Try Finding Another One: 1987 Nissan Pathfinder




























If you've been paying attention to the articles I've been writing today, you'll remember in my article on the 1989 Beretta GT my statement on how cars from the Eighties are hard to find today in good condition. That statement is especially true for trucks, particularly so for trucks in Japan. A truck that is hard to find in any condition today is this 1987 Nissan Pathfinder, which has aged very well and is a very solid and complete truck. Find it here on Craigslist in Youngstown, Ohio, with an asking price of $4,500.






























Introduced in 1985 as a replacement to the Nissan Bushmaster (an aftermarket conversion of the Datsun pickup), the first-generation Pathfinder was based off of the Hardbody pickup and was Nissan's answer to the Ford Bronco II, Chevrolet's S10 Blazer, Jeep's Cherokee, Toyota's 4Runner, Mitsubishi's Pajero, and Isuzu's MU. This Pathfinder is a 1987 model, and is virtually extinct in terms of sighting one on the road today. Painted black with pink and gray stripes with Pathfinder script, this Pathfinder is a two-door (a four-door would not be available until 1990), and looks to be in fairly decent shape. There are some dents on both sides by the large side windows near the tailgate, and the clear-coat needs to be redone, and there are some nicks and chips in the paint on the hood, but otherwise this Pathfinder is fairly solid. I would fix the dents with paint-less dent repair, respray a fresh coat of clear coat, touch up the paint, and swap on a set of Cooper Discoverer AT/3 tires. 





























Though the 2.4L Z24i four-cylinder was standard, this Pathfinder is powered by the optional 3.0L VG30i V6. Rated at 143 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque, power may not seem to be that much, but then again, you're not buying a 1987 Nissan Pathfinder to win the stoplight races. Backed by a five-speed manual transmission, mileage is original at 77,000, and the VG30i benefits from a new throttle position sensor and vacuum lines. Said to run great, I'm not sure if this SUV would be better suited for daily-driver duty or car-show duty.



























When's the last time you've seen an SUV with a conventional manual transmission in it? Inside, the interior of this Pathfinder is virtually brand-new, with a crack-free dash, seats free of tears and rips, straight door panels, and a solid carpet. Overall, this Nissan Pathfinder is a really nice truck, and with a few minor cosmetic fixes, would be a great daily driver or a nice sight at a local car show. What are your thoughts on this fairly clean first-generation Pathfinder?
Location: Youngstown, OH, USA

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