Hi, I'm new to trucks but I'm selling my car to buy a truck and motorcycle. I like the look of the 1979 Datsun, well, really any 70's Datsun. I drove a 1979 king cab Datsun today off of craigslist and I need someone opinion. The person who is selling it got it from his dad who was a mechanic from his grandpa who was also a mechanic. He is also one and says that all the work has been done in his families garage. I asked if I could take it to a mechanic to get it checked and he was more than confident... So it is going there tomorrow and assuming that everything comes out ok, is this a good car to buy? What are things to look for? I've driven a few old cars but I need something pretty reliable. It won't be my daily driver (the motorcycle will) but I don't know much so please help! Thanks.

Welcome aboard, Annie!

Hard to kill a Datsun 620 pickup... If it's not rusted, and it's not leaking, and it FEELS good to you, it's a good truck. The King Cab 620 is in HIGH demand - very desirable, so you'll always be able to sell it and make your money back.

I try to encourage people to stick to the earlier models (less emissions crap), but I'd have a tough time passing up a 620 KC.

How much does he want for it?
What are you going to use the truck for?
Where is it located? If it's anywhere but the Southwest I would suggest you ask the mechanic to do a thorough search for rust.
Can you post up some pictures?
What's the mileage?
Has it been modified?

I'd say lift up any floor covering/carpet and look for rust! If there is a bed liner (some ppl put a sheet of plywood in the bed) look under that too!

I didn't do that when buying my truck, and I'm spending money on replacing body mounts and floor boards now. Just remember, you are buying an old truck, so I'd say just keep a side stash for repairs/parts that will come up here and there when not expected.

Other than that, Good luck!

There isn't any rust under on the floor inside the truck or the bed. There is a small amount of rust, dime size spots, on the exterior. Maybe 10 of them. There is also rust on the tailgate but he bought a new one to replace it but it isn't on it now. The car is in the pacific northwest and I'm going to be using it as a work truck for my house and some daily driving too. He is asking for $1500. It needs new mirrors and some upholstery. It has minor body damage and needs a paint job. I don't have any photos. The mileage on it says 33,000. He rebuilt the engine a couple years ago.
I'm dropping it off at a mechanic this morning so I can't get it check out.
Thanks for all the help. Assuming there's nothing huge, $1500 is pretty cheap right?

In my opinion, that's too much. $1500 would be a good price if it was in really good shape and didn't have to fix anything. However, you have rust, paint, body work, and interior issues. Make a list of what needs to be replaced and call around. See how much more than $1500 it's gonna cost you to get everything fixed. If the mechanic says it is mechanically sound and you don't care about fixing the aesthetic problems, then I say buy it and drive it until it falls apart.

The rust concerns me more than anything at this point. It eats away at the metal like cancer and you don't always see it until you start digging. Make sure you do a thorough inspection under the hood: battery tray, strut towers, radiator support, firewall.

I'm not trying to be negative, I just want to make sure you get a good deal and not taken advantage of. We've seen a lot of people pick up a great car for a smoking hot price, only to get it home and realize they bought someone else's headache.

Good luck and let us know what the mechanic says.

I think the price is fair, but that's just my opinion. You have to ask yourself how much you like the truck? Are they easy to come by in your area, or are you willing to travel to find another truck? It is 30+ years old, so expect to find some flaws.

Most vehicles are investments that DON'T pay off. So if you buy it, buy it knowing that it's an enjoyment purchase and not something that you expect to fix, flip and make some money.

I'm speaking from a view point of someone from Hawaii, so my opinion does have bias. I can't drive to the next state to look at another truck, I only have pickings from what's on the island. And if I did fly to... let's say... Nevada to find a truck, then transporting to Long Beach and shipping to Hawaii is some $$$.

Just my 2 cent.

If it runs good, it's worth $1500 (to me). KC 620's are cool as heck.

I'd love me a KC 620 someday.