Datsun-Nissan Weekend Edition: 1981-1984 Nissan Skyline R30

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Another thing that this Nissan photo bank handily shows is that the venerable Skyline was a full line-up with basic models, and that the Iron Mask R30 coupe was just the tip of the iceberg. You got your load-luggers, family saloons, smart lower level coupes and all.
The 2000 RS-Turbo seen above was the most powerful Japanese production car of its time, with 190 horsepower available on command. But as mentioned, there’s much more to Skylines.

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Compare the coupe to this champagne gold wagon, offered in 1800 DX guise. With a twin-carb setup, you got 105 horsepower, but it was available with as little power as 77 hp, which I strongly suspect this wagon to have. It’s that basic.
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Here’s a base model interior, of which you can note the clock in the gauge cluster instead of a rev counter, plastic seats, four forward speeds, two-spoke plastic steering wheel and a few switch blanks.
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In comparison, the full-fat turbo version looks the business, but still spartan enough to be driver-focused with nothing but the essentials. Even the radio is gone.
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On some Skyline models in 1981, you could specify the Drive Guide system, a fairly rudimentary geomagnetic compass/navigation setup. It worked like this:

After inputting a departure location and the direction and distance to a destination, processing was performed by a direction sensor and microcomputer, and the direction of the destination and the remaining linear distance were shown on the meter.

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In addition to the coupe, saloon and wagon models, the Skyline R30 also came as a good-looking five-door variant. And check out those four-spoke wheels.
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Some remember the R30 Skyline for the Paul Newman edition, appearing curiously toy-like in this field shot.

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  1. Surfer Sandman Avatar
    Surfer Sandman

    I like this car. Very clean lines for the time. The coupe is especially attractive.
    If I owned the turbo, I would want a radio. I could not drive a car that did not have a radio.

    1. JayP Avatar
      JayP

      “I could not drive a car that did not have a radio.”
      To that I say you have not driven the right car. I’d removed the radio from the MG first to lighten the car but then the exhaust was so loud there was no point. Later I found myself driving to work without bothering to turn the radio on. (The vol pot is shot and it was either on 1 or 11.)
      My Mustang with the Boss exhaust and race tune is nothing but pure pron. I’d drive just to hear the noise echo off the Jersey barriers.
      But all the cars I drive now have a radio- just in case I need to cruise the high schools with a little Montrose.

      1. Surfer Sandman Avatar
        Surfer Sandman

        It’s not that. I would get bored without a radio. As long as it’s got USB/aux I’m all set.

  2. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar

    Wowsers, that R30 5-door is stupendous! I had no idea it ever existed.

    1. spotarama Avatar
      spotarama

      mrs spotty had one of those with the 2.4L EFI motor and 5 speed in it when i first met her, Lordy did that thing shift
      different wheels though, factory ones kinda like the ones on the turbo at the top
      one very strange little thing about it….if you left the lights on when you turned the motor off, a little bell inside the dash would ring, and it was a real bell being struck , not just an electronic noise, very cute
      but yes, Lordy did that thing shift…..,

  3. nanoop Avatar
    nanoop

    “appearing curiously toy-like in this field shot” – I just realized that in two of my useless areas of expertise, tilt and shift are independent measures.

  4. mzszsm Avatar
    mzszsm

    WANT DGS!