Vehicle Description
Known around the globe as the 'Hardbody', the Nissan D21 (and the
Datsun 720 before it for that matter) has an unshakeable reputation
as the toughest truck in the world. Whether it's found traversing
the deserts of the Serengeti, the base camps of the Himalayas, or
the urban landscape of the American South, 4x4 trucks like this
1996 Nissan XE King Cab are revered for there toughness,
reliability, and rugged good looks. If you want to survive the
apocalypse, are just have as close to a guarantee as possible that
your truck will start every single morning without fail, it really
comes down to the Hardbody or Toyota pickups from the '80s and
'90s. Beautifully preserved and 100% stock, this low-mileage pickup
is as clean as they come, and even though it just turned 25, it's
just getting started.
Before you balk at the price, I'll ask you to step back for a
second and gaze upon the untouched preservation of this Hardbody.
Now, go find another one on the market just like it. I'll wager
that you'll unearth plenty of Hardbody trucks out there, but most
will have a quarter million miles and chewed up steel, or they've
been gaudily customized and driven through swamps for the last
decade. This '96 beauty never left Missouri before it came to us in
Texas, where it was under the direct care of conscientious owners
that respected it's potential as a future classic. Aztec Red was a
very popular shade and my personal favorite, accented with the
original era-perfect decals down the side of the body. The paint is
in great shape overall, showing only minor imperfections accrued
over the last 82k miles, but nothing beyond expectation. It still
shows incredibly well, and a professional buff-and-polish would
even bring it up a notch. But unlike most of its siblings, there's
no rust to be found, no dents in the body, and really no signs of
stress that would make us think this truck has ever worked for a
living. Just think about how rare that is - an economy truck that
was built to outlast all that a person could throw at it, yet it
was never put to the test and worked hard. That's like having a
thoroughbred and never racing it. The restraint shown by the
previous owners is commendable, and the results show in how bright
and shiny the grille and bumpers are, or how untouched the
venerable double-wall bed (where the Hardbody got its name) still
remains today. And even though this Nissan is still up for anything
that it comes across, we hope that the next owner will continue to
care for it at such a high level.
Inside, the unreal preservation continues, with an original gray
cloth interior featuring bucket seats and an extended 'King' cab.
The high-back seats show very little wear and are all-day
comfortable, split by a factory center console just beyond the tall
5-speed manual shifter. Much like the body, the materials inside
were designed by the Japanese to handle abuse, yet they've been
barely put to the test. The door panels are the only part that show
some minor age from the sun, although the dash is crack-free, the
carpets are still plush, and the headliner is taut and in great
shape as well. Anchoring the cab is that familiar steering wheel
that graced Nissan's for over a decade, while just beyond it the
gauges are crystal clear and remain completely operable. In fact,
everything is still working exactly as it should, including the
cold A/C, tilt wheel, and stock AM/FM/Cassette stereo in the dash.
It's an incredibly safe truck too, not only because the steel in
the body is so strong, but also because the US-spec Hardbody trucks
received shoulder-harness seatbelts, ABS brakes, and dual airbags
by 1996.
In America, we used to say that "there's no replacement for
displacement", but modern technology (including our own) has all
but rendered that idiom moot. So, before you bemoan the 4-cylinder
engine in this pickup, know that it's one of the greatest motors to
ever be designed for a production vehicle. Much like the Toyota
'22R' series motors, the 2.4L KA24E SOHC engine simply goes forever
with limited maintenance, producing great low-end torque and a
respectable amount of horsepower (132) for this lightweight pickup,
with the same engine configuration as the 240SX in these years.
Sure, it's not going to win you any races, but I can all but
guarantee that it will run long enough that your grandkids can
enjoy it. So, if you really want a wheezy V6 with its every
60k-mile timing belt change, then you'll have to look elsewhere. As
you might expect, this one is all-stock and running great, and the
engine bay is about as close to factory presentation as I've ever
seen in a Hardbody. Although maybe not quite as clean as the engine
bay, the undercarriage is just as solid with no signs of rust or
any other worries for that matter, and a set of bright blue shocks
in the rear look to be practically new. The 4x4 system works great,
power steering and power front disc brakes improve the ride
experience, and a grippy set of 235/75/15 Firestone white-letter
radials wrapped around stock alloys finish off the look
perfectly.
Low ownership, low miles, and an incredibly preserved presentation.
This Hardbody doesn't have many equals out on the market today, and
with the amount of reverence these truck have worldwide, we think
it's a future classic that will skyrocket in value in the coming
years. Call today!
