My Dad's 720

[_chiefjt]

I wasn't born yet but back on the island of Guam where truck racing is BIG! My dad was 16 and bought a 83 Nissan/Datsun shortbed 720. He bought for 400 bucks from and old lady. He towed it home and immediately took it apart and started with the engine. He took the head off and him and his dad were amazed. It was so clean and had very little miles. Maybe about 30,000. It's a small island so it don't take long or far to get some where. Well when he was done with the engine after putting it back together he never drove and put it on jacks. Took the tires off and started with the body. It was really rusted because the old man who owned always took it fishing and never washed it. After about 6 months of bodywork and hard work he still wasn't done. He kept his truck a secret sort of from all his friends. While all his friends were busy showing off there slow and lame toyotas. Know one ever raced Nissan or Datsun because they didn't see it as any competition. So my dad bought 3 44mm mikunis and a dual manifold. One mikuni was a spare and he bought all 3 plus the manifold for 400 bucks! After that he put some headers on it and a thrush turbo muffler. And all the while it's in his garage still on jack stands. Then he lowered it 3 inches it the rear and I don't know about the front. He was trying out a bunch of different rear end pumpkins and the only one that worked the best for him was one from a 521 with a 35 to 8 ring and pinion. Its like a 4:3 ratio. Finally he primered it an undercoated it black. When he took out in its first drive it was so loud you can hear it from other villages. He pulled up with all his friends and they asked him what he running but never told them. When he was dating my mom her brother wanted to race. He had a toy and of course my dads had his 720. They found a straight away and raced at the light. My moms brother was floored already but my dad wasn't. He was just messing around. They wanted him to floor it do when he did...... They never saw him again till they got to there destination. They were freaking out by how fast it was. Anyways that was his first race I think but there's one he never stops telling.

One night he was going to pick up my mom and on his way he happen to drive by the "fastest" toys on Guam. They were some Japanese dudes thinking they got the fastest trucks. So this one jap guy chased after my dad so he can race him and show off in front of his friends. My dad accepted the challenge seeing as he had no choice. They started at the light and when it turned green... My dad got the jump and had half a car length on him. After shifting to second he gained another half a car length. And after every shift he just got farther and farther. After he beat him he wanted to do a rolling start. He kept saying "NO AGAIN AGAIN, ROLLING START ROLLING START!!" so my dad said alright one more time. He was already running late so he was rushing. Well my dads truck was already in second gear because of the high rpms. As the toy was still in first. When they did the ready set go my dad gunned it and had a car length already. When he shifted to third he got another car length. So in the end after the race the jap guys was so pissed he wanted to go again. And what made it even worse is that my dads best friend was in the passenger seat of the toy laughing at him saying he got beat. My dad had to leave so he left with a big smile on his face laughing. In the end he ended up selling the mikunis and sold the truck. The guy he sold it too was a complete dumba** and hooked nitrous up to it. Well when he took it to go drag he didn't know what he was doing and blew up the whole engine bay. My dad was very disappointed but what's done was done. He had his fun with it and moved to the U.S. shortly after. Thats the end..... Until I get my 720. Wanting to get the same year or maybe an '85 or '86 720. Well that's my dads story hope you enjoyed.

[Z chopper]

well your dad should remember the setup up he had and lend you a helping hand when it comes to the build. unless you are wanting to build it as a suprise present for your dad

[_chiefjt]

Hmm that sounds like a good idea. Maybe I'll get him his '83 back. Gonna be hard to find though. I'm a sophomore right now so it won't be until after HS. I know my senior year I'll be driving a '78 shortbed 620.

[Z chopper]

it doesn't need to be an 83 720 but a 720 set up like what your dad had when he was 16, I am sure would bring back a rush of good memories and then the both of you working together on it would build new memories for both of you.