Can a 1977 710 Wagon be a daily driver?

[Datasun]

Spring has arrived, and it is decision time. Do I keep working on my project car without a shop or funds to do it, or do I sell my two 1977 wagons to someone who loves this year and model as much as I do and who has the resources to combine several cars into one awesome one.

 

What will help me make this decision is knowing what other 1977 710 owners (or L20B owners) do with their cars. I know I drove my car daily for three years without a hitch. I don't know what it is like in the states, but here in Canada some of the parts are very hard to find for this model. Right now I am thinking that if I am able to fix the car, the responsible thing to do would be to keep it as a Sunday driver, a toy for my own enjoyment.

 

So my real question is, if some of you are driving your 710's daily, have you made many modifications to the origional parts in order to so? Have you replaced the engine with another model that is easier to get parts for? Is it an injustice to threaten the extinction of a car in order to get to work?

 

If I could buy a brand new 1977 Datsun 710 I would.

 

p.s. I apologise for previously posting a million times to one thread, I am new to forums and this is the only one I have ever posted to, I am still unaware of some of the edicate and I didn't realise that I was bumping my topic to the top each time I posted something. Also, I am really happy to find other people who think its ok to keep old vehicles alive.

[RedBanner]

I daily my 710, if not one then the other, engine parts are easy to find for the most part, as this l20b was used in several models for over 20 years, the issue up north is salt. They salt the roads in the winter and that will make swiss cheese out of a datsun pretty quick.

I guess the question is what parts cant you find? Shouldnt realy be a problem.

[Datasun]

When I see what some people on here have started out with, and what they have accomplished, I realise that my car would easily be made into a running car, or even a beautiful car. It had no rust, it was garaged by the person I bought it from, it now has very little rust five years later, nothing that couldn't be removed and repianted. I have the car covered, and Alberta is actually very dry and they do not put salt on the roads here, they use sand.

 

I found almost all the parts I needed, although I never needed very many, the carb is no longer being made. I had the carb rebuilt, but it may need to be rebuilt/checked again, when I was on here last (six months ago, with no shop I have to wait six months for the six feet of snow to melt) most people felt pretty confident that it was a carb issue from the symptoms I described.

 

My issue is that I am moving back to be B.C., where they do salt the roads, and I would have to transport my two vehicles to my new home sixteen hours away, and another 2 hour ferry ride. Not necessarily something I am not willing to do. I am also not sure what the problem actually is, the only mechanic I trust here in this small town was unable to diagnose the problem, asked me to bring it back when he had more time, than didn't return my calls, he doesn't know foriegn cars and doesn't want to. It is only just now that the weather is coming to a point that I could work on it myself, and I am moving in a week. I have to decide in the next few months what to do with the vehicles.

 

I know I can fix it if I put my mind to it, the question is what do I do with it than, is it feasable to use it to get to my new job? Or should I respect that it is an old timer and take it easy on it? If it breaks down again, how long before I can fix it again? I wish it could be my only vehicle, but I don't know if this is possible.

 

I really am trying to keep my posts short.

[moparvwfreak]

I was dailying my 73 620 with a 78 L20b in it for years. The only reason its a backup now is it uses more oil than gas. Otherwise I would be rocking it everyday.

[Eagle_Adam]

yes, my GF DD's a 710 goon

[Datasun]

There is a limit to how many likes you can do in one day? Why? How many can I do?

 

I suppose there isn't going to be a single person on here who doesn't think I can drive this car daily forever.

 

So... anyone in Vancouver or Victoria interested in helping me work on it for pay or for fun or for beer?

 

There is one mechanic I could potentially take it to that I used to use, I bought the first car from him, but he used duck tape on it, orange duck tape so I didn't notice it for a long time, there is another shop in Pitt Meadows that I am pretty sure the guy owns just so him and his buddies can work on their classics, the whole repairs thing is just required to pay for performance parts. Don't know if they work on imports though.

[heretic]

I drove my 72' 510 with an L20b w/710 5spd 120 miles a day for 5 years. 

[Datasun]

heretic: Why did you stop driving it?

[izzo]

From the looks of cars in his list, he might have sold it.  Ive been daily driving datsuns since 07/08....

 

510's, 620s, 720s, a 521 and so on.  All L16, L18, L20, Naps, and A14 series.  Parts aren't to hard to find if its mechanical man. Rockauto, local parts places. Body parts and glass are where the issues are at. (should say more depends on how deep your pockets are)

[heretic]

I was young.. It was the early 90's my wife & I just had our second baby & bills needed to be paid. I had just gotten a company truck to drive & my 510 was the only thing I had of any value to pull in some quick cash.  

 

That car was bullet proof, EVER Datsun I've ever owned has been. 

[heretic]

as a matter of fact the motor & trans came out of a 77' 710 goon that got t-boned in an intersection.  

[Datasun]

 

 

 

That car was bullet proof, EVER Datsun I've ever owned has been. 

I know, that is why I don't want to give up on it. Money and time is the only thing that casts doubt for me. I have been looking for another one or an L20B truck that I can just use for right now, I don't care if it is a beater, but there is nothing right now. I may have to buy another vehicle in the mean time.

[Datasun]

I just realised that someone already started a thread about this topic a couple weeks ago, its titled: The real cost of a cheap "daily driver" datsun. We may want to move this discussion over there.

 

[Guest 510kamikazifreak]

Moving back to the Island :thumbup:

Get away from the Alberta cold!!!

 

There is quite a few datsun peeps in Victoria(assuming thats where you are moving to)

[Guest 510kamikazifreak]

I daily drove 510's for 20 years, Just have back up parts/car in case.

Now they are becoming more scarce, so now I only daily summer drive them.

[datzenmike]

I would say that keeping it close to stock will make it drive longer. The L20B may be hard to find but it runs forever. I don't DD my 710 goon but my wife does for my 710 sedan. We parked them before Christmas and the sedan goes back on the road this week. woot!

 

Both 710s have KA24E high volume oil pumps and EI distributors. The sedan also has an internally regulated S13 KA24E 90 amp alternator while my goon has a 100 amp '02 Altima alternator. The EI dizzy gets rid of the points forever and has a higher voltage output while the 100 amp alternators get rid of the external voltage regulators and the higher output means the at idle the high beams are bright and they don't dim with the heater, wipers and the turn signal on.

 

 

Put it this way...

From the book of Mike:

I believe in the EI dizzy, and the IR alternator. That Datsun IS a car and that the almighty Nissan made them. I believe in gear reduction starters for colder climates and high output oil pumps. That setting valve lash hot is better than cold, and that a good mechanic does not need to use RTV. That a good used junkyard part is superior to a reconditioned one and I believe in the merits of a hot start relay and re torquing head bolts at every tune up. I believe that a higher output alternator trumps a stock one and that dash light dimmer switches were installed by Nissan as an in joke by the engineers. I have faith that when a Datsun quits on the side of the road that almost anyone can check for spark and fuel and that having found one and fixing the other it will start and get you home.

.... try THAT with a new car!!!

[Datasun]

Moving to the Southern Gulf Islands, close enough. I am now considering trying to see if the parts car still runs. I bet it will.

 

510freak: do you have any mechanics in victoria you trust? Or do you do all the work yourself?

[Cahoon520]

Where in Alberta are you from?

[Datasun]

I'm origionally from B.C., but I am an hour outside of Edmonton.

[Cahoon520]

Oh not to many Alberta Ratsuners around here...You going to be at the Datsun Matsuri in May?

[Guest 510kamikazifreak]

Moving to the Southern Gulf Islands, close enough. I am now considering trying to see if the parts car still runs. I bet it will.

 

510freak: do you have any mechanics in victoria you trust? Or do you do all the work yourself?

 

 

Nice, you will like it back here..again?

 

I am not in Victoria,

As for mechanics, I only trust myself to work on my vehicles.

 

You could join the Vancouver Island Datsun Club(most are in Duncan/Victoria area)

they should be able to guide in the direction of a decent datsun fixer.

[Datasun]

I could try to be at the datsun matsuri, this is the first I've heard of it.

 

I would rather fix it myself, I may need a vehicle before I am able to fix it, there were days when I stared and stared, and removed and put back on a bunch of parts, each time bringing it inside to find out what the heck it was on-line, putting on the part from my parts car, and it having no effect. So it is a very slow process for me.

 

I am just trying to figure out all my options right now. It would be really nice to have one of the cars running right away. But some of the best things you have to wait for.

 

I have heard of that club, but good to be reminded that they are there, thanks.

[Guest 510kamikazifreak]

The Datsun availabilty on the Island is pretty limited now.

 

Is the rough one worth towing(expense)

[Cahoon520]

I could try to be at the datsun matsuri, this is the first I've heard of it.

Last year was the first year. It was awesome. Its on the long weekend in May in Kelowna BC. I will be there with my truck again.

[Datasun]

The other one just looks ruff, haven't started it in a few years, it never ran as smooth, but never let me down either. If I keep one I'll keep both. I can't take either right now, I will have to come back for them and many other things. I got them both here with all my stuff for about $1500-$2000, so its doable.

 

Carb should be rebuilt, but I couldn't tell that it needed it when I was still driving it, the mechanic told me when I brought the carb in to him to see if he could use it to rebuild the other one. After reading what happened to a guy in "the real costs of a daily driver", it would be wisest not to drive either of them through the mountains, even though it would be pretty hilarious to be the one to doop myself, "it drove fine until I parked it"