By complete chance this Datsun 620 is for sale near me

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2)
07/15/2020 at 09:57 • Filed to: Craigslist

Nom De Plume unearthed a real nugget of a Datsun 620.

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Guess what popped up on my local craigslist this morning:

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So this 1977 Datsun 620 is clearly not in quite the same condition as that $10,000 crack pipe, but at $6,000 this is somehow still a hard nope from me.

Somehow this is the only photo we get of the interior after the carpet and somewhat shoddy looking console was installed. At least the ad very clearly shows an entirely rust free floor pan.

Wait a minute, what is this crap? WHAT IS THIS CRAP? THIS IS A SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE YOU BLOCKHEAD!

Despite the extreme number of audio mods, this is a neat little truck. Lose the wheels and this is a nice minitruck. Too bad about the total crack pipe price. $6,000 is a little steep even if you removed and sold the speakers and other audio stuff.

But is it more of a crack pipe than Nom De Plume’s 1974 620?

It depends on what you want to do with it.

DISCUSSION (17)

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/15/2020 at 10:15

I believe it’s rolling on Escalade wheels... *checks ad*.... Yup.

There’s a lot of work in that truck, but it still needs a lot to get right. I love the E30 seats but they sit too tall (which seller mentions). I hate the battery box in the trunk bed (I think I need another cup of coffee) . I’m wondering if that’s a second battery for all the stereo crap. I’d rip all that stuff out. I noticed there’s no engine shots, which I find slightly concerning. Also noticed the seller mentions “everything for a functioning AC except the evaporator.” That’s because you have to tear the entire freaking dash out to get to the evap core. Pain in the ass.

I’d be a buyer for this at like $2500. I’d potentially be willing to part with up to $4k for Nom De Plume’s after I inspect the rear coilover and 4 link conversion.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/15/2020 at 10:24

“ somewhat of a frame off restoration but exterior paint and body work is Bush League.”

How can you take the frame off somewhat? It pretty much sums up the contradiction between the time put in and the poor results well. Strip out the cheap crap and you have a $2,500 truck. With the cheap crap, this is a $2,750 truck. I concur with your opinion.

Nom’s truck at least had substantial and seemingly professional susepnsion work. With some more ground clearance, less camber, and reasonable wheels it might be a fun mini truck. What are these people smoking?

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/15/2020 at 10:33

I think he took the body off the frame , didn’t like what he saw, and put it back.

Noms truck is definitely the better of the 2 trucks, even with the patina. I hate the garbage stereo stuff in this one. I don’t mind the Escalade wheels but they aren’t my first choice and would eventually have to go. Weirdly, I don’t have the wheels on Noms truck, but they aren’t my first choice, much like stretched tires. I could live with it for a bit but would eventually change them out. The difference is those wheels are worth a lot more than a set of stock Escalade wheels, so you could at least recoup some funds.

As far as what these people smoke, I don’t know, but I’m sure I’ll find traces of it in the Jankwagen.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/15/2020 at 10:37

Yeah, put it back so you can't see the typical Datsun rust.

The Escalade wheels look like crap without the center caps. Nom’s wheels are actually not bad, especially for a minitruck, but the camber and lack of sidewall would annoy the heck out of me.

Sovande > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/15/2020 at 10:40

I paid $250 f my old 720. I'm not entirely sure what would have made it worth much more than that. It's always going to be a tiny pickup with 100hp and a small bed. $6000 is nuts.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Sovande
07/15/2020 at 10:45

Nom’s truck was $10,000. Must be something in the water. Or they were victims of the same forum hype or something.

I’d give $2,500 tops. It is worse in every way than a Ranger of the same price but cooler, so that’s fair.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/15/2020 at 10:49

My dad had a 1600- that’s what they used to call them anyway. When it’s time was done he tried to blow the engine by standing on the throttle in the driveway. It didn’t have enough power to over rev enough to blow, so he sold it for like $400.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/15/2020 at 10:53

Haha that is somehow tragic and delightful all at once. These weren't known for their speed.

Sovande > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/15/2020 at 10:55

I would not pay more than $1000 for a Datsun/Nissan. Yes, it always started and working on it was stupid easy, but it was too small to be effective at doing much. I could sit in the drivers seat and wave my hand out the passenger window. Absolutely tiny. The payload is way low too and if you sneeze on it, it will rust. I’m not sure why people think that heavily modified versions are worth anything? I had mine for 3 years, probably put $500 into it and sold it for $250.

I would rather have a Ranger.

CalzoneGolem > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/15/2020 at 11:01

Oh boy that speaker is really rocking my world view.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/15/2020 at 11:02

Agreed about the center caps. I think if you put them back on, it wouldn’t look awful. Honestly even the tires have a decent amount of sidewall re la tive to the wheel. I really don’t mind them.

Nom’s truck has all kinds of issues and I barely know where to start. 15" wheels are fine, but stretching a 205 tire out to 11" wide is criminal, but it does help tuck such wide wheels up under the fenders since it’s a lowboi. The camber doesn’t look awful on it, certainly not as bad as some I’ve seen. But a wheel that wide is going to have TONS of scrub. It might also jack a fair bit, which probably explains why the camber isn’t quite as extreme . At least he put the fender flares on and spaced them out a bit.

All those issues aside I like the wheels. But I bet that thing rides like a cob. I know the Jankwagen does and it’s running 205s stretched on what I believe are 8" wide wheels . I put some C70 16" wheels on the green Moose . I don’t remember the exact specs right now, but it was something like a 205/60R15 to a 215/50R16 and it made a noticeable change in ride quality. In this case I wouldn’t call it bad, I’d just call it sporty, but I could definitely feel a change going up 1" in wheel and down 10% in aspect ratio.

If Noms were my truck I’d find a similar looking wheel in like a 15x7 on the front and run a 225 width tire, and out back go to a 15x9 and run like 255-265. I think the diameter of whatever is on there is just fine. I’d get rid of the stretch, have a decent, usable sidewall which would help with ride, it would still look good and fill up the wheel wells, and it would eliminate a lot of scrub and wear issues.

If I bought yours, I’d pretty much make it look like Noms but with the wheel/tire mods I described. I also might not lower it quite so much so I didn’t have to cut the bed.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Sovande
07/15/2020 at 11:06

So would I. There is a market for these as bling mobile minitrucks, hence the tasteless mods. I just wouldn't buy it at all and I'm not the target audience.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > CalzoneGolem
07/15/2020 at 11:07

And they said it couldn’t be done*

*tastefully

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/15/2020 at 11:10

Is Jankwa gen what you named the Volvo?

Yes, I agree with you for the most part. The Escalade wheels fill the arches too much. I'm just not the biggest fan of the large wheel Donk Lite look to begin with, though these are certainly not the worst offenders. I want a car to drive, not to look at.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/15/2020 at 11:30

That’s what I’ve been referring to it as. Eventually the goal is to transition from Jankwagen to Dankwagen :P

Nom De Plume > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/15/2020 at 15:22

They are equally bad. No further thought need be wasted.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Nom De Plume
07/15/2020 at 16:38

Agreed. What was I saying again?