1973 Datsun 620 Truck with a CA18DET Inline-Four

Rob Adams purchased his 1973 Datsun 620 truck last year in Georgia from the original owner. Although the truck was an one-owner vehicle, it sat idle in a barn since 1991. Rob had a lot of work ahead if he wanted to accomplish his goal of a daily driver.

Rob started by towing the truck back to his home in Central Florida. There he coated the chassis and floor with POR15 and the engine bay in fresh paint. He rebuilt the suspension with new shocks and bushings and updated the steering. He also upgraded to Isuzu Trooper disc brakes in the front and rear. Rob plans to install a Watt’s link and switch to QA1 coilovers.

He replaced the factory engine with a turbocharged 1.8 L CA18DET inline-four from a Nissan S13. The engine features a larger T25 turbocharger, Turbonetics Raptor blow-off valve, Wiring Specialties stand-alone harness, front-mount intercooler, and custom exhaust. The engine is fed fuel from a Nissan D21 “Hardbody” fuel tank with a Walboro 255 pump.

Rob paired the engine to a five-speed manual (CA18DET) transmission. A custom one-piece driveshaft sends power to the factory Datsun differential. Rob wants to upgrade to a Dana 44 rear end with a G80 limited-slip differential.