Let’s take a look at some loads of imports, starting with this colorful array of Datsuns posing in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. The caption said “1964”, but that might be a year or two early. The Datsun 520 pickup didn’t start production until 1965, and I’m not so sure the 411 sedan was sold here that early either. It’s easy to forget that Datsun outsold Toyota in these early years, until the Corona got its sea legs.
Alfas!
Yugos!
And of course VWs.
Nice shots. It’s a sunny day here in Toronto – I wouldn’t mind taking one of those Alfa Spyders for a spin. A classic VW would be fun as well – how often do you see an old Transporter any more? The Datsuns weren’t too common here until the’70’s, but I’m curious about the first red one on top of the carrier. What is that? As for the Yogos…no thanks.
Nissan Patrol. Counterpart to Land Cruiser.
Japan’s powerful Ministry of Industry (MITI) essentially forced a deal between Nissan and Toyota where Nissan would not export the Patrol to the US in exchange for Toyota not competing against its sports cars. This happened around 1969, and up until then Patrols were sold in the US.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-capsule/curbside-capsule-1960s-nissan-patrol-60-a-us-market-patrol/
Paul, do you know why they marketed it under the Nissan name instead of just calling it a Datsun? Too much trouble to switch badges etc? Seems like Datsun would’ve been an established name in the US already.
G60 Nissan patrol 6 cylinder petrol engin 3 speed box hi-lo range and a propensity to rust and there were two versions of diffs one broke easily one didnt.
Red Nissan is a Patrol.
The red vehicle at the front of the Datsun-laden carrier is a Patrol … still sold as a Nissan outside the US and here as the Infiniti QX56. The photo is of course from San Francisco, where the Ferry Building, now home to upscale restaurants and shops, and a weekend farmers market, used to house a small international trade center. It was there that I saw my first Patrol, on display sometime in the mid-60’s. It wasn’t red though, I recall it as being dark green or maybe even black.
Ah, yes. I’ve never seen a Patrol of that vintage, but I’ve come across a couple of newer Patrols over the years – obviously grey market imports.
The old Patrol actually reminds me of a Russian UAZ-469
Oh boy, what would that last transport bring at auction today! That one must have come in before the 1964 chicken tax on imported trucks.
Wow, the entire Datsun truck is appealing. We saw a Patrol at Staunton Classic Cars at the Midwest MeetUp a few years ago, interesting truck.
The Alfas look like ’87 vintage or so when the Milano was getting intro’d but before the Spider was updated. And even the Yugo truck looks appealing!
And lastly, the VW’s, likely collectively worth the most no matter the current condition of any or all of them…
Which would be most likely to still have the greatest percentage of the load on the road today? Probably the VWs, followed by the Alfas, then Datsuns (mainly due to age), and lastly the Yugos?
The truck hauling the Yugos seems to be saying “Eeeeew! Yuckkk! I hate hauling this load!”
Maybe the truck saying “Ahhhhh, what a nice easy day. Those Town Cars, ugh!”
“…..until the Corona got its sea legs.”.
heh, heh, heh.
Patrols were always rare. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a topless one. Personally, I’d take a Milano – good cookie, great car.
Great pics you found there I always liked the Datsun 520/521 trucks. And the Patrol. My next door neighbors were early adopters of Datsun product, Husband, a dentist, drove a 521, and his wife a ’71 510 wagon. I remember riding in the back seat when I was about 5, (in 71) and they still had the clear plastic on the door panels and rear seat.
My Grand-dad had a blue Datsun 520 pickup just like the one on the upper rear of that Ford.
A lot of dak daks fit on a transporter that load today would be valueable split screen vans sell for silly money especially 23 window Sambas though you can replicate one should you so desire.
Former Datsun 410 and 411 owner here. On the Datsun carrier truck: The Datsun 410 sedan (visually identical to the 411) was introduced as a ’63 model (I had one). I at one time had a fantastic picture of a 96 year old man buying a ’63 410 sedan shaking hands with the salesman. There were unsold ’62 320 sedans in the background. The black station wagon on the bottom shelf is an early 410, I can tell from the slightly different headlights. Selling of current year models was patchy at best so it wouldn’t be a surprise to find a truck full of ’63-’65 vehicles all being offered as the same year, older ones restamped. The Earlier 520 pickups had two headlamps instead of 4, there was even a month of production where it seemed that you might get either 2 or 4 depending on what day of the week the truck was assembled. I can’t tell on the carrier truck how many headlights they have. I’d just about give my left arm for the roadster on the top shelf! great picture!!