I had just heard Stephanie drive off when she called me excitedly: There’s an awesome old Japanese station wagon parked just on the next block over. Of course I grabbed my camera and walked down the street. Now anyone else might be pretty excited, but…another Datsun 710 wagon!? Jeez; this makes the fourth one that is still in regular use in town ( I covered the other three here). How about a 710 sedan or coupe, maybe? I’m getting spoiled.
Ok, I shouldn’t complain; this is a fine addition to my neighborhood. And this one is obviously well-loved and appreciated, although matching wheels might be nice. It’s a work in progress, like so many old cars here.
Stephanie is going to really love this car’s door covering: a patchwork quilt.
And a handy pocket for…well, for whatever needs pocketing. Probably not quite up to cup-holder duty, but parking change? Joints?
I’ve taken to shooting back seats as well as front ones. Why not? They’re an important part of a car, and often reveal something of its story too. Spray cans of paint; oil, a K&N filter, and some reading material. A bit voyeuristic, but it’s on the street, and I’ve been staring into cars’ interiors since I was a kid.
Might as well check out the back too, while we’re at it. A rising sun; a real Nipponophile.
The 710 (Nissan Violet/Datsun 140J/160J) appeared in in 1973, as essentially a new car line, somewhat smaller than the 610, which had replaced the legendary 510 (Bluebird). Since the 610 was substantially bigger than the 510, the 710 was really more of a replacement for the 510, and played a similar role as the Toyota Carina, which also slotted under the Corona.
The 710 was a very pragmatic car under its somewhat extravagant exterior, a reflection of Nissan’s new design direction which abandoned the clean international look that had been ushered in by Pininfarina’s 410. All the Japanese manufacturers were exploring a new design language at about this time, a synthesis of original elements with a substantial American influence. The results were uneven, but are now desirable period pieces of a colorful moment in the evolution of Japanese design. This curvaceous and highly decorated look soon gave way to the hard-planed look of the eighties.
As much as I’d like to find a 710 coupe or sedan, hey; I’m proud to live in a town with four 710 wagons, even if they all are automatics.
Datsun/Nissan genealogy isn’t the easiest to trace, especially when one includes the swapping of nameplates between platforms and markets. The slotting of the 710 beneath the 610 is one example. I suppose that’s why they ultimately went with names.
Today, this car looks rather…groovy…with that swoopy instrument panel, the scalloped tailgate and the swept up belt line. I feel like I should call it busy, but I feel like it all works together.
Agreed about it being groovy, especially the belt line.
The strange upswept belt line of these looked awkward back in the day, especially on the 710 sedan. But now every car out there seems to have one, along with a tall trunk and gunslit window in the rear seat. Perhaps Nissan was ahead of its time in this regard…
We never got these in oz. As much as I love certain Japanese cars, there are others that repel me. The 510 was never a styling standout, but it was a clean, accomplished piece of work that carried on the spirit of the 410. The 610, the 210 and these were just awful, whereas the Ken&Mary Skyline and my beloved Cedric were on top of their game. Go figure.
It does make me wonder what Japan had against long product cycles. With a minor facelift or two the (original) 510 would’ve been good to go until the early ’80s transition to front-wheel drive.
Did it have a 710 cap? 🙂
Since “710′” upside-down is “OIL,” I imagine it does. Is that what ya mean?
Just referring to the old “710 cap” joke, similar to the old Datsun “28 OZ water pump” joke: http://www.snopes.com/autos/pinkslip/datsun.asp
I once got a phone call for a “dributer top”. ? Yeah, that thang that’s over the “ratar.”
I found their styling quirky at the time, but I have developed a fondness for some of the 70s Japanese small cars, that aped Detroit styling. This one is overstyled compared to say the Mazda RX-3 wagon or RX-4 wagon. Which I prefer. But it’s tame, by today’s standards. I like it!
I like it! The 4 eye front clip reminds me of the ‘bulletside’ Datsun pickups of the time, which Ive always thought looked pretty cool. Slot mags just look SO right on this car! Step one would be getting a full set of vintage ansen slots on this thing!
Since this car was spotted in Eugene, I’m guessing that the crazy-quilt door panels were sewed together on an old Singer treadle machine with a drive belt made out of organically-grown hemp.
Rather have a wagon than a coupe or sedan. Four door (in my dotage) better than two. Happy to drive this and think it would pull a small trailer easily. Perfect.
Strange the survivors are all automatics. I would think the stick shifts would be more likely to still be around. Nice to see this one appears to be getting itself fixed up.
I never fail to cringe when I discover a nice old Japanese car with an automatic. Did exactly that when I saw the interior picture. Also, concerning sticks being scarce my guess is that the sticks command higher prices for the mod squad and wind up as racers/ricers.
IIRC the 710 abandoned the 510’s IRS, and though the 610 retained IRS, its size and styling were not cool to us, as late teenage car buffs. That plus the bulbous B210 spelled the end of Datsun as a poor enthusiast’s car until the Sentra SE-R. And contributed to high demand and high resale for 510’s as early as the mid-seventies.
A school friends mum had a 140J Violet back in the day sedan though the wagons are kinda scarce and survivors of either are rare rust ate into them fairly young.
It must be Datsun week in the northwest. I ran across this 510 wagon on a grocery trip yesterday. The temporary license sticker identifies it as a 1971.
I commented on the original post of the other three, but I do like these Violet wagons – although I prefer the lighter blue of two of the others you found Paul. We only got the hardtop coupe and the sedan, still a few of them around. Was the wagon was sold in Japan? I presume so but I can only find photos of the US version on google.
I had the 4 door sedan version of this, also in blue (though I remember it more of a darker “electric” blue than this one, maybe a different color, or maybe this one has faded a bit), as my 2nd car, through 4 years of college and on past another year when I got my first job afterwards. Only time it wouldn’t start (was always parked outside) was during the blizzard of ’78, when for a week I had to get a ride from my Father to school. It was also Automatic (sadly) and did have “Rusty Jones” treatment when new, but was pretty rusty 7 years later…. It was an easy car to work on which was good, since it was really the car I learned to work on (well, simple things like tuneups, etc). It split a coolant hose during an interview trip about 400 miles from home but I was able to nurse it until I could get the hose changed…also the alternator went and I remember how much more poweful the engine felt (it was pretty much a slug with the Automatic) compared to when it was charging normally.
In ’81 driving up route 89, I hit a patch of black ice right before Sharon, Vt and slid into
the “cable” guardrail…some front end damage, a Jeep stopped to help me get it untangled from the cables…fortunately the side towards the battery didn’t get hit, neither did the radiator, so I nursed it another 2 hours (driving really slowly) to my Parent’s house. Had the body work fixed, but decided that I needed a car with better traction, and I sold it when I bought my ’78 Scirocco.
These were rare even when new, there were many more B210 and 610 models sold than 710, so I’m suprised you still have 4 wagons in your town…I haven’t seen one in years myself. It was a good solid car, probably not as sporty as the old 510, but I think this was Datsun’s first midsized car (kind of like an Altima is now) or maybe the 610 was their first “large” sedan. Anyhow, the really rare one is the coupe (though 2 door sedan wasn’t very common either)…I think it eventually spawned the 200SX family of sporty rear drive coupes (of which two of my sisters owned two each). Though I haven’t owned a Nissan since selling my 710 33 years ago, I’ve been a fan for most of that time probably starting with my 710.
Great looking old Datsun from their “crazy seventies styling” era, and I’m also glad this one appears to be cared for and headed toward completion. While I’m sure I saw these in my youth (born in ’80) I can’t remember ever seeing one. Which probably means I haven’t seen one in the 15 years or so since I would have started noticing them as something other than “funny-looking old Japanese car”. Interesting how these cars, uncool and unremarkable during the 80’s and 90’s, are now worthy of a second (or third or fourth) look. Everything old is new again? Though, even 20 years from now when they’ve reached a similar age, I can’t imagine a similar reaction to, say, a mid 90’s Escort wagon. Expressive styling, while it may come in and out of taste, remains interesting. Bland styling, while it may not offend, remains boring.
That’s my baby:) I don’t live In that neighborhood but I do live in Eugene. I’d love to see more of them around. It makes me so happy to see this post of my 710. I’m glad to see others appreciate it as much as I do!
It’s a very cool little car. I love the quilted door panel.
Love this car. It was my first car growing up.
Mine was silver and a stick shift?
I love the 710 as a wagon. My earliest memories are in my moms red manual wagon. I have just purchased this one…and sorry, an automatic.