The Clean 720 & An Ode To The Minitruck

I really miss the minitruck. At one point not too long ago just about every automaker in the United States sold a compact pickup truck that could haul a lot while having the fuel economy and footprint of a normal car. In the ’80s and ’90s these little pickups were everywhere.

But sometime happened during the early 2000s, and the minitruck as we knew it started to disappear. Today a ‘small’ Toyota Tacoma is about the same size as full-size pickup from the 1990s.

Datsun-720-06

They might have been built for utility above all, but minitrucks also became extremely popular for modification, often sporting wild colorful paint jobs, custom bodywork and slammed suspension. This 1986 Nissan/Datsun 720 from the ATS Garage – one of two 720s displayed at Wekfest San Jose – is modified in a different kind of way.

Datsun-720-01

Rather than being customized like a typical minitruck, the 720 is built more in the style of a ’70s or ’80s Japanese sports car, and it starts under the hood where you’ll find one of Nissan’s NAPZ engines.

Datsun-720-07

There’s no turbocharger or fuel injection setup, but there is a pair of 44mm Mikuni side-draft carbs handling the air and fuel intake.

Datsun-720-02

Minitrucks are often used as working vehicles, so to find one that’s been this well taken care of is pretty cool to see.

Datsun-720-03

The original blue interior has been kept largely stock, with the exception of a suede Momo steering wheel and a pair of vintage Recaro SE bucket seats.

Datsun-720-04

Finding a set of proper wheels for 6-lug Datsun truck is lot harder than finding some for a regular 4- or 5-lug car, but these later-model RAYS/Nismo wheels look fantastic.

Datsun-720-05

And because it’s a pickup truck, why not have a mountain bike in the bed?

Datsun-720-09

The venerable minitruck is disappearing from the roads of America at a quick rate, so hats off to the ATS Garage guys for keeping the spirit alive with one of the more unique vehicles at Wekfest San Jose this year.

Mike Garrett
Instagram: japanifornia
mike@speedhunters.com

ADVERTISEMENT

Comments



Comments are closed.

37 comments

by Oldest
by Best by Newest by Oldest
1

sv

2

i buy my new bike by using this site===>>>fly38.comᴵᴵᴵᴵ

3
FrankensteinConnelly

I love a good clean static mini, I'm building one myself. Any clue on what the suspension under this one is?

4

That's a clean little truck.  Nice bike too.  Good ole Santa Cruz Bullit.  Those things last forever.

5

Love it! I'm a mini trucker myself (had a 98 Sonoma, onto an 06 Colorado now) and this truck is very clean. Love the performance oriented build without being over the top. Great feature Mike! Keep up the good truck coverage.

6

Very tidy, props to the owner for being able to walk away from the canvas, so to speak. Though I would love to see this thing with an SR or KA turbo.

7

i like it...clean and to the point.

8

FrankensteinConnelly  looks pretty mild.  blocks and torsion crank probably. maybe lowered leafs.

9

A proper country truck, even has a pair of wellies strapped between the seats. Hunters?

10

Any chance of an article regarding the gorgeous A70 Supra that is in pictures from the event?

11

Great to see this featured. I had the king cab version of this truck, it was a 1985. I loved that truck.

12

I love minitrucks. Wish truck makers would bring them back. I drive a mintruck everyday. Their a lot more practical than a full size if you ask me. Unless you're hauling a trailer or a heavy load a small is so much better. Cool 720.

13

We still get the small footprint "minitruck" pickups here in Aus. Utes based on the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon in particular. Oh, and they can specced up to a V8.

14
FrankensteinConnelly

JamesMiller7 FrankensteinConnelly I was thinking the same till the shot of the bicycle in the bed. It almost looks like the bed floor might be raised a little and if it is I'm not the only guy rocking static and body drop lol

15

My Uncle Liam just got Mercedes R-Class Wagon by work parttime using a laptop. view it ===>>>fly38.comᴵᴵᴵᴵ

16

What a clever way to mount the DH rig.

I could do with one of these as a bike/surf/kayak/snowboard hauler!

17

My Uncle Liam just got a six-month old BMW X1 SUV just by working online with a computer... i was reading this 
=========
==============find.incomehints.org||||||

18

ᴍʏ ʙᴇsᴛ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ's ʜᴀʟғ-sɪsᴛᴇʀ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs $77 /ʜʀ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴜᴛᴇʀ . Sʜᴇ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ғɪʀᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ 9 ᴍᴏɴᴛʜs ʙᴜᴛ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ᴡᴀs $17020 ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴋɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴜᴛᴇʀ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ғᴇᴡ ʜᴏᴜʀs. ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ʜᴇʀᴇ...
--------->>> https://t.co/wt8u4WEKGl

19

My Uncle Daniel recently got blue Ford F-250 by working part time online... visit this web-site

===>>> fiscalpin.comᴵᴵᴵᴵ

20

Minitrucks really need to make a resurgence.

21

Love that they kept the nap-z in there! seeing this makes me miss my old boosted nap-z project

23
Becauseracetruck

Always wanted to mess with one of these d21s. One of these slammed with a turbo ka or Sr would be really sweet.

24

The anti-religious but, http://dokterpoker.org/app/img/peraturan.html above all, anti-Christian efforts which distinguish the present epoch have a character of concentration and universality which marks the stamp of the Jew, the supreme patron of the unification of peoples, because he is the cosmopolitan people par http://www.cintaberita.com" rel="dofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cintaberita.com excellence; because http://dokterpoker.org/app/img/jadwal.html the Jew prepares by license of the libre-pensÇe, the era called by him 'Messianic' - the day of his universal triumph. He attributes its near realization to the http://dokterpoker.org/app/img/promo.html principles spread by the philosophers http://www.cintaberita.com" rel="dofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cintaberita.com of the eighteenth century; the men at once unbelievers and cabalists, whose "http://dokterpoker.org/app/img/panduan.html work prepared the Judaising of the world. The character of universality will be noted in L'Alliance-isrÇlite-universelle, in the Universal Association of Freemasonry, and in the more recent auxiliaries, L'Alliance-universelle-religieuse, http://dokterpoker.orgopen to those who are still frightened off by the name of Israelite and finally in the Ligue-universelle de l'enseignement.

25

The anti-religious but, http://dokterpoker.org/app/img/peraturan.html above all, anti-Christian efforts which distinguish the present epoch have a character of concentration and universality which marks the stamp of the Jew, the supreme patron of the unification of peoples, because he is the cosmopolitan people par http://www.cintaberita.com" rel="dofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cintaberita.com excellence; because http://dokterpoker.org/app/img/jadwal.html the Jew prepares by license of the libre-pensÇe, the era called by him 'Messianic' - the day of his universal triumph. He attributes its near realization to the http://dokterpoker.org/app/img/promo.html principles spread by the philosophers http://www.cintaberita.com" rel="dofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cintaberita.com of the eighteenth century; the men at once unbelievers and cabalists, whose "http://dokterpoker.org/app/img/panduan.html work prepared the Judaising of the world. The character of universality will be noted in L'Alliance-isrÇlite-universelle, in the Universal Association of Freemasonry, and in the more recent auxiliaries, L'Alliance-universelle-religieuse, http://dokterpoker.orgopen to those who are still frightened off by the name of Israelite and finally in the Ligue-universelle de l'enseignement.

26

My Uncle Isaac just got cream Mitsubishi Mirage only from working off a laptop. Learn More Here


===>>> fiscalpin.comᴵᴵᴵᴵ

27

as Jennifer replied I'm startled that a person able to get paid $6032 in four weeks on the computer . find more informationsee it here=====report55­­.ℭomllllllll

28

just as Jeremy replied I'm alarmed that a student able to profit $5324 in 1 month on the computer . see this page 



------->> dayjobs88.com­­­­ᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵ

29

my Aunty Alexis recently got a 2012 Volvo S60 T6 R only from part-time off a computer. you could try here ---------->>online.incomehints.orgᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵ

30

ugh... miss my Nissan hardbody

31

KA-T is the way to go if you can't really fabricate what you need, plus with a sohc ka there's growing aftermarket support

32

just as Tony implied I didnt even know that some people able to get paid $5880 in a few weeks on the internet . look here ====http://www.4dayjobs.com

33

just as Chris said I am startled that some people able to get paid $7595 in 1 month on the internet . Read Full Report ===http://www.4dayjobs.com

34

Hello Guys My Name is HUMA. I am From INDIA. Our own association Dubai escorts is seen as to a great degree shimmering nearby understood workplaces inside Dubai and i am simply giving right here model escorts close by world class escort. Hina Shiekh is a far reaching name in our association and she is among the best and especially favored.Indian and Pakistani Escorts in Dubai Indian Escorts in Dubai Pakistani Escorts in Dubai Indian Call Girls in Dubai  Escorts in Dubai  http://indiansescortsdubai.com/

35

my bf got a nice twelve month old Chevrolet Suburban SUV have a peek at this web-site...........richway3.comᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵᴵ

36

Hello Guys My Name is SHEELA. I am From INDIA. Our own association Dubai escorts is seen as to a great degree shimmering nearby understood workplaces inside Dubai and i am simply giving right here model escorts close by world class escort. Hina Shiekh is a far reaching name in our association and she is among the best and especially favored.
Indian and Pakistani Escorts in Dubai
Indian Escorts in Dubai
Pakistani Escorts in Dubai
Indian Call Girls in Dubai
Escorts in Dubai
http://indiansescortsdubai.com/

37

my Aunty Sophia recently got a year 2013 Dodge Dart Sedan only from working parttime off a macbook... look at this site ---------->> http://tiny.tw/3poc

OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS