720zx Time to finish it

[720zx]

I have been reading threads on Ratsun for a while and thought its about time I mentioned my build that I started years ago but typically never got round to finish. Due to a house move I dug it out the garage and have decided to get it finished.

 

Just a quick history lesson. First ever car was a 1979 280zx. Due to the English weather I chased the rust from one end to the other and after three re-sprays decided I was losing the battle so stripped it completely with the thought of finding a donor to put it in.

 

Enter the Datsun 720. Purchased off a friend for £75 who then bought the original 1800 engine back for £50. So £25 for another bag of rust wasn’t too bad.

 

I have read several threads about putting an L28 into a 720 and there have been mixed reactions. Anyway after lots of man hours this is where I am so far.

What do you think???

 

Hope the pictures work!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

Ah ha ha ha  fait accompli I love it. Rather than asking, you just went an did it. Kudos!

 

Managed to keep the rad and grill and and put the zx dash in her.

[wayno]

Welcome :)

 

This is the best way to do it, talk about it when it's almost finished, it looks great!!!

I had to look up that word Dmike. :lol:

 

I am curious, is this going to be a single round headlight truck?

Did you use the ZX wiring harness?

[datzenmike]

Next time someone joins and has the bone head idea of an L28 swap in their 521.... I'll send them here.

[WI 720]

Super sweet build.  That doesn't look like the standard dash or is it?? If not, where did you get it from?

[_chiefjt]

Super clean. Glad you just did it.

 

One question though, Why'd you go automatic?

[720zx]

Thanks for your kind words Mike, I to had to look them up. Ha!!!

Yes it is the original ZX rad, had it re-cored and shortened by 3" to fit. Also brazed in a fitting to accept a temp switch for the electric fan.

I do have an original grill but will be making my own to suit the 7" round headlights. (Hope that answers one of your questions Wayno)

 

To answer WI 720 Question. As Mike mentioned the dash is from the ZX. Fits pretty neat after cutting the front radius and fabricating the transmission tunnel to support the centre console.

  

I did use the ZX wiring harness only to chop up so to keep the colour coding right. Re-wired the truck from scratch using all components needed from the ZX. It is 95% complete only front and rear lights to finish. I need to finish the flip front and make a back before that though. 

 

And Guam671 it is automatic because it was born like that. Ha. No really these things are as rare as rocking horse s--t this side of the pond so changing the box was a none starter. Plus it made making a pedal box easier. 

[nis720]

I'm loving this build... specially the removable front end. Nice work.

[_chiefjt]

I figured, I understand. Do with what you got.

[720zx]

A bit more history. Due to the amount of rust the whole floor, transmission tunnel, sills and fire wall were cut out and re made.  With doing so there was nothing left to hang the wings off. That is why I had to make the flip front. It is mounted on a box section frame that pivots on home made hinges bolted to the chassis.

 

I want the under side of the flip front to be as good as the out side so done some work on it and decided to cut out and fill in the vents. Also fill the holes and edges of the inner frame. I'm going to fill some of the openings in the front spoiler.

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

Wouldn't this let out excess hot air?

[720zx]

The vents in the scuttle panel are still there and are completely open to the engine as I cut the front piece (where the wiper motor lived) out. The wiper motor and linkages have been replaced with a single wiper unit from a fiat. But I am only hopeful that there will be no heat issues.

[]2eDeYe]

Well done sir. Love that you kept everything under the 'hood'. :thumbup: 

 

I assume flatbed due to the lack of bed availability? 

[wayno]

That was a one year hood, there were no functional vents from 81-86, and them 2 plastic vents on the 81/82 were cosmetic, yes one of them was a small vent, but the other was solid, I used to have a set, should have taken a photo of them, from 83 on there were no holes of any kind in the hood even with a larger engine(Z24).

You do good work.  :thumbup:

[nismo24096]

here wayno

 

[wayno]

Thankyou   :thumbup:

here wayno

I have always wondered why the one had functioning holes in it, I suppose one could have connected the airfilter housing to it, but the chances of water going in it were good, so I just could not see hooking it there.

As I said in the past, Datsun/Nissan likely seen something like these on a race car/truck somewhere and they incorporated it in to the hood thinking it might sell some trucks, in the big picture I wonder if it really helped sell anything.

Did the Z cars have something like these plastic vents anywhere on the hood?

[720zx]

A bit of progress on the flip front....

 

Fill it. Then rub it back off !!

 

Lashed a bit of primer on.

 

 

 

 

Filling some holes in.

 

Welding in some mesh.

 

More filling and rubbing

 

 

 

Looking a lot better

[720zx]

Well done sir. Love that you kept everything under the 'hood'. :thumbup:

 

I assume flatbed due to the lack of bed availability? 

 

Yes it will be a flat bed as the original one died of cancer years ago.

I have already made a box section frame for the back but I'm not sure if I like it. My first thoughts were to have the bed low and the wheel arches through it but now I'm thinking of raising the bed above the wheels. Does anyone have opinions on this?

 

Wheel and tyre size is also a concern and will have an effect on the bed / arch height. I am no expert on this but due to the different diff ratios from the 280zx and the 720 (3.54:1 and 4.1:1 approx) to keep the speedo accuracy I reckon I would need a tyre diameter of approx 29" (correct me if I'm wrong) giving the truck a raked look. What do you guys think of that or is it old hat.

[datzenmike]

here wayno

 

 

Want

 

 

Lets hot rad air out more than anything I would think. I assume the functioning opening is on the carb side?

[wayno]

It really depends on what your going to do with it, I have a flatbed and it has only 3 1/2 inches clearance with basically bald tires, so it has less clearance with good tires, I haul mass amounts of weight all the time, but I have 2 extra leafs in my leaf packs, plus overload coil over shocks, and airbags if I am hauling something really heavy, my tires hardly ever hit the flatbed boards.

My truck is purpose built for my job, the flatbed was made as low as I could get it, as I shovel debris into it everyday I work, lower is easier.

That said I do drive it empty all the time, yes it is firm, but not uncomfortable to drive with the extra leafs, I do not have air in the bags very often, they are there for when I do need them.

If you are not going to haul much then you can make you flatbed height whatever you choose, if you use metal for the bed, you can get it another 1 1/4 inches lower than mine as I used 2X8 inch boards for mine(cheaper), my flatbed deck height is 29 1/2 inches at the rear wheels, my truck is also a dually that has 14 inch rims, I did everything I could to keep it low.

And I do haul heavy loads, it's a functioning flatbed, that above is 1 ton(2000lbs), it's hard to say what the load weighed below.

You can correct your speedo reading by using the needed speedo drive gear, you just have to figure out which one is needed.

[ShutterMeShort]

Awesome build man!  Can't wait to see it finished!  I love the hood/front end mods!

[Charlie69]

Beautiful work. Tilt front clip is sweet.  More pictures please!

[720zx]

Thanks!! More pictures to come soon.

 

There is lots of discussion of lowering the front end by 2 or more inches. Surely this can only be determined if you know where you are starting from. Mine was wound up in the air when I got it so dropping it by 2" may still be higher than standard.

 

Can anyone tell me what the original ride height of a 2wd 720 is?

[xsdg]

TIG? nice!

 

Checked for ride height in my '86 FSM but can't find anything. 

[mmitchell57]

Very nice build going on here. Subscribed. :)