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Made an impulse car purchase tonight.

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Might be one of my better ones. 1985 Nissan 720 4WD pickup. $400 can't really be wrong.

Needs a few items, but nothing awful, plus it's a breeze to work on compared to the Porsche 944 I've been wrenching on for awhile.

Anyone here have experience? Need to fix a couple more pressing electrical issues before it passes inspection (turn signals and speedo).
 

TheTruth

Turbo Monkey
Jun 15, 2009
3,893
1
I'm waving. Can you see me now?
IF those still used the KA motors, then they are pretty much a breeze to work on. Except the hardware oon that engine is ****. Don't be surprised when you snap a couple bolts.

But, it was a good find anyway. Those engines have tons of torque.
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
IF those still used the KA motors, then they are pretty much a breeze to work on. Except the hardware oon that engine is ****. Don't be surprised when you snap a couple bolts.

But, it was a good find anyway. Those engines have tons of torque.
No - It has a 2.4L Z24. I think a KA is an easy swap, though.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Always when I see such deals Im mad Im living on this site of the pond. For the 400$ the best you could get here is a lada niva ;)

Still Congrats on the car. I envy you (well that and the gas prices)
 

TheTruth

Turbo Monkey
Jun 15, 2009
3,893
1
I'm waving. Can you see me now?
No - It has a 2.4L Z24. I think a KA is an easy swap, though.
You should do it and get a turbo kit for the KA. Everyone who owns a 240sx wants to get rid of their KA motor and get an SR20. So finding one for cheap should be easy. But the engine you have to work with now ain't half bad. It will get you around, but as far as stock power goes and living in San Francisco it might be a bit of a burden with all of those hills.
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
You should do it and get a turbo kit for the KA. Everyone who owns a 240sx wants to get rid of their KA motor and get an SR20. So finding one for cheap should be easy. But the engine you have to work with now ain't half bad. It will get you around, but as far as stock power goes and living in San Francisco it might be a bit of a burden with all of those hills.
Live in SLC. This will be the winter commuter barge/Moab truck. No turbo kits, thanks. It has enough tq to get up hills. I might just go for a straight six Z-car engine if this one ever bites the dust.

Driver side door lock cylinder is gone. VERY tempted to bolt a padlock gate mount to it.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
ouch, they should pay you $400 to buy one of those
For crazy cars you should really visit Poland ;) Nivas, Fiat 126s (my parents used to have one - insane car), 125s or other post com crap. If not that the car probably will be in worse shape than I can imagine, though we have deals (ie. like opel cadet, not something cool). That nissan would go here for at least 2000$ regardless of the condition. That may be one of the reaasons why I dont feel so bad about spending my cash on a bike and still not owning a bike. Well as long as I have friends with cars ;)
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
For crazy cars you should really visit Poland ;) Nivas, Fiat 126s (my parents used to have one - insane car), 125s or other post com crap. If not that the car probably will be in worse shape than I can imagine, though we have deals (ie. like opel cadet, not something cool). That nissan would go here for at least 2000$ regardless of the condition. That may be one of the reaasons why I dont feel so bad about spending my cash on a bike and still not owning a bike. Well as long as I have friends with cars ;)
im sure a lot of eastern european and the countries from the soviet block all have crazy cars floating around, no?
i think its even crazier that they just stopped production on the 126 and 126p's in 2000
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
im sure a lot of eastern european and the countries from the soviet block all have crazy cars floating around, no?
i think its even crazier that they just stopped production on the 126 and 126p's in 2000
There are not longer so common but 10 years ago they were everywhere and yeah - the more east you go the funkier the cars get. Now its not so crazy as - we bought all the used cars in the eu when we joined ;)
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,494
9,525
gold in this thread....it will come.

the only thing i can recommend is to beat the sh*t out of it and not really care.

when it dies.....stick rag in gas tank....lite....walk away.
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
I think the HG is gone - thought the waterpump gasket was leaking (it was). Fixed, but as soon as it got warm, spewed coolant and overheated.

Woot!
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Pulled off the valve cover today. Realized that the headgasket wasn't leaking, but the waterpump itself was actually hosed and just throwing coolant up against the engine from the nether regions. Fixed!

Now, more pressing matters: Whoever's owned this jalopy before me ripped the steering column out and put it back in in a very haphazard manner, thus, the horn, dash lights, and indicators don't work. It needs new indicators anyway, and I'm afraid that when I dig into the wiring I'm going to discover a sh!tstorm of redneck 'lectrical engineering.

If/when I do, I'm considering going full Dukes of Hazzard and just mounting new indicators/horn switch/dash lighting with my own switches (perhaps in a console panel manufactured from a Wheaties box). Are there some good mail-order resources to pick this sh!t up? Autozone and the like get spendy when you start buying lots of crap.

Every day with this truck is like a Top Gear challenge. I think I'm in love.
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
what do you want for it? or is it true love soul mate style
Fire sale!

The engine is sh!tting the bed - piston rings seem to be fvcked. That+it needing new tires is leading me to the logical conclusion of pushing it off a cliff.

280Z straight-6 motor (L28E) is almost a drop-in swap aside from an electrical fan setup, but that+tires has me seeking other sh!tty vehicle pastures.