Sportbakless: 1988 Nissan Pulsar NX-Camino
Back in the 1980s if you wanted a car that could transform from a coupe to a convertible to shooting brake to a pickup there was only one place to go — your local Nissan dealer. The second generation Nissan Pulsar NX (known as the EXA in Japan) was produced from 1986 through 1990 with a unique changeable rear canopy and the coolest set of taillights on the road. Find this 1988 Nissan Pulsar NX-Camino here on eBay
bidding for $370 reserve-not-met with 3 days to go, located in La Habra, CA. Tip from Brian.
The seller admits that he built this creation in his garage, and while I don’t want to discourage these sort of creations, it is interesting to point out that the Pulsar needed little help to become an El Camino. These things come with a removable rear section from the factory, so the sawzall work was limited.
The engineers at Nissan were not content with a simple set of t-tops, they took the convertible roof concept to an extreme with a removable rear section that allowed you to work with a coupe styled rear or a shooting brake canopy, or totally nekkid if you were into that kind of thing.
It appears the builder of this Pulsar NX added a pickup truck style rear window and removed the entire rear canopy/roof section with quarter windows and flying buttress. It isn’t like the Pulsar was some kind of paradigm of structural rigidity when it was new, so I doubt the driving experience is at all compromised, except now you can haul a mattress or a fridge.
See another caminoized somethingorother? tips@dailyturismo.com
Good luck fitting a mattress or a fridge. Why aren't any auto manufacturers making interesting vehicles like this anymore? I can't think of any cars in production today that have the ability to transform into different variations. I would bet that something like this today would appeal to the younger crowd. The Scion brand could probably pull it off.
The real bummer would be loading the fridge over the non-existent tailgate.
Something like this would be great if you could add back seats and make it a 4 seater or camper in the back. Something a bit longer maybe.
Sounds like you're thinking along the lines of a Subaru Brat or a first generation Toyota 4Runner. I wish both were still selling new.
Cool car, but someone needs to intervene with the realtor lawn sign stealing addiction.
Love the zip-ties doubling as hinges for the storage bins behind the front seats. Ingenuity at its mediocre!
"Ingenuity at its mediocre" made my day.
I feel like I've seen this before somewhere… 😛