project Big Bird

[lonelydriver_95]

Greetings fellow Datsun fans. I'm starting this thread to show the progression of resurrecting/saving my beloved old 1980 720 4X4, affectionately named big bird because of the so-bad-its-good yellow paint. Truth be told I love the color but its probably not for everyone. Anyway I went over this trucks story with me in my first post "new guy here" so the short version is I had it for years and dailied it then sold it then bought it back with a blown engine (for more than I sold it for because I'm just so smart) and the progress is pretty good so far. I was able to track down a complete, freely turning L20B with no viewing windows in the block from a 78' 620 for $250 pulled. My buddies and I then pulled out the old lump and have transferred a lot of good/newer parts that I bought when I had it and the new to me engine is ready to install with the exception of swapping over the pan and pickup tube (the pickup which my buddy is having to weld back together because it broke in half and these things are fuckin' hens teeth rare) from my 4X4 engine. Right now its just hoping and praying that this is a good engine and that the reason the 620 donor was parked was because of the Automatic transmission failing rather than some engine issue I haven't found yet. I hope to have big bird back on the road by spring.

 

This post will have pics just as soon as I am allowed to post them.

 

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Cool. Can't wait to see your truck come together.

[lonelydriver_95]

Hey guys, long time no post. just commenting to update that since the weather is (slightly) improving in my neck of the woods me and the boys are gonna make some more progress on Big Bird tomorrow. As of now the truck, (sans propulsion unit) and replacement engine are still sitting in the same carport that they have been in since I picked them up almost a year ago. The goal tomorrow is to physically put the engine in and install the accessories and with a lot of luck, and a miracle or 2, maybe try and start it. There are about 47 trillion variables at play here so my hopes aren't high of it running tomorrow, as the engine came out of a 620 that's been sitting since the turn of the millennium, almost longer than I've even been alive lol, and my buddy welded up the original oil pickup tube (which has passed my sophisticated cover it in soapy water and blow compressed air through it test.) and it is also just a 43 year old truck, with potential 43 year old truck problems. Anyway I'll keep this thread posted on how it goes.

[lonelydriver_95]

More progress made today. The engine is installed without cooling system or accessories, just the bare basics to start and see that it is indeed a good engine but it still definitely needs work. The worst thing is that it has 0 oil pressure when cranking, confirmed by both having a pressure gauge hooked up and also taking off the oil filter to find it bone dry. Fingers crossed it’s something simple like the oil pump needing filled with oil to prime or something like that. Also it backfires out of the carb so probably the cam timing is off a bit. Progress is progress and as long as we can make this thing fire and get oil pressure one more 720 will be put back on the road.