Curbside Finds: Two Generations Of Maximas, One A Datsun 810 Diesel – Does A Max Live Here?

 

1984 Nissan Datsun 810 maxima diesel sedan

I’ve seen these two Maximas parked around town over the years, but never together. Is this a new thing? Did the owner of one buy the other? Is one visiting?

Regardless, it’s great to see these relics from the ’80s stayin’ alive. And the older one, from 1980-1984, is a diesel at that.

Here they both are. The top one is the older one, a RWD still badged “Datsun 810” along with the maxima badge. The lower is the successor FWD version. The change is very noticeable in their respective front axle positions and hood lengths.

Here’s the DIESEL badge on the 810 sedan. I shot and posted a diesel wagon way back in 2011, and was a bit surprised then. I’m 14 years more surprised now. The diesel was a 2.8 liter version of the L-series engine, with all of 80 hp. Compared to the many inconsistent diesel efforts of the time, this one seems to have a pretty good rep. Some folks have apparently logged very high miles on theirs. I’d be curious as to how many this one has.

I see it’s got one modification: a half-hearted Bosozoku-style exhaust.

This needs a 45 degree turn and point skywards for about five feet or more, for Japanese-style rolling coal.

The interior is classic Japanese style of the time, with that soft velourish fabric and multiple-bolster look. Very comfortable too. These cars were the first to talk back at you, with its infamous “Bitchin’ Betty” voice alert system, that was actually a miniaturized phonograph. I hear they’re long-lived.

The only thing missing are the lace half seat covers for the tops of the seats and headrests.

These were a direct competitor to the Toyota Cressida, and both finally broke through the buyer resistance that Americans had with earlier six-cylinder Japanese cars. Now they were accepted as legitimate alternatives to European mid-luxury sedans, and often offered more bank for the buck, never mind reliability.

The second generation 810 arrived for the 1981 model year, and there were two versions: the 810 DeLuxe, and the 810 Maxima, the first use of a name that is of course still with us today. The Maxima version of the 810 was the high-trim version. By 1982, it was only “Maxima”, and the 810 designation fell by the wayside, as would the Datsun name in another couple of years.

The final 1984 MY Maximas had both “Datsun” and “Nissan” on its trunk lid, which this one sports.

Toyota had previously tried with several generations of Crown, before abandoning it in favor of the somewhat lower-priced Cressida, and with which it found moderate success. Nissan had held back with bigger sedans, but decided to jump in a year after the Cressida arrived, with its rather similarly-conceived 810, in 1977.

Like its predecessor, the first generation 810, these cars were Nissan Blubirds, designed and sold in most part of the world as four cylinder cars (above, with short nose). The Bluebird line included the legendary (original) 510, and its successor, the 610. But it was time to kick it up a notch for the US, and lengthen its nose in order to install the L24E SOHC 2.4 six, as used to such great success in the Datsun 240Z.  Of course, the six was detuned to 125 hp for its new role, but nevertheless, these offered a bit more punch than what folks had been used to in Japanese sedans. The Pinocchio nose didn’t exactly do much its looks, but the Americans were of course suckers for long hoods.

The 810 wasn’t only for US consumption; the Japanese market version used a smaller 2.0 L version of the six.

Here’s that 810 Maxima diesel wagon I shot back in 2011. I saw it around for years, but then it disappeared. Nice to know another diesel has taken its place here.

The second generation arrived for the 1985 MY, switched to FWD and ushered in the VG-series of V6 engines. US Maximas got the 3.0 L version with 157 hp. But the styling language remained surprisingly similar. Blocky, boxy and plenty of surface details to ease the flat planes.

A stock single exhaust pipe on this one.

The interior is also very similar. The seats look very comfy indeed. Japanese brougham style interior. This one is an automatic.

Pretty nice for a station wagon back seat. Take that, Volvo 240 wagon!

 

 

Related CC reading:

Curbside Classic: 1982 Datsun (Nissan) Maxima (810) Diesel Wagon – Bitching Betty  by PN

Curbside Classic: Datsun 810 Maxima – Maximum Mobility  by Perry Shoar

Curbside Classic: 1987 Nissan Maxima (PU11) V6 Turbo Hardtop Legran – The One That Missed The Boat by Tatra87