Uk datty 720

[Pickmeup]

Hello from the UK, i have bought my first ever datsun 720!

 

Lots of plans to sort her out and bring her into the now, i will need some help on few things, hopefully some you guys can help me along the way!

 

What i know so far:

1983 rwd 720 LWB

Bought in from thailand

Been restored at some point

S15(i think) SR20de conversion on s15 5 speed, either 160hp or Autech 200hp!

Possible Tomei cams

Enkei wheels with crazy offset

Underneth is very good for its age, been undersealed which is very important here for the UK

Has power steering, looks old tech so not later nissan

 

 

Plans so far:

Heltech digi dash as nothing works currently

Open rear diff, found this one any gd ? https://www.tractionconcepts.com/1980-1986-Datsun-720-Truck-H190-Diff-Lsd-Kit-p/tcxda4621.htm

Fix/adjust/clutch as the biting point is very low

Replace the upper & lower front ball joints

Big brake upgrade - ive read 2000 pathfinder brakes fit

Update the suspension and get it a bit lower to the ground!

Change the seating arrangment as im 6ft 2" and its a bit uncomfortable- maybe brides

Generally replace and tidy the engine bay and various parts

It has AC, its gets hot here for like a months worth so its coming out

Banana 4-2-1 manifold

Inlet upgrade, greddy free flowing plenum

Bigger injectors

Upgrade the radiator

Redo the exhuast system in stainless 2.5/3"

Haltech standalone for mapping power gains & better mpg

Change wheels as i like the body stock

Change the steering wheel maybe even the colunm as well

Id like to get a custom moulded rubber bed mould so i dont damge it

Change the engine bay colour!

 

Hope you guys like it!

 

 

Mike

 

 

[]2eDeYe]

Nice 720, welcome :) 

[Rat-a-tat-Dat]

Great to have you aboard!  

Someone's been busy, I see an older box mounted on a newer frame, but it looks good!

 

[datzenmike]

1 hour ago, Pickmeup said:

Open rear diff, found this one any gd ? https://www.tractionconcepts.com/1980-1986-Datsun-720-Truck-H190-Diff-Lsd-Kit-p/tcxda4621.htm

 

 

NEVER run that thing. It is not an LSD. It uses a strong spring pressure to crush the side gears against the case to 'lock' them together. This is metal to metal and not spring loaded clutches and discs. I can't believe these things are still out there. They used to be called Phantom Grip. I guess every year a new crowd of young drivers hit the road that don't know any better. If you want LSD... GET an LSD. Expect to pay $700- $1,500 for a real one.

[Pickmeup]

8 hours ago, datzenmike said:

 

NEVER run that thing. It is not an LSD. It uses a strong spring pressure to crush the side gears against the case to 'lock' them together. This is metal to metal and not spring loaded clutches and discs. I can't believe these things are still out there. They used to be called Phantom Grip. I guess every year a new crowd of young drivers hit the road that don't know any better. If you want LSD... GET an LSD. Expect to pay $700- $1,500 for a real one.

Oh really, that sounds like a really bad design, metal on metal is just pointless why even make that ? Im very new to this, so far im going by what i find but thats why im on here to get better knowledge!

 

So a 'real' lsd excists ? or do i need to change the axle over ? I know theres other benefits like disc brakes if i did that.

[Pickmeup]

9 hours ago, Rat-a-tat-Dat said:

Great to have you aboard!  

Someone's been busy, I see an older box mounted on a newer frame, but it looks good!

 

Do you mean the bed on the back or the cab ?

[datzenmike]

The chances of finding a Nissan LSD are vanishingly small. There was an option on the later D21 (Hardbody) but 'OPTION', so rare that anyone would even know about it to order it. After market is more likely. The Ford Mustang 8.8 could be shortened cheaper.

[Rat-a-tat-Dat]

On 8/3/2019 at 2:39 AM, Pickmeup said:

Do you mean the bed on the back or the cab ?

The bed is off of an earlier '70's model, more notably a 620. The front fender mirrors are also an addition from the same vintage truck, or possibly a  Sunny 1200 UTE. But then again, the entire vehicle has been modified, like most resto projects, with some personal touches.

Your wish list is no exception. 

Cheers!

[Pickmeup]

Thanks Rat-a-tat-dat

 

I did notch the bed door had Datsun instead if nissan which was a plus for me, but good to know that its from 620! I proby have a whole heap of odd parts i have no idea whats from at this point, but again thats no different from a factory built nissan from the 90's 🤣

 

 

The truck arrives tomorrow so more pics to come and work will start!

[Pickmeup]

Update

 

The more i look at this truck the more i discover things i dont like about how things have been done, Wiring is terrible and mess, the ecu looks like the original ?

 

Found out it has enkei 15 x 8.5 et -20 wheels, the rears had 35mm steel spacers on! Wheels fit alot better now, adjusted the drum shoes as well, the handbrake(parking brake) need adjustment too.

 

When you put the foot brake on, the rear lights/brake lights flash 5-6 times, then stops for a second then repeats, maybe a relay has been put in or what i dont know...

 

Found out on the front, not only are the top & bottom ball joints on the hubs destroyed, both inner and outer steering ball joints as well, basically a death trap! 😯

The steering box has a thick 20mm torched cut plate spacing it out to miss the sr20 alternator not great seems to work, the lower arm end of the box seems to be leaking too.

Bled the front brakes to see if that helps, looks like it has the stock master, probably should change it to a s14 unit.

 

The rear of the gearbox(trans) leaks as well, not too bad the part will be easy to get 😄

The exhuast is a maze of different sizes, the main problem is it goes down under the centre chassis cross member, its about 4" off the ground so i cant go much lower right now, im thinking of hole sawing through the cross membesr and taking it through there which will give me alot more clearence to go lower, wont be easy but i get to fab an all new stainless exhuast 😄

 

I want to fit a quick release steering wheel to make easier to get in and out, proved near impossible find a specific datsun boss, counted the splines which is 36 and ordered a land rover boss, i hope that fits, i can then bolt a quick release to that, i may even machine down the boss to make it extra slim (im cnc machinist)

I cant get the glovebox open, does it need a key ?

 

So ive ordered all the ball joints and i had to get the steering rod ends from thailand, which actually came over night, Also got some new wheel nuts but bought 20 & i need 24 doh!

 

That paint chip annoys even more than my collie constantly giving me that ball! lol

 

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

On 8/4/2019 at 10:16 PM, Rat-a-tat-Dat said:

The bed is off of an earlier '70's model, more notably a 620. The front fender mirrors are also an addition from the same vintage truck, or possibly a  Sunny 1200 UTE. But then again, the entire vehicle has been modified, like most resto projects, with some personal touches.

Your wish list is no exception. 

Cheers!

 

This is not a 620 box or even close. the 620 tail lights are along the bottom and they never came with fender mirrors. That is a fad that caught on over here like the rising sun hood. It does look sort of like an '83-'84 box with the outward facing lip and the rear tail lights. However the N American tail lights wrap around to be visible from the sides. Also has the handles for closing while ours has a center pull handle.

[Rat-a-tat-Dat]

I stand corrected!

 

Quote from Wikipedia:

Early 1980 to early 1983 models have single wall beds with outside rolled lips and rope ties, two faux hood vents (some had real vents), and tail lights on the lower rear valance (similar to the 620). These vehicles were badged with a small Datsun logo on the driver's side of the grill, a raised plastic Datsun badge on the front fenders, a large Datsun embossed on the rear tailgate, as well as Datsun stickers on the bottom left of the tailgate, and model designation on the right.

 

The later 1983's front end underwent transformation with a larger grille, bumper, and corner lights. There was also a revised dashboard with round instead of square gauges ( Pickmeup has the square type). At the same time, the regular cab was lengthened slightly and the air extractor vents behind the cab doors changed from the high "flag" look too long, narrow ones that matched the height of the window opening. The cabs of the King Cab versions were unchanged. For a limited period, 1984 models built in the US had the single wall beds with rope ties, yet used tail lights on the rear bed corners with amber turn signals over the red stop/tail lights while the backup lights remained under the tailgate. These "in-between" models were a combination of Datsun and Nissan badging, with Nissan replacing Datsun in similar fashion to the earlier models, but incorporated a "Datsun by Nissan" plastic trim piece on the front fenders, and "Datsun by Nissan" stickers on the tailgate. The late model trucks produced from 1983.5 to 1986 used double wall, smooth sided beds, with revised tail lights on the corners which resembled those on Chevrolet/GMC S-series trucks. The badging was exclusively Nissan (going along with Nissan's rebranding and conversion of 1,100 Datsun dealerships to Nissan dealerships), with the name officially being "Nissan 720", which is found in the owner's manual, service manual, and literature from the period.'s 

 

Pickmeup has a unique combination of early as well as late badging for identification purposes. Plus, it's a RHD indicating an overseas unit? In addition, some overseas models continued with the early style beds in the later model years as well as round headlamps, and included various combinations of Datsun and Nissan badging while retaining the Datsun name throughout all model years.

 

There's also the removal of the rear bumper that essentially changes its normal (?) appearance.

 

Also, the front bumper has had some cosmetic implants installed.

[Pickmeup]

Quite an intresting read!

 

This is the major problem across all models even into the 90's with the same chassis but different parts on different cars. but at least ol' wiki has some sence and insight into that!

 

It is from thailand, so i guess it was made for that market so who knows what other combinations they did there.

 

More progress soon.

[datzenmike]

Yue Loong built 510s so probably 620s as well.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yulon

[Pickmeup]

Thanks for the info guys, learning new info all the time.

 

Steering boss fitted, in the end i found a 36 spline boss for a land rover, quailty isny great but it will do, i will have to machine the largest dia. so it fits into the trim and im going to make it shorter. The wheel is temp as i need to find a nice classic looking one.

 

Took the bull bar/front guard off, i like it so far what do you guys think ?

 

Painted the rocker cover, not the greatest job will do for now, i like things that sparkle!

 

All the front ball joints nearly done, i had to get the lower hub units from thailand, they should fit and its all done.