If cars like the Land Cruiser posted earlier today exemplified Toyota’s restrained, simple values, cars like this early (1971-1973) Datsun 610 show the beginnings of Datsun’s effort to move beyond its own utilitarian image. While I think ’70s Datsuns are generally nice to look at, its obvious why not everyone agrees and this upper-level coupe shows the sort of flashiness embraced by the likes of a rural cousin newly arrived to city.
Another submission by ericclem from Old Japanese Car Heaven, this Datsun shows a refreshing degree of interest from its owner, who decided that a stripe running down the center of the entire length of the car was an appropriate touch. Actually, with its mini 1971 Charger shape, I agree with his/her choice. Of course, the Dodge benefitted from a more confident and restrained styling philosophy, but the added detailing seen here still looks good. And oh my Lord, is that a Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo/Colt Turbo in the background?! I can’t remember the last time I saw one of those and neither can any of you.
That Charger I mentioned could only kill for an interior like this; no wonder turning the Galant Lamba into the similar Dodge Challenger made so much sense. If the exterior styling was a rehash of 1970s American car themes, this interior previews the ’80s and a latent (and fleeting) confidence in Japanese car design.
Just for variety’s sake, here’s some Chevy influence (if you’re determined to cite a source of inspiration, that is). Only the US and Japanese markets got these triple-section taillights, and, along with the chrome surround, trim panel and center-mounted backup light, there’s a proto sci-fi vibe. Or maybe it’s just the more earthly sway of Yokohama at night.
Leather graining on the grille surround–hey, why not? Sure, it’s plastic and sure, it’s excessive, but it’s well-made and shows enthusiasm and attention to detail. Very different from the Endura nose on the contemporary GM cars, even though the overall look is similar. The bumpkin cousin only copies from the best.
Related reading: 1974 Datsun 610 – Datsun Takes A Bold New Direction: Down
These were sold in Australia as the 180 B and the coupe shown here was called a 180 B SSS. I seem to remember hundreds of them in a particular shade of Orange! They were very popular here and much was made of the fact they had independent rear suspension, a feature sadly lost with this models replacement, the 200 B. Come to think of it, many of the 4 door Orange examples had brown vinyl roofs – now there was a colour combo for the brave!
The sedans used to be made here in Australia (probably assembled from kits) that was when we had a whole bunch of car companies making vehicles here, an ere which will end in 2017 with the closing of the last car factory in Australia. Datsun/Nissan closed there factory here years ago and their main competitor, Toyota will be the last to cease manufacture in this market.
I think the 610 (180B) sedan came with a live rear end, whereas the 510 (1600) sedan was IRS. 200B was the second step back. Never seen those taillights.
As Wheels said: “The 200B is just the 180B with 20 more mistakes…”
Hehehe
No, the 180B still had the independent rear. Pretty sure the early production 200Bs had it too, then went to solid axle after the first few months. Always struck me as weird, that.
Correct you are, sir.
The 180B that I used to try and keep up with in an LJ Torana 1900 (the 180B was a company car driven by a cute dark haired company rep (a gorgeous early 20’s chick) was definitely sporting two visibly rotating axle half-shafts .. .. the darned things fascinated me .. .. amazed me how quickly those two ‘shafty’ things propelled that woman away from my best advances in the sluggish Torana ..and, yes, that 180B was in the traditional hot orange mud chocolate red/brown it seemed nearly all NZ Datsuns were painted……. but there definitely were two independently operating axle half-shafts spinning away under Kristin Philson’s pretty right footed command as that orange 180B sped away from me up St John’s Road towards St Helier’s Bay Road
I had to be cut out of one of these, after a pretty severe crash, when I was seven years old! Yes,it was an orange sedan, with IRS.
Parents had a lot of issues with the suspension, but in all fairness to the car, it was used on very bad bush roads, and the local dealer was not the best either.
A Student on a work gang I was in charge of at Collienabri triple rolled a 180B trying to dodge a roo, the roof was level with the bonnet but it still drove the students stripped it of carb and dizzy for their other one and just left it there on the farm so it became Kerry Packers at that time the worlds biggest grower of cotton.
KiwiBryce, your stories remind me of that TV show ‘Bush Mechanics’. Did you ever get it over there?
Those Datto half shafts became the cure to the locking sliding splines on Triumph 2000,2500s, I drove a very overloaded Datsun 180B automatic from Batlow NSW to Donnybrook W.A 3 days driving 3 guys one dog and a roofrack piled with gear it made it.
…the ’65 Triumph 2000 topped out at exactly 90mph …same as the Fiat Crusader 1500.. i was disappointed with that …my mother didn’t know how i treated her Triumph but it seemed unfloggable and took it well enough…her Mk11 2000 that followed it was such a disappointment they only kept it a short while …talk about underpowered ….yuk yuk yuk … ! …her next car was the 1234cc Honda Civic! what a little red rocket that was!!
180B was IRS the 200B had a log axle, that was the major backward step
I wonder if it was due to the sorts of problems like on ours, or if it was just cheaper to build?
I remember Wheels having an article on the IRS deletion and I think it was a bit of both.
I believe the reason for the change from IRS to a live axle was increase the local content of the 200B.
Used a Borg-Warner diff, if I remember correctly.
The ‘SSS’ version with its 1.8 (1778cc) OHC engine could move along… in the day it was one of the earlier quick coupes ..and the baby brother ‘SSS’ Datsun 1200 (1172cc) was amazing for its get up and go with two massive side draft dual throat carbs (fitted from the factory!) 🙂 Early onset quick and extensive body rust was the nemesis of both however..
Datsun 1200SSS was NZ only bro these guys have never seen one. The engines were sent from Japan to Dennis Marwood the Humber80 racer who ported and polished them and extracted another 25hp or so then sent to the assembly works to be assembled into cars, but just like the 125T Fiat Kiwi only cars.
you’re the man Kiwibryce ! your local knowledge is awesome!!:) 🙂
Not many of these pre-facelift (no wraparound front indicators) versions left here. Not sure I agree with the colour,stripe or wheels (or the 1600cc for that matter!) but these Bluebird hardtops (180B in NZ) are quirky-looking in quite an appealing way. And who doesn’t love a pillarless hardtop! The ultimate version of these is the stretched “shark-nose” 6-cylinder model – sort of a Maxima ancestor. Loving the JDM taillights the feature car’s wearing! Edit: wikipedia tells me that the US was the only market outside Japan to receive these taillights, so for once y’all got something Japanese that we didn’t!
Do you remember Reg Cook? He used to have great success racing the ‘SSS’ (Datsun 1200) .. he had a racing development set-up out on Mahia Road Manurewa back then. I coerced him to ‘SSS’ my yellow 120Y hatchback with a couple of 38mm Dellorto’s etc etc …great days !
Did he Dennis Marwood the head? that was the hp secret to success the factory used.
Before my time I think but I know the name.
Hec was/is a waikato racer drove the worlds fastest Humber 80 until about 63/64 once considered weapon of choice for run what ya brung all comer saloon car racing after Harold Heasley won the inaugural NZ saloon car championship in Humber 80,
You’re right it’s a long time since I saw one,the rust monster saw off most of them in the UK long ago.My brother had a 180B SSS coupe for a short spell after a drunk driver shot a red light and centre punched his Manta.Good cars and definitely a step up from the laughable Marina coupe the guy across the road was driving(when it wasn’t being repaired again!)
I bought a 120Y in rust free Tasmania, drove it 5000kms in 6 weeks only adjusting the points and discarding the clogged air filter it hardly missed a beat. Sold it for $500 and a ride to Hobart airport.
I think its a sharp car.
Absolutely it is!
The four door sedan even more so….
If you look at the rear doors and C pillar treatment (of the 180B sedan) ….
There are strong shades of neo-plagiarism here by the stylists of the current Mitsubishi Triton (in my humble opinion)
Glad I’m not the only one to think of the Triton doors/pillar!
the 120Y was yet another ‘beautiful’ little Datsun… in both it’s sedan and hatchback forms…. endearing styling
same true for the Datsun Cherry ..a very cute pretty little motorcar ..and amazingly powerful to drive due to it’s very light construction ..despite a diminutive one litre jap engineered version of the old ‘A’ series (988cc rings a bell??)
bloody shame there are NONE left ANYWHERE
in those days bare unpainted sheetmetal body panels were bolted together with no thought whatsoever of corrosion minimisation
in NZ the locally assembled 120Y sedans were stored for up to two years on Stoddard Rd Mt Roskill IN THE OPEN AIR awaiting delivery to dealers… ALL of these cars were sold as BRAND NEW to purchasers WITH RUST ALREADY WELL ESTABLISHED in body seams and panel joins .. .. ..
within a further 2 years (4 years on from construction) it was common to see 120Y’s driving around Auckland with 20 cent sized rust holes showing in the sills and lower guard and door panels..
within a further 4 years most were already pretty much ‘off the road’ or virtually worthless and became ‘give away’ vehicles for farms or baches (i personally bought an orange one of course, with only 2 years’ use as a company rep’s car from Cunningham Packaging of Glen Innes …it was virtually a free car …but what an engine it had!! …and what a beautiful slick gearbox too!!
I had a couple of 120Ys around where I live, they were major rust heaps and both (in different locations) disappeared around the same time. Mebbe someone’s sending them over to NZ. hehehe. There’s a nice coupe as well but given the house also has a 1200 ute out front I’d say NFS.
All gone here the powertrains went into mini stocks for kids/learner stockcar racing however there is an orange coup’e locally
I had 160kmh indicated out of a 120y between Ruapehu and Taumaranui, Rental car but for a 4 banger it wound up ok, one of the draughtsmen at Wairakei had a tripleS 120y I tailed him at 110mph in my warmed 3.3 PB Velox before pulling out to pass those little Dattos could hammer along ok.
snap .. had exactly the same problem with a rental 120Y on the road to Invercargill ..picked it up at Dunedin Airport ..the darned thing refused to go over 160kmh ..it just sat there bang on 160 for ages…and didn’t overheat!
AMAZING for 1172cc (even today show me a cooking pot cheap sub 1.3 full 5 seater with a semi-decent boot {trunk} that can do that.. .. ..
All gone? Still 120Ys in the Waikato Craig (albeit coupes), one on trademe currently. There’s often a Cherry or two on trademe too – none at the mo but have been two blue ones and an orange one lately.
I’m sorry but Washington is not old Japanese car heaven that title belongs to California. They sold way better down there in the 70’s and 80’s than they ever did up in Washington. The climate down there of course is more forgiving too.
Yeah, but Californians throw things away way more often, and the sun fades paint and destroys upholstery. I would imagine, however, that if I wanted to find a Cressida, Land Cruiser, Maxima or old Infiniti, I’d have more luck in Cali.
Washington is really old Swedish car heaven. I routinely see Amazons and old Saabs trawling the streets in Seattle.
BTW Perry, this is Eric Clem. I’m not affiliated with old Japanese Car Heaven in any way.
I haven’t seen an older Maxima in a while, but there are two Infiniti M30s in this area (one convertible, one coupe) and a somewhat battered early first-generation Q45.
There are a fair number of Land Cruisers around, and while I can’t say I pay them a lot of attention my broad, anecdotal impression is that they usually appear to be well taken care of, more so than a lot of Japanese sedans of the same vintage. The appeal of SUVs like that in areas with paved roads is wholly lost on me, but they do have a cult following.
I would disagree based on living in W. WA and traveling to CA fairly frequently there are a ton more old Japanese cars and trucks down there and it a lot better condition than the few you find in W. WA. Oregon also has a higher density of old Japanese cars than WA.
Yeah the sun doesn’t bake the paint and interiors in WA but the moss grows in the trim around the windows causes holes to form from rust and end up with a wet moldy, rotten interior and trunks/ rear quarters that rust from the inside out. The paint also takes a serious beating from the pollen that sticks to the paint like glue and then molds.
I’ll have a chance to experience the Washington climate next month as I’m moving to Vancouver. Any advice for keeping an old hobby car mold and moss free other than “put it under a carport”?
Don, I have seen the show bush mechanics in Aussie those guys could learn a thing or two from Kiwi No8 wire technichians, NZ was like Cuba for many years new cars were impossible for most people to buy/afford thanks to govt regulations and all manner of old dungas were kept going by Kiwi ingenuity, bodging old heaps through our 6 monthly inspections was almost an artform yeah the results were lots of dangerously worn cars still in use but hey I survived lots didn’t but I see greasing the front end of a dunga with bondo to remove slack insteering joints became acceptable practice using a polymer formula in Victoria 30 years after we perfected it.
Kiwibryce was your 3.3 the ’65 four on the floor? The 1965 PB Velox 3.3 was one handsome motorcar.. the PC just didn’t measure up visually (to me anyway) ..but i always wanted a 3.3 either PB or Ventora but my father refused and bought mopar instead so i had to put up with a Fireball 318 instead …haa …fun ..fun ..fun …man ..what GREAT days !
Nah it ate 3 tree shift boxes I sold it with a PAX box in it which reverses the shift pattern yeah a CF or Victor 4speed woulda been ideal but it was rattling in the bottom end by then it was overbored with planed an ported head, headers PC51 cam but still with solid lifters modded carb an headers bloody quick could accelerate from 30mph to the magical ton up the control gate hill in Taupo and easily outtran car dealer Lloyd Cottons 318 VJ wagon up same hill but in true Vauxhall style it floated at over the ton and wheelspun ay 60mph if you floored the gas in the wet.
I blame my Dad for that car he showed me how 3.3 PBs cruised at over 100mph taking me to school in a used Cresta he borrowed from the lota PC held the 6cylinder drag record at ThunderPark back in the day but they were slower than a PB, PB was the fastest accelerating 4door car to 50mph available in the UK in 65, yep they were quite something.
Ventoras were pretty rare in NZ but of course we had the 3.3 Victor, the UK didnt, another Kiwi special
By the way Perry I can go see a mint Mirage any day of the week parked outside Green meadows New World they are still quite common here.
Ditto (although not not mint, and not in Napier!)
I learnt to drive with a 120Y way back in sunny Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1975 I believe. Japanese cars came with everything that British car manufacturers demanded extra money for. Like carpets; and radios; and heaters; and wheels!
Looks to be closer in appearance to a ’71-’72 Charger SE rather than a 1970. They even tried to copy the taillights.
I can’t really ever remember seeing one of these. Probably saw plenty in the 80’s and early 90’s but at that time I didn’t take notice of old Japanese cars for the most part; as a kid into 50’s classics and 60’s muscle cars they just seemed like background scenery–plus I don’t think they sold as well on the East Coast at the time and many more fell victim to rust. How different now in that one of these parked along the curb would interest me much more than a Mustang or a Chevelle. Nice-looking vehicle!
Another car I disliked as a kid back in the Seventies but I’d rock now that I’m older and wiser.