Good morning! Today, we’re going to talk about trucks. Not just any trucks, but two single-cab short-bed trucks that each have a feature you don’t expect to see in such a vehicle. One has been modified to be able to do a certian kind of work more easily, and the other was only ever meant for play.
Yesterday, we looked at a couple of Japanese compacts you hardly ever see for sale anymore. I thought this one would be closer, actually, but I guess the CRX’s condition counted against it. Many of you thought it would make a good projecct car, but the turn-key Toyota was a far better deal.
I agree. I love the CRX, and if it weren’t up against that particular Corolla, I think it would look a lot better. But those GT-S coupes are such sharp-looking cars, and that one is in such good condition, that it’s hard to turn down. My ideal Japanese coupe from this era is still a Geo Storm GSi, but this Toyota wouldn’t be a bad substitute at all.
Short-bed single-cab trucks usually fall into one of two categories: they’re either dirt-cheap stripper models that get worked to death, or they’re sporty playthings whose beds never hold anything heavier than a Coleman cooler. One of today’s choices has been modified for doing serious work, but then was hardly ever used at all, it seems. And the other was modified by the manufacturer to ensure that it never had to do a day’s work in its life. Let’s check them out.
1980 Datsun 720 with dump bed – $5,900
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0-liter OHC inline 4, four-speed manual, RWD
Location: Walnut Creek, CA
Odometer reading: 38,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great
Several times over the past few years, I’ve had occasion to haul loads of gravel in my truck, for various landscaping projects. Getting the gravel into the truck is easy: you drive up to a big pile, a bucket loader scoops up a bunch of it, and gently dumps it into your truck. You feel the springs settle as they take the weight, and away you go. Easy-peasy. Getting all that gravel out, however, is a bit more tedious. It requires a shovel and hours of back-breaking work. You know what would make it a lot easier? A dump bed, like this little Datsun has.
This is an early version of the Nissan/Datsun 720 truck, with the old L-series engine in it. It looks like it has been converted to a Weber carburetor, as many of them were. We don’t get a lot of information about its condition; the seller just says it “drives excellent.” But it ought to; it’s practically new. It only has 38,000 miles on the clock.
The interior looks incredibly clean, as you’d expect from such low mileage – except for the seats. The driver’s seat is in pretty bad shape, from what we can see, and both seats are much dirtier than the rest of the interior. It’s almost as if someone took the nice seats out of it for some other project, and stuck these in their place just so it had something. The ad also claims it has air conditioning, but I see no plumbing for it under the hood, nor a button for it inside. Something is definitely a little hinky here.
The star of the show outside is, of course, the dump bed, which appears to just be the normal truck bed with a hydraulic mechanism stuck underneath. The bed sits a few inches higher than stock, which makes it look a little weird. But there’s no rust, the chrome bumpers are shiny, and the sheetmetal looks straight as an arrow. It makes me wonder why someone went to the trouble of turning this into a dump truck and then never used it as one.
1989 Dodge Dakota Sport convertible – $12,000
Engine/drivetrain: 3.9-liter OHV V6, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Youngstown, OH
Odometer reading: 103,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great
Convertible pickup trucks are nothing new; hell, a lot of the old Ford Model T trucks had a soft folding top. And technically, you could take the roof off the Jeep Scrambler and International Scout pickups, though not many people did. But when Dodge had ASC chop the top off a bunch of Dakota Sport pickups in 1989, there was nothing else like it available. It didn’t sell well; fewer than four thousand buyers were convinced it was a good idea over the course of three model years. And far fewer than that wanted a convertible truck with a manual gearbox; this is one of only a few hundred.
Power comes from the typical Dakota 3.9 liter V6, three-fourths of a 318 V8. It has throttle-body fuel injection and makes 125 horsepower. This one has a five-speed stick behind it, so it can make the most of what it has. It runs great, according to the seller, and has a new battery. The brake lines have also been replaced. Those two factors, along with the lowish mileage, lead me to believe this truck was sitting around for a while. It could probably use some exercise.
It’s in beautiful shape inside, but I could never quite understand why US automakers thought that a maroon interior goes with a fire-engine-red exterior. If it were gray or tan inside, or black outside, I think it would look better, but I digress. This one doesn’t have air conditioning either, but it does have plenty of ventilation, at least. The top is in good shape, and it also includes the boot and its storage bag, items which probably disappeared from most Dakota convertibles decades ago.
It’s nice and shiny outside, and both the paint and the vinyl graphics are in good shape. It includes the add-on black plastic wheel arches, which were never installed, but personally, I think it looks better without them. This is the nicest Dakota convertible I have seen in a long while, and the manual is a nice bonus, but I do feel like the price is a little optimistic. Rare only means valuable if there’s a lot of demand for something, and I get the feeling there’s about half as much demand for this one as the seller thinks there is. But as I’ve said before, I don’t price ’em; I just report ’em.
Both of these trucks have somewhat limited appeal, actually. Neither one can really be used as a “throw stuff in the back and go do work” truck like one without a dump bed or a convertible top could. But for exactly the right buyer, either one could be just the ticket. Are you that buyer? Probably not, but just for a minute, imagine you are. Which one are you going for?
For once, neither.
I have no use for a dump truck, the almost inevitable non-functioning AC, and the junkyard quality of the seats (and the price) are no go.
The Dakota is cool and all, but the price seems a bit outrageous, esp. for a car that is only viable with no rain or excessive temps.
Whenever I’ve toyed with the idea of a kei truck for weekend homeowner stuff, I’m always looking for the dump bed version. Being able to dump a bed full of mulch where I want it would be awesome.
Typing this out makes me wonder, why is there never a dump bed option on a modern pickup? No one buying these trucks would want that? Hell, they are expensive enough already, what is another $5k for a dump bed on your F-350 diesel?
Datsun dump truck especially with the price difference.
Datsun! I like both but gotta go w/ the mini-truck + dump bed…that’s a really cool and useful truck. That gen Dakota really weren’t the greatest reliability wise but I still like them and it is neat that some trucks like this one were made into convertibles mainly for the novelty factor
Give me the dumper! If I wasn’t on the wrong side of the country that might be a case of “take my money”.
The Datsun is definitely the better deal but I’m a huge Dakota fan and especially so of the first gens, it’s the drop top Dodge for me!
A mini truck with a dump bed definitely.
I have no love for old Datsuns, and since it is internet bucks, I’m going for the Dakota
12K for a V6 Dodge and they couldn’t even wash it for pics? Crack pipe.
That Datsun might actually be useful, but does it have the power to actually move any weight? Price is more reasonable, but still high.
I’m keeping my imaginary money today.
After loading 1500 pounds of pavers in the back of my ’80 720 4×2, it had no problem getting up to freeway speed, where the suspension constantly hitting the bump stops and the steering feeling very weird, convinced me to take the first exit and go surface streets the rest of the way, I would say it had adequate power.
In retrospect, I wish I had found a used 720 4×4 instead of selling the 4×2 I had and buying a ’90 Yota V6 4×4. That was easily the most disappointing vehicle I ever bought. Surprisingly gutless and the undercarriage developed a lot of rust in Rochester, NY, Cleveland, OH and the trips in between. Despite runs through the undercarriage sprays at carwashes. By the time I got it to Seattle, full lock turns into a driveway resulted in awful screeches.
Mechanically, it probably would go a long time. I sold it (for only $2K less than what I bought it for after 5 years, so there’s that) and bought a Tercel 4×4 to get around with the excess going towards a down payment on a home. I miss the Tercel more than the pickup.
The Datsun was almost certainly a fleet vehicle in its original life and was likely used to maintain something like the grounds of a college campus, zoo or something like that. So yeah miles are low since it usually never left the campus. So while the miles are low the hours are probably relatively high since a bunch of its life was spent at 5-10 mph, or just idling to run the dump bed w/o draining the battery.
OTOH salt exposure would probably have been minimal or none. We can be sure it wasn’t used to actively spread the stuff because it still exists, a 1980 Datsun salt spreader would’ve been lucky to see 1990.
More like lucky to see 1984 given the way those thing dissolved in New England.
What I heard was a 318 is only 25% too big to drop in!
If they were priced the same, I’d go for the Dodge. But that Datsun is half the price and is in great condition. And I have more use for a dump bed than a convertible top.
So the Datsun gets my vote.
I had a non-dumping 720 4×2 KingCab of the same year and it was sturdy and reliable. The condition of the seats is surprisingly bad, but covers will take care of it.
A Dodge with 103K on the clock from Ohio for twice the price? No thanks. The Datsun will have little to no rust. I wouldn’t be so sure about the Dodge.
I was in California when I owned the Datsun and hadn’t considered swapping to a Weber. Carburetion was the only thing I remember being less than ideal on it. I don’t whether this one is old enough to be exempt from emissions testing or how that works in California any more.
The carburetor could potentially be legal here. Weber/Redline did have a legal carb conversion kit and if the correct kit was used, no problem. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/aftermarket/devices/eo/d-133-11.pdf
I’d always choose the Datsun but I gotta say, a cheap conveyer style pickup bed unloader beats a dump bed in a lot of cases. Keeps the bed clean and even brings stuff to the edge of the tailgate so you don’t have to stoop.
A conveyer sounds pretty cool. I’ve never seen one. And I don’t know how it would handle something like the 1500 pounds of paving stones I once put in the back of my 720. After loading, it had about 2 inches of suspension travel left and the front end was spooky light. I took the first exit off the freeway and took all surface streets to get the rest of the way back home and unload them. The rear suspension seemed to have suffered no permanent damage.
They’re like $60 at Harbor Freight, 1500# of pavers would be about the limit. Yeah, I’ve hauled a few loads with the back axle kissing the bump-stops too.
I bought a boathook with rubber pads.
Essential pickup bed part
I like the Dakota but I just can’t get behind the price tag.
I used to own a newer 720 with 4×4 so I’m a bit biased towards the Datsun. I have no use for a dump bed but I won’t complain at that price.
The Datsun is actually a throw stuff in the back and get to work truck, because even with a dump body the load height is much lower than any new truck. Lack of AC isn’t a,big deal, and seat covers are appropriate until you find better seats.
The Dakota is fun but probably overpriced.
Convertible Dakota is undeniably cool, but in my opinion not 12 grand cool.
I love Dakotas, at this price though it better be a V8 long bed with a normal roof. This thing is $4K more than it cost brand new (based on my .4 seconds of Google searching)
I’ll take the Yota please.
Datsun/Nissan?
No, the ‘Yota, look it’s right over there. Doesn’t everyone see it?
I’ve always disliked the convertible pickup / Dakota.
But a nicely maintained datsun dumper? Heck yeah!