720/D21 Mash-Up Project

[Bill_P]

I am putting my 1980 standard cab 720 body on my 1989 standard cab D21 chasis.

 

My Datsun has the Japanese manufactured bed with the lights on the lower valence, and it is a super ugly red (the paint job is staying btw... it's my favorite part of the 720).

 

I'm also going to remove the emissions system, buy a Weber, and shove the L20b and it's 5-speed into the D21 (I have a 1989 z24i and automatic tranny for sale lol).

 

The D21 also has some issue with the rear end, which will need to be fixed.

 

My question is this:

I know the difference in cab, engine compartment, and bed width between the 720 and D21...

Has anyone tried the body swap yet?

I'm wondering if it is a straightforward swap, or a super fabrication job.

 

Has anyone put a L20b into a D21?

I'm sure someone has...

 

Also, what is a good replacement DISC brake rear end? Should I just swap backing plates or rear ends with a newer Pathfinder, or should I go with a Ford or Dana rear end?

 

Is there a locker for the D21 or 720 rear ends, or should I use a Dana 35 (or similar) if I want an e-locker?

 

Thanks! I will go take pics of both trucks and post them. My 720 is loaded with 700lbs of lumber so it has plywood sides and a tarp on it. You peeps will love how ugly it is ;-)

[erichwaslike]

all of this and no damn pics!

 

the first rule of ratsun is you dont talk... wait no its post pics!

the second rule is post pics

every rule is post pics!

[Bill_P]

If Ratsun made it easy so I dont have to use a THIRD PARTY then the pics would already be posted! At leat the classifieds are user friendly now. Kudos to whoever installed the upload button. Is there an upload button for threads too? Ugh, I hate "mobile" sites too. Why is posting a fucking pic such a pain in the ass???

 

With that said, I dont see how answering a question require pics... we all know what a 720 and D21 look like.

 

Im signig up for flickr. What a bunch of shit though. I need a yahoo ID now to use flickr. When I have an extra hour to sign up for multiple websites so I can use photo hosting... I will post pics.

[Bill_P]

Another rule is go bother someone else if you are going to make up stupid rules ;-)

[erichwaslike]

not having everyones pics on a local server keeps the site cost down. otherwise wed need a hell of a lot more server space and that cost more..... yes we all know what a 720 and a d21 look like, but not a "ugly" red one like yours and i wasnt sure if you had already started the swap on the bodies. i was saying more of a pic of progress or what you are starting with.....

 

p.s. there is a google search engine that can answer some of those questions.... and dont be so touchy... you wont last long around here with that kinda attitude lol

[Bill_P]

Im not meaning to seem touchy.. more of a stinging wit. I havent started the swap yet. I just got the D21 as payment for a labor job, and I like the wider and more jacked up rear end stance. I thought about a suspension swap, but I might as well do an entire rewire and suspension build on the bare D21 chasis then swap body and motor.

 

I have the pics ready. Photobucket times out and has issues with the mobile site when trying to upload from my phone. I will create a flickr account later after the sun goes down.

 

Btw, sorry to poke at you.. I like poking at people.

[Bill_P]

Also, I know this is all on google. I was under the impression this site helped avoid a billion google searches to complete a project, so I posted the thread. If google is a better option for this information then ratsun is, what is the point of having tech threads?

 

Just a question, so no hurt feelings, k... ;-)

[Rocket Dog]

Here's a picture.  It's from Mars.

 

[Bill_P]

Sweet. Is that really Mars?

[wayno]

I am sorry to have this opinion, but I don't see much of a gain doing this swap, and the Z24i will go threw emissions much easier, and have more all around power.

You can swap the dual piston hardbody calipers onto your 1980 chassis, and some here on Ratsun sell brackets to put rear disc brakes on your 720.

The hardbody stance is just that, the hardbody stance, you likely are not going to get that look with the 720 cab/box on the hardbody chassis.

If you lower the 720, it makes it look wider.

I have done a few frame swaps, but I am putting 520/521s on 720 chassis, and I get a lot from doing this, power steering, front disc brakes, a much easier frame to pull transmissions out of, and they have kingcab version chassis, which is what I want.

[datzenmike]

I am putting my 1980 standard cab 720 body on my 1989 standard cab D21 chasis.

 

My Datsun has the Japanese manufactured bed with the lights on the lower valence, and it is a super ugly red (the paint job is staying btw... it's my favorite part of the 720).

I guess anything is possible. I'm sure the D21 is slightly wider than the 720 so the tires will stick out with a 720 body on it.

 

I'm also going to remove the emissions system, buy a Weber, and shove the L20b and it's 5-speed into the D21 (I have a 1989 z24i and automatic tranny for sale lol).

You're in California?? You still have to pass emissions, no? With '80 running gear it will have to pass '80 emissions same as the 720 truck the running gear came out of. At the least it will have to pass a visual inspection, which I don't think it will.

 

The D21 also has some issue with the rear end, which will need to be fixed. Also, what is a good replacement DISC brake rear end? Should I just swap backing plates or rear ends with a newer Pathfinder, or should I go with a Ford or Dana rear end? Is there a locker for the D21 or 720 rear ends, or should I use a Dana 35 (or similar) if I want an e-locker?

 

A Z24i D-21 should have the H-190 diff in it so swapping H233 backing plates isn't going to work. You may be able to swap the entire rear axle assy from a D21 (leaf spring)into your D21 though. The WD-21 is more problematic as it runs on 4 link and coils. You can get the H233 with rear disc and clutch LSD. It's a lot of weight and takes at least two strong people to lift it. Disc brakes are mostly for show and rarely get used hard enough to be worth it. The L20B doesn't have enough power to need an LSD or locker either.

 

My question is this:

I know the difference in cab, engine compartment, and bed width between the 720 and D21...

Has anyone tried the body swap yet?

I'm wondering if it is a straightforward swap, or a super fabrication job.

 

Has anyone put a L20b into a D21?

I'm sure someone has...

Maybe the L20B has been done but more likely a KA24E or DE as the D-21 did come with these motors later.

 

No swap is straight forward unless replacing your Z24i with another Z24i.

[Bill_P]

The truck is getting Oregon registration before July 31st.

 

Ignore smog.

 

I will just take pics as I go. I have an extra 5.8l motor and auto T6 too. And a welder, torch, grinders, and benders. Who knows what will happen or what I will decide to spend money on.

 

The desire for the D21 suspension is because of TONS of aftermarket suspension options. I am going more toward a point-it-offroad anytime prerunner than a street need-for-speedmobile. There are a lot of long travel/coilover options for the front, and I can make my own track-arm rear suspension on either chasis.

 

Mostly Im bored. I work my ass off and build weird shit in my spare time. Usually farm stuff or equipment, but I want to twist some Japanese nuts and bolts.

 

I think a long travel 720 would be awesome. I also like the L20b's simplicity (plus it is what I have available). Only a keen eye will see that its a later model chasis.

 

A fryer oil TDI Datsun would also be pretty sweet.

[Bill_P]

As far as not enough power for a locker.... I am asking for rear end and locker options. I could put a 3.0l Ford f1 motor in it if I had the motor and wanted to dump it in there. I also want the disc for simplicity. Have you ever exploded a wheel cylinder inside of your drum? I have :-)

 

The e-locker question is definitely a jeep forum question though.

[nerdistmonk]

it seems like the cummins 4bt diesel engine would fit in the space given by a d21 or 720, or a Volkswagen diesel, the only reason im not a fan of going to diesel is because its a different animal compared to working on a gasoline engine. (not to mention the potential of a runaway occurring as the engines seals wear and get old, kind of hard to deal with that problem if your driving it at the time it decides to feed off its own engine oil, better keep a few t-shirts to chuck into the intake)

 

and man can it be a bit scary to have one run away while your working on it, your normal flight or fight response will kick in, most people run when the engine runs lol

 

It would be neat though considering how many different things you can pour into one and it run off of it, go get some used oil from a restaurant and not only have it be cheap to run but also tasty!

[Bill_P]

I have a buddy in Whittier down in LA who does VW performance stuff. He has a SCARY fast rally style Audi with a TDI. Ive never heard of a diesel motor "running away" though. I have a tractor that I have to let diesel for a while before it turn off. It is like 65 years old though lol.

[nerdistmonk]

I have a buddy in Whittier down in LA who does VW performance stuff. He has a SCARY fast rally style Audi with a TDI. Ive never heard of a diesel motor "running away" though. I have a tractor that I have to let diesel for a while before it turn off. It is like 65 years old though lol.

 

go on youtube, theres plenty of them that do it, usually a malfunction with the fuel rail is common, sometimes its just an old engine with seal wear which allows it to run off its own oil, it happens plenty of times (seen the dodge trucks do it too), you can only kill a runaway by cutting its air supply, so chuck a shirt into the intake and hope for the best, on those youtube videos the doinks usually run as soon as the engine does then just record it as it melts down. (a multi thousand dollar youtube video, hope it was worth it i guess sigh)

 

(Warning its loud)

[Bill_P]

Thats hilarious. My buddy has me sold on TDIs but Im gonna give him some shit for not telling me that!

Diesel is also appealing because of mileage. The diesel motor from the 1980 720 (non-US) claims 47mpg. That appeals to me because I drive a lot for business. And the last thing I would be caught dead in is a high mileage late-model compact car. Ugh!

[nerdistmonk]

Thats hilarious. My buddy has me sold on TDIs but Im gonna give him some shit for not telling me that!

Diesel is also appealing because of mileage. The diesel motor from the 1980 720 (non-US) claims 47mpg. That appeals to me because I drive a lot for business. And the last thing I would be caught dead in is a high mileage late-model compact car. Ugh!

 

well if its a new engine or rebuilt the odds of it occurring is slim to none, the biggest chance for it to happen is on a tdi that sits for an extended period of time or one that is just well worn. the problem is when it happens its unlikely you'll be ready and you got mere seconds to get it shut down so it doesnt ruin itself in the process (and you will likely lose the turbo when you chuck that t-shirt in there to shut it off, turning the key wont work you have to cut the air supply)

 

So im not trying to scare you off completely, i was just giving my angle as to why i am not slapping one into mine right this minute.

[Bill_P]

So I cant get an image html code from flickr. Im using my phone so maybe I just need to wait for a PC to paste it.

 

Here is the url to the ugly red Datsun. One of the ugliest, no doubt.

 

http://m.flickr.com/photos/99215017@N08/9322963155/

[Bill_P]

If it doesnt work oh well. Yay for mobile sites not working so well.

[nerdistmonk]

have you tried imageshack?

[Bill_P]

I have photobucket but it also fails with the mobile. I would try imageshack eventually, but I would like to get flickr to work if I can first. The blue D21 is the other photo. The third is a landfill slip showing my trucks outbound weight (2780). That includes me at 175-180. Pretty light truck.

[wayno]

Here you go.

 

 

Is this one yours also, the donor?

 

[Bill_P]

wayno - thanks! I feel like I owe you $5 or something :-)

I have a veritable equipment and vehicle scrapyard.... that Ford has a beautiful big block project in it. I forget what generation and displacement though.

The D21 is being stripped and labeled for sale. I had already removed the entire interior, and fuel tank, door, hood plastic, rear bumper, and tailgate. It is also sitting on wheel dollies because the rear end is locked up. The rear axle and all four wheels will probably get put on one of the defunct trailers. I want a newer disc rear end.

[nerdistmonk]

i like those rims it has, i kinda want to live on the west coast, other than the risk of massive riots, random earthquakes and the chance of california's debt problems being solved when half its operating costs slides off into to the pacific ocean. /jk ;)

 

mainly due to cost of living i probably wont go anywhere.