vernk

had to shut down a honda today..... headed to work, i stop for my coffee like always getting back on the road in the lane I need is a bit exciting in it's self, cross the three lanes into the left turn lane, I take the right side (2 turning lanes), I see the honda coming up behind me and switch to the left lane, then he acts like he is going to jump the light and try to get infront of me to get on the freeway, and I was like ahhhhhh don't think so since he would slow me down on the on ramp..... so light goes green I give a bit more gas then normal though the corner take her to the top of 1st hit 2nd by this time they have given up on getting a head of me, gets behind me and acts like he is going to push me down the on ramp. What he doesn't know is that with how my car is set up I can take the corner at posted speed (40mph) limit, by the time I get to the on ramp I'm in 2nd they are about 2 cars length behind me, I take the corner staying in my lane take her to the top of 2nd look back and he is about 15 car back, and I was like good thing I didn't let you get in front of me....... Today was a good day, I didn't even have to redline in 2nd gear

seabob4

Excellent! And chances are the young punk who thought he was gonna take you EASY was muttering...WTF was that car? Had a young 20-something pass me as I was walking out of AZ a while back, he says "That's a Maxima?" Yep, I reply. No chit he says. Yep, '87. Really? No chit!


They knew what she was back then, though...

TransAmBandit

I finally had another newer gen Maxima driver ackknowlege me on the street the other day. He was driving a 5 speed 4th gen, dropped on Murano wheels. Gave me a thumbs up. Made me feel good.

Despite this ****ing blown suspension that's driving me nuts. I cant wait to get paid this Friday so I can finally order my KYBs. I spent my last paycheck buying my dad a one owner 86 4Runner.

seabob4

Good on you helping your Dad out. Now get those KYBs and have at it! Today was a gorgeous day down here in FL, cruised around windows down, roof open, purrfect tune from the exhaust, rowing through the gears (God I love that!)...life is good as she approaches 200K...

TransAmBandit

The truck wasnt really helping him out. It was more so "****, I want this truck but hes gonna yell at me for buying it." Then I realized if I get it as a gift for him he cant say no. Hahahaha He had a 88 and an 87 4Runner when I was growing up. And I know he wanted something 4x4 to mess around with for awhile. And I knew he didnt wanna spend the money on anything, so I bought it for him.

Also I didnt wanna see him end up with a Wrangler. God I hate those things. This is me posing with the truck. haha One owner 86 5 Speed SR5 with a 4inch lift, 33"s, and smittybuilt bumpers all around.


And finally an update with the Maxima. I went outside today to bring some stuff around to the backyard. Ended up cleaning the trunk out and vacuuming and finally armoralling everything. My grant steering hub nut backed off the other day, so today was a great day to finally fix the one headlight problem I had. thethorp here on the forums gave me the headlight switch out of his 86 a few weeks ago. So I installed that along with gunning the steering hub nut back down. Then I washed her up. Going to order the struts this week coming up. And finally chop one coil all around to take care of the height.

seabob4

Looking good, TA!! If I were ever to replace the factory rims, those are the ones I'd go with, 'cept in black with chrome trim rings. They look to be either BBS or Enkei. I had the BBS blacks on my '80 Scirocco, shod by Perrelli P7s...that was a bada$$ ride!

TransAmBandit

Spotted this car two years ago in my hood. Finally found it.

seabob4

O....M....G!

Easily the butt effin ugliest...


Oh, whatever. Anyway, turned 192K today, only 8K more to go! Think I'm gonna have to change out the clutch master soon, losing a bit of fluid. Can't tell where from, as no drips on the driveway...but definitely losing some. No biggie, like $20 at AZ...

88SE

lol, I think a vinyl top on a Maxima would be pretty cool but that??? Different.. I don't go on forums too often and still learning to navigate a bit. Don't want to start anything new to overload a helpful site. My 88 is the 1st I have had and I do remember years ago a fire issue with Maxima's. Worked at a garage 20 plus years ago were over a short period of time two were towed in and the hoods were toast. I emailed Nissan and they sent me a veg reply saying not the works recall but said there was no campaign for that issue. I should reread what I asked but in nice words asked if I should have a concern. I carry a fire extinguisher behind my back seat. Did they still have problems in 88? What was wrong with the existing system to make it faulty? Many of the parts on mine seem to be ORG and I have 165,000 right now. Have to order a pressure Reg it took a crap and my fuel pump is high pitched now. Does anybody know what the new setup looks like VS the old one photos maybe. Hey SeaBob your interior looks a lot like mine, couldn't see your door panels all that well but I have a checkered pattern like your seats. Thanks Guys for any input.

seabob4

Yep 88, the door panels have the same checked cloth, pretty damn good shape (not perfect!) for 27 years old. I had the exact same interior in my first Max, so definitely a little deja vu when I climbed in this girl when I bought her!



Obviously, the rears are in excellent shape...nobody ever sits back there! Just me and the wife, and when we go out, we take the Grand Cherokee. I tend to drive a bit more sedately in that!

If there was ever a fire issue, I most likely would have heard about it back then, as I bought my first Max new from Action Nissan in Kissimmee, FL (just S of Orlando). Owned it just over 4 years, no re-calls or anything. It's entirely possible the fire issues were owner related, maybe with an amp installation or something like that. I know the engine bay of my Max like the back of my hand, I don't see anything that might raise my eyebrows in regards to possible fire issues, if that makes you feel any better...

seabob4

BTW 88, I saw your PM about seats. I'm not a leather fan, living down here in FL, leather can be murder on your legs in the summer. Our Jeep has leather (Grand Cherokee Limited), but it's tan so it seems to stay cooler...

88SE

Looking Good Seabob, yup same as mine. My panels cleaned up nice. More a silvery color then grey looks nice with your white exterior. Bottoms of my seats little worn have a small hole starting. Would be nice to find a back seat bottom and use some of the material to fix it. I cleaned my carpet a few weeks ago ( Not clean now lol ) but I pulled the front seats out and man were they heavy for a seat. I have to post mine sometime full of junk & tools right now maybe sometime today. Had my window tinted and should have gone a shade lighter, on a real sunny day they are great with the AC but with rainy over cast seem kind of dark couldn't tell till it was on. Next on my list is that gear oil don't want to be hunting a 5 speed anytime soon.

seabob4

Please do, would love to see her! Speaking of carpet, need to do mine. Not bad, just could use a little love. My Max has been basically my DD since I bought her in '06, put on 70K miles since then. We go everywhere, Tampa, Sarasota, Daytona, Orlando, Venice, she just keeps on purring along. Still getting around 27 MPG on the interstate at 75 MPH...she's my girl...

seabob4

BTW, the '95 Grand Cherokee ain't in too bad of shape either...



Limited, 5.2L, 4X4, towing package, Up Country suspension, skid plate package...I pull a lot of boats, never had to use 4 low to yank them up a ramp...

88SE

I took a few photos today, been about a week since paint job.

88SE

Have to get a fuel pressure regulator soon.

88SE

Carpet can be a pain with a DD. My friend has one of them Jeeps and runs it hard, last I talked to him his trans was slipping some they are pretty nice, think he is going to fix his up. I took a road trip in my Max a few months ago and it did well other then the dry rotted tires. Replaced them one by one and new one more. My carpet was grey like your but who ever had the car before liked coffee and it was stained all over the place, dyed it black after cleaning. My ORG paint was black and the car sat for sometime under trees and the sap just messed the roof hood and trunk so bad it looked 20 plus years old. some areas the sap stains went right to the primer so I had to sand many areas down to the base coat few days of prep work.

seabob4

That sure looks like the Mars red that VW used to use on Sciroccos...

Looks good Bud! Your engine is cleaner than mine, but that looks like a new coat of paint on the valve covers and the plate on top of the intake plenum...

seabob4

Here you go, my #6 cylinder injector...



And no, I'm not disconnecting the harness not pulling it out. Ain't broke, don't fix it!!!

88SE

I re did the top. Engine was dirtier, used a small wire brush & 400 sand paper. Opened and cleaned all the connectors off. Yeah the red looks better in person. Its called Firethorn Red Pearl Metallic.

88SE

Valve covers were just cleaned up some, Nissan put a think layer of paint on them mine looked just like yours. little rubbing compound shines then right up.

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

Oddly that paint scheme looks familiar....wonder who did something similar....

vernk

the fire issue was from late 86, 87 to maybe early 88, it was a recall on fuel injectors and wiring harness, if your car starts running rich (black smoke no power) stop driving it and get injectors and wiring if nissan is no longer replacing them...... other then that getting some stuff done on the 200sx, rear seat panels done, dash almost there, door panels well on the way....

seabob4

Wow, so you're working on the 200! Cool! And get rid of those wheels!!

vernk

sorry I know you really want them but they won't fit on a Maxima yea more then likely will be 5 lug when I'm done......

Mr. Blue Sky

iTrader: (1)

Don't know how I didn't see this thread sooner. Once you go 5 lug on the max, you never go back. I have had it for about 9 or so years IIRC, and I love the options that have been opened up for rim choices.

My max is waiting on the transplant, which is waiting on money coming in to buy the parts that me and my pops feel need to be put in so everything runs smooth for an extended period of time. Since the current engine has been running crappy for the longest time, and we have narrowed it down to it possibly letting in some coolant into the cylinders when off for extended periods, we feel it is definitely due for a newer engine. Also need to fix a multitude of electrical gremlins that exist.

seabob4

Blue Sky,
While undoubtedly the 5-lug conversion opens up an entire world of rim choices, I absolutely love the look of the 2nd gen factory rims...in fact, I feel the rims are a main feature as to why the 2nd gen looks so good. Remember the rims on the '85 and into '86, those butt ugly egg-crate type rims, hated those! One of the best things Nissan did was to go to the ones I have. So mine will never get changed.

This, of course, is JMHO...

88SE

I like the design Nissan had for 87-88 in its wheel design, although simple it works well with the styling of the car very balanced. Sporty yet elegant and that was the intention from the start with the Maxima.

TransAmBandit

I just hate that I cant run my Riken Mesh 15x7 0 offset because of the front wheel drive offset. All I owned was RWD, so my wheel collection is more negative offset. lol

vernk

well there is always a 5 lug and use 3rd gen sawblades.... I liked the egg-crate type, the way they look when moving, I don't have mine, they came with the car, I was moving and the person that said they were going to buy them backed out so they went to scrap, I do have a set of sawblades at my dads I think from my 87. I like the rims that I have, I think they are 92-93 sentra se-r.

seabob4

Needless to say, rims are an EXTREMELY personal preference. On any other car, BBS or Enkei black basketweaves look awesome...but not on my Max...

Mr. Blue Sky

iTrader: (1)

The rims are definitely preference. I was not an egg-crate rim hater, but I just couldn't resist doing the 5-lug change(when it was just being talked about and theorized on these forums). Was not easy, since there is a bit of modifications required to get them working. I like the 19's i have on them at the moment(mesh style), and definitely get looks going down the road. Definitely no longer fully stock on the outside. Had always wished personally to go vg30et, but money and time were neve on my side.

seabob4

Yeah, I've read the threads on the 5-lug swap, something that SHOULD be relatively easy...a lot of little bullchit got/gets in the way.

dirtywerke

Checking in!
1986 Wagon @ 239K. Got it a month ago and got it running OK last week. Total cooling system replaced and plugs & wires. In clean up and preventative maintenance mode. Doing my homework. Dropping in for intros

seabob4

Welcome dw! Always wanted a wagon as a work vehicle, just hard to find them. Probably one of the best looking wagons ever, too bad the world decided SUVs and not wagons...

Pics are in order!!

TransAmBandit

Finally did my rear struts. Yesterday, I went to my old high school to borrow a lift for a few hours since they had a half day of class. My little sister takes auto shop, he current teacher I met a few years back when he was a student teacher. So I gave him a call to set up the favor.

Spent a few hours doing the rear, my buddy stopped by to give me a hand. My little sister watched for a bit before she had to go do school duties. I didnt take any photos of the job since I was busy. However, I did chop one coil in the rears and installed the new KYBs.

The left rear was the worse. Whenever I'd hit bumps, the rear tire would hit the wheel arch. I found out why. Since that entire strut assembly was covered in oil, I knew it was blown. But how bad. Never seen this before. I took the cartridge out, and with absolutely no resistance I was able to push the shaft down. Like, Ive pushed blown cartridges down before on Supras, and they had some sort of resistance. But ****, this one hell no. I was able to turn the cartridge upside down, with my hand on the shaft and have the casing compress itself.

The only photo, my sister took it. Me with a pipe wrench and a sledge to break the gland nut loose. My friend using his foot as a vise. Showing the other kids how it's done.

delerium75

The heater core finally blew in spectacular fashion about a month ago. Within about 30 seconds, the interior went from kinda foggy to full on sauna...the windshield went from clear to dripping with condensation, the rest of the interior glass was about as dramatic and I had to pull off the road as the temp gauge got uncomfortably close to the red zone (a bit more than 1/8" from it). I aborted my attempt to change it out last winter due to one of the heater control screws being previously stripped out (had to get it back together so I could drive it to work on Monday) but this time it looks like it's do or die and I'm afraid I gotta do it...even with the two screws on the either side of the dash being nearly impossible to get at with a regular, straight screw driver. But we shall see. The one drivable Caddy has rather lousy MPG (the '92 Fleetwood) as it's getting cold out so I need to get this back and running so I can have a car that gets into the upper teens around town without premium. Oy vey.

seabob4

Dude, I don't envy you! Just looked at my Haynes manual, says you gotta pull the dash and console...fun, fun, fun.

dirtywerke

Thanks for the welcome! Pics will be posted once I have some time. Ordering some parts, messaging some people, reading this forum and others, etc. Still running strong. 200 mile round trip today... no problem.

seabob4

Excellent! I do quite a few in the 150-200 mile category, she never misses a beat...knock on wood!!