stanger_missle
stanger_missle GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
4/3/14 6:56 a.m.

Which isn't really saying much haha. When was the last time you saw one of these:

Isuzu I-Mark diesel

I wish diesel small cars would take off here in the states. The '80s were an interesting time but the technology really held it back.

MadScientistMatt
MadScientistMatt UltraDork
4/3/14 7:26 a.m.

Is that a reskinned Chevette?

pinchvalve
pinchvalve MegaDork
4/3/14 7:32 a.m.

I think that's the first time.

HappyAndy
HappyAndy SuperDork
4/3/14 7:58 a.m.

Is there a modern small diesel engine that could be swapped into that?

IIRC, they were super-incredibly slow.

Oh, I think there was a mistake or typo on the price. $1900 would be realistic.

stanger_missle
stanger_missle GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
4/3/14 8:23 a.m.

I hate how some people think that because a car was terrible and it didn't sell well, that it is worth a premium because it is "rare". I scoffed at the price as well.

On a related note, a few weeks ago, I was following an 80's Toyota pickup and I noticed a small "DIESEL" badge on the tail gate. I thought someone was funny and just stuck a random badge on there. Nope, they were available from '83-'86 with a 2.2L diesel.

tjbell
tjbell New Reader
4/3/14 9:28 a.m.
stanger_missle wrote: I hate how some people think that because a car was terrible and it didn't sell well, that it is worth a premium because it is "rare". I scoffed at the price as well. On a related note, a few weeks ago, I was following an 80's Toyota pickup and I noticed a small "DIESEL" badge on the tail gate. I thought someone was funny and just stuck a random badge on there. Nope, they were available from '83-'86 with a 2.2L diesel.

available in 4x4?

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
4/3/14 11:11 a.m.

smallest diesel you could probably swap would be the VW TDI

1988RedT2
1988RedT2 PowerDork
4/3/14 11:30 a.m.

I'm old enough to remember the I-mark when they ran around in the wild. They were not cars which a young male would covet. I knew a girl who drove one, but I honestly can't remember if it was a diesel or not.

And I'm pretty sure I'd rather have one of these:

http://bringatrailer.com/2013/07/17/1980-volkswagen-dasher-diesel-wagon/

DrBoost
DrBoost PowerDork
4/3/14 11:44 a.m.

How is that the best diesel of its time? There aren't any on the road still, yet you still see VW and MB diesels of that era running around. And people still wonder why I don't turn to CR for anything automotive.

Wally
Wally GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
4/3/14 12:44 p.m.

Believe it or not that was the best car of it's time. It's time was February 17 1982 at 9:30 am local time. The Chevette plant was on a coffee break and the VW plant was stopped due to an electrical glitch.

oldopelguy
oldopelguy SuperDork
4/3/14 12:51 p.m.

There may be more of those Isuzu diesels than any other diesel in the US, just not in cars. The Chevette/I-mark diesel is pretty much the same one in almost every refrigeration trailer.

Add a turbo to it and you would have something well worth driving.

yamaha
yamaha UltimaDork
4/3/14 12:57 p.m.

In reply to Wally:

I figured walking would have ranked higher in "Best Diesel of its time"

The_Jed
The_Jed SuperDork
4/3/14 1:07 p.m.

I found an ad in my local paper a few days ago for a late 70's or early 80's Olds with the 5.7 diesel. I can't remember the specifics but I think they were asking $1,000. I was a bit interested until I did some research.

I wonder how swappable a 6.2/6.5 would be in place of one of those 5.7 turds? Probably a bad idea...

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
4/3/14 3:02 p.m.

No worse than an Escort diesel.

Streetwiseguy
Streetwiseguy UberDork
4/3/14 9:38 p.m.
stanger_missle wrote: On a related note, a few weeks ago, I was following an 80's Toyota pickup and I noticed a small "DIESEL" badge on the tail gate. I thought someone was funny and just stuck a random badge on there. Nope, they were available from '83-'86 with a 2.2L diesel.

They sold more, and for longer, up here. I always got a farmboy snicker from the 2.4D tag. No thistles in that truck. You city folk can talk amongst yourelves.

rebelgtp
rebelgtp UberDork
4/3/14 10:03 p.m.
The_Jed wrote: I found an ad in my local paper a few days ago for a late 70's or early 80's Olds with the 5.7 diesel. I can't remember the specifics but I think they were asking $1,000. I was a bit interested until I did some research. I wonder how swappable a 6.2/6.5 would be in place of one of those 5.7 turds? Probably a bad idea...

You know there are guys that will pay good money for the block from that 5.7 diesel. They can be built into a big inch stroker GAS motor with a damn near bomb proof bottom end. They would use them as dragster motors in the 80's. Mondello actually had a kit you could buy for doing the conversion.

Take out the guts and remove the heads, put on a set of gas heads and rebuild the internals using a 425 crank and go from there. I have heard tales of some of these engines being in the 700hp range and holding together.

ae86andkp61
ae86andkp61 GRM+ Memberand Reader
4/3/14 10:20 p.m.

A good friend of a college buddy had one as his first car and kept through college, so the last time I saw it was sometime in the early 2000s or so. I remember stories of a very slow canoe trip with that little car lugging 3 guys, gear, and canoe across Washington state! I think getting there and back ate up the bulk of the time alotted for the trip! I was not along for that adventure.

These did share Chevette DNA, not sure which was the original.

The_Jed
The_Jed SuperDork
4/6/14 3:20 a.m.
rebelgtp wrote:
The_Jed wrote: I found an ad in my local paper a few days ago for a late 70's or early 80's Olds with the 5.7 diesel. I can't remember the specifics but I think they were asking $1,000. I was a bit interested until I did some research. I wonder how swappable a 6.2/6.5 would be in place of one of those 5.7 turds? Probably a bad idea...
You know there are guys that will pay good money for the block from that 5.7 diesel. They can be built into a big inch stroker GAS motor with a damn near bomb proof bottom end. They would use them as dragster motors in the 80's. Mondello actually had a kit you could buy for doing the conversion. Take out the guts and remove the heads, put on a set of gas heads and rebuild the internals using a 425 crank and go from there. I have heard tales of some of these engines being in the 700hp range and holding together.

Huh. I did not know that.

rebelgtp
rebelgtp UberDork
4/6/14 10:08 a.m.

In reply to The_Jed:

Yep there are two blocks the D and the DX. The later bein the more desirable but both work. Mondello actually still has adds in the back of some magazines saying they will buy the blocks and they even have a supply of new unused blocks available as well. Kind of an oddball little motor that failed miserably as a diesel but found success as a gas motor. Basically the engine has a big block olds bottom end and a small block top end. There is enough meat you can bore it out use that 425 crank, some Chevy connecting rods and pistons of your choice. The gas Olds heads just bolt right on I believe there is a little modification needed for the push rods, sleeves or something and there is one of the ports in the block needs to be blocked off. Traditionally there is only one factory fuel injection setup for an Olds V8 but you could always modify a throttle body injection to work if you didn't want to go with a carb. The block itself is heavier than a normal Olds V8 so give it a diet with an aluminum intake (that will drop nearly 40 lbs). The block will hold up well to forced induction as well if you want to go that way. High nickel content block with very heavy duty casting designed to withstand Diesel engine pressures.

bentwrench
bentwrench Reader
4/6/14 10:32 a.m.

You could get a diesel Nissan pickup in that same vintage too.

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