BAT: Nicest Left: Unrestored 1975 Datsun 1200 GX

[Mike]

This 1975 Datsun 1200 GX was sold new in South Africa before making its way to continental Europe at some point. The seller also claims that the car remains original and unrestored. A look at the odometer shows just ~3k kilometers, and though the ad makes no reference to recorded mileage nor its accuracy, the car’s condition suggests that it very well could be correct. Is this the nicest, low-mileage and original 1200 fastback left? Find it here on FS Automóveis in Lisbon, Portugal for 17,500 euros (-$19k USD today).

Glossy sage green paint works very well on this fastback design, and is complemented by straight and unblemished steel panels front to back. The trim, grille, and brightwork also appear to be nearly showroom fresh. OEM badging remains intact, and the car wears newer-looking rubber mounted over darker Minilite or Watanabe-style wheels that set things off perfectly. We’d have to leave the cool, period license plates in place too.

Vinyl surfaces in the cabin show that they’ve withstood the passage of time very well, with only very slight wear (at most). There doesn’t seem to be much to complain about, apart from some under dash wire dressing that should be an easy fix. All gauges, switches, and trim pieces look to be intact and operable, but unfortunately there’s no word to back up visual clues. Check out the big analog clock on the center console, as well as the cool Z-car style lace-up shift boot.

The 1.4 liter four cylinder wears a dual-Hitachi-SU setup, and should mange to squeeze out 94 HP to the rear wheels. As in keeping with the rest of the car, cosmetics here are also very good. Inner fenders, shock towers, and the firewall all look great, and the motor shows no signs of fluid deposits or road grime. A few wires look like they may need to be replaced due to age, but this is to be expected. The odometer shows an incredible 3,200 kilometers.

Even with the RHD setup, we’d still love to have this coupe in our driveway. Good Y-series cars are difficult to find these days without rust issues, so the handsome lines and interesting color make this one worth a serious look, not to mention the super-low mileage count. We hope the motor runs as good as it shows in photos.

View the Auction