I'm probably late to the party, but I want a Caravan!

[HRH]

A NISSAN caravan that is. Didn't even know about these. I have a cool Nissan rally team picture with a few of these. Apparently an E20 van, don't know what engine, but they started in '73 and had 1.6, 1.8, and 2.0, so guess which one I'd think?

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Nissan_Caravan_E20_001.jpg

 

This one looks way nicer:

 

http://221616.com/corism/articles/0000062314/crsm0000000000.JPG

 

Type in Nissan Caravan in google, there are some nice early vans. Wonder how hard it would be to get parts for those now? Anyone know if Australia got these vans, or was it just Japan and Europe?

[Dirk Diggler]

Looks like a Japanese vw bus. I like it.

[RAlly_DatoB210]

I would be all over one of these if they had camper conversions and were in the USofA

[gen4maxima536]

..came with up to 10 seats...

[MicroMachinery]

Please GOD tell me it's not air cooled...

[NWOleman]

i want an A team van that's 4x4 with a lift in it! :D

[pharouh]

I would be all over one of these if they had camper conversions and were in the USofA

 

Here's one.

 

[gumbyz13]

I have driven a few of the late 80s early 90s models, we had them as duty vans at work. 5 speed on the column. Was a little strange getting used to...

 

Seen a few of the older ones in the van clubs, they are pretty cool.

[HRH]

Here's one.

 

 

 

Hey, can you tell me from that model if the engine is L series, and whether it's front or rear drive? I didn't find any information on that.

[metalmonkey47]

I wanna paint one up BRE style and slam it on Watanabes!

 

 

 

/thread.

[Ken_B]

OMFG!!!! Those are awesome!! Love the slammed one!!!

 

 

[pharouh]

Hey, can you tell me from that model if the engine is L series, and whether it's front or rear drive? I didn't find any information on that.

Can't tell from the pics,but I'm guessing RWD and either an L series or J series.

[erichwaslike]

seriously... cant find it.... i looked for 5 seconds and already found it!

 

ITS CALLED WIKIFUCKINPEDIA!

 

http://en.wikipedia....81973_-_1980.29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sorry for flying off the handle like that

[HRH]

Well yes Erich, I did find the wikipedia entry, but where on the E20 section does it mention drivetrain? YOU BASTARD!!!? And you're perfectly welcome for flying off the handle. :P

[erichwaslike]

look to the right, it list the 1600L, 1800L, 2000L. my guess wood be rwd, any trans known of for fwd L motors?!

 

i dont even know why im yelling anymoar?????

[HRH]

:rofl: Yeah, but what if there was a fwd L series in Japan? The odd thing is it has a 5 speed column shift, which would indicate linkage. I would imagine it's rear too, but maybe they stuck it in the back, like the VW vans? And it doesn't state whether it's an L or not. Most likely unless they had some special derivative for that, but I'd like to confirm just for confirming's sake.

 

 

Ooo! Look what I found! This one isn't an L! http://www.japanese-trucks.com/galleries/img625.htm

[metalmonkey47]

Just puttin it out there,

 

The 310 was FWD with an A series. Maybe it's possible that the L series was FWD for some random vehicle??

[erichwaslike]

:rofl: Yeah, but what if there was a fwd L series in Japan? The odd thing is it has a 5 speed column shift, which would indicate linkage. I would imagine it's rear too, but maybe they stuck it in the back, like the VW vans? And it doesn't state whether it's an L or not. Most likely unless they had some special derivative for that, but I'd like to confirm just for confirming's sake.

 

 

Ooo! Look what I found! This one isn't an L! http://www.japanese-...ries/img625.htm

 

SO IS THAT AN "A", "E" "J"..... IDK THOSE MOTORS TOO WELL.

 

[LenRobertson]

Matt - I'll give you something to drive you crazy today. I just got off the phone with Rod, and I asked him if he remembers us looking at one of these in Spokane years ago. He remembers seeing it, but like me, can't remember details. I know it was in the west-of-Market, South-of-Francis area, parked in front of a house. My first memory is it was advertised in The Exchange with a street address. But maybe we were just driving around and saw it. There used to be a dead 510 in a backyard in that area we would drive by and look at. Sorry, I don't remember where the engine was, or which end was the drive. I know we looked at it just because we had never seen one before (or since). You could ask Nissan parts dept if anyone in Spokane asks about parts for these. The same one could be out there somewhere, or maybe more than one.

 

Len

[ggzilla]

Model Series E20 is the Nissan Caravan or Datsun Homy. The new one is now in USA Nissan showrooms. It is big.

 

Better to get the Vanette which came with Z22 engine RWD. It's US-spec and was the only JDM type box van

[datsunaholic]

The Vanette used a Z24i in the US, and they were recalled in a total-buyback program for engine fires and (with a few exceptions of owners that didn't want to give them up) destroyed. Totally different vehicle than the Caravan.

 

The Caravan was RWD, and ended production in 2010. Closest they got to the US was Mexico.

 

The ones now being offering in the US (and Mexico) aren't the Caravan, it's a Nissan NV (not the European NV200 or NV400, which are closer to a Ford Transit). The 2012 NV is RWD. It's considered a full-size van, to compete with the Ford E-series and Chevy Express, and somewhat competitive with the Sprinter (with the high-roof option).

[HRH]

I want an E20. 73-80, best looking by far. But yeah, the ability of finding one here is pretty few and far between. Except if Len remembers where that one was. :) It's sadly probably been crushed already.

[LenRobertson]

I want an E20. 73-80, best looking by far. But yeah, the ability of finding one here is pretty few and far between. Except if Len remembers where that one was. :) It's sadly probably been crushed already.

I'm thinking what I saw was a Vanette. I remember reading about them being recalled due to the burn-to-the-ground problem. I suppose I came home from seeing that one and did research. I also have a dim memory of it being mid-engine, with the hatch to the engine behind the front seats. That is the layout Wikipedia shows for the Vanette. But I'll have to undergo hypnosis to remember any useful details. And I have a phobia about clucking like a chicken under hypnosis, so I'm not apt to go for it. It did occur to me what Matt said - probably crushed, but it already had survived the recall, so anything is possible.

 

Len

[Z chopper]

I would be all over one of these if they had camper conversions and were in the USofA

 

here is one that is camperized http://digiads.com.au/carsales/used-cars/USED-1976-NISSAN-E20%20CAMPERVAN-BUS-CAR-FOR-SALE-BALINA%20SHIRE-NSW-2479.htm

[ggzilla]

They are still as easy to find as some datsuns.... there was a vanette for sale last year, and one in Pullapart Lynnwood. It has the winged sump that swappers like. The engine was in between the two seats, so technically mid-engine, but not by much.