Visiotech's 85 720 BUILD

[Visiotech]

Hi all! I've been inspired to post my build here on the Nico forums.
I purchased this 85 720 from a lady for $600 and it runs like a top. I'll post the pics of the day i brought it home as soon as I find them again.
!st thing to do is make it 'MINE'. A few subtle mods and some sound.

Its a small pic. But at the time it was a small truck. Old school mags, stock mirrors and no stereo.

Spent some money and bought some Kenwood 12's to make a bit of bump

Then I spent a few days reading up on performance of speakers in different airspaces, subwoofer enclosures and how airspace works with the enclosures.

Four independent sealed chambers fire into 1 chamber. Then that chamber is ported into the cab which in turn becomes yet another chamber. Both the cab and box are measured to produce a solid 30Hz.

8 inch inside diameter, 1/2 thick wall high density PVC compliments of the local water district. Thanks Guys!
Bought a new Lanzar amp Specs say its 6000 watts. Talked to 1 of the VERY helpfull techs and got it tuned up to around 8000watts peak @ 2 ohms.

[Visiotech]

So.. I drove this for about a year then had a brilliant idea...
I'm going to make this a serious toy!!!
Say Hello to, URLZNG...
New shoes!

They sure are shinney!How about... a new motor?

AAAhhh... That should do it! Now lets add a bit more 'HEARTBEAT" to it...

New Lunati cam (470 lift) Rocker stud Girdles, new lifters and push rods. Now to make it fit...

Cut here.. Or there..
Do a lil grinding...

Screw it! CUT IT ALL OUT!

AND!!! ZOOP!! Look at that fit... Like a condom, Tight, Smooth and ready to ('F' bomb here) sh*t up!




Thanks for checkin out URLZNG on Nico! I'll keep you all up to date with pics and info as the rest of the build unfolds.
Please feel free to ask questions or comment and I'll respond after the days events.

[Visiotech]

A super special thanks to MetalFab, My friend, my bud and my evil counterpart! Or was that the other way around?

He drives 30min to my shop to help, spends HOURS helping then drives home.
New pics due tomarow. I'll show the fancy motor mounts the we have been fabricating for 2 days...
See ya then!

[breadbox]

Wow. That is quite a step up from the stock motor. What did it come out of?

Looks like a fun toy. Great work guys.

[MetalFab]

Not sure exactly what it came out of. Got the motor from a wrecking yard after blowing a gm goodwrench motor in my 76 k5 blazer. The guy at the yard said the motor was built, little did I know how built. This motor proceded to blow two turbo-350's before the blazer sat in my garage awaiting a 4 speed manual swap which I wasn't ready to do at the time.

Nice pics bro, that motor really looks like it belongs there now.

Oh, and you would definitely be the evil counterpart lol

[Visiotech]

Spent a couple of hours today making motor mounts square to eachother. I think these should be strong enough.

MetalFab welded the hell outta the frame-side rods... Thanks man! I know these ain't commin undone!!


They are modeled after others I have seen that mount a built 350ci in a 36 pontiac sedan delivery. And again on a nasty built 454ci in a super sweet full steel Chevordiac, i.e. a 1 of a kind rotrod.
I'll post some pics of em tomarrow'ish

[MetalFab]

Those turned out slick! Very clean looking for the tools we have available. I'll be out manana to weld those in for good.

[Visiotech]

Well... A few days of R&R and back to the shop! Got it almost ready to run! Here are some new pics.
MetalFab scored a lil a/c buzzbox.. Nice!




I finally fab'd the slave cylinder mount. Should outlast the rear end!



Did some more cutting to make room for the HEI dizzy...


Sooo... after 3 weeks all this,

FITS perfect.


I have alot of crap left over... See anything you need?


Here is a pic of the latest hotrod out of this shop...

[noface]

those timing gears are cool! ...for awhile... then they drive ya crazy! Man those things are noisy! You gonna run it on the street that way?

Gonna be hard to keep back tires on this ride!

[MetalFab]

That sub-box should keep him from losing traction while clutching at an idle... lol Hope to get this thing together quick like. between visio workin full time and a 9:30 noise kerfew, we just aren't putting as much time as we'd like into it. Once the driveline returns, there's only alittle sheet metal work, relocate the ebrake and throttle cable, hookin up a few hoses and a dozen wires and she's on the road, ready for the next thing to be done to it. Looks like a cold air intake setup is on the board with one of the inner headlights being the inlet. And he still wants to turn this thing into a convertible. Add a body kit and this thing won't look like a nissan anymore.

[Visiotech]

::UPDATE::

Its running!!! Driveline is in and I can turn the key and VROOOM lope lope lope!!! SOund disgusting!!! Barely hear the geardrive... Might hear them more when I get the exhaust installed. Sounds like a dragster right now.
Having issues w/ the clutch slave cylinder not pushing far enough.
Gonna try and bleed it out some more tomarrow. If that doesn't work I'll try a longer pushrod on the slave. Already adjusted the pedal pushrod as far as it will go w/o the risk of it falling off.
If neither of these ideas work I'll either replace the clutch master, slave or both.
For as nasty as the cam is,I'm suprised at how well the brakes responded. The vaccuum is better than I'd hoped!
I'll post vids as soon as I can get them OFF my phone. Too big to send via pic msg. damnitall...

[Visiotech]

those timing gears are cool! ...for awhile... then they drive ya crazy! Man those things are noisy! You gonna run it on the street that way?!

The stereo can drowned out a nuclear strike! They are also the Pete Jackson Silent-drive gears. Not as loud as some on the market but not as quiet as a chain.

[Visiotech]

::UPDATE::
Got the trans to shift into gear!!! A bit too tight still so I'll grind down the new push rod a bit until it performs properly. I get about 3hrs after work to get things done. So its a little bit @ a time now.
Get the fancy exhaust bends tomorrow so I can finally get the exh. system together too!
So all in all I'm about $750.00 into this project and get to reap the rewards very soon.That's not including the Gatorades and powerades consumed!!!

[noface]

man, that things gonna rock... and I ain't talkin bout the stereo either!

You putting a 9" out back, cause I think that Nissan chunk is gonna explode...

[MetalFab]

Everywhere I've looked these nissan rear ends are rated at 500 hp, used under flat beds and cargo trucks. I doubt he'll need to go to a 9" until he decides to put wider tires on the back of this thing. He has a 9" sitting in the yard needing to be cut down if indeed it does blow the stocker.

I forgot to add exhaust to the list above.. kind of a major thing, and would be 10x easier if we could have fit a front air bag setup into the budget and moved the front crossmember forward or backward some.

[Visiotech]

Got some work done today to make this thing roadworthy... got most of the metal patching done on the spine. I'm using good German steel for my old baja.

I had allot of work on the driver side to make room for the gas pedal...

Then i started on the passenger side. I got it patched all the way to the top after this was taken...

Then i tacked in 1 of the patches for the shifter...

I thought long and hard about what to do w/ the exhaust. I decided to run it forward off the headers then wrap down and around the steering and sway bar. I will have to remember to ALWAYS pull in to parking lots as straight as I can!
I made 3 15deg cuts through the reducers then spun them until all the short sides were together then welded them back up. I had such little clearance to work with that this was my only option.

Tomorrow I will finish the exhaust, the rest of the firewall patching and hook up the throttle linkage.

[Visiotech]

I got the gas pedal in and working! I'm going to take it to a gut in the city and get the cable shortened. I ended up using a 1/4" yoke from ACE, a 1.5" bolt and a matching ball joint. I'll add some pics tomorrow.

Drove it up the driveway under its own power, with the actual gas pedal! OMG. The feeling is wow. I have an Integra, w/ 10lbs of boost and NO2, THIS Nissan pulls harder. NOTE:: I only used 1st gear...I didn't go past 1/4 of the pedal's throw and i was stuffed in the seat and thinking I should have put my harness on !!! The teg would increase in pull, pretty fast, until you couldn't lift your head off the seat( maybe 2-3 seconds) but this truck was instant stuffed in the seat w/ no sign of letting me out! I may go to the dragstrip and just sell tickets to go for a run. $20 = 1 pass LMAO! Just a few days and it'll be tiptop and mostly bugless.

Going try and get the exhaust done so I can drive it on the street by wednesday. still debating on exit location. I was going to tuck the glass-packs and then run dual tuner cans in the rear to keep the JDM look. The other idea is to go with the packs out back like they do w/ hot-rod pickups, 2 big pipes poking out.

Went to the surplus store today and the owner offered me a fibreglass swiss guided rocket crate for 10bux. I need to cowl my hood to make room for the aircleaner. I'll post a pic of it tomorrow too. even has a warning on the side I may be able to incorperate as I form it to the hood. The other hood scoop idea is and older style metal hood off a riding lawnmower. I'll figure it out in the next few days cause i wanna cover it b4 I'm driving it daily.

Ordering another electric fan for my cooling system. 2 will fit very nice and be extra cool. Also adapting the 350 to run the stock gauge sending unit. Then i can use the gauge slot on the left of the console for something else. I put an oil pressure 1 in the right side. black on black and i sprayed the trim ring I made cast iron. Looks pretty good. But, when I turn the dash lights down w./ the dimmer the gauge gets brighter. Going to try and reverse the lighting wires and see if it fixes it. I'll post the outcome.

More pics and rambling tomorrow. COMING SOON! <<!!VIDEO!!>>

[Visiotech]

WELL... I been driving the beast around today... still have the front main oil leak, fixable, and its getting hot just rollin around town @ 25mph. But let me tell you guys/gals...
HOLY FRICKEN BAT $#!*!!! No matter what gear, give it bit of throttle and it will slide out sideways!!! No hesitations. No lag. Just HP!!!

Hope to have some vids soon... waiting on my bud to bring over his digital video camera.

Here are some pics of the exhaust.

[Visiotech]

I've decided to spend the extra $$$ and get a good radiator.. Arrives tomorrow or the day after. Let's hope for tomorrow!!!
Going to enter it the car show next weekend in the 'under construction' class. I will have it 1/2 assed ready tuesday, the firewall finished and the guages in their places.
More pics when things fet rolling again...

[seang]

I decided to run it forward off the headers then wrap down and around the steering and sway bar. I will have to remember to ALWAYS pull in to parking lots as straight as I can!

Are headers even worth the trouble in situations like this? Would stock style manifolds (like HO Camaro manifolds) work better, or would you still have the same clearance problem?

[Visiotech]

The best thing to do is get a fab kit then send it in and have a pro build them exactly how you need em. But if you don't have the 1200-1500 bux to burn I recommend old school block huggers.
There is less than 1 inch clearance to work w/. And I have the 'ding' in #5 I think, the same ding for the 55 belair steering shaft.
After the test fit I knew I had to use the block huggers. AND.. I still had to make the reducers take an immediate 90deg turn to the front. Then I built it all from there. Can't go around the back due to the starter on passenger side and the abillity to change the oil filter on the driver side.

[Visiotech]

Reinstalled the stereo system today. still need to clean out the entire cab and vacuum it. I got grindings and shavings everywhere. No sign of the new sideflow radiator today Its 2"s taller and almost an inch thicker. I should have plenty of room. I'm only taking this stuff off 1 more time so I'm gonna fix everything I can b4 it goes back together.
Car show this weekend! My 1st ever entrance! lol I had it parked in the show last year but it was full of NAPA stuff. This year I'm goin for a plaque @ least.
I'm going to try and make a sound filter for my phone and take a small vid. I really need to share this w/ all of you who come to see the build..

[MetalFab]

I'm pushing for the vid+sound clip, finally got to town yesterday to hear this thing, It blew my expectations. It sounds like a quieter version of an open exhaust funny car with that cam in it, and the gear drive is sexy as hell on startup and then almost goes away. I doubt you'll hear it inside the cab, especially after the floor and firewall gets dynomat and carpet.

I've seen it in a luv, I've seen it in a mazda, I can now say I've seen it in a 720, and made it happen. Overall this thing is one big kick in the pants. and I want one in my 620 kc now. Keep the rubber side down bro.

[noface]

just cut some holes in the hood and put some Zoomie's on it!

[Visiotech]

I entered in the local car show today... 3 entries in my class, RatRod, Neither of the other 2 were any sort of ratrod! 1 30 sumthin dodge that looked like some1 just drug it out of the berry bushes and dropped it off @ the show. NOT A RATROD, its a pile of tetanus on wheels. The other was a parts car or a ground up restore project that may or may not start the next time.
I drive mine daily. It is almost complete but still street legal. Stupid Humans.

[Visiotech]

Quick little update...

Got my new radiator installed and starting the core support/hood latch fabrications. I drove 5 miles after it reached temp. Got out and ran my hands around the tanks and it was nice and warm, not hot. Cooling issues solved!
**Special THANKS! to Rod's Radiator in Redding, Ca. THANKS ROD!!**

[seang]

Is there any tire/header contact when you steer? Truck is very cool regardless, I am just wondering.

[MetalFab]

and who tigged those sexy mounts on that aluminum radiator? lol j/k.. so my mounting holes were alittle off! guess I should have used your radiator for a template instead of mine, who'd have thought there was a difference from 85-86 Looks good! lets get a hood modified to hide that baby from the pigs.

I don't believe there is any tire contact, the sbc isn't all that much heavier than the stock setup, 100lbs or so? not squatting it anymore than having a passenger in the car, especially if that passenger is me! lol. I'm pretty impressed with how stout the torsions are on the 720, I thought with lowering the front end it would have made the torsions springier but it squats and holds its stance. There does seem to be alittle rub from the exhaust against the steering linkage, but it's barely knocked the paint off, thinkin the motor shifted a tad to the drivers side between our last fitup and welding the mounts in. It's not bad, the mounts don't allow much play at all, and it can be addressed at a later date if indeed visio does rub a hole in his header, or if he decides to put more rubber on the rear and starts flexing the chassis.

[sawyer's720]

after the price of the engine how much did this swap cost you?

[Visiotech]

Seeings how MetalFab and myself did all the fabricating and welding ourselves so the cost was around $750. The only things that we had farmed out was the radiator and driveline. Radiator was around 250 and the driveline was 140'ish.
If you cannot do the fab and welds yourself plan on spending over 1K easy!
The most important things I can share are...
Have more parts than you can use, ie. headers, steel, carbs, exhaust pipe...
Measure! Measure! MEASURE! There is little room to place the bigger motor. So, you really need to keep in mind the steering shaft to header clearances and pulleys to radiator.

My exhaust still ends right under the cab. I'm still trying to figure out where to route it due to the fuel tank on the passenger side. I'll have it up on the rack again soon.
Still dont have a hood on it either. I dont want to put some lame scoop on it. I'm also going to get rid of the big carb mount air filter. Going to use a 5" dual or single cold air setup.

HEY!!! If any1 has some good pics of the 86.5 and up D21 style headlight buckets please post them here so I can ask some questions!
By the way... 365HP is not too much for these lil trucks! unless its wet outside!!!