eBay: '82 diesel Sedan in Knoxville, $100

[goglio704]

I agree, the Maxima diesel 5 speed should be a very good training vehicle for those who need to learn to drive a manual. My mother (farm girl) can drive anything with wheels and has offered to try to teach my spouse. This is probably a lot better idea than me doing it. I've tried and prooved the theory that there are no bad students - only bad teachers. By the way - my mom has taken over the white Maxima as her daily driver - I don't think I'll get it back.

[83_maxima]

Apparently the female of our species can't be taught to drive a stick once they are over the age of 18?

I'm about to prove that wrong this weekend when I teach my girlfriend to drive a MT!

Asked the seller about looking at the car prior to the end of the auction and got a prompt response complete with directions to a spot approximately five miles from my house. How wierd!

The seller seems to be pretty good. He was very promt with me and upfront and he wasted no time in driving 30 miles to take some pictures and try to start the car. Best of luck to you Matt. I was hoping someone that really enjoyed these cars would snag it.

I've taught three people to drive manual transmission vehicles. I use the same method every time, and always a diesel. Assuming they already know the Rules of the Road (ie have read the relevant materials): take them to an empty parking lot -- church lots are good, as they're empty much of the time. Have them put right foot under the seat. Start engine, declutch, shift to 1st, release clutch. Stall. Repeat.

So do you think this technique would crossover to a gas car? Sounds pretty good. I don't see why it wouldn't, but the engine is going to want to die easier than a diesel would...hmmm...

Modern-era ATs are so good (OD, lockup converters) that I wonder that anyone desires a MT these days.

Speaking for myself, it just makes driving more fun, especially in the Maxima. The L24E is such a free-revving engine that I just couldn't stand it with the auto trans. It puts a smile on my face everytime I drive it - and I have a Porsche!

[asavage]

So do you think this technique would crossover to a gas car? Sounds pretty good. I don't see why it wouldn't, but the engine is going to want to die easier than a diesel would...hmmm...

I doubt that the results will be as good, but you can try it yourself. Some gassers regulate the idle speed better than others. I've driven a couple (a late 200SX comes to mind, I drove it last week) that was just horrible. You'd put a load on the engine, and it would way overreact and run up to 1300, you'd declutch because it was too much and it would rev even higher, then you'd let off the clutch a bit and it would stall. It was just awful, I don't know how people get 100k out of their clutches on rigs like that.

[83_maxima]

So do you think this technique would crossover to a gas car? Sounds pretty good. I don't see why it wouldn't, but the engine is going to want to die easier than a diesel would...hmmm...

I doubt that the results will be as good, but you can try it yourself. Some gassers regulate the idle speed better than others. I've driven a couple (a late 200SX comes to mind, I drove it last week) that was just horrible. You'd put a load on the engine, and it would way overreact and run up to 1300, you'd declutch because it was too much and it would rev even higher, then you'd let off the clutch a bit and it would stall. It was just awful, I don't know how people get 100k out of their clutches on rigs like that.

I don't think the maxima would do that. Pathfinder might be better. It will hold itself on a moderate grade with the clutch. (I know, not good practice)

[davido]

That would be interesting to pull the engine and trans and put in a 280z. anyone ever seen a diesel powered Z....

[83_maxima]

There is actually a guy that put an LD28 in a 240Z and converted it to grease.

It has actually been for sale here in the denver area on craigslist. I think the new owner (bought it from the guy that built it) wants $15K for it or something like that.

[asavage]

The fellow is Josh Tickell, and he wrote a book, "From the fryer to the gas tank" or something like that -- which contains much that is not quite right, but the book is credited with re-starting the modern biodiesel movement.

The LD28 is a bolt-in to the 280Z, don't know about the earlier rigs but I assume mostly bolt-in for those too. Josh's 280Z (or whatever it was) sold on eBay last year, IIRC for something under $8k, maybe a lot lower, I can't recall. It needed help at the time. I believe that a turbo had been added to it as well. And another fellow on eBay that I contacted last week is going to do the same transplant -- the fellow who purchased that $1500 LD28.

[goglio704]

I wasn't able to meet with the owner before the auction closed. I did look at the car, but it was locked so I couldn't even look under the hood. It is quite an ugly little beast. I was only willing to go to $150 with no more info than I had, and somebody was willing to go more. Oh well, if I hadn't been out of town the first part of the week I could have gotten a better look and might have been willing to go higher. I am going to try to contact the new owner. They might be crank pirates. If they are I'll try to get the rest of the parts. If they aren't I'll invite them here.

[goglio704]

Apparently not a crank pirate (didn't know the cranks are sought after) I invited them here.