zero Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 I've got a chance to buy a 1986 Nissan Minicruiser RV that looks pretty clean. I spoke to the owner and I can get it for $1800. Has a full floating dually rear and 6 brand-new tires. 3 liter V6 with electronic throttle-body fuel injection. Negative thing is it has an automatic trans. It looks to me that the transmission used in a HD 1986 Nissan cab & chassis is kind of an obscure one. Jatco 4 speed with lock-up torque converter and a special computer only used on HD trucks. Can't say I know much about it except what I've read. The owner says the trans might be slipping or not shifting like it should. Anyone had any experience with such an RV? This is the first one, like this, I've come across. If it had a 5 speed manual trans, I'd have it home already. I also like to know it's fuel mileage potential (I suffer from grass-is-greener syndrome). The owner bought it this spring but has never used it so does not have any figures on MPGs. Especially since the trans has not worked right since he's had it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 Well no matter what, if you buy it you'll be under it. Can it be converted to a manual? Might be cheaper unless you intend to rebuild the auto yourself. There is a lot of other down sides listed regarding uncommon parts. So, you need another project? Grass might be greener but at what cost? When I purchased my Corolla for a commuter car, I considered getting the Prius instead due to the extra fuel savings. That is till I did the math. Turns out you can buy a lot of gas with the difference. EPA was 40 vs 46 mpg so not huge. Any realized savings would have been many years out. You should be enjoying life more rather than fuss with a few mpg's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 Buying up cheap micro-mini RVs is just one of my mental disorders. Don't try to make sense of it. Trying to make sense of crazy behavior can make you crazy. I learned that good with my first, very manic-depressive wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 looks really clean... was that in michigan its whole life? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 (edited) 30 minutes ago, jdemaris said: Buying up cheap micro-mini RVs is just one of my mental disorders. Just one. Duly noted. Not like I'm standing in the way but you ever need a voice of reason, I'm totally there for you. You got the time, money and energy, why the hell not. I am maybe a year or two behind you in age if I had to guess. I got the time and money. Two out of three I suppose. I'm still looking to trade up and if that becomes a project, I'll deal with it once I find it. So I'm in the same boat affliction wise. So glass houses and all that. I'm looking at moving in a year maybe two. Been taking the time I have this summer and trying to rid myself of so much of the collections of things I would one day work on. It is has been rather cathartic. You must have been through some of this moving recently. I do have a 1941 Silvertone portable AM tube radio on the bench right now that I am working on getting operational. It even was made to work on batteries. Couldn't bare to toss that one so it was fix it now or sell it. So I'm not completely cured yet. Edited August 5, 2016 by Back East Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 29 minutes ago, Back East Don said: I do have a 1941 Silvertone portable AM tube radio on the bench right now that I am working on getting operational. It even was made to work on batteries. Couldn't bare to toss that one so it was fix it now or sell it. So I'm not completely cured yet. I've got over 50 tube radios sitting in my shop. One of those "I'll fix this winter" sort of things that started maybe 40 winters ago and never got done? My son was just here from Colorado and I gave him one of my Atwater-Kents from the late 20s. I've always had a certain fondness for Silvertone stuff. Got a dozen Silvertone radios and one Silvertone guitar (a rebadged Kay maybe?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 (edited) 21 minutes ago, jdemaris said: I've got over 50 tube radios sitting in my shop. One of those "I'll fix this winter" sort of things that started maybe 40 winters ago and never got done? My son was just here from Colorado and I gave him one of my Atwater-Kents from the late 20s. I've always had a certain fondness for Silvertone stuff. Got a dozen Silvertone radios and one Silvertone guitar (a rebadged Kay maybe?). I started with tube guitar amps in high school. Later it became one of the things I enjoyed working on most in my repair business. Just was hard to justify the cost to many customers then. I've a pretty good collection in the studio but that is all being dismantled and I'll only be keeping a few of the small amps. The radio thing is fairly recent. Just started seeing them at flee markets for cheap money so I picked them up. I've a couple that work pretty good. Gave the rest away along with the carcasses of a lot of half finished or parts amps. Still got a couple of working tube testers. A Silvertone was my first amp. It was given to me by my sisters boyfriend along with a Mosrite semi-hollow body guitar. The guitar was falling apart and the amp didn't work as it needed a couple tubes. A quick trip to Radio Shack with the tubes wrapped up in a towel and I had the amp up and going that afternoon. The guitar however was hopeless. I've now started to give away much of my guitar collection to young musicians just starting out along with some of the amps. I've only two 6 strings I play anyways. Thus completing the circle and paying it forward. So when you bringing the Mini-Cruiser home? Edited August 5, 2016 by Back East Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 Can you even get A and B batteries???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 I can't say I've searched for any A or B batteries lately. I've got a 20s-vintage floor-model "farm radio" that takes a huge battery bank of As, Bs, and GBs. I have a large AC input power-supply I use when I fool with it that has just about every DC output dreamed up by man. If As or Bs are still available, I bet they are pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.