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like2thruhike
Member
Joined: 28 May 2009
Posts: 1288 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
I remember my brothers 1978 Datsun B210.That thing was fugly but it got great (30/42) mpg and it such great ground clearance you could drive it anywhere.Along with that,it was easy to work on (1.4 liter) and with the hatch it had lots of room.Paint+rims+tint would have done it a justice in the looks department.
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mike220
Slug's taxi service
Joined: 05 Sep 2009
Posts: 181 | TRs | Pics
Location: Shoreline, WA |
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mike220
Slug's taxi service
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 Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:43 pm |
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I loved all of the Datsun vehicles I ever owned. They don't make them like that anymore. 
"Natural stupidity trumps artificial intelligence every time"
"Natural stupidity trumps artificial intelligence every time"
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straydog
slave to a monolith
Joined: 19 Apr 2008
Posts: 1456 | TRs | Pics
Location: North Bend |
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straydog
slave to a monolith
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Wed Jun 20, 2012 4:46 pm |
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Then you might be interested to know that there is an industry rumor that Nissan is bringing back the Datsun brand 
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Mugs
Member
Joined: 02 Jan 2007
Posts: 208 | TRs | Pics
Location: Kent, Wa. |
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Mugs
Member
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Wed Jun 20, 2012 6:19 pm |
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I know from a previous post you "did not want to purchase an image" but the old school subies are front wheel drive until you "engage" them. I used to get 32mph out of my 94 Loyale...had A/C too so it was nice to drive. Had great ground clearance and in a pinch if I needed to I could push the 4wd button. If you can get pre 88 you actually get a true 4hi/lo selection. Plus these vehicles can be had for cheap.
Also they made some FWD legacy and impreza's which are less mechanically prone to some of the notorious problems the GL/Loyale line had...for starters they have a much better engine by about 100%...To raise them is easy...you can put outback or forester struts and springs on the corners and it will give about 3.5 of body height and then you can bump up to a 15in tire and get a couple of inch bigger then stock on the tires and get about a 4-5in total lift out of them...lots of info out there on it...or just pm me and I can tell you more and or direct you where you need to go/search.
my $.02
I miss my 4.8Lb base weight as a ground dweller...But I sure DON'T MISS the ground.
I miss my 4.8Lb base weight as a ground dweller...But I sure DON'T MISS the ground.
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Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics
Location: Cle Elum |
Well, a real 4x4 (four low too) at has tons of power and gets 35+ mpg.
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
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Mugs
Member
Joined: 02 Jan 2007
Posts: 208 | TRs | Pics
Location: Kent, Wa. |
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Mugs
Member
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Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:25 pm |
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| Backpacker Joe wrote: | | Well, a real 4x4 (four low too) at has tons of power and gets 35+ mpg.
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Is that the diesel liberty?...those are very hard to find.
I miss my 4.8Lb base weight as a ground dweller...But I sure DON'T MISS the ground.
I miss my 4.8Lb base weight as a ground dweller...But I sure DON'T MISS the ground.
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like2thruhike
Member
Joined: 28 May 2009
Posts: 1288 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
4x4's are expensive.
Price tag.
Insurance.
Up keep.
35 mpg-listed like gear manufacturer's list honest temp ratings+weight...
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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 7464 | TRs | Pics
Location: The Hermitage |
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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?
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Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:48 pm |
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| like2thruhike wrote: | | I remember my brothers 1978 Datsun B210.That thing was fugly but it got great (30/42) mpg and it such great ground clearance you could drive it anywhere.Along with that,it was easy to work on (1.4 liter) and with the hatch it had lots of room.Paint+rims+tint would have done it a justice in the looks department. |
I had a '79 Corolla for awhile. Same thing - short wheelbase, good ground clearance, great mileage, cheap to fix if anything did break, which it rarely did.
If you're looking for a decent trailhead rig these days a small 2wd Toyota or Nissan truck from the '90s to whenever they stopped making them is a good bet. I don't consider the Tacoma a small truck any more. I had a '75 Datsun truck for awhile that was a fantastic trail rig, almost as good as a 4x4. Not deer resistant, unfortunately.
For better mileage but maybe not as good of ground clearance a Corolla or similar car from the early '90s is also a good choice. I had an '88 Corolla for quite a few years that knocked down 38mpg regularly and got me up the old roads just fine though it did scrape bottom occasionally and if the ruts were deep you had to drive with one set of wheels in the center of the road and let the brush scrape down the side of the car.
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Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics
Location: Cle Elum |
| Mugs wrote: | | Is that the diesel liberty?...those are very hard to find. |
There are 148 of them on auto trader at the moment.
Auto trader
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
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Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics
Location: Cle Elum |
| like2thruhike wrote: | | 35 mpg-listed like gear manufacturer's list honest temp ratings+weight... |
Youre calling me a liar! How nice, as we havent even met!
Ive gotten at high as 38 mpg on road trips. 35 is pretty normal highway driving for me.
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
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boot up
Old Not Bold Hiker
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 4745 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bend Oregon |
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boot up
Old Not Bold Hiker
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Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:50 pm |
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| Backpacker Joe wrote: | | like2thruhike wrote: | | 35 mpg-listed like gear manufacturer's list honest temp ratings+weight... |
Youre calling me a liar! How nice, as we havent even met!
Ive gotten at high as 38 mpg on road trips. 35 is pretty normal highway driving for me. |
coool, you must have some pretty amazing driving techniques.
The diesel liberties on Fuelly.com seem to all generally get in the low 20's for their mpg average.
Your experience does not seem to be "average".
I think thats what might be throwing people off a bit.
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like2thruhike
Member
Joined: 28 May 2009
Posts: 1288 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
BPJ,if you got 35 mpg then pick me up this weekend and we'll pick up trash on the Hansen Creek Road.Sorry I'm a skeptic.I don't believe in Bigfoot yet either.I need to see to believe.
The Liberty is much larger than the diesel Rabbit and that got 45/55 mpg....
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Dante
Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 2815 | TRs | Pics
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Dante
Member
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Fri Jun 22, 2012 2:54 pm |
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Google "hypermiling" - That's what he does. Lots of highway miles help, too. My 2000 Golf TDI often gets over 50 mpg on the highway.
I think a TDI Golf with tall Nokian WRG2 tires, the OEM steel skid plate, a limited slip differential and a roof rack would be a pretty cool trail head car. They even make strut spacers for them, so you can gain another inch of ground clearance.
I used to own an '84 Subaru GL. That was a great trail head car. My favorite was my '72 Datsun 510, though.
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mike
Member
Joined: 09 Jul 2004
Posts: 6398 | TRs | Pics
Location: SJIsl |
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mike
Member
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Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:29 pm |
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| Chainsaw_Willie wrote: | | I had a '75 Datsun truck for awhile that was a fantastic trail rig, almost as good as a 4x4. |
Me too. Used it as a power wheelbarrow/hay truck for years here around the place. Finally gave it away. Comforting to know that if the world went to @#$% I could mount a 50cal to protect the garden. 
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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 7464 | TRs | Pics
Location: The Hermitage |
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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?
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Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:56 pm |
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| boot up wrote: | | The diesel liberties on Fuelly.com seem to all generally get in the low 20's for their mpg average. |
average mpg /= highway mpg.
BPJ said "35 is pretty normal highway driving for me."
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