October Is Truck Month: 1989 Nissan Hardbody vs 2002 Chevy Avalanche

Good morning! It’s a new month, and we’re starting it out with a couple of trucks, ones you don’t see quite as often as the usual suspects. They’re very different beasts, but both recognizable as “trucks.” Which one fills that role better will be up to you to decide.

We ended the month yesterday with a couple of green coupes, and I’m not surprised that the MG won. That Firebird’s color is a lot to take, and apart from the crazy paint, there’s nothing particularly special about it. An MGB GT, on the other hand, is special no matter how ratty it is.

And make no mistake: That car is ratty. And according to one commenter who looked at it in person recently, it’s worse than it shows in photos. My advice, if you really have your heart set on an MGB GT, or another small British car like that, is to find the club nearest to you, go to a meeting, and talk to folks. Someone is bound to have one for sale, or know someone who does. You’d be amazed at the cars that change hands within clubs for less money than this one, in far better shape. The best deals often aren’t advertised.

Moving on: Yes, once again, I have used a movie reference in the headline, one that will probably sail right over David’s head. But that’s all right; we all know it. (Right?) A customized Toyota 4×4 like the one Marty drools over and eventually gets in Back To The Future is way beyond our meager price range these days, of course, but I did manage to find a couple of pretty cool old 4WD trucks for reasonable prices. Which one of them is worthy of taking Jennifer up to the lake? Let’s see.

1989 Nissan D21 Hardbody King Cab – $4,950

Engine/drivetrain: 2.4-liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, part-time 4WD

Location: Seattle, WA

Odometer reading: 162,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives great

“What’s in a name?” asks Juliet, in her famous balcony scene. Quite a lot, if you’re in marketing, actually. Naming products is part art, part science, and when you’ve just changed the name of your whole company, the stakes are even higher. Nissan, formerly Datsun, needed a good name for its new D21-series compact truck, styled in the US and meant to breathe new life into its competition with Toyota. Something strong, but friendly, and maybe even a little sexy. It settled on “Hardbody.”

For the first couple of years, the Hardbody carried over the same NAPS-Z four-cylinder engine from the 720 series. In this case, it’s backed by a five-speed manual transmission and a 2WD/4WD transfer case with a low range. It runs great, and has had a ton of work done, including a new clutch. The ad also claims it has a new timing belt, but the Z engine uses a chain-driven camshaft, so either the seller is confused or their mechanic is a bit shady.

Inside, it’s a good basic truck, with a bench seat and everything. Technically this bench can seat three, but pity the person stuck in the middle; not only do they have to straddle the shifter and the transmission hump, but they only get that truncated cushion to sit on. The inward-facing jump seats in the back of the cab are probably a more comfortable option.

It’s straight and, as far as I can tell, rust-free. It looks like there are a few dings, but that just adds character to a truck. I never could understand why these Nissan trucks shed the paint on their wheels, but they all seem to do it. A can of silver Rust-Oleum would brighten them back up, and probably make a word of difference to its appearance.

2002 Chevrolet Avalanche Z71 – $3,850

Engine/drivetrain: 5.3-liter overhead valve V8, four-speed automatic, part-time 4WD

Location: Frisco, TX

Odometer reading: unknown

Operational status: Runs and drives great

SUVs took over the US in the 1990s, and pickup trucks moved off of the farm and into the suburbs. But what if you needed an SUV that could also haul big items like a truck? Chevy had you covered with the Avalanche, basically a Suburban with the rear portion of the roof removed, and a clever “midgate” divider that could be raised to enclose the passenger compartment, or lowered to enlarge the bed space, at the expense of the rear seats.

Mechanically, it’s a GMT800 truck platform, including a 5.3 liter LS-style V8, 4L60E automatic, and push-button four-wheel-drive. This one has been in the same family since new, and they say it has been well-maintained. The ad does not, however, list the mileage on the odometer, which makes me think it’s a lot. That’s not an issue for the GMT800; a quarter-million miles are easy to come by. But it would be nice if they told us how many miles are actually on it.

There are some signs of wear inside, and the seat covers may be hiding even more. These are nice comfy trucks, though, and while it’s almost certain to have some electrical stuff that doesn’t work, the parts are available and it’s not really hard to work on.

The Avalanche’s funky looks are just part of the package; either you like it or you don’t. I couldn’t stand it when it first came out. I won’t say it has grown on me, but maybe I’ve gotten used to it, and everything else on the road has gotten uglier. The practicality and reliability overshadow the weird looks anyway. This one looks pretty clean, but I don’t remember the lower body cladding being quite that black. I think someone painted it somewhere along the line, hopefully not to conceal rust.

You’ve got lots of choices for used trucks these days, but when I went looking for trucks so I could use that headline (yes, I sometimes do the headline first), these two struck me as something special, something a little outside the norm, and both quite good trucks as well. Which one would you drive home?

(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)