z24i in a 720 project swap thread

[datzenmike]

Sometimes you only have what you have to work with.

Sometimes you have more time than money.

Sometimes you work with what you are familiar with.

Sometimes you don't want to do what everyone else has done a hundred times over.

 

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

On 7/3/2022 at 6:40 PM, bottomwatcher said:

You guys are talking about swapping in a motor that makes about 15 hp more and parts that are 34 years old. Doing this is upgrading his power train by less than 10 years. Find a hardbody with a ka or frontier. These are cheap and in your neck of the woods not rusty shit. It doesn't take much of an accident these days for them to be totaled. Every decade parts are infinitely cheaper and easier to find just because of the shear number of hard bodies produced over the 720s and the frontiers over the hard bodies. My 82s drivetrain is long gone and good riddance chasing down obsolete parts,  you got both trucks now so I guess it is nothing but time so have at it if that's what floats your boat   For the time involved a few dollars more for a more modern engine/drivetrain would lead to much more satisfaction at the end.

That's generally how I feel, but as Mike said, sometimes you just want to do it. No other reason than because you can.

[sick620]

On 7/3/2022 at 7:40 PM, bottomwatcher said:

You guys are talking about swapping in a motor that makes about 15 hp more and parts that are 34 years old. Doing this is upgrading his power train by less than 10 years. Find a hardbody with a ka or frontier. These are cheap and in your neck of the woods not rusty shit. It doesn't take much of an accident these days for them to be totaled. Every decade parts are infinitely cheaper and easier to find just because of the shear number of hard bodies produced over the 720s and the frontiers over the hard bodies. My 82s drivetrain is long gone and good riddance chasing down obsolete parts,  you got both trucks now so I guess it is nothing but time so have at it if that's what floats your boat   For the time involved a few dollars more for a more modern engine/drivetrain would lead to much more satisfaction at the end.

We have a 521, and a b210 that we care about sinking money into… the rusty 720 just needs a motor it’s never going to be nice it’s all rusty and beat up just trying to get it on the road with what I have … only a total fool would invest the money necessary to swap a nicer more modern drive train in such a beat up junky truck… I traded a handgun for the 720, and I paid $400 for the hardbody.. after I swap the motor in the 720 I should hopefully be $1000 +or- into the 720 that’s an amount I’m comfortable with seeing as it’s a piece of shit and not much more than a dump run truck etc… it will have throttle body injection and that will hopefully be the perfect setup for me seeing as I just want something simple and reliable enough to drive around my tiny town and go pick up a bale of straw or whatever with it…I will enjoy the being able to start it on scold morning from time to time but I don’t need the full on performance of modern efi… also I’m trying to save what I can of the hardbody because I don’t want to junk parts that are getting increasingly more rare everyday without saving everything I can…. Also I’m more of a l20b napz guy I like the older motors in the Datsuns, I just spent a thousand + dollars rebuilding a z20/l20b hybrid motor, not because it’s more powerful or more modern but because it’s what I like…. This is just a support vehicle for the Datsuns I actually want to spend my money on… 

Edited July 14, 2022 by sick620

[bottomwatcher]

Maybe just keep the hardbody in one piece because there are some "fights" you are going to have to overcome. 1st is the radiator I think the hose connections are in different locations and the hardbodies radiator won't fit. The engine mounts might need some mods and while the hardbody trans is a major upgrade you will probably at least have to modify the driveshaft and probably the shifter hole location. I am actually running an 88 hardbody C in mine and it needed both mods plus a trans crossmember adapter. Have at it and keep us posted but this may be more work than you think.

[sick620]

6 hours ago, bottomwatcher said:

Maybe just keep the hardbody in one piece because there are some "fights" you are going to have to overcome. 1st is the radiator I think the hose connections are in different locations and the hardbodies radiator won't fit. The engine mounts might need some mods and while the hardbody trans is a major upgrade you will probably at least have to modify the driveshaft and probably the shifter hole location. I am actually running an 88 hardbody C in mine and it needed both mods plus a trans crossmember adapter. Have at it and keep us posted but this may be more work than you think.

Thanks for the constructive input…

im going to swap the hardbody bellhousing on the 720 5speed, driveshaft and everything will bolt right in fine… napz uses same motor mounts will also bolt right in… radiator may not work from hardbody haven’t tried it, but if not I’m sure a 720 radiator from A year that had the napz will either bolt in or will atleast fit after I drill 4 holes for it… the swap it’s self will be the easy part, I’m worried about the wiring only one person I know of has done the tbi setup.. but I’m sure between ratsun and help from Datsun friends I’ll figure it out… 

Edited July 6, 2022 by sick620

[mikec4193]

Would a complete chassis swap work maybe?...put the 720 sheet metal on the hard body chassis? The wheelbase would need to be stretched I am sure...

 

Good luck with what ever way you end up going...either way a cool truck will emerge.

 

MikeC

Edited July 6, 2022 by mikec4193

[datzenmike]

Z24 top rad hose is on the far right while L series is on the left. If you have the L series radiator, some creative bent hoses will work. '81-'82 Z series radiators changed from dual core for to a wider taller single core '83 and up.

[sick620]

started pulling motor and labeling everything on the harness.

pulled the radiator, there was oily sludge that came out at the tail end of draining the radiator not a lot maybe like 6-8oz.. Probably a blown head gasket or warped head?.. Engine was running great, no smoke. Oil looks oily no chocolate milk or visible coolant in the oil. Just oil in the coolant... I should probably do at least a gasket rebuild and a head flatness check huh? 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

So many variables. Too many, actually, to be able to tell you what to do.

 

I wouldn't tear into a motor until I did the due diligence.

[datzenmike]

On 7/13/2022 at 8:17 PM, sick620 said:

 Engine was running great, no smoke.

 

Then drive it. Put some miles on it and properly evaluate it's condition. 

[bottomwatcher]

Compression test. If good retorque head bolts and roll with it.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Get some heat cycles into it and things may clean out a bit.  If you're really worried about the gunk, put in some block boil or radiator cleaner before you run it. Just don't leave it in too long. That could cost you...

[D21Corporal]

DUDE! hate to be in your shoes.... I cannot get rid of a good running vehicle. I have given away vehicles for the only reason that I didn't want to junk them.