Datsun brand in 2014

[Quinn'Z]

Ãœber excited about an old nameplate returning. Low end cars might cheapen the name though. But... More Datsun memorabilia, shirts, signs, etc. will be cool. Plus the reintroduction of the Datsun name into the market could increase the popularity of the older models and could help increase the nos parts for older model restorations.

I hope. Maybe they'll use the same components from our z's and there will be parts and wiring harnesses and windshield wipers and... I'm awake now. Wasn't there's place in Cali a few years bank that was restoring s30's and seeking them for like 30k$? Winner if they have any parts left over. Whoa, dreaming again.

[SteveJ]

I hope. Maybe they'll use the same components from our z's and there will be parts and wiring harnesses and windshield wipers and... I'm awake now. Wasn't there's place in Cali a few years bank that was restoring s30's and seeking them for like 30k$? Winner if they have any parts left over. Whoa' date=' dreaming again.[/quote']

It was 15 years ago. There were two places in California fixing up 70 - 72 Z cars. Those cars were sold through 10 Nissan dealerships.

One of the places was Classic Datsun Motorsports. The owner, Les Cannaday, is a member here. His username is CDM.

[black gold man]

My local news in DETROIT just reported the revamp of the DATSUN name.

They showed some 510s and talked DATSUN for a moment.

[72 OJ]

black gold man....paper or tv, please give me the source ........

Edited March 5, 2012 by 72 OJ

[sblake01]

Me too. I don't know whether it's true, and I'm sure I will be corrected by somebody on this, but the badge "Datsun" was supposedly used to avoid embarrassment to the Nissan Corp., should the line of automobiles become a complete flop. Is this happening all over again with this budget line of cars for emerging markets? :disappoin

Sarah, that's another one of those Datsun stories that makes me cringe when I hear it. The Datsun name had been around since the early 30s in Japan and solidly associated with Nissan. I would think they would have chosen a different name if that was the intent.

[72 OJ]

1914 the DAT car was built by KAISHINSHA MOTORCAR WORKS.In 1931 the name became DAT MOTORCAR CO. In 1933 NISSAN took control of DAT MOTORCAR CO.Along came the spelling===DATSON===son in Japanese means loss, so the SUN came into play.

[sblake01]

I mention the early 30s because Jim Johnsons 1936 Datsun Model 15 Phaeton, clearly badged 'Datsun' and built long before any were imported to the U.S, is the earliest Datsun vehicle that I've actually seen in person. We had taken my 64 Pickup to the show and it was usually the earliest Datsun in attendance but, in this case, it got edged out by a couple of decades.

[Willoughby Z]

IMO, Nissan- who had merged with Datsun- felt that there was more recognition of the Datsun brand name as it had world-wide acceptance from partnerships or alliances, whatever the deals may have been with Ford, Austin and others. Nissan built trucks for the military during WWll. Datsun seemed to have returned to their automotive roots, post-war.

Don't forget the Maxima/Altima era, with circle-bar badges, "Datsun by Nissan".

[sblake01]

There was always the one I referred to as my 'identity crisis' car - The 1981 Maxima/Datsun 810 by Nissan.

Edited March 5, 2012 by sblake01

[26th-Z]

It was 15 years ago. There were two places in California fixing up 70 - 72 Z cars. Those cars were sold through 10 Nissan dealerships.

One of the places was Classic Datsun Motorsports. The owner, Les Cannaday, is a member here. His username is CDM.

There were four shops; PierreZ (which did the majority of them), Classic Datsun, Datsun Alley, and Old Car Service. They were part of the Vintage Z restoration program, part of the Z-Store program, part of the 'Dream Garage' advertisement campaign in 1997-1998. In fact, many stock parts were re-manufactured for the program. Many of those parts are still available today.

[HS30-H]

IMO, Nissan- who had merged with Datsun- felt that ...

Enough of this nonsense, please.

Nissan didn't - couldn't - 'merge' with Datsun. 'Datsun' was merely a badge, an emblem, on Nissan products.

I still see people writing that "Datsun did.." this, that "Datsun made.." that. It was always Nissan that did, Nissan that made. 'Datsun' was a flag of convenience for all the time that made any difference. The 'Nissan' name, used on war materiel all too fresh in the minds of some, was seen as the potential post-war embarrassment. But if anything, it was the inconsistent use of the 'Datsun' brand and the confusion caused after the decision to ( partially... ) drop it that caused the embarrassment.

And now people still don't understand. The decision to bring the 'Datsun' brand back for some export markets is for entirely different reasons than it was used in export markets in the first place. There's no direct connection.

It would have made more sense to use the correct Nissan branding from the beginning, or - once the decision had been made to use the 'Datsun' branding for exports ( and - confusingly - just some domestic models ) - to stick with it. In my opinion both a mistake to use it in the first place, and to drop it. And now - let's see how it pans out - a lot of confusion and time spent explaining - now that it's coming back for it's slight return.

One has to wonder whether the people planning all this could successfully arrange a wizz-up in a brewery...

[26th-Z]

I get all nostalgic with this Datsun thing and I'm not all that thrilled with what I'm reading. The 'Datsun' isn't coming to the U.S. That's clear (even though we could USE more economical cars). Datsun represents some form of grace to me. But true, Datsun history goes back to the early thirties. Don't forget the 1933 Datsun fire truck!