She's home - 1980 Datsun 720. First order of biz? Radio debugging . . .

[reneedicherri]

Just arrived today. First order of biz? The radio doesn't power on. 🤔

 

 

 

 

Second order of biz? The doorhandles are crumbled as all hell. Sun is bad. I'll need to give the interior a lot of love.

[datzenmike]

Radio and cigar lighter fuse is 5th over from the left side of fuse box. It's a start.

[bottomwatcher]

Radio is where the oil and voltmeter are supposed to be. What's in the radio hole?

[reneedicherri]

2 hours ago, bottomwatcher said:

Radio is where the oil and voltmeter are supposed to be. What's in the radio hole?

Oh wow. You're right. A big black hole? 

 

[datzenmike]

Oil/Volt gauges are there if 4x4 or an ordered option but are below where the radio is now and a DATSUN or NISSAN logo there instead. If no radio option was chosen there is a mini glove box or 'pocket' some with pull down door where it would go. I did have an '85 dash in my 620 that had the 'mini glove box'. I carefully trimmed it away and fit my CD player.  

 

This is a non standard installation of the radio, probably not even a Nissan radio so there could be multiple reasons why it isn't working. Maybe the installation was never finished?

[reneedicherri]

Thanks for the information. I don't see a pull down door but that place where the radio should go looks strangely clean. There's no telling what happened in the past, but, there are big ass speakers installed in the cab. I'll get a handle on what is going on with the wires, see if the radio even works at all, and then go from there. Stay tuned.

[bananahamuck]

My 1980 had that exact cubby hole with no door .. It was a Washington state Dept. of Transportation,  surplus auction truck,  so it never would of had a radio.  Not sure what it looked like where your radio is because that was 1986-ish 

 

 It was a single cab, short bed, and as stripped down as it gets. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited August 6 by bananahamuck

[datzenmike]

Nanner, was it a Z20 engine???????

[reneedicherri]

2 hours ago, bananahamuck said:

My 1980 had that exact cubby hole with no door .. It was a Washington state Dept. of Transportation,  surplus auction truck,  so it never would of had a radio.  Not sure what it looked like where your radio is because that was 1986-ish 

 

 It was a single cab, short bed, and as stripped down as it gets. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Whoa! Interesting. This one's from Oregon - I know the original owner bought it in High School. But I don't know the why of the radio sitation.

 

Fuse is ok, the radio itself is not firing up. Something is broke inside. Can I take the radio apart and solder something and make it work?? Do you love how I'm ready to crack open the case of this box and just find out with NONE expertise?????

 

 

[DwayneOxford]

On 8/5/2026 at 9:19 PM, reneedicherri said:

Just arrived today. First order of biz? The radio doesn't power on. 🤔

 

 

 

 

Second order of biz? The doorhandles are crumbled as all hell. Sun is bad. I'll need to give the interior a lot of love.

Nice truck. Emeryville?? Where?

[reneedicherri]

42 minutes ago, DwayneOxford said:

Nice truck. Emeryville?? Where?

Thank you !

 

Emeryville is in California. 

[bananahamuck]

11 hours ago, datzenmike said:

Nanner, was it a Z20 engine???????

 

L20b 

 4speed 

truck became smoky so switched it out for "newer" one. 

   Man, the days of these things being everywhere, and almost free,  seems so far away any more. 

 

Fun fact , it was closed chamber W58 head and i did valve job on it and ran it on the lizard mobile 510 , was still on it when i sold it. It also had no steel liners from when i got it.  Which i thought was weird, cuz there's no way the state mechanics would have removed. .  

 

 

 

anyways 

 

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[datzenmike]

I came across a W58 closed chamber, stored in a leaky shed in a wrecking yard. It was rough but had the liners and an old tag that said 200sx. I still don't believe closed chamber L heads came on any L20B. Likely an import head?

[Thomas Perkins]

A 1980 Datsun 720 did not always come with a radio as standard equipment. Base-model utility trucks often shipped with a radio delete plate, while an AM or AM/FM radio was available as an extra-cost factory option or standard on higher trim packages.Radio AvailabilityBase Models: Stripped-down or standard work trucks frequently came without a radio, featuring a plastic or metal blanking plate in the dashboard.Upgraded Trims / Options: Buyers could add factory AM or AM/FM mono/stereo radios (often manufactured by brands like Sanyo or Clarion) or dealer-installed audio upgrades.If you are looking to restore or replace a unit in a 1980 Datsun 720, let me know if you need help finding wiring diagrams or aftermarket stereo fitment sizes.

[Thomas Perkins]

I had a stereo place install a Kenwood KDC-704 in my 85.I put a Kenwood in in back in 2000.Was still working good but I  wanted a Kenwood with a blue tooth and all the goodies.It was way cheaper in.price than the 2000 one.less than 200.I had a Kenwood put in my wifes 2004 Lincoln LS.They also put 2 speakers in my boxes in the back and 2 in the kick panels.They are 6.5 in there and 6 x9 in the boxes.Also had them.put a new antenna cable in.I can change the color to about 20 different colors.I use to install my stereos in the 70's when 8 track players were around.

 

[Thomas Perkins]

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Edited August 7 by Thomas Perkins

[reneedicherri]

4 hours ago, Thomas Perkins said:

I had a stereo place install a Kenwood KDC-704 in my 85.I put a Kenwood in in back in 2000.Was still working good but I  wanted a Kenwood with a blue tooth and all the goodies.It was way cheaper in.price than the 2000 one.less than 200.I had a Kenwood put in my wifes 2004 Lincoln LS.They also put 2 speakers in my boxes in the back and 2 in the kick panels.They are 6.5 in there and 6 x9 in the boxes.Also had them.put a new antenna cable in.I can change the color to about 20 different colors.I use to install my stereos in the 70's when 8 track players were around.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for all the details & your help! That interior looks great. It'll be a bit of work before mine is even close.