Datsun Heritage

[GrandPrixGreen]

:paranoid: understanding that The Datsun Heritage Museum is a good thing - I like to tell a story by short..

Here in Norway the Datsun´s start to arrive as early as 1960, and since then been a very professional company. Nissan of Norway collected AND restored almost all their models and variants all back to their very first Datsun Bluebird in Europe. I personally was involved pushing the purchase of both a roadster and a Z car among the their normal model program. Many enthusiasts in the company and around were pleased and proud of what was achieved.

After all this effort the cars where sold of to "strangers" over two weekends - a decision by the Japanese owner - Marubeni

The lot was sold with no minimum price - a big loss - a symbolic act of power to "fix" the balance!

:sick:

Edited October 17, 2009 by GrandPrixGreen

[Carl Beck]

Very Interesting.

I want to make sure I understand the distribution and sales organization in Norway.

1.Nissan built the cars in Japan, then sold them to Marubeni who transported them to Norway and then distributed them to their {Marubeni's} local Datsun Dealers. Would that be correct?

2.Later Marubeni collected and restored the cars - and then sometime later sold them off to the public. Would that be correct?

3. Do you know how many Datsun Dealerships were in Norway between 1960 and 1980?

thanks,

Carl B.

[GrandPrixGreen]

Thank U

I will answer short, and give a more correct view later. Sorry about this. The first - my post is very misunderstandable

1. No. This is long after Nissan used the Datsun "branding" for their export models. Marubeni is a famous japanese company involved in all sorts of business around the world (yes, a distributor also - there is the connection). In the 90´s they got involved as the owner of the import company, the parts distributing, and some dealership in the capitol city. Marubeni had their marionette puppy at office, because they are not a car company. The other employee and business was status quo. Very much the same people and company who started the Datsun story here in Norway in the 60s.

2. The collection was "completed" and ended, during Marubeni ownership.

3. How many Datsun Dealership. I will check that one.

I have a lot of history with my own connection + the being a happy member of a very good Datsun & PMC club. Most of the history, statestic, manuals and material is saved

Edited October 17, 2009 by GrandPrixGreen

[Carl Beck]

Hello GrandPrixGreen:

To put the full concept of the Datsun Heritage Museum into concise terms is not really possible here, but if you are interested in gaining some understanding of the intent - I'll give it a try.

Nissan Motors Ltd. Japan, established their own sales and distribution organization here in America. To protect themselves under U.S. Law, they established Nissan Motors in USA Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of Nissan Motors Ltd in Japan. {there is no public ownership of Nissan Motors USA}.

First - clearly understand that there is a huge difference between a "Datsun Museum" and a "Datsun Heritage Museum". A "Datsun Museum" would have a primary focus on Datsun Vehicles, it would be all about the cars and trucks. An attempt to capture their history via snap shots in time.

On the other hand - the "Datsun Heritage Museum" is all about the people involved with the Datsun Brand of cars here in America. It is about the people that built something of significance, something of value and who then passed that on to following generations. Things of value go beyond money, they include personal values of individual effort, integrity, pride, cooperation with others, connection with and contribution to one's community. etc etc etc. Human values flow from generation to generation and within organizations they originate and flow from the top down. Your heritage is comprised of things of value passed from one generation to the next.

The Datsun Heritage Museum here in the U.S.A., was founded by private investors with no help/funding from Nissan. Their intention is to capturing the story of how the Datsun Brand of Japanese automobiles were brought to America, how people had to strived to overcame many cultural, financial and business obstacles during their startup years - while laying the foundation for future growth and future success. Growth and success not only of the Datsun Franchise, but of the people involved.

We hope that "story" will be captured in hundreds of individual examples. People that worked for Nissan Motors USA, people that became Datsun Dealers, people that bought Datsun's and received something more than just a car. People that raced Datsuns. people that repaired them, people that drove them.

"The Heritage" that has been passed on now to two and in some cases three generations of American's, is a heritage rich in the values of individual hard work, risk taking entrepreneurship, personal growth and development. The Datsun Heritage in the USA, is rich with stories of economic upward mobility provided by free and open markets, where competition from all corners of the earth can be matched or beaten. The Datsun Heritage here in America is one of individuals recognizing "Opportunity Knocking", grabbing it and fully developing it. The Datsun Heritiage here in the USA is one of a major corporation willing to reach down to enthusiastic individuals of limited means, then working together with them for mutual benefit. {a business model that the major US Auto Makers had long before forgotten}.

Nissan U.S.A grew from very humble beginnings along with its first 10, 100, 500 and 1000 Datsun Dealers. Many of the people that helped found the distribution chain of Datsun Dealerships in the early 60's, started with very little to no personal wealth, no experience in Dealership Management etc. etc - and twenty years later retired as multimillionaires. Still others continued their growth and development to this day.

One of our Board Members is Mike Sage for example. His Father was one of the first Datsun Dealers on the West Coast. Today Mr. Sage owns the Sage Auto Group, which in turn now owns/operates Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, Scion, Toyota and Nissan Dealerships. Mike Sage understands the value of the heritage passed on to him from that original Datsun Dealership.

I bought my first Datsun from Paul Jaremko in Spokane, Washington. Paul's parents were one of the first 50 Datsun Dealers in the US. Prior to gaining a Datsun Franchise, they owned operated a used car lot. Now some 40 years later, Paul is passing on that heritage to his son's via Jaremko Nissan Saab. Paul by the way won Datsun their first SCCA Regional Championship in 1963 driving a Datsun 1500 roadster, he and his son still race Datsun roadsters in the Pacific Northwest, and his son has won several SCCA championship titles. This family is rich in Datsun heritage .

Within the physical museum, there are and will be many Datsun vehicles and many items of Datsun memorabilia. In and of themselves they are an interesting and fun bit of history - - but in a more abstract sense they are all icon's that remind us of the heritage of unlimited opportunity we Americans have inherited. Unlimited opportunity based on the values of individual effort and self-reliance in a land that provides individual freedom and liberty, combined with a capitalistic system operating in free and open markets. A heritage that Nissan shared in by coming to America with their Datsun Brand. {opportunity denied to them at the time in many closed or restricted markets around the world}.

Yes, we hope people will come to the museum to see the cars and things - but we really hope they will leave with a deeper understanding of the things of lasting value, passed on from generation to generation long after the Datsun Brand disappeared in America.

This Classic Z Car Club is itself a part of the Datsun Heritage. While the Z Car brings us together with a common interest, we hope that there is something of equal or more value here.

Hope that gives you a little better understanding of the purpose of the Datsun "Heritage" Museum here in America.

FWIW,

Carl B.