I have the 84 Nissan Sunrader 18' with the 5 speed. Here are a few things I have found... the cab has an amazing amount of leg room. My leggy 6'4 husband has plenty of room to stretch out. Also, the 5 speed gets excellent milage... if you know how and when to use that top gear. Not sure if mine is typical, but I get anything from 18 to 22-ish mpg depending upon terrain. (I don't load mine down much, but I have been driving it mainly in Alaska and the Canadian Rockies, so when I say 'terrain' I mean it in the broadest sense of the word.) Traveling highway speeds isn't difficult. I got up to 80 on the Salt Lake interbelt before I lost my nerve (small town girl, crazy city traffic), and could maintain somewhere between 45 and 55 on all but the steepest of grades... once down to 35 on a rather intimidating dirt-paved climb in northern Canada, but the altitude and the dust were probably factoring in a bit there... it has no trouble holding the speed limit at 65 on the highways around Anchorage.
One of the big regrets I have about the Nissan is the near-absence of aftermarket toys, and (as stated elsewhere) the price of parts. I was lucky enough to find a fellow with several 720 parts rigs who sells for cheap, otherwise I'd be paying a small fortune for parts, or fabricating. In the future I may put the Sunrader shell on something newer for just that reason... but probably not until I can't find the parts I need to keep this little truck alive. I love the simplicity of its carborated engine, and will sorely miss the 5 speed tranny. (I'd forgotten how much I loved driving a stick).
Tough choices either way. Mine fits my needs beautifully. Looking back on it, I am glad I made the choice I did, but I'm sure others would feel differently.
