Datsun Pickup Shorts
Description: The 720 pickup was Datsun's first foray into the 4-wheel drive mini-truck market in both long bed and extra-cab variants. It was introduced as a 1980 model and continued until 1986 when the Hardbody style (model D-21) was introduced as a 1986.5 model. Prior models of Datsun mini-trucks were the 521 and 620 which did not offer a 4-wheel drive option. The 720 featured an independent front suspension with torsion bar springs, a leaf spring live axle rear suspension, and a 4 cylinder engine displacing 2.0 liters at introduction, later enlarged to 2.4 liters. The manual transmission on the 720 drove a divorced transfer case that required extra clearance over a married setup. This resulted in the 720 4x4 models having a lifted look.
Description: Datsun trucks surged in popularity in America during the 1970s as buyers discovered that a pickup didn’t have to be big, thirsty, or expensive to be useful. While Detroit’s full-size trucks still dominated the market, compact Datsun pickups such as the 521 and later 620 offered dependable four-cylinder power, good fuel economy, easy maneuverability, and a price that appealed to younger drivers and budget-conscious buyers. Their popularity received another boost during the decade’s fuel crises, when efficiency became a major selling point. Datsun also helped turn the compact pickup into something more than a work vehicle, as owners customized their trucks with wheels, graphics, camper shells, lowered suspensions, and other accessories.
