New to the Datsun scene, few questions here

[Cjilagan]

Hey guys, I'm new to the Datsun community so I thought Id start a thread

I just picked up an 81 king cab and I would like to know more about this truck I am curious as to how expensive building the z22 or if it's even worth it.

Next is has anyone mached up 280z fender flares?

what kind of steering issues will arise when lowering it 3 inches?

And last but not least what is the widest wheel and tire you can run without modification

[that-son]

hello. i have an 81 kc myself and might still be getting a rebuilt motor.  where i live, people charge way more to rebuild.  the least expensive was $1400 if i pull it out myself and $2300 if they do all the work.  a rebuilt engine from oreilly's is $1500.  some people will put an older cylinder head but i don't know anything about that.  most likely they'll chime in.  i'm also curious about the "widest wheel and tire" part of your post.  i'm also considering wheel spacers cause the truck just looks tall and skinny.

[Cjilagan]

Ya I just picked mine up 2 days ago pulled the bumpers off, pulled the front cover for the motor cause tensioner was shot and the chain jumped a tooth. Next is to get money to replace the timing chain and tensioner, find a cheap header and run 2 1/4 piping to a flow master 40, then lower it 3 inches either roll fenders or cut them for some flares and wide tires

[datzenmike]

Three inches will affect the toe in and camber settings enough to wear the tires and steering.

 

Very very unlikely for the chain to jump a tooth. Never seen or heard of a verified case, there just isn't enough slack in the chain for this. The guides do wear out though. You can check the chain for correct cam timing and adjust.

 

The Z24 is not a high revving engine and 'runs out of breath above 4,500 RPMs so a header (especially a cheap one) is money that would be better spent on a good carb. Most find the 32/36 or a 38/38 really wakes the Z24 up. A too large exhaust pipe will drop the exhaust speed and you will loose some low end power and torque. The Z24 already has a 2" down pipe and is built for high torque at up to highway speeds to pull a heavy truck around.

 

If going to wide rims it's even more important to get the correct back spacing or off set when planning to lower the ride height. This avoids fender rubbing on bumps and turns. You can use this old trick to make the rear wheels appear wider. Run the widest size you can on the back that fit inside the fenders and run a smaller width on the front. The fronts make the backs 'look' wider than they are and there is less chance of front fender rubbing on turns.

 

Mufflers are a personal choice, just remember what sounds great on a chevy sounds like shit on a 4 cylinder. Best to hear one on a 720 first. Pretty soon loud mufflers get just plain annoying with their constant drone. Best to get a well insulated and absorbing turbo type muffler or a $24 replacement special. Noise is not power, it's just noise.

[Cjilagan]

What happened was the tensioner came apart and was sitting at the bottom of the front cover, then it skipped a tooth. I can move it from tooth to tooth.... So my next question is how much will flipping the spindles make up for lowering it 3 inches?

And I want to fit a set of fender flares on it and make some more room for wheel and tire clearance

Thanks for the insight!

[Justin Berni]

You can lower it 3 inches and be fine as long as you get it aligned right after.

I dropped mine like 5 inches, camber was barely changed, but before I got an alignment I went thru tires in two weeks, got it aligned and never had a problem.

[dr.feltersnatch]

In stock for the napz22 is a great truck motor. Full of low end torque. They simply run out of breath at higher rpm due to the head design. You can build an lz hybrid where you put an l series head on a napz series block. This will breathe better at higher rpm. Its pretty well documented just do a google search. Lowering 3 inches from stock you should be fine, just get an alignment as said before.

[720inOlyWa]

I agree with the good, and hopefully roundly experienced, Dr.

I am amazed at how nicely my little NAPZ motor has bounced back from her bad head gasket situation. It seems like every time I work on it a little, it gets better and better. I love the low end torque and it floats along at 70 just fine. I don’t need much of anything else, really.

[datzenmike]

What happened was the tensioner came apart and was sitting at the bottom of the front cover, then it skipped a tooth. I can move it from tooth to tooth.... So my next question is how much will flipping the spindles make up for lowering it 3 inches?

And I want to fit a set of fender flares on it and make some more room for wheel and tire clearance

Thanks for the insight!

 

Tensioner can't fall out unless the cam sprocket was removed without properly blocking it. Perhaps a prevoius owner had the head off for a gasket change and didn't know better.

 

Never heard of flipping the spindle upside down. If it worked everyone would be doing it. There are drop spindles avaliable for the D2 Hardbody that fit the later 720.

[Justin Berni]

4x4 720's came with fender flares, a lot of people don't like them on a 2wd but I think they look cool if you have a wheel and tire size that actually fills the flares.

[Cjilagan]

Datzen I will post pics as soon as I can figure how to from my phone lol but The tensioner fell out of the front of it because the chain is so stretched

 

Berni I am more curious about a more rounded fender flare I want it to be low and wide

 

And dr. Thanks for the info about the head swap I will look more into it when I have the funds

[Justin Berni]

I wonder what zg flares would look like on a 720.

[wayno]

I am not sure it is possible to flip the spindles on the 720, the ball joint shafts are different sizes and not compatible, and the spindle itself is made with a bend/angle at the top.

They do sell drop spindles for the 1983+ 720, and the disc brake spindles are interchangeable from the 620 threw the 720, so if you want, you can put drop spindles on a 1980 720 as long as you use the 1983+ spindles/calipers/vented rotors from the later model 720s, as some of the hardware may need to be transferred from the later model spindles, I don't recall about that anymore.

[Cjilagan]

Wayno thank you for the information about the spindles

Berni that's what I was thinking I know I would have to cut the fenders but I think it would look mean

[Justin Berni]

As long as you had a tire set up that actually filled the flares I think it would look amazing.

[Cjilagan]

 

[Cjilagan]

 

 

 

 

The day I picked it up

[720inOlyWa]

Is the console between the seats a stock item? I would really like to find one of those- in tan!

[wayno]

Yes that console is a stock 720 item, and it did come in Tan. :)

Just start combing the wrecking yards, eventually you will find one.

[Cjilagan]

Alright one more question and this is just an idea I have come up with

 

I removed my front bumper and I want to get rid of those blinker lights. Has any one tried switching the high beams to the low beam side and got tinted lenses and using the low beam lights to run on the blinker circuit?

Would there be to much strain on the circuit to do it?

[datzenmike]

High beams have a different light pattern than low beams and will blind oncoming traffic. This is illegal and basically a foolish thing to do these days. There is no advantage to doing this. Colored lamps? why? Any coloring or coating reduces light output and the whole idea of headlamps is to SEE in the dark.

 

Remove the turn signals??? The point of them is to let others know what YOU are doing when turning and illegal to not have them but most of all foolish and dangerous. Just to be different????

 

[Cjilagan]

I'm sorry datzen I'm getting tired of your smart remarks man.

 

I'm going to fit hids later and that's why I'm moving my blinkers up to either high or low beam circuits

 

Not everyone wants stock shit it's pointless and plain boring I am coming up with ways to make it my own so stop telling me everything I wanna do is wrong.

 

Everything you have said in this thread is completely negative to what is actually going on.

 

If your not going to be helpful then stop posting in the thread.

[Justin Berni]

I'm sorry datzen I'm getting tired of your smart remarks man.

 

I'm going to fit hids later and that's why I'm moving my blinkers up to either high or low beam circuits

 

Not everyone wants stock shit it's pointless and plain boring I am coming up with ways to make it my own so stop telling me everything I wanna do is wrong.

 

Everything you have said in this thread is completely negative to what is actually going on.

 

If your not going to be helpful then stop posting in the thread.

Asking mike to not help you is a terrible idea.

Why post on a forum if your not expecting criticism?..

[Cjilagan]

Well I have questions because I don't work with datsun I am a Toyota guy and he doesn't have to be rude and make smart remarks and shit

[Justin Berni]

Well I have questions because I don't work with datsun I am a Toyota guy and he doesn't have to be rude and make smart remarks and shit

You asked if something was a bad idea or not, he have answers? Haha.

Oh well, not my problem, but if you wanna survive on ratsun you gotta have thick skin, don't get so butthurt so easily.