Down the Line, Datsun 710

[Engy]

As some of you guys may already know I recently bought a 74 Datsun 710 from a member here, tbubar. I didn't exactly understand the love for the car you guys have until I drove it. Now I've driven some pretty nice car, including a 400+hp drag truck, and I have to say I've had the most fun in this car just driving like I normally would. Now the previous owner already did alot of work on the car and left me with a few things to work with, like a 4 speed manual transmission from a 200sx. The car runs beautifully and I was pleasantly surprised when it made the 2 hour trip from the border of Massachusetts to the little resort town int he mountains I live in without a problem. It does need a little body work and a new paint job which I am trying to decide whether to keep it original color or paint it another color of my choice. I was also thinking of lowering it about 1" sometime in the future.

 

Enough of my rambling though you came here for pics didn't you.

 

 

 

 

 

I'll take good care of this treasure.

[Engy]

I was thinking about getting some fender/hood mounted mirrors, is there a certain style that's era appropriate?

[thisismatt]

Fender mirrors are never appropriate :D

[Bentaxlebob]

Nice car. Congrats. About mirrors, those fender mirrors look different but are not very effective. Make sure you can drive with them.

[Will]

Nice to see that it came with those plates... and a 4-speed!

[Will]

-though if the transmission is from a 200sx, it should be a 5-speed dogleg, I think.

[Engy]

Not sure what the trans is I haven't taken it out of the truck yet, but the plates aren't mine he just let me use them to drive home but maybe I can get them.

 

Top 5 things to do:

-Rebuild/put in the transmission

-Paint/bodywork

-Build the engine so that I can go highway speeds

-Fender Mirrors maybe

-Fix blinkers/radio and other resto work

[datzenmike]

If short 26" long, speedo on driver's side, smooth case, front and rear aluminum case with steel plate in middle and looks like this...

 

 

....then S10 transmission that were only equipped with 5 speed doglegs or automatics. Nice going! Same length as the 710 4 speed so find a 710 4 speed driveshaft and good to go.

[Engy]

Alright thanks! Might bring in the transmission to my school shop to work on with the help of people who may actually know stuff and go on the hunt for a driveshaft. I'll check to see what it is later tonight or tomorrow, pretty sure it's the same kind you posted.

[Engy]

Well I decided to go out in the cold to look at the tranmission and it is 26" long and looks pretty much the same as the one you posted.

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

Can't tell from this angle if for an L series (there were Z series doglegs) or not but the good thing is you have the clutch arm and throwout collar. It will work with car 200mm pressure plates.

[NEIL ELDER]

Congrats on the 710. I have just joined this board just for the purpose of buying a 710. I have one in mind just have to convince myself That I need another project. Also I live near Toronto Ont and seems like all the 710s are at least a 10 hour drive.

[datzenmike]

Fly out to skib's and drive one home to TO. He may sell it... http://community.rat...itle-710-coupe/

[Engy]

Congrats on the 710. I have just joined this board just for the purpose of buying a 710. I have one in mind just have to convince myself That I need another project. Also I live near Toronto Ont and seems like all the 710s are at least a 10 hour drive.

 

I've only driven it for maybe 3 hours total but I love it. Highly recommended if you can find one without alot of rust that runs well.

[tbubar]

I wish I checked the forums earlier...I figured you either found ratsun already, or you would at some point. Enjoy the car! I had a blast with it for a few years, but with 2 small kids I was just letting it go to waste. If you get sick of it, let me know. Maybe I'll be ready to buy it back in a few years. :)

[izzo]

damn 710s are popping up everywhere.

[Engy]

I wish I checked the forums earlier...I figured you either found ratsun already, or you would at some point. Enjoy the car! I had a blast with it for a few years, but with 2 small kids I was just letting it go to waste. If you get sick of it, let me know. Maybe I'll be ready to buy it back in a few years. :)

 

Yeah ratsun was the first place I went when I was interested in the car. It's an awesome little car, you took good care of it and it's in good hands still. I was pretty sure you would have been on here too but I wasn't sure until I was linked to your build and I have to say I was amazed at what it was to what it is now. It won't go to waste here, gonna try and fix it up the rest of the way and have a nice little cruiser.

 

Hopefully getting it registered this week before snow and salt so I can drive around a bit more before storing it for the winter.

[Bentaxlebob]

Fly out to skib's and drive one home to TO. He may sell it... http://community.rat...itle-710-coupe/

Do not buy that one. These false Datsun fans have to learn that a Datsun is for keepers !

[bonvo]

Do not buy that one. These false Datsun fans have to learn that a Datsun is for keepers !

false datsun fans? you obviously havnt spent enough time on this forum if your calling skib a "false datsun fan" that being said i do hope he keeps it

[bonvo]

Top 5 things to do:

 

-Build the engine so that I can go highway speeds

 

 

 

is it that slow? you shouldnt have any issues gettin up to free way speeds when i had my 76 610 i topped it out at 90 took a while to get there with the stock carb and 4 speed but it still got there 65 mph was about 3500 rpms with the stock 3.70 diff i later swapped in a dog leg and 3.90s and 65 was at 2900 rpm

[datzenmike]

Fly out to skib's and drive one home to TO. He may sell it... http://community.rat...itle-710-coupe/

 

Do not buy that one. These false Datsun fans have to learn that a Datsun is for keepers !

 

Maybe an attempt at humor? Skib's more of a builder than an owner.

 

[datsunfreak]

Maybe an attempt at humor? Skib's more of a builder than an owner.

 

Hey, some of us love building them more than keeping them... :rofl:

 

 

And welcome aboard! :thumbup:

[Engy]

is it that slow? you shouldnt have any issues gettin up to free way speeds when i had my 76 610 i topped it out at 90 took a while to get there with the stock carb and 4 speed but it still got there 65 mph was about 3500 rpms with the stock 3.70 diff i later swapped in a dog leg and 3.90s and 65 was at 2900 rpm

 

I might just be too used to the newer cars I've driven but it was struggling around around 65 and made a few funny noises so I kept it around 55-60mph but I did eventually get it up to 65 for a little bit. It doesn't have a tac and it's a 3 speed automatic too. I'm guessing the more I drive it the more I'll get used to it.

[bonvo]

yeah probably autos also rob alot of power could also be in need of a trans rebuild

[Engy]

Yeah I'm in the process of reading up on rebuilding the manual transmission so I can just put that in and have more gears and gear control. Also on my lsit of things to do is get brighter headlight/highbeams and redirect the highbeams so they don't point basically straight up, even if it is comical seeing the highbeams shoot up through the fog.