This virtually new 1987 Nissan Hardbody pickup just hit the BAT auction site. It could offer a unique, cheap, and fun way to get into the small truck segment with bidding at $7,000 as of now. We expect that the price will increase, but not to the level of a new Maverick, Tacoma, or Frontier. And that’s the point, who wants one of those new alternatives when you could be tooling around town in an older Nissan Hardbody that is practically new?

Why this Nissan Hardbody pickup has such low miles

Before we go too far, the reason this 1,100-mile pickup was ignored is that the Colorado Springs owner rarely used it. But rather than languishing outdoors in the elements, it shared space with an assortment of classic Corvettes. In that environment, it was viewed as a collectible keepsake maintained to the same degree as the Vettes.

The classic minitruck features some cool aftermarket components starting with the matching body-color bed topper. In addition, the pickup has fog lights, bed speakers, and a towing package. There’s also a tow ball and trailer lights connector, another handy plus. Though there is no four-wheel drive, we love some of the factory details.

Those 14-inch steel wheels would have been one of the first things to get upgraded, but are a welcome detail. Power comes from a 2.4-liter four-banger with factory fuel injection. That gives the Japanese truck 106 hp and 137 lb-ft of torque. As for today, its Carfax is as clean as the truck itself. 

But don’t think you can just hop into it and drive it home. Because it is still new, everything original is still present. That means the tires, belts, and hoses are 36 years old. You’ll need to replace them, for sure. It has the original engine oil, too. And while you’re at it, there are probably a few gaskets and other bits that have dried out. 

Some things should be replaced even with the low miles

That goes for the fuel system, too. You should boil out the gas tank, blow compressed air through the fuel lines, rebuild the fuel injection system, and replace the fuel pump. That old gas can be nasty from sitting all this time. 

The same goes for the brakes. Cleaning out the old brake fluid, and replacing the rubber for the wheel cylinders in the back should be mandatory. That old fluid can and will attract water from moisture in the atmosphere. 

But those are relatively small needs in the whole scheme of things. The metallic gray body looks pristine, as does the interior. The seats have covers, so the original seat upholstery hardly had fanny contact. A nice aftermarket AM/FM cassette unit gives those old cassettes you’ve been storing in the garage some new importance. With a manual five-speed, it should be a kick and much-needed deviation from your slushbox transmission. 

Should we have convinced you, go to BAT and place a bid. We just don’t see how a new Ford Maverick can compare with the classic cool of a brand-new 1987 Nissan pickup.