1987 Mexican Spec Nissan 720 Carry All Passenger Van

[Mexican Spec]

Have you ever seen one of these before?

 

It has an over head valve 1.8L A series engine and a 4 speed manual.

 

It has in the back 2 captains chairs and 2 couches that fold down.

 

This was made in Mexico from a Nissan 720 pick up.

 

Yes I said it is a 1987 Nissan 720.  The 720 was sold in Mexico up the 1993 model year.

 

You even have dual real wheels here to handle the weight. 

 

until 

[datzenmike]

Isn't that something. Dual wheels it's most likely an E code Cab/Chassis 720.

 

Instead of KNY720 it would start with E. N above is for the engine size, in this case a Z24. Yours may be P???? L for left hand drive. I don't know for sure. North of the border we only got the A series in A12, A14 and A15 sizes in the 1200, B-210 and the 210 cars ending in '82

[Mexican Spec]

15 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Isn't that something. Dual wheels it's most likely an E code Cab/Chassis 720.

 

Instead of KNY720 it would start with E. N above is for the engine size, in this case a Z24. Yours may be P???? L for left hand drive. I don't know for sure. North of the border we only got the A series in A12, A14 and A15 sizes in the 1200, B-210 and the 210 cars ending in '82

The Mexican truck didn't have one of these nor did they follow the numbering system from Japan or the US.

 

Whatever the chassis is, was made by the conversion company that made the truck.  I have never seen one like this before although some vans were made from the 720 4 door pick ups that we had.

 

This is a unique vehicle that should go to somebody that will make it into what it could be.

 

Imagine a Nissan V8 under the hood.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I have never heard of an A18. Got a pic of the motor?

[Mexican Spec]

36 minutes ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

I have never heard of an A18. Got a pic of the motor?

Sure, here it is.  The site is not letting me inbed the picture so here is a link for it.

 

mason66.com/cars/87niscarryall-red-son9-04.jpg

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

You have to have a certain amount of posts before it will let you upload a pic. Or you can use third party hosting.

 

The engine is not an A series. It's a J series.

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

 

There are lots of MG parts that will fit that engine, even some performance parts like the Weber DGV intake manifold, performance distributors, even some ehaust manifold /headers will fit the J engine.

Edited December 27, 2023 by Stoffregen Motorsports

[Mexican Spec]

7 minutes ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

You have to have a certain amount of posts before it will let you upload a pic. Or you can use third party hosting.

 

The engine is not an A series. It's a J series.

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

 

There are lots of MG parts that will fit that engine, even some performance parts like the Weber DGV intake manifold, performance distributors, even some ehaust manifold /headers will fit the J engine.

Thanks, I did try to use my link but it says it only accepts HTTPS and mine is only HTTP.

 

I have only heard this engine refered to as the A series in Mexico.  I will look at the link you provided.  

[Mexican Spec]

29 minutes ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

You have to have a certain amount of posts before it will let you upload a pic. Or you can use third party hosting.

 

The engine is not an A series. It's a J series.

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

 

There are lots of MG parts that will fit that engine, even some performance parts like the Weber DGV intake manifold, performance distributors, even some ehaust manifold /headers will fit the J engine.

If you look at this link, this looks like what is in this truck.

 

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

[datzenmike]

 

Yeah, J series. They came in J18 south of the border, perhaps in the 510/610/710? The engine tag is on the passenger or right inner fender under the hood hinge if there is one. The engine and size should be on it.

 

The engine ID should be stamped on the top edge of the block just below the head and above the distributor.

[datzenmike]

Look at your thermostat housing. The thermostat sits level facing up. The A series thermostat is facing the radiator.

 

The J series heads have a row of head bolts outside the valve cover beside the spark plugs. The A series do not.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

20 hours ago, Mexican Spec said:

If you look at this link, this looks like what is in this truck.

 

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

Look at where the thermostat housing is bolted to the engine. The A series has it mounted vertically, while the J series is mounted flat, or horizontally.

 

Also, A series cylinder heads are aluminum. J heads are iron.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Compare the Nissan J engine to a BMC B series engine. They are nearly identical. Lots of parts interchangeability.

 

 

[Mexican Spec]

17 minutes ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Look at where the thermostat housing is bolted to the engine. The A series has it mounted vertically, while the J series is mounted flat, or horizontally.

 

Also, A series cylinder heads are aluminum. J heads are iron.

Yes I do see that now.

[Mexican Spec]

14 minutes ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Compare the Nissan J engine to a BMC B series engine. They are nearly identical. Lots of parts interchangeability.

 

 

It looks like the valve cover and the mounting for the valve cover is different so the head won't interchange.  I wonder how similar the bottom end is..

[Mexican Spec]

This truck is listed for sale on the classifieds page.

[datzenmike]

2 hours ago, Mexican Spec said:

It looks like the valve cover and the mounting for the valve cover is different so the head won't interchange.  I wonder how similar the bottom end is..

 

The valve covers won't interchange but the J head will swap to the MG engine if you also swap the J cam too. MG owners find the J series heads flow better so putting an MG head on your J series engine is a waste of time.

 

J and MG blocks are totally different

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

The blocks are different, but I hear there are some interchangeable internal parts.

[datzenmike]

Very possible. After all they share the same linage. As on all Datsuns and Nissans up till at least the 2,000s, and possibly still today, they have British Pipe Threads in the block for the oil pressure sender.