We may need to start a support group or something. This hobby is bordering on becoming a problem for me. I bought the 81 mentioned here. I was on vacation and checked the auction thinking it was over. It wasn't. It had 14 minutes to go and was going for little more than crank pirate rates.
I got it home today on a tow dolly with some struggle (one of the rear tires failed catastrophically on the way home.) This puppy is rusty, very rusty. I wouldn't consider licensing it. I will drive it enough to test the engine and trans, but very little more than that.
After some crude hotwiring by me, it lit up nicely. It has the non-lockup 3 speed as one might expect, and I'm not sure that has much value. I did disconnect the driveshaft after I got a couple miles down the road, so it should be as good as it was before the tow.
Matt B.
83 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 5 speed, white, 130k miles. My original Maxima.
83 Maxima Sedan converted from gasser, LD28, 5 speed, 2 tone blue, 230k miles 82 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, 2 tone Gray/Silver, 140k miles
81 810 Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, rust, rust, and more rust!
Things that are different about the early 81 sedan:
The rear disc brakes on this 81 are a totally different creature than the 82 and 83. After some research, it looks like the change to the later style brakes occurred at 07/81. Mine was produced 06/81 - so that fits.
Door panels are different. (We knew that from Ben's wagon)
Power mirror switches are different.
Matt B.
83 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 5 speed, white, 130k miles. My original Maxima.
83 Maxima Sedan converted from gasser, LD28, 5 speed, 2 tone blue, 230k miles 82 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, 2 tone Gray/Silver, 140k miles
81 810 Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, rust, rust, and more rust!
I crawled under and reattached the driveshaft today and then drove the car around some. The transmission seems sound and the engine runs nicely. It starts very nicely. If the harness wasn't all hacked up, I could evaluate the electrical systems, but alas, both fusible links are disconnected for fear of electrical fire. If ambition strikes, I may try to do something with that, but my heart is not really in it since the car is not roadworthy. I just wish I had somewhere to put it. I could probably get it out of sight in the back yard, but my wife would bury me next to it!
Matt B.
83 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 5 speed, white, 130k miles. My original Maxima.
83 Maxima Sedan converted from gasser, LD28, 5 speed, 2 tone blue, 230k miles 82 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, 2 tone Gray/Silver, 140k miles
81 810 Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, rust, rust, and more rust!
You bet. They didn't strike me as being any different than the 82, but I sometimes overlook that kind of thing.
Matt B.
83 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 5 speed, white, 130k miles. My original Maxima.
83 Maxima Sedan converted from gasser, LD28, 5 speed, 2 tone blue, 230k miles 82 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, 2 tone Gray/Silver, 140k miles
81 810 Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, rust, rust, and more rust!
asavage wrote:Matt, could you take a good picture of the fuel/temp gauges so I can include an '81 version here?
I don't think the gauges are unique to the 81, but the rest of this is...
click for larger on all these
dual pads for mirror controls
front and rear door panels
IOU a pic of early 81 sedan calipers. They are different too.
Matt B.
83 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 5 speed, white, 130k miles. My original Maxima.
83 Maxima Sedan converted from gasser, LD28, 5 speed, 2 tone blue, 230k miles 82 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, 2 tone Gray/Silver, 140k miles
81 810 Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, rust, rust, and more rust!
The recent '81 at the Lakewood P-A-P had these sideview mirror controls, and the GPC was under it's own plastic cover mounted on the driver's left kick panel. Didn't think to take pics, not that I had any extra time during that period.
Same mounting of the GP controller on this one. I'll get a pic - eventually.
Matt B.
83 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 5 speed, white, 130k miles. My original Maxima.
83 Maxima Sedan converted from gasser, LD28, 5 speed, 2 tone blue, 230k miles 82 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, 2 tone Gray/Silver, 140k miles
81 810 Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, rust, rust, and more rust!
83 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 5 speed, white, 130k miles. My original Maxima.
83 Maxima Sedan converted from gasser, LD28, 5 speed, 2 tone blue, 230k miles 82 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, 2 tone Gray/Silver, 140k miles
81 810 Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, rust, rust, and more rust!
I bought the 81 mentioned here. I was on vacation and checked the auction thinking it was over. It wasn't. It had 14 minutes to go and was going for little more than crank pirate rates.
