LHD 240Z in 1969 TOKYO auto show

[Victor Laury]

Most of what I had planned to write was covered by Nate, but I'll add a few points.

It's hard to "Nail Down" the general American opinion on the Datsun brand. There are many who reflect Nate's encounter with the "Didn't Nissan buy Datsun?" camp. These are going to be people with no general automotive knowledge. There's a large population will be those who remember the cheap, high quality, small car, that was a blast to drive and they still wish they owned it. Most of these folks are the 40 to 50 age group who received a PL510, KLB110, 240, 260, 280, truck to the B210 Fastback (120Y) as their 1st car. Heck, My own Brother-in-law waxes nostalgically over his former F-10 (Cherry)!

Then there are the Auto Snobs, who only know it's not a high priced European luxury ride and therefore no better than scrap. < I work next to one of these guys. He keeps telling me to junk my Datsuns and buy a "Real" car.

The enthusiasts are a very small population, both the former enthusiast, who street raced 510's as a kid, and the current enthuiast (who...me?). I'll group them together and we'll still to to small a group to count.

Even smaller is the Road race fan who remembers the mighty Datsun dominance of the late 60's and 70's. Even the English car fans remember this, albeit rather sourely!

[Sean Dezart]

Gee Katz, you have opened a bag of tricks here and so interesting.

It's been too long since I drove my RHD 240 and I'm still waiting for my 'new' LHD but I know I prefer to pull towards third gear rather than push it away.

How many other cars have the indicator stalk on the left hand side of the steering wheel - it always provoked questions from people when they poked thier noses through the window at shows ?

Also, doesn't one year of 280ZX manufacture have an emblem on the rear hatch saying Datsun by Nissan ?

I have never seen a 510 and they are not appreciated in Europe 'cos they're not known. I agree with all the other comments that the Datsun name was tarnished by a (economically obliged) abundance of the smaller and overall less interesting cars imported.

But even that could have been pushed into the background by a supported race program and all the technology was there in Japan and the States. Whose idea was it to franchise the sales of Datsuns in the UK ? What a disaster, Datsun UK has a lot to answer for, all the records destroyed, new parts skipped when the franchise was ended...

In a way, I like being (correction LOVE being) in the minority who support these cars. Someone said today to me, I'm surprised that you like these cars if they are so difficult to find in good condition !

I replied that's why !

Sure, here Toyotas are more well known but even the GT with LSD is a death-trap in the wet, S800s are there too but we've got the real cars and they're rarer than all that British crap and Italian show-off stuff. Rarer too than Porches and Ferraris even if some people ask if it is a Ford Capri - I turn away in disgust !

[CoastGuardZ]

Hey Sean!

How's things in France?

to answer your question...not sure about France but in U.S...

I believe it was 1983 and every Datsun said "Datsun by Nissan".

The point behind this was to get the public used to the Nissan name. Kind of a buffer year.

Nate

[Sean Dezart]

Hi Nate,

Things here are cold, damned cold at 1.6 degrees and a biting north wind but at least it's not raining like in the south !

Yeah, Datsun by Nissan, makes you wonder why they wanted to change the name - it couldn't have been shame over the Datsun name or they wouldn't have mentioned it. Supports Katz' theory of the Nissan name being unknown !

Certainly since Datsun became Nissan, the image has moved upmarket.

Don't you think that the Skyline suffered the same problem as the 510 ? Unknown and therefore unappreciated despite some phenominal racing successes.

Also the same fate as the Z (in the UK) when dominating other cars surprisingly, the competition claims it isn't possible witout cheating or the rules are changed as per Bathurst in Aussieland !

[Ben]

For those unsure of Seans' reference to Bathurst...

In the early 1990's the R32 GT-R was completely dominating the local Touring-Car competition (as did the Ford Sierra Cosworths before it). It was decimating the locally-built cars so much that the rules were changed to make it impossible for it to remain eligible.

After the finish of the very wet & collision-ridden Bathurst 1000 in 1992(?), R32 GT-R driver/race winner Mark Skaife, while on the podium & being booed by the Holden/Ford fans, called out to the crowd "You're a pack of arseholes".

That line has been remembered by all who have ever had an interest in this class of racing.

Mark was the winner of the same race this year (in a Holden Commodore) & the commentators made mention that the crowd reception was much better this time than when he last won....:classic:

[2ManyZs]

Guess he gave up trying to fight them and joined them....

[halz]

As ben said, the rules were changed: instead of being a technology showcase (with production cars that were 4wd, turbo, twin cam, multi valved etc), it bacame a Ford vs GMH battle of the dinoaurs (2 valve, pushrod, rwd behemoths). True production races (such as the new Bathurst 24 hour this year) are far more interesting to the unblinkered race enthusiast.

But lets not corkscrew this thread away from Kat's debate...

[kats]

Thank you, halz.

It's O.K to write whatever you want to!

I am so happy that so many people write for this thread.

I think all of these comments are important for my questions.

I need to study widespread DATSUN and NISSAN.

But now let's take a short brake.

I show you japanese Z.This is a 1969 Fairlady-Z 432.

Please note badges "NISSAN","Fairlady Z","432".

I will come back soon.

kats

[kats]

Another photo of 1969 Fairlady- Z 432.

Please note twin exhaust tubes and a designed magnesium wheel. These are factory standard equipments for this model.

The engine is S-20 which produces 160 bhp with DOHC 2.0 litter.

You can see triple MIKUNI solex carburetors.

kats

[Cuong Nguyen]

Hi All,

very nice interesting thread!! Much better than the "how to change my brake pads" type question isn't it?

I second Ben's comment that in Australia, many see the Datsun cars as being cheap, rusty cars that are now considered to be bombs, but amazingly they still manage to say that it was one of the most robust and reliable car that they have owned!

Halz, how can the new Bathurst 24hr race be a production car race when the Monaro that won was a car specifically built for the event using 18" wheels with 10" slicks at the front and 13" slicks at the back, motor over 400 cubic inches (over 7L), sequential transmission (not even V8 Supercars are sequential, they are still H pattern). Holden puts LOTS of money into motorsport in Austalia and they seem to buy their win.

Keep the Datsun story flowing everyone, Alan, Kats, Ben, Nate and everyone else.

[Sean Dezart]

Probably just likes winning...!

[kats]

Hello everyone,

I am surprised that this thread's views are well over 500!!

I think this is great,over 500 views means just I am japanese and something unusual here or, everyone wanted to talk about these kind of things.

Please let me write down my new findings here.

I,really found out DATSUN was not well known in some nation

as some of you said, in France or other nations in Europe.

And in Australia neiter.

Even in the U.K. DATSUN was not wellcomed,right?

Now I want to make sure that in the U.S., B.Z (before the Z) DATSUN was a just another japanese car company which conjured up cheap and nothing special for the people.

But A.Z (after the Z) DATSUN became a favorite car company for the people, did not it?

I am still not clear about did the people in the U.S. feel sad when DATSUN was deleted?

These questions are very important for me and the japanese people who watched TV and believed DATSUN should not be deleted for the people in the U.S.

So please give me any comments for these especially the people from the U.S.

I must be clear for these questions by reading threads so far,but I can not understand clearly.I am sorry for this.

According to some of your opinion, my mind is biginig amendment.

I am going to say there was no relation between NISSAN's sales decreasing and brand name changed.

Alan,yes when I mention TV means NHK project X,but I want to add another one which is SUNDAY PROJECT.

This TV also feartured Z and Mr,K with DATSUN.I think NHK project X is featuring development process Z's styling and engineering (I agree with Alan's opinion.There are many mistakes).

But SUNDAY PROJECT mainly featuring about NISSAN's responsibility for decreasing their sales.

This TV said former president ISHIHARA did wrong.He deleted DATSUN then started descending NISSAN's sales.

He also hated Mr.K so much.He hated Mr.K's success in the U.S.

He hated Mr.K because Mr.K was a rival for his advancing career.

Now in japan many people get angry with Mr.ISHIHARA.

My wife and my 5 years old daughter also get angry with him.

Like this, this TV inspired many people in japan.

TV program may have some fault,but this situation here in japan is true story.

Nate,I also have heard from my frend here about DATSUN was used due to not to bring shame on NISSAN if it failed.

And could you or anyone tell me more easily about the people in the U.S was saying about

"NISSAN bought DATSUN".

When the people saying this,was this good thing or bad thing for the people?

Was it good meaning or bad meaning?

Next time I want to say about "Poor Mr.MATSUO is a chief designer of S30 Z car"

I already agree with Alan's opinion about this.

Alan,please give me your help!

See you.

kats