Old Orchard Nissan

Apr 10, 2017
1984 Datsun Pickup

Ever wonder what people are talking about when they refer to Nissan trucks as Hardbodies?

Hardbody trucks are part of Nissan’s rich heritage of quality and reliable truck manufacturing. Until 1958, trucks were huge and powered by V8 engines. They weren’t very practical for most people.

Then, Nissan introduced the first ever compact pickup truck – the Datsun 1000 – which revolutionized the automotive industry.

The Heavy-Hitting Hardbody

The Datsun 1000 was not an overnight success. With a 1.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 37 HP, only ten Datsuns were sold the year it was released.

But Nissan’s automotive engineers persevered and experimented until they won the public’s love in 1965 with the Datsun 520. A compact pickup truck obsession took over the United States by the 1970s, and Nissan led the charge.

In 1987, they released one of their best selling trucks, the Hardbody. The 6th generation model from the original Datsun 1000, the Hardbody is named after its double-wall bed and aggressive front end.

One of Nissan’s most popular models to date, Hardbody trucks are still on the road today and are known for their reliability and endurance.

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