This was my second nostalgia-driven purchase, as my dad owned a grey 1982 Datsun Maxima when I was growing up. For the princely sum of $280, this car was mine. I drove all the way to upstate NC in the Durango next to it and then towed it back to South Carolina, where I was staying at the time. It started right up after sitting in a field for ten-plus years. That’s old-school Nissan for you. Try THAT in your 2012 Maxima 30 years from now.
I absolutely LOVE the sound of the L24e motor (except for fuel injection, essentially the same motor offered in the 240Z). A little-known fact is that the L-series motor was loosely based on an older Mercedes SOHC inline-six design. I also love the styling of these older Maximas. I’m a firm believer that there is beauty in simplicity–it’s tasteful and attractive, without drawing attention to itself. It also handled well, and the voice command feature still worked (Key in ignition, *bing*, key in ignition, *bing*) and wowed everyone who rode in my car.
This car had the dumbest automatic transmission I had ever witnessed; it maddeningly hunted back and forth between third and fourth gears. Sadly, even a Datsun Maxima can’t sit in a field that long without sustaining long-term damage, which showed itself in the form of a rusted-through strut tower and a blown head gasket. The fact that it ran as well as it did was a testament to Datsun, and despite the condition I sold it in, I still made $500 off it. Amazing. I’d love to find a five-speed version someday and perform an L28et swap.
Talking cars were all the rage in the early 80s.In 83 my neighbour had a talking MG Maestro,he soon traded it for a BMW!
I always liked these Maximas, but recall them being fairly expensive when they were ordinary used cars.
I don’t have too much experience with these. A friend had a diesel powered one for a while. Apparently the crank was the hot ticket for creating stroker Z engines.
So when is a door not a door?
When a door is a jar!
datsun inherited that engine it came from the Prince range of cars who licenced it from Mercedes.
That Maxima is the last RWD model, right? Afterwards they were all FWDs .
RWD Bluebirds went longer or was that OZ only, same bodyshell as these which was converted to FWD
You’re right about OZ.
The FWD Bluebird U11 began production in October ’83. And along with it the Maxima (in Japan at least) moved FWD too, with transverse 2.0 V6 i engines (NA and turbo!).
The body of the U11 looks very similar to the 910, but was actually completely different.
Australia didn’t get the U11, but instead kept making the RWD 910 through to 86 when they went to 4cyl versions of the R31 Skyline badged as Pintara.
The 910 lived on in Japan though as taxis and government vehciles right through till May 93 production.
Wow, didn’t know the 910 lasted that long! I guess it was replaced by the Y31-based CedGlo fleet car.
Quattro’s dad’s generation was the last RWD and inline-6 Maxima, at least in the US. After that it was FWD and V6. I remember when the 81 came out thinking it looked much more contemporary than the Monte Carlo-esqe 810. The 85 was really a looker with that long coffin nose and short rear deck. That’s when they started doing the SEs with black out trim. The GXEs still had the pillow seats.
The 89 was the all-time classic Maxima in my view. No more pillow seats and it took on the 4DSC label. Surprisingly underneath it was same as the 85, just stretched and widened.
Being a great fan of elderly RWD Nissans, I’m envious of this model Maxima, which we never got here in NZ. That spot in the market was filled for us by the C31/C32 Laurel and the 260/280/300C sedans in the early-mid 80s. Our first official Maxima was the ’89 J30 model, although the U11-based ’84-’88 model has arrived here ex-Japan as a used import. Our current Maxima is the JDM Teana; although its about to be replaced by the USA Altima – as Nissan believes the Maxima name equates to older drivers, and they want to attract a younger demograph.