I don’t claim to have a crystal ball, but if you hadn’t noticed, the classic Japanese pickup has been picking up steam as the next generation of collectors enter the fold. Japanese trucks in general, pickup or not, are well-loved by enthusiasts of a certain generation, owing to their humble ruggedness and bold cosmetic traits that reflected the era in which they were made. Brightly-painted steel wheels, white-letter tires, high-riding 4WD suspensions – it’s all here in this classic Nissan 720 extended cab. Find it here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of $16,500 and the option to submit a best offer.
The other detail I love about trucks from this era is the loud tailgate design, which always boldly announced whether this was a Datsun or a Nissan or a Toyota. Mitsubishi had too many letters to make the font too big, but they got into it as well. The trucks weren’t as large as their domestic counterparts and certainly not as powerful, but they were quite robust from a build-quality standpoint. What killed them, however, was weak bodywork as rust was always a fierce opponent to its long-term survival. This 720 has likely been hastily repainted as evidenced by what looks like a tow receiver area being sprayed over.
That may not matter all that much on a truck like this, as it’s not so valuable that you need to pay for a concourse paint job to get someone to pay a fair price. The interior is in good shape and it’d be amazing if the dash cover is protecting an original, crack-free surface (doubtful). The manual gearbox is the one you want, especially since these were not overly powerful rigs to begin with. The additional gauges that Nissan placed below the heater controls are still present, and always gave the 720 an extra dose of sportiness that didn’t seem entirely out of place considering the general demeanor of the truck which seemed built for an active lifestyle.
The engine bay is complete and looks to have an aftermarket carburetor. The seller doesn’t provide any details as to what sort of mechanical attention the truck has received, but if I’m correct about the paint job, one would hope it at least got a basic belt service and fluid changes. The aftermarket radiator cap is pretty typical at this point, and it’s clear this Nissan wasn’t treated to a sympathetic OEM restoration. However, if it runs well and is rust-free, I’d say you’ve addressed two of the major concerns when buying a truck like this. And if the seller is open to lower offers, it becomes even an even more attractive buy.
I think the seller is asking Toyota money. Nissan made a tough truck as well but they still can’t match the legendary Toyota name and loyal following. Nice truck with the more rarely seen king cab. I still remember riding in the jump seat when my dad looked into buying a new one. Funny how you don’t forget the experience, noises, and new car smell.
Too much non-original for the money being asked.
I hope my 1986 Toyota 1-ton is still out there somewhere giving good service. It had an 8-ft bed, 5-speed, and AC. Never let me down and I drove the heck out of it. This one? Paint and sell? Uh, no.
Was given a 84Toyota 4 runner from a friend in Illinois, 272,000 miles, rusty as all get up. but 45,000 on rebuilt engine, drove for 4 yrs until the fuel lines rusted out and it became a bomb waiting to go off, Sold it to a 4 runner parts guy, Its keeping others alive now. Had Nissan also yrs ago, Also a great truck, Wasn’t 4wd though.
A 720 on a 420 day.
I went to look at one of these trucks a year or two ago in Belen, NM. The guy was using it for his handy man business. It had a topper on it with all of his tools thrown in the back. It wasn’t into bad of shape. The engine sounded good. He had done the valve lash on it and other maintenance too. The interior was a little rough inside; ie, the seat was loose a little. The reason I didn’t take it was the shifter took more effort to get into a gear. He had it pat down, and told me how to do it. But I didn’t want to go further. I figured the transmission or who knows (maybe something simple) was wrong. But I didn’t want to venture to find out.
I don’t think i ever seen a vehicle with grey upholstery & red carpet. Not the best color combo.
Were some model year pickup trucks offered with no rear bumper(like on this Nissan) & was that legal in all states?
Joe, I wonder about that too. I have noticed some of these era trucks without the rear bumper. I have an 86 Nissan 720 Kingcab 4×4 that came without the rear bumper. I think no rear bumper is just a style that smooths out the lines. I like the way it looks, but maybe I should look for a rear bumper just in case.