Filled front bumpers & one piece headlights?

[Justin]

Hey fellas,

    I got a 720 as a parts truck, but gosh-darn if it isn't too nice to use as a parts truck.

So now I'm thinking about restoring it 🤷‍♂️

I live in California, so I have to deal with smog (and I just read that smog in CA will no longer be "rolling", '76 is the end-all cut-off year).

 

I have some questions, I've never messed with any 720's.

 

My front bench seat has the center section missing, and it looks like it would have been a console or stash spot or something? Are these hard to find?

 

I have a CHROME rear bumper, and a BLACKED-OUT front bumper (super lame). Looking around online, I've seen a few filled chrome bumpers (no holes or running lights,) and I'm guessing this is something custom (and I'll have to get a welder again, should already have one-), but if someone wants to confirm or deny this that'd be great.

 

AND...

those bitchin' 1 piece wide rectangle headlights!  What are those known as? I'm guessing JC Whitney doesn't sell 'em anymore- Do they ever show up on eBay?

pics tomorrow probably 

[datzenmike]

2wd trim around front side marker lights, front/rear bumpers were chrome, 4wd were black.

 

I think one of the Plymouth or Chrysler cars had the super wide front headlights. Dynasty??

 

[Justin]

Dude Mike thanks man, thank you

Edited February 16, 2021 by Justin

[Lockleaf]

Your seat is likely from a single cab 4x4.  The gap in the middle of the bench was for the transfer case lever.

[Justin]

Lockleaf- thanks and right you are.

The PO swapped parts over from a single cab 4x4. I got the sweet 4x4 grill too.

[Justin]

.... is there anything I might put in the empty space where the 4x4 selector went? A nice fluffy pillow perhaps?

[bilzbobaggins]

Custom jockey box with some cupholders would be my suggestion.  

[robert.davis]

long one piece lights came off of the nissan maximas super hard to find super rare super expensive lol yet to have heard of another one piece head light that fit but  i may be mistaken 

 

[robert.davis]

as for the middle of the of the seat they did make center consoles with an arm rest that may be able to fit but im not to sure about it 

[datzenmike]

19 minutes ago, robert.davis said:

long one piece lights came off of the nissan maximas super hard to find super rare super expensive lol yet to have heard of another one piece head light that fit but  i may be mistaken 

 

 

Must be the '85 and up FWD. It has only a single hi/low bulb per side and shares the lens with a parking light to the inside similar to the Dodge Dynasty I posted.

 

You think this will fit?

[Lockleaf]

I always saw guys using late 80s/early 90s gm stuff.  Le Sabre headlights etc.  I think the moral of the story is there's tons of options, so bust out a measuring tape and see what you can find in the junkyard

[olskool720]

Yep, Mike was right.  Maxima headlights were used.  It was only the 85 and 86.  84 had two bulbs per side similar to the 720.  You've got to get the ones that were true rectangles with 90 degree angles on each corner. 1987 had the inner sides angled, so didn't fit in the grille.  I used the headlights from an 88  Chevy Caprice.  The single lense conversion was a HUGELY popular mod in the 80's.  I've had my Caprice lights installed for over 25 years.

 

Bench seats were straight bench all the way across.  No console or arm rest or cup holder etc.  Just a seat for three people with three seat belts.  Models with the bucket seats had a console, a two piece console.  One piece wrapped around the shifter and wedge under the air control plastic piece and then the other piece that overlaid it was an armrest with door for storage that fit in between the bucket seats.  4 x 4 models had a different style of shifter piece.

 

For the bumper, all 720 bumpers had "holes" with nothing in them that you could see through and see the valance mounts.  The holes were in between the bumper lenses and the license plate on each side.  Yep, 4x4 had all black grilles with a diagonal grid look and black bumpers with black corner lights as well.  The 4x4 also had a different style tailgate insert as well.  You said that you found some chrome filled bumpers. This intrigues me.  Would love to see a link to what you saw.  I put an aftermarket black steel bumper on mine and filled the inner "holes" so only the lights and license plate were there.  All 720 bumpers had lights and holes in them.  Of course, some guys converted Toyota bumpers and even Square Body S10 bumpers to the front and even some Hardbody bumpers.

 

Not sure where you live in Cali, I'm up in the Central Valley between Fresno and Stockton.  I've got several center consoles in varying colors. I've also got a few grilles and lots of other interior parts including lots and lots and lots of screws and even some exterior parts.  No motor stuff.  Send me an email of stuff that you're looking to get. I might have it.  It'd make my wife happy to clean up some of the parts laying around.

[datzenmike]

'84 was the last RWD Maxima.  It was also the last L series engines, the L24 gas and the LD24 diesel. Till '84 the Maxima was the only other car with a six cylinder and sedan IRS with large brake calipers and rotors somewhat similar to the 280zx platform. The '85 did use the VG30 engine but it was a radical departure from the 300zx. At least you could get it as a standard transmission but...

[Charlie69]

Headlights are hard to find

Edited February 17, 2021 by Charlie69

[olskool720]

Yep Charlie be right, the Maxima headlights are hard to find.  But the Chevy Caprice is an equal for this conversion.  So you've got two chances to track down a pair. I've got saved searches on ebay to set up to send me an email when some pop up.  I'm always hunting them to flip them for others.

 

Mike knows WAAAAAAY more than me on engines.  I'm not an engine guy.

 

For either conversion, be sure to grab (if possible) the wiring harness for the lights as well.  You've got to cut some metal to get them in there.  I have zero body mod skills, but used a jig saw with a bimetal blade to get mine to work. Still going strong and have never worked their way loose.

[olskool720]

If you're on IG, check out #maximaheadlights or even #nissan720 and you'll come across PLENTY of pics

[olskool720]

There's several 88 Caprice headlights on ebay today.

[Justin]

This is what I'm working with:

(Got 'em to throw in a "Datsun" tailgate,)

 

Edited February 18, 2021 by Justin

[datzenmike]

Can't see them. Have to get a gmail account to view. No thanks.

 

The DATSUN tailgate was used through October '82. The NISSAN tailgate began November '82, or the start of the '83 model year but did have a smaller DATSUN decal on the lower left, at least for '83.  The earlier tailgate should fit the '83 and probably the '84 as the beds also had the matching outward facing lip just like the tailgate. The '85 did not have the outer lip so the tailgate, if it fits, won't look right. 

[olskool720]

85 and 86 had smooth bed sides, no lip or hooks. Then the 86.5 brought out the dreaded D21 aka Hardbody. Totally different body style. 

[Justin]

The bottom of the "Datsun" tailgate has the same body lines as the "Nissan" tailgate. The top is a bit different because the bed-hooks are on the outside instead of the inside.

I did, in fact, notice these differences. 🤔 

But I came to the conclusion that a date with a cut-off whee/sawzall and a harbor-freight flux-welder would be in order to get it "looking right".

Or, maybe I'll just shave the lettering off.

I thought it might be cooler if it was all saying "DATSUN" on a ride that wouldn't normally say that.... But I do also like to keep people guessing what I'm driving.

 

I had the g/f post pics, seems like every forum has a different system of posting pics (maybe I'm just OLD,).

We'll mess with it a bit more in a while I guess.