The Perfect Cheap Two-Car Garage? 1982 Datsun 720 vs 1990 Volvo 740

Good morning! We’ve made it to the end of another week, and as some of you have surmised, we’re back looking in the Golden State for our final pair – though, due to circumstances beyond any of our control, maybe not quite where you expected. Today is also going to be one of those rare days where you get a “both” option in the poll, because I think you might want it.

Well, that trashed Corvette yesterday went over like a lead balloon, as I expected. But kudos to the 21% if you who were brave enough to choose it! You could be right; there might be a salvageable Corvette (or one hell of a Lemons race car) hiding under all that crap. And if someone decides to find out, please let us know. That’s a story I could easily pitch to the powers that be.

Myself, I’m sticking with the majority and playing it safe with the Caravan. I’m no fan of the 2.6, but I can probably get it running well enough to take to car shows, where a bone-stock first-gen Caravan might be appreciated. And if not, a turbo/manual swap might be fun to try.

All right; it’s time for the big reveal of my stupid theme for the week. As some of you already figured out, we went from Phoenix, Arizona all the way to Tacoma, Philadelphia, Atlanta… and you would expect today would be LA. But that poor city has enough to deal with right now without someone poking around looking for cheap old cars, so we’ll skip it and head straight to northern California, where I’m told the girls are “warm.” (I suspect they average 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit there, just like everywhere else, but whatever.) Today’s cars are the same low price, and in roughly the same condition, and complement each other so well that I suspect you may want to vote for both. Let’s check them out.

1982 Datsun 720 ST – $3,500

Engine/drivetrain: 2.2-liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, RWD

Location: San Francisco, CA

Odometer reading: 200,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives great

Once again, here we have one of my favorite little Japanese trucks: the Nissan/Datsun 720 series. These little wonders aren’t as refined as the later Hardbody and Frontier, but they’re built like tanks, and they have attitude in spades. This is an earlier example, when the taillights were still below the tailgate, and the hood still had black plastic louvers. And, more importantly, before “The Name Was Nissan.” This one still just says Datsun on the badges.

The very earliest 720s were powered by the old L20 four-cylinder, but this one is new enough to have the twin-spark NAPS-Z engine, displacing 2.2 liters. It has 200,000 miles on it, but it runs great, the seller says. It was just tuned up, has new brakes and tires, and the timing chain and water pump were replaced 20,000 miles ago.

This is the sporty ST model, which features bucket seats, a center console, a tach, a sporty steering wheel, and those graphics on the outside. It’s a little rough inside, but not bad at all for the age and mileage. The seller says everything works, and they claim it has air conditioning, but I see neither a button on the dash nor a compressor under the hood. It does have power steering, though, which is a luxury for a little truck like this.

The outside isn’t perfect, but it’s rust-free, and it has good patina. The bed has been coated in spray-on or roll-on bedliner, so it should be ready to earn its keep. And of course, it has those wonderful rope cleats on the outside of the bed.

1990 Volvo 740 GL – $3,500

Engine/drivetrain: 2.3-liter overhead cam inline 4, four-speed automatic, RWD

Location: Sonoma, CA

Odometer reading: 250,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives great

How do you follow up a popular boxy car? If you’re Volvo, you make an even boxier one. The 740 was supposed to replace the 240, but the 240 stubbornly refused to be put out to pasture, and actually outlived the 740 by a year. This body style was originally sold as the 760, with the infamous PRV V6 under the hood; this 740 features Volvo’s lower-powered but far more durable “redblock” inline four.

You could get this engine with a turbocharger, featured in a wonderful series of magazine ads, but this one is naturally aspirated. Moreover, it’s backed by a four-speed automatic, which is a bit of a letdown for enthusiasts, but at least it’s a good reliable automatic. This car has a quarter of a million miles on it, and it runs beautifully. It has a bunch of new parts including a new timing belt and rear brakes.

The 740 was a step upmarket from the 240, and it’s just a little bit nicer inside. This one is in very nice shape, it looks like, and the only thing that doesn’t work currently is the air conditioning. It could use some new door seals, the seller says, but that’s about it.

It has aftermarket wheels, which I like, and add-on chrome trim on the wheel arches, which I’m not as crazy about. But since it’s a California car, it’s unlikely they’re hiding any rust. The paint is faded, and the clear coat is of course falling off, but it’s straight.

I actually like both of these cars well enough that I hesitate to pit them against one another, but that’s the name of the game. They’re $3,500 each, but honestly, I think buying them both would be seven grand well spent. If you agree, I’ll give you the option of choosing both. If for some reason you don’t want either one of them, tough. You’ll just have to wait for next week.

(Image credits: sellers)

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