1980's Minitrucks Unsafe ?

[ARCHINSTL]

This is a reader's comment from a current Bring-A-Trailer website's listing for an '85 Datsun stopgap version of the 4Runner - any truth to his anecdote? I've never heard this before. If true, would it apply to 2WD minitrucks of the era as well?

I was hunting for an 80′s Japanese 4×4 truck until I talked to an ex-firefighter friend.
In front end-collisions, the motors don’t drop down, the motor pushes straight into the passenger compartment, folding the dash/ firewall onto the passengers legs.
Extraction required cutting rear roof pillars, notching the frame/unibody under the seats and jacking the truck under the middle. This folds the truck open just behind the passenger allowing a backboard to be inserted and victim(s) to be pulled out the back of the cabin.
As cool and efficient as those old mini-trucks are… I’m saving my $$ for a newer model built to higher safety standards. I’ll make sacrifices for an old Italian sports car, but not a pickup.

Tom M.

[dlb]

working as a paramedic, i see tons of highway speed vehicle accidents involving all sizes of vehicles. i have not found that any particular vehicles handle front end collisions any worse than any others, although i will state the obvious here and mention that in the case of compact cars vs. giant pickups, the little ones lose. as far as motors/firewalls being pushing back into the passenger compartment, i have witnessed this on many different styles, makes, and years of vehicles. i have never seen an accident where the engine has dropped down and out of the way.

it's important to remember that there are many factors involved in motor vehicle accidents. test situations, like when a vehicle drives perfectly straight at a perfectly flat wall, are completely different from most real accident situations so you will not necessarily see the benefit of such safety features in many accidents. they are certainly useful innovations but i personally think you would be kidding yourself if you felt safe in any vehicle and would not use the motor/trans dropping feature as a deciding factor for which vehicle i would purchase.

the one newer safety feature i have really liked are the curtains that drop down behind the side glass on side impacts to protect the passengers from shattered glass being blown into their faces. they work well from what i've seen.

[Petros]

I think it was an anecdotal observation about one bad accident. Seems to me that pick-ups are not any more or less prone to this kind of accident than any other car. The older pickups had separate frames, not the modern uni-body, so seems to me this would be an issue with any car/truck with a separate frame, if indeed it is something unique to older vehicle at all, which I doubt.

Nissan trucks are as good as any on the road, one problem I have noticed is that these older trucks do not get very good fuel economy despite their small engines (1300 to 2000cc), and light weight. So there is no reason to get them thinking they will get better fuel economy. I had a neighbor with a 1980 toy 4x4 with the 4 cyl. engine and only got 17 mpg. That alone is a reason to get a newer one.

[splatterdog]

Rusted frames could also be a factor on any 80's Jap truck. Isuzu/Chevy Luv's were the worst. I never saw one that wasn't at least half gone. The very last one had steel welded on the entire length of both frame rails and still looked scary.

Texters still scare me more than most equipment deficiencies.

Unless we are talking Chinese crap...

[ARCHINSTL]

Add the Dodge Ram 50 and its clone, the Mitsu Mity Max, to the list of rusty ones. I swear, the bed is holding the rear frame together, and the portion under the cab ain't much better. I mean, there are BIG holes in the frame rails. I used to clean them out and use Rust Restorer and then paint over that, but no more. I have a 2x4 under the spare wheel and wired to the frame to keep it in place (I also have a "friendly" state inspector...).
When I hear creaking from the frame I will replace the truck.
Tom M.

[Petros]

would you consider the Ram 50 safe even without all the rust?

[ARCHINSTL]

Well, I did...
Candidly, I never gave it a thought until now. But then, I've never owned a vehicle with airbags and 21st Century safety stuff.
Geez - I just realized that the T4WD and my beloved '86 626 are the most modern vehicles I've ever owned - and the original design of both dates to the early '80s! The '88 Ram 50 dates to the middle '70s.
Tom M.

[takza]

Nissan trucks are as good as any on the road, one problem I have noticed is that these older trucks do not get very good fuel economy despite their small engines (1300 to 2000cc), and light weight. So there is no reason to get them thinking they will get better fuel economy. I had a neighbor with a 1980 toy 4x4 with the 4 cyl. engine and only got 17 mpg. That alone is a reason to get a newer one.

I own an 80s Nissan 4x4 and it will do 25 mpg highway on a trip....1st yr of the EFI. I've heard several times that the 80s Toyota 4x4 will do even better...maybe 27-28. The 2WDs should do better...maybe 30 or so?

The one you mention was probably carbed...and maybe something wrong with it? The LandCruisers with the chevy 6 did maybe 13-17 mpg?

[dlb]

i agree with takza on the poor mileage likely being the result of poor running. i can't remember exactly what my wife's 4x4 22RE gets but i think i remember it being around 24 mpg.

ditto on SD's texting comment. we have laws against using handheld devices while driving in BC so it's not quite as rampant but it still happens constantly. people have the strangest addictions.