720 Nissan: “The Intellectuals choice.“

[720inOlyWa]

Disclaimer: I am a writer by trade. I have a degree from the UW, and a graduate degree from Syracuse University. But I fully recognize that that aint shit when it comes to fixing up an old japanese truck. In fact, when I started out here, I probably knew far less than the typical GED bearing Ratsun rube. So if what follows sounds pretentious or condescending, please understand that it wasn‘t my intention to be so. In fact, quite the opposite. Being a 720 guy has been a delightfully humbling experience.

 

I also have some serious mechanics as friends- the kind who have the touch, feel, gumption and the chops to make anything out of anything and do it right. You work on an unlimited hydroplane restoration crew for a while and you are bound to run into guys with serious mechanical and fabrication chops. I dont know wayno or datsunmike personally, but I sure know guys just like them. The point of this rant is to point out that I have been trying to suck one or two of them into my obsession for some time, with little luck. Being 68, and having friends this age, they are all trying to get rid of stuff, not add yet another vehicle to their inventory.

 

I offered a free truck- my truck- to one friend, a best friend who already passed through a 521 obsession 25 years ago. He almost took the bait, but when he drove the Fudgecicle, it had its old tired motor and a crippled drivers seat. And he has a sea of vehicles already.  We are getting together in a couple of weeks for mexican food and I am going to let him drive it again now that the seats are great and the entire drivetrain is all new like. The offer still stands, so we shall see. But I know that a part of his hesitation is that he doesn‘t quite see how cool and smart a 720 truck is yet. And he is a real smart guy. This made me ponder our collective demographic. 

 

.........

 

Shortly after I replaced the engine in my truck, and finally got it sorted out to the point where I was feeling pretty damn smug about my accomplishment, I was trundling down Capitol Way on my way to coffee when I spied a yellow 720 heading my way. Even from 200 yards, it looked like a clean and straight survivor. Could this be another crazy eccentric bastard like me, who saved a wretch truck and made it good again? Let‘s face it, I was feeling pretty smart about my project and I was hungry to meet another freak like myself- a fellow smart guy in full 720 rapture.

 

As the truck grew closer, my initial impression was confirmed: it looked like a pretty well maintained King Cab. Yellow isn‘t my favorite color, but still... a 720!  I gave my salutation a brief moment of consideration and decided that I would go old school and simply flash the peace sign along with a big grin. Now the truck is a block away and I am getting pretty excited to greet my 720 brother (or sister). As it drew closer, I found it hard to see the driver clearly. But I decided that I was going to give the greeting anyway. After all, if it was viewed as objectionable somehow, I am heading the opposite direction.

 

Now the cab is in plain view as we close the gap between us and I can see a small face peeking out from beneath a brightly colored knit cap. It is a 75 year old woman driving the truck and she is alternately yelling and pounding the dashboard, which I can see is dished in one spot from her repeated outbursts. Her eyes are crazed and spit is flying out of her mouth. She is really worked up about something. Her open yelling mouth revealed that she has about three teeth in her head. Poor woman.

 

You can imagine how foolish I felt, flashing my happy peace sign greeting as she passed by. Thankfully, she was on another planet and did not register my presence at all- let alone acknowledge that we are in the same fetish club. That thought made me shudder and re-think my egghead smugness. I have been pretty low key ever since. 

 

It‘s not that 720 owners are all terrets stricken gomers or anything. Look who posts on here- amazing people! But my experience served to remind me that perhaps the largest segment of 720 drivers are driving beaters that may not even have insurance, let alone tire tread or clean oil. They are just as likely to be driving an 89 Celica, or a 74 VW Rabbit just as their 720s. When you are really poor and barely driving (and I have been there) just about the last thing on your mind is being an ‘enthusiast‘ about anything.

 

The engine in my truck was built from such a truck. I bought it from a kid living in a trailer with his grandpa. Every panel on that truck was schmunched. You had to stick a wire on the battery to start it. There was no hope of grabbing anything from inside the cab. Yetch! The poor fellow hadn‘t seen mechanical maintenance for a long, long time. Still, it ran like the compression was still even. And if shifted through the gears quite nicely. So I bought it, and didn‘t haggle on the price. In fact, I paid fifty more than he was asking for it. I kind if like that it is now the heartbeat of my truck after getting a very thorough going through. The rest went to the crusher.

 

I am more humble about things when I pass a local 720 owner. Ive seen a couple of beauties around here, and a rash of beaters that keep me checking the local wrecking yard like a yard shark. Being a person who thinks he is onto something really interesting, I look around here at all of you and know that I am not on the cutting edge of this idea at all. In fact, I was almost too late for the party. Some smart guy.

[wayno]

:lol: I am the same way when I see a 720 even though my passion is older stuff like the 521, I will speed up or slow down to get beside them and see who is driving, especially if it is a dually 720.

I almost never see 521s anymore except in the wrecking yards, mostly I see 620s and 720s out and about, I see Darren in his beautiful Green 620 every so often.

I never drive my 720 diesel(turbodiesel) anymore, the 521KC diesel(turbodiesel) is so much funner to drive, it really goes and gets great mileage also(31mpg hiway going 70mph :ph34r: ), I have never done that good before going that speed, my 720 turbodiesel has way more torque than the 521 but I am interested in the hiway cruising/passing power and mountain road drive-ability.

[Lockleaf]

These trucks are just now ripening into normal enthusiast age. I think you will see an uptick in people building these for love instead of necessity over the next couple years.

 

720s are what turned me into a Datsun head. I've owned numerous 720s. My step father currently owns a 1986 720ST 4x4 with power windows, sunroof, and fuel injection, about as much of a unicorn a they ever made in the 720. Its an awesome truck.

[captain720]

These trucks are just now ripening into normal enthusiast age. I think you will see an uptick in people building these for love instead of necessity over the next couple years.

 

720s are what turned me into a Datsun head. I've owned numerous 720s. My step father currently owns a 1986 720ST 4x4 with power windows, sunroof, and fuel injection, about as much of a unicorn a they ever made in the 720. Its an awesome truck.

I hope this "uptick" doesn't increase the cost or reduce availability of parts. Then again I like these rigs because they are cheap and easy to play with,some people like to collect and have them be worth something. :-)

[wayno]

I got into 521s when they were cheap and there was always at least one in the wrecking yards for parts, back then there was usually 5 or 6 720s in one yard, and there were 5/6 yards, now there are only 3 u-pull-it yards it this area, the rest are gone.

I have not even seen a 620 in the wreaking yards for a long time now, they have the good heads.

[720inOlyWa]

These trucks are just now ripening into normal enthusiast age. I think you will see an uptick in people building these for love instead of necessity over the next couple years.

 

720s are what turned me into a Datsun head. I've owned numerous 720s. My step father currently owns a 1986 720ST 4x4 with power windows, sunroof, and fuel injection, about as much of a unicorn a they ever made in the 720. Its an awesome truck.

 

I saw one of these myself- dripping in trim options and graphics- all stock. They definitely made a pimped out version, but it was uncommon.

[mx71]

I got the 85 KC 4x4 Deluxe I have now to teach my wife how to drive a manual for $1,000. I had an 82 KC 2wd base model in high school though, so that's why I got so excited about it. Seems like they all suffer from the same cab mount rust, but this thing has turned into a hobby. I only meant to keep it for a few months. You're right though, most 720s I see now are low income trucks or piles of garbage used for hunting.

[720inOlyWa]

This guy may have the wrong motivation (money), but he makes a good case for valuing our analog beauties and, I think, eventually, for our trucks as well. Tat‘s why I am gathering all of the critical parts that I can, while they are still reasonable.

 

https://youtu.be/VsHPZJVX4R4 

[datzenmike]

The 720 is a lead pencil. Cheap, writes upside down, erasable, easily sharpened, doesn't run out suddenly.

[dhp123166]

Maybe you need some trunk paint.

[datsunaholic]

I've never been much of a 720 guy, but yet I still have 2 of them.  I paid $100 for the '83 KC back in 2002, it had been sitting a couple years and it needed a battery and the ignition timing adjusted.  Otherwise ran fine except that it went through water like nobody's business.  I got a few years out of it before stuff started breaking- first the idler pulley seized and spat all the belts off on the freeway.  Then the transmission ate itself.  Finally the engine developed a miss, it went away for a while, then lost 2 cylinders for good in a plume of oil smoke.  Of course I have a replacement engine I've had for 10 years, just "haven't gotten around to it".

 

The second 720 (an "early" '83 4X4 with the Z22) was free - neighbor was moving, rather I had it than the junkyard.  Again, it had sat, slowly rusting, for 5 years under a fir tree.  But again, all it needed was a battery (and unsticking the carb float) to get it running, though getting the lights working due to all the corrosion took longer.  It needs a starter (it has to be convinced to function when warm) and tires (they're 15 years old, dryrotted and almost out of legal tread anyway) but it runs and drives even though I still can't get the passenger door open.  Oh, and the speedometer only works when it feels like it, which is not often.  It is a beater by every definition.

 

But man, do these things rust.  I've had a dozen or so 620s, the worst 2 of those didn't hold a candle to the bed rust the pre-85 720s have.  The cabs, on the other hand, seem to hold up better on the 720, as both of mine still have floors whereas many of my 620s have rusted out under the floormats.  And both of my 720s have sunroofs, so you'd think they'd have more water issues.

[720inOlyWa]

If anyone can keep a limper rolling down the road, that would be Doug. Hey, man- if you need anything, let me know! 

 

I have a cowling leak on the passengers side, the result of the PO cutting it open to replace a heater coil. They actually did an okay job of putting it back together, but water tight means perfect, not pretty good. I was going to rip it all out and get it right tis summer, but I got to screwing around with my other truck project instead. Now thyat the rans are here, I HAVE to fix it- once and for all.

[datzenmike]

I believe there is a cowl drain on either side. These easily plug up with pine needles and maple keys. The air inlet for the heater fan is on the far right also. This inlet has a raised flair around the opening like a volcano cone to keep water from sloshing in. 

 

Previous owners are strange animals. Heater coils? you mean the ones that give the different speeds? Those are on the fan assembly. Why......?

[720inOlyWa]

I meant heater core. Sorry.  The PO cut a trap door in the cowling to access the heater core (presumably, easier, but I doubt it, myself.)  Although the approach was an abomination against the 720 gods, the repairman did try to seal it all up, including around the ‘volcano‘. Since I am stuck with this inadequate previous repair, my intention was to pull it all out and re-do everything to seal it up good.

 

The drains are clean and working great, although I have noticed that on any 85 720 there is a little ‘tray effect‘ in the center part of the cowl that tends to collect rainwater, probably until the truck moves a little and it sloshes out.

[Knugcab]

720s are rare here. But some people tells me that I drive one just because I can't afford anything better, which is rubbish, because if I had given the same amount of money for a Volvo 740, I would have gotten a much better example, and it would have been a much cheaper car to run too. Other people says that I drive one to compensate for something, which I think is rubbish too, I drive it because I like it, and if the idea behind my car ownership was to get other people to admire me, I would have gotten a circa 3 year old Audi A4 instead, because that's what everyone is supposed to want and about as expensive it can get before people hate you because they are jealous. Sure, I could lower it and put it on street thread tyres but why? On really bad roads or offroad it is better this way....

[blownalcohol]

 

 

But man, do these things rust.  I've had a dozen or so 620s, the worst 2 of those didn't hold a candle to the bed rust the pre-85 720s have.  The cabs, on the other hand, seem to hold up better on the 720, as both of mine still have floors whereas many of my 620s have rusted out under the floormats.  And both of my 720s have sunroofs, so you'd think they'd have more water issues.

 

Living in the south west is a plus if your going to be playing with old cars but 720's still rust!  The cabs and beds hold up pretty good but the front floor pans rust away. The sun burns up the windshield gaskets and the floor boards stay wet, that's my theory anyway. I had to hunt a long time around here to find good used floor pans for both of my projects. I finally found them from a couple of California trucks that found their way to the Pick a Part here in Albuquerque.

[blownalcohol]

I got into 521s when they were cheap and there was always at least one in the wrecking yards for parts, back then there was usually 5 or 6 720s in one yard, and there were 5/6 yards, now there are only 3 u-pull-it yards it this area, the rest are gone.

I have not even seen a 620 in the wreaking yards for a long time now, they have the good heads.

 Ditto, 620's were everywhere 20 years ago. LOVE  those old ones but you can't find anything around here anymore, if you do they want an arm and a leg for something that needs a ton of work but you can't find parts for. So because I live in the mountains and wanted a 4x4 720 was the one for me. 720's while they too are disappearing from the yards are still workable.

[datzenmike]

The '80-'84 have a horizontal seam on the outside of the bed where the bed floor and the top and bottom side panels meet and are spot welded together. Many 720 are seen driving around without the lower panel on either side of the rear wheel as it's rusted away. The '85-'86 have a one piece side panel with an inside liner and bed that prevents shifting cargo from denting the outside. The outer facing lip around the top edge of the box was also retired and the tail lights moved upwards to the corners and are more visible and protected. These are far more rust resistant.