounted horn button installed in place of the high-beam switch
• High beams rewired to the original headlight switch
• Digital gauges with custom Datsun-font faces
• 15-inch flat wooden steering wheel
• CNC-machined trim ring retaining the original transparent horn button
• Light installed behind the original transparent horn button
• Dash-mounted traffic-light viewer

ELECTRICAL

• Generator-to-alternator conversion
• Positive-ground-to-negative-ground conversion
• Full custom wiring harness
• Custom under-dash-mounted fuse block
• Custom battery tray and mount

3D-SCANNED PARTS AND AREAS

• Full interior
• Front bumper
• Engine bay
• Turn-signal lens

3D-PRINTED PARTS

• Oil-cap gasket
• Fuel-tank-cap gasket
• Headlight-bucket gaskets
• Front turn-signal lenses
• Antenna-body plug
• Interior floor plugs
• Front splitter
• Interior knobs
• Steering-column cover
• Side-view- and rear-view-mirror mounts
• Glove box and bumpers
• Transmission-tunnel access-port cover
• Shift boot and knob

CNC-MACHINED PARTS

• Weber carburetor 90-degree adapter
• Alternator mount
• Transmission mount
• Three-piece wheels

From Field Find to Finished Truck

Explore the NL320’s transformation from a dismantled Oklahoma field find into a road-going IPF Racing build that preserves its history while showcasing custom engineering and manufacturing.