DIY Datsun 720

[DIY Datsun]

Hello! I've been utilizing the forums a lot recently so I felt as though I'm obligated to make an account and archive my build process. 

 

So at the beginning of the year I received my first vehicle. A 1980 Datsun 720 KC with a whopping 270K miles for about $200 worth of stuff in a trade. 5spd RWD She was rough. All the problems with it consisted of

 

- Needed starter and alternator

- One of the rear brake cylinders dumped fluid rendering the rear brakes useless

- E brake doesn't work

- No gauges but the Fuel gauge

- No driver window

- Dents everywhere

- Crappy bed liner paint all over the truck

- Shot vacuum lines (I've found this to be common)

- Blinkers don't work

- Dash above cluster looks as if it was bitten by a horse

- No door cards

- Fuse box wiring is a complete mess (different splices and fuses everywhere)

- Found later under some carpet was big ol rust holes in the driver AND passenger side footwell.

- It sat outside in the northern Idaho winter for 2 months

 

The Good!

- Entire driveline is strong and runs smoothly

- Straight piped with not too bad of welds

- Brand new snow tires 

- New spark plugs and wires

- New gaskets all around and no leaks

- Came with a nifty racing mirror and light bar 

- It's a Datsun! 

 

So in the recent months I've been working whenever I can on the truck and here is all the things I have accomplished/replaced

 

- Starter and alternator 

- Took out the washer bottle and cleaned up the engine bay (taping wires together where necessary and whatnot)

- Put in driver window (quite the b!tch to find around here)

- Took out the old truck driver seats and swapped them for 1991 Mazda Miata seats

- Became acquainted with the truck after cleaning it in every space possible

- Took off the 70lb steel bumper that the previous owner put on

- Fixed the door handle linkage for the inside driver door

- Fixed the bent core support

- Diy Bumper bar

- Hood pins because the hoodlatch wouldn't work after I put it into the garage and the brakes went straight to the floor and I bumped it off the wall at maybe 4 mph

- Made the axle dump into a straight exit right by the plate

- Tuned the carb and sealed up all the broken vacuum lines etc so it can idle without sitting at 1200 rpm

- Install a new Superior Performance "the 500" steering wheel using the original steering wheel hub

 

So a little more information, I got this truck on a complete whim and am loving the experience so far. Me and some friends trailered it back to my house and I began working on it. All of my welding experience is me learning on this truck with my harbor freight stick welder and some friends who explained how it works. All the things that are done on the truck have been done with my own hands and I'm proud of it. I've been learning about 720's and their histories and planning what I want to do with it and so far It's going to plan. I've hit some bumps along the way and just recently found why the blinkers aren't working which I will fix soon all thanks to everyone on the forum. If you've made it this far I appreciate your time and I hope that you'll stick around to see how the build progresses! - Josh 

[datzenmike]

Welcome to Ratsun Josh. Sounds like you've been bitten by the Datsun bug.

[Lockleaf]

Welcome. Now get some pics posted!

[DIY Datsun]

Here is how I received the truck before I started cleaning and tearing things down

 

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[DIY Datsun]

Now here is how the truck sits. The hood and the front "bumper" piece are in the bed so I have more access to the bay and also to the front bumper bar