We’re almost reaching the point where the full family of Skyline generations will have been featured on CC. Hey, gotta aim for something, right? The trickiest one will be the first generation, which I’ve never as of yet – but there is always hope; they do exist. The one we’re looking at today is the Skyline number five, the late-disco-era C210 “Japan.”
Yes, they nicknamed it “Japan.” That’s a reference to the ad campaign when this car came out in August 1977, in which this Skyline was said to have been “created by the Japanese climate.” Maybe something got lost in translation. Japan’s climate in August is dreadful.
Under the skin, the Skyline was a C230 Laurel, though more drivetrain variety was on offer. Engine options included three 4-cyl. (1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 litres) and the L-Series 2-litre straight-6 available in regular, fuel-injected or turbocharged flavours. A 2-litre Diesel four (only available on the base van) was also included, later joined by a 2.8 litre Diesel 6-cyl. Export markets were treated to a 2.4 litre 6-cyl. that Japan never got. It explains why this car was sold, in many markets, as the Datsun 240K.
The usual saloon and hardtop coupé duo were there at the 1977 launch, alongside the (literally) weird-ass van. It only became a wagon, thereby accessing better engine options and wood trim, after the mid-1979 facelift, during which the GT-spec 6-cyl. cars received blocky composite headlights (top right pic). The GTs, be they two- or four-door, were also the only ones allowed to sport quad circular taillights, which by now was becoming a Skyline tradition.
Our CC is a (sadly modified) early model top-of-the-line 2000GT-EX, so it would have come out the factory with the turbocharged 6-cyl., good for 145hp. Not sure whether the colour is stock (probably not), but I don’t mind it at all – it kind of saves the car’s appearance, actually. That and it’s as shiny and well-maintained as any CC is in Japan.
Still, this is a ‘70s Nissan, and it suffers from Datsun Dorky Design Disease (DDDD) like most of its brethren. There are a few exceptions to this rule (the Cedric / Gloria 330 or the Fairlady 240Z come to mind), but by and large, Nissan designers took a left turn to Uglyville circa 1969 that lasted a decade. This C210 Skyline, at least in the saloon and coupé form, is not the worst victim of DDDD by any means – the Silvia, Sunny or Cherry were much more egregious cases of this scourge. The long-roof variant, curiously, managed to snatch disease from the jaws of sanity. But our CC here, boy-racer mods notwithstanding, is relatively restrained. And boxy too, though it sure is no C10.
On the other hand, the interior is pretty flawless. Unlike some European cars, it’s not sparsely populated yet bedecked with so many acres of faux wood that one would start to panic about the extinction of faux trees. Nor does it suffer from Detroit’s ‘70s infatuation with horizontal speedos, dashes that curve in on the driver or the undue proliferation of idiot lights.
No, in the best Japanese tradition, this dash was both attractive and informative: an uncluttered design, yet chock full of switches, sliders and gauges. Our CC, curiously, seems to have the post-facelift (1979-81) instrument binnacle, so that’s what the above factory photo depicts as well. It’s a manual though – a 5-speed, as all GT-EXs ought to be.
I had photographed this car in-motion in one of my Singles Outtakes last year, so I was glad to be able to catch it for a more in-depth look. But this is not my favourite Skyline, as I trust this post has made clear. It’s not without its merits, but this C210 generation accumulated several missteps, such as dropping the GT-R badge in favour of GT-EX (for no good reason), having rather uninspiring styling and a boringly geographical nickname. The steak is pretty much the same as, say, the scrumptious C10, but the sizzle’s just not there.
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This poor car just goes to show that in matters of taste, everyone _ELSE_ is wrong .
I know someone loves this car, I think it should be put out of it’s misery .
-Nate
I’m glad you could finally catch this car standing still, nice article! I would only take issue with the title, because Disco doesn’t suck. In fact, I’ve been listening to an album of disco era BeeGees lately and contrary to some opinions, they are the opposite of a sucky band.
I wouldn’t even say that this Skyline sucks, even as taste-challenged as it is. I’ve never heard the term DDDD, that’s hilarious and true! The C210 Skyline coupe comes off about as well as a car with this unfortunate condition can. It’s a true hardtop, after all, so it has that going for it. The owner’s enhancements may be gaudy, but somehow fit the car and era well. It does kind of make me want to find a mirrorball and start dancing.
What is that loop hanging off the rear lower right?
Thats a hardpoint for getting towed.
There was (is) a craze for hanging Japanese subway handles off the back of cars – might it be one of these hanging from the tow point?
I find this car’s looks to be quite attractive; it wasn’t sold in the U.S. but the Datsun 310 coupe that was looks like a junior version of this Skyline.
Also, disco is awesome!
Not my cup of tea in either original or this modified form, but I don’t think the mods have made it any worse except for the wheels. Glad to see someone likes it and is keeping it in great shape. And I agree on the colour, that is very nice.
What is with the single yellow headlight? Maybe DS can offer an explanation.
Oof.
A Japanese marketer bought the in-Japan rights to the famous old French Marchal name and cat logo, which they apply to cheap and nasty headlite-shaped trinkets poorly made in China. These pathetic bits of rubbish are sold to collector-vehicle enthusiasts, who put them on cars like this what we see here. I have to imagine they get swapped out for real headlamps of one kind or another to get through vehicle inspection; the Jute/”Marchal” things spray out random streaks of light, not even close to anything resembling a beam pattern.
Why is one of them yellow on this car? Because vehicles 2006 and older can have either white or yellow headlamps in Japan, and for whatever random reason the owner of this car put in one rather than two yellow ones.
For some reason I always thought your post icon was the Eveready battery cat…
That’s Marchal, the best-ever logo for a brand of car lights (because, like, cats can see in the dark and stuff). The French squandered its enormous brand equity by discontinuing it and then slapping it on cheap discount-store windshield wipers.
Funny, I assumed your icon was a version of the CAT Scale Company’s logo, but didn’t see the connection between you and truck scales.
Marchal makes a bit more sense.
Fun how we all see what we wanna see, eh!
I’m also not the Yamato Transport cat (nor kitty):
I knew it was Marchal, but I have to say it always reminds me of the Cat’s Paw Heel logo as well.
All of the kitties!
Here’s an early version of Eveready, with lightning-bolt references not only in the tail but also in the whiskers.
But… that Yamato logo is ADORABLE.
Yeah, eh! I don’t generally go in for brandware, but I would wear a shirt or cap or something with the Yamato logo on it. Not easily possible, though; they exert very tight control over their logo and they don’t sell merchware.
I have seen this one-yellow-light thing before on Japanese ‘enthusiast vehicles’, but never questioned the whys and wherefores. I’d imagine that, like subway hangers on the rear and bent licence plates, it’s a sign of rebellion or nonconformity, a bosozoku thing.
It certainly is good to know that garish is universal.
Rear end of that Skyline is very 65-69 Corvair looking!
Absolutely!
I used to see a lot of these badged 240K usually rusting gently untill past roadworthy condition, now quite rare and sought after by the fan bois.
I think this car is awesome!
And so is a lot of disco.
Some good, some bad. Just like anything else.
Don’t front, MC Ren
Cause I remember when you drove, a B210
Oh wow… I never noticed that. Granted back then I wasn’t too familiar with Datsuns/Nissans.
I always wondered why my Japanese mates call this the Skyline Japan; thanks for the explanation. Kind of makes sense after the Kenmeri.
In Australia this model was called the Skyline, following on from the 240K. 200B became Bluebird, 120Y became Sunny, but Cedric would have been going too far, so it stayed 300C.
Uncle Ted had one of these Skylines, a metallic red sedan. Four-up, it felt cramped inside, and the injected six was always stalling when cold, though in fairness this was Nissan’s first attempt at meeting our new emission laws. Very smooth when it ran though; I could see why he bought it when it was just him and my aunt in the car. He didn’t keep it long.
This model is probably my most un-favourite Skyline, though of course you knew CC-in-scale would have one anyway. My GT-ES coupe is also modified, so here’s a sedan. Without the flared arches of Prof. Tatra’s spot, you can see how the rear door/fender retains a hint of that characteristic “Skyline scallop” from the previous two generations.
LEGO makes the Mini-Fig, you have the Mini-Stig.
He pops up in quite a few of my model photos, Chris. He’s a resin piece, though I’ve seen a better 3D printed one. I’ve had some folk on other sites question his apparent interest in some cars though. For example…
Do you have any idea why one headlight is yellow?
See my comment above.
I like this car and I like Disco. Good taste be damned.
Mmm, Skyline fan (and former owner) here, and this is a nice find. Rare already being the GT-EX, and made more so by the factory sunroof. These are a wee bit bland to look at (wagonoids excluded), but the late-70s-searching-for-meaning styling does sit well and shows natural progression between the overtly-70s C110 and the 80s-rectilinearity of the R30. I for one think the modification of the feature car are well done and look good – the wheel arch extensions in particular add a much-needed touch of muscle to the look. Very good looking dashboard for the time as well. Definitely not my favourite Skyline, but not the worst either.
Thank you for all the comments, everybody!
Just wanted to qualify the title a bit – it’s more of a reference to the car’s era (i.e the end of disco) than the music itself, which has its good sides… Especially the earlier stuff.
https://youtu.be/LkGYlKs65qo
Although not the best Skyline, I still like this model. Arguably I think it looks as good as the C110 model, especially the hardtop. One of the best Japanese dashboards of the late 1970’s too.
The colour is nice but the wheels and spoiler etc have to go.
I disagree in the strongest terms with Tat’s assertion that the C210 suffers from Datsun Dorky Design Disease (DDDD) whilst the far more baroque Cedric / Gloria C330 (which by the way I don’t actually dislike) does not? This is one the best looking Nissans/Datsuns of the 1970s.
I was sort of indifferent to acquiring a (used) hardtop back in the day as I was focused on Italian cars, when I later realised that this was actually a decent car that would solve my longstanding hardtop fetish, they were become rare and expensive, in a similar matter to the C110 240K’s had in Australia.
Most of them, especially the hardtop, seemed to be in that nice metallic green colour. For some reason, a minority of the Australian spec hardtops had no rear wiper. I was disappointed when the facelifted injection model came out with the hardtop model absent.
How much will you sell it for?