(first posted August 28, 2014) Once upon a time, the two-door sedan was essentially the default body style in much of the world. It was a bit cheaper, and cars were often very small, and they looked better, although I doubt that had much to do with it. Fitting a rear door on small rear wheel drive cars, whose rear axle line was typically substantially further forward than on front wheel drive cars, made for an awkward design. This little Datsun 1200 is representative of so many two-door sedans of its type built all over the world from the twenties through the seventies or so. But its time eventually passed, mostly for the better.
Let’s take a quick little tour back in time to put the two-door sedan into perspective. The earliest closed car bodies were typically on large, expensive chassis, like this 1915 Rolls Royce with a Sedanca de Ville, a body style that kept the driver in the open, and the passengers inside, as in a fine carriage of the same name.
The overwhelming percentage of low-cost cars like the Model T were open cars, in the first two decades of the century. The bodywork consisted of little more than two bench seats, and flimsy little doors between them. It was light and used technology that had been used to build horse-driven buggies in large scale production for decades.
Closed sedan bodies, like this 1923 Model T “Fordor” saw a rapid rise in popularity during the mid 1920s, as incomes rose and costs dropped. The Model T was not originally designed for the significantly heavier closed bodies, and their unexpected rise in popularity put it somewhat at a disadvantage to the newer and more powerful Chevrolet. This contributed to the Model T’s demise and replacement by the larger and more powerful Model A, which carried its sedan body more elegantly and effortlessly.
The two door version (“Tudor”, in Ford-speak) of the Model T shared the same basic dimensions and roof line with the four door, and these two examples essentially define the two-door sedan, as compared to coupes, which traditionally had a shorter roof (“close-coupled”), or in more recent years, a lower or more sweeping roof line than the sedan version.
In Europe and other countries, the significantly smaller cars that were the mainstay of the low price sector, like this Austin Seven, provided a challenge in fitting closed bodies, as this two-door sedan shows. The front door requires a cutout to clear the rear wheel. These, like so many cars of the early 20s, were originally designed for light open bodies, seating two. But the demand for closed sedans was relentless, as folks were eager to get out of the rain.
I used the Austin Seven for another reason, because it had a profound influence on Datsuns, going back to1932. That’s when the Datsun Type 11 appeared, which had a lot of similarities to the Austin in terms of its technical details. To this day, there is disagreement as to whether the Datsun was a blatant copy or a was built with a license from Austin.
In 1929, Austin’s Chief Engineer gave a paper in Tokyo called “The British Light Car”, which included many details on the Seven. The argument that suggests it was not licensed points to Herbert Austin importing a 1935 Datsun and inspecting it for possible infringement. But no action was taken, perhaps in part because the Datsun quickly started to deviate from the Seven in a number of details. The Datsun’s engine was considerably smaller, among other things. Case dismissed.
In 1952, Datsun officially became an Austin licensee, and began production of various Austin models, like this A40. And Nissan used its Austin license and patents to develop cars and engines that soon spring-boarded beyond their origins.
The two great Nissan achievements of the mid sixties were the legendary Datsun 510/Nissan Bluebird (CC here) in 1968,
and the smaller Datsun 1000/Nissan Sunny from 1966. The 510 had a huge impact in the US, but the Datsun 1000 was not imported.
In 1970, the second generation Sunny appeared, slightly larger in every dimension. And this time it was sent stateside, to compete with the madly successful Corolla, which had jumped into the number two import spot by 1969, in its second year on the market. The 1200 was very similar to the Corolla in almost every way; they were both utterly pragmatic RWD sedans, of the type also being built in Europe by Opel, Ford, and others.
Under the hood was perhaps the final and ultimate expression of Nissan’s Austin roots, their A-Series OHV four. Built in sizes ranging from 988cc to 1487 cc, this rugged and economical engine has powered a variety of Nissan cars and small vans, and as of 2009, was still in production in the Malaysian Vanette. Certain visual similarities to the Austin/BMC A series engine are apparent.
In this Datsun 1200, the A Series had 1171 cc and developed a pretty healthy 68 gross hp at 6000 rpm. Still, once Toyota dropped their new 1588 cc 2-TC engine in the Corolla 1600 beginning in 1971, the Datsun 1200 became relegated to strictly economy-car status in the US.
That wasn’t such a bad place to beat the time. Not only was the Datsun 1200 the cheapest car in the US in 1970 ($1736), it had the highest mileage as tested by the EPA (28.7 mpg overall; 37.9 highway). I’m assuming those are old, unadjusted numbers, but it was hard to get less than 30 mpg in one of these.
The dash and interior are representative of the times, which means clean and simple. By the 70s, Datsun dashboards (and exterior styling) were becoming anything but that. Comfort? What does one expect from a car that weighs less than 1700 lbs and doesn’t have a suspension system like the Citroen 2CV? Speaking of, and digressing again, the French never cottoned to two door sedans. In fact, they just plain shunned them, at least until the little FWD hatches appeared, but even then, the four door versions were generally preferred.
If you’ve noticed that this Datsun 1200 is in pretty nice shape, the odometer helps explain that. With 37,461 miles, this might well be the nicest original 1200 in the US. I shot it two summers ago, and have forgotten the details of how the owner came to have it, but he clearly is enamored of it.
He’s even named it. Rocinante is Don Quixote’s horse in Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote. There are several takes on the meaning of that name, because it is also a pun. Rocín in Spanish is a work horse, or low quality horse, which is an apt description of this little Datsun. But with the suffix ante, the meaning becomes rather complicated, and can be interpreted to imply a change of status, from “old nag” to “foremost steed”. Is that a road too far in terms of describing this Sunny?
But hey, this is not just any Datsun 1200, but a Deluxe! Maybe that explains the name. Or not.
I let myself get a bit carried away about turning this post into a mini-history of the two-door sedan, having forgotten that this car was also available in Japan and some other markets as a four door. Oh well. But those two doors per side do look a bit cramped.
Yes, this little two-door works quite well, with the classic proportions of the genre. Now its high time we gave it’s successor, the B210 its day in the CC spotlight. Its two door sedan wasn’t quite as nicely proportioned.
Related reading:
These were as common as dirt in the mid-seventies, at least in California. I love the shot of the engine compartment, you can see through to the ground. Every component is out in the open and easily accessible for repair/replacement; quite a contrast from most of today’s cars that have the engine compartment stuffed to the max. As appealing as the little Datsun is, I suspect that most of us would rather have a newer car as a daily driver. I could live without air conditioning and satellite radio, but I don’t want to.
I love a long classic CC like this one, with all that history and fine photos. Thanks.
With this 1200 and the 510, along with the 240Z, Datsun entered the seventies with strong, clearly defined, great cars. Who came in and changed all that? Looking forward to Chapter Two.
Has a bit of an Opel look about the front…
I think these were all gone on the East Coast by the time I started noticing cars (mid 80’s). Of course that’s not the case out west…
A once common car in 70s Britain another victim of the rust monster.My sister had a very rusty one for a runabout while waiting for the insurance to pay out on her Fiesta in the early 80s.Reliable and economical little cars,another car I’ve not seen for ages
Interesting to note then a derivative of the 1200/B210 was made in South Africa as a “bakkie” (South African term for “ute”) until 2008 and later called 1400 when the engine size grew up to 1.4L. http://www.autosavant.com/2008/03/23/retirement-time-for-the-champion-of-africa/
Datsun Roadstar utes were sold in NZ and OZ in differing wheelbases NZ got mostly the longer versions at least thats all that seems to have survived and I only saw SWB utes in OZ.
The first time I heard the term “bakkie” was reading “July’s People” by Nadine Gordimer in 1987. It’s like a Japanese mini truck or Aussie ute from what I could tell at the time. Wish we still had them here.
Sure is great living in a climate where cars such as this can survive. Interesting how at one time 2 door cars were considered safer for children so they would not open doors while car was in motion. Now with booster and child seats they are pretty much a requirement. With the shrinking width of parking spaces these days, it gets harder and harder to squeeze out of a 2 door, not to mention the damage to other cars by careless, elderly, young children and inconsiderate people using the side of a car as a door stop. Having lived with both small 2 door and 4 doors, the 4 door is more useful and in the long run a better way to go. That said, most cars look better in 2 door form, though there are exceptions. A 1700 lb car is a little scary in today’s driving environment. 24-2500 lbs is about as light as I feel safe in.
Very rare cars in NZ these days Rust and boyracers have seen to that and two door versions werent assembled here the success of the factory SSS model saw vast numbers of plebian models souped up in similar fashion and wrecked in various ways a genuine 1200SSS would be worth its weight in gold now.
Is there are car in Oregon that doesn’t have a nest of pine needles on it somewhere?
My first car was the 1980s FWD successor of this Datsun, an it also was a 2 door sedan. I inherited it when my dad died in 1989. Here is an old scanned picture of it in the parking lot of my college. This is from around 1995 or 1996. I sold it in 1997 when I got my first real job. To this day I still regret selling it, but being 23 at the time and single, I wanted something new.
I think I know how you feel. I had an ’84 Pulsar NX coupe (N12), white like your car, and I, too, regret selling it – the one car I wish I could have back. I just had to have a new car.
Fir needles to be herbal correct.
I sold new Datsuns in the early 70s and had the use of a new 1200 sedan as a demo. The car was virtually indestructible. There was no power with the manual and it absolutely didn’t move when equipped with automatic and dealer installed A/C. The MSRP was around $1800, and I had shoppers coming in comparing it with the Austin Marina. Believe it or not, the car did not come with a rear defroster (even as an option). It was very tight and bouncy, got great mileage (better than even today’s cars) and was easy to steer (no power steering) and maneuver. We had to be careful not to lean against the fenders as they would dent very easily. (Very thin metal). To find a rust free example today would be a great find. It’s a great daily driver if acceleration is not a priority.
Maybe that’s where the derision about Japanese Beer Cans came from. To be sure, beer cans have been made of aluminum for a long while now. BTW, read Henry Petroski to learn about how the amazing aluminum can was invented.
Didn’t know about the Austin-derived engine in this model before; the photo sure makes that clear. What an irony; one of the most reliable cars related to some of the least. It’s all in the execution.
510 coupes were all the rage among punters while I was in high school. A budget 2002.
I was stationed in Panama from 1972-1976. The only competition this would have had for the most commonly seen car would have been the Toyota Corolla. They were all over the place and generally very easy to sell when you were ready to transfer.
There’s something I’ve never seen before
What a pretty little car!
So far the comments about the car seem accurate. My 52 year old mother purchased a white two-door 1200 sedan in 1971 for less than $1800 at Stiles Datsun in Springfield, Oregon. It had the four speed manual and no a/c. Thankfully, in Eugene you don’t really need a/c except for a few weeks in the summer. This was my mother’s first car, as she didn’t learn to drive until her early 50s. I had wanted the apple green 1200 coupe, but my dad, being 6′ 2″, couldn’t see out the windshield without hunching over. The gas mileage was superb, frequently achieving 45 mpg. The car was quite simple, with no amenities. There were no carpets, just a cheap plastic (not rubber) floor mat. While great around town, the car was loud at highway speeds, with an ear aching 69 decibels. The fit and finish was not as good as a Corolla, with lots of paint drips, leaks, and rattles. At 30,000 miles, the manual transmission needed to be replaced. Unfortunately, the warranty was only good for 12,000 miles. My best friend’s mother had bought a Corolla that same year, and I felt envious of the relative quietness and quality of the Corolla compared to the 1200. The Corolla also had carpet and an automatic, which made it seem quieter. I was still proud of our Datsun, as our “other” car was a ’62 Rambler wagon. I’ll be looking forward to the B210 review, although having owned both, I can tell you there wasn’t that much difference.
Nice find, Paul. Wheel covers ‘n’ all.
When I had lived in Kuwait 20 years ago, I had a neighbour who drove a similar looking Datsun coupe in a greyish silver colour with the classic hubcaps. The only difference was that it was a hatchback/fastback. I thought that it was a fine looking machine. I had ridden in it once when I was given a ride to school. The owner had a family too so it was maybe a little odd to own a coupe as his only car. He did keep it clean as it was mostly parked on the side of the road opposite the apartment where we used to live. In a country like that there is no Winter and salt to ruin the body, but the sun beats down on the cars.
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Sweet little Econo – Box ! .
I remember these new , super reliable and better gas mileage than my 36 HP VW Beetles .
I’d prolly rock one as a Daily Driver but then , I’m an old geezer so I like base models .
-Nate
I prefer the looks of the 4dr, the straight waist line works better for me.
The 2dr coupe/fastback was pretty little car, unlike the abomination that was the 120Y
(B 210 in the USA).
I had a well worn 1973 Datsun 1200 as a winter beater during my first year of university, after I had killed my Corolla. I drove the snot out of the thing and couldn’t kill it, although many things went wrong, mostly due to age. The starter went and like the moronic kid I was, I bought a rebuild at Crappy Tire, which died after 91 days, it having a 90 warranty. Same for the alternator. In fact, it took me years to stop buying rebuilds and go with OEM, which is always cheaper in the long run.
Rocinante was also the name John Steinbeck gave to his GMC pickup with slide-in camper in ‘Travels with Charlie’
Interesting point about the demise of the small, cheap RWD 2-door. It’s true that if you look at any decade from the 20s to the 70s, they were everywhere (in Europe and Asia at least). The Japanese held on to this design longer than anybody else. I suppose the last European car sporting this configuration was the Chrysler Sunbeam. After that, it was all FWD or shell out much more for a 3-series BMW.
And it’s also true that this particular body style is not popular in the French and Spanish markets, still to this day (with a few exceptions, e.g. the Twingo). I wonder why that is…
In both France and Spain, the taxation system for buying new cars traditionally favoured small cars, so in Spain, for example, a four-door Seat 850 or 127, Simca 1000 or Renault 8, a 5-door R5 or R7 (a R5 with a boot) would be the main family car for families who could only afford a car with less than 1.2 litre capacity.
My first car was a 72 1200 fastback it was late 70’s and they were right they were all over southern calif.
I had a 71 Datsun 1200 2 door sedan , dark blue. The car seemed to have some good get up and go, due to it’s light weight, low gear ratios, and small 12 inch tires. It’s the only car I’ve had with a manual choke. So adjusting it just right was a little tricky depending on how warm the engine was. Once fully warm, you could shut it off. It was a bit of a beater, had a few small dents, and a hole in the front passenger side floor. I didn’t have much money, so I bolted a board under the floor to patch it up and painted it black to disguise it. That kept the rain out. After saving up some money, I sold it and bought my 1st front drive 79 Dodge Colt hatchback.
Wow , seeing those pictures bought back a lot of memories. It was my first car , bought it for $60.00 from a guy who was bringing it to the scrapyard where I worked . The motor purred like a kitten but the body was in horrible condition thanks to the brutal winters and road salt that was liberally poured on the streets of Quebec City. I put $750 on the body and drove it for about 3 years until an accident did it in for good . Easily the most basic car I have ever owned , but it was surprisingly dependable.
Thanks for the flashbacks !
Ford had a resembling idea with Ford Concept 021c.
I think it*s a real pity that Ford didn’t produce this tiny little gem.
My old ’71 Datsun 510 is long gone but I still have one of those “Datsun Saves” gas cans sitting in my garage.
The little Datsun engine in these is a popular replacemernt for BMC A series engines in things like Morris Minors over here they arent just visually similar Paul they are very much the same engine but the Datsun is more oilt tight and hass better cylinder head porting, Darsun did a BMC Bseries in similar fashion and used it into the late 70s in pickups in this market.
This is one of the reasons I come to CC. I was unaware of the history of Datsun and how it related to Austin. Did not know. In addition, I appreciate the study of automotive design. I’m not too big on mechanical and other engineering tidbits, and I’m continually fascinated by some of the things I learn here regarding automotive engineering. My love, however, is the art and design of the automobile. The shapes, proportions, lines, and images; as well as the way they are marketed.
Good article.
FWIW, I was attracted to this article by image of the 1200 2 door sedan. My closest encounter with one was when I was 12 in 1975. I was riding my bike after a rain and came about an accident. A white 1200 had attempted a left turn, and I assume too fast. I guess halfway into the turn, being that the street was wet, it started to “plow”, or understeer. The right front corner ate a utility pole on the opposite corner as from whence it came. Still drivable, but severe enough to require repair. Turned out the well dressed driver was heading to church, where I went to private school nearby. Probably only reason I recall the incident was because I’d see him and the car from time to time at the church.
Just a story….
Rocinante was also the name of the Seat 600 in the Graham Green novel Monsignor Quixote
Rocinanté was also the name of the spaceship being flown into the black hole in Rush’s song “Cygnus X-1”.
There cars all has a horrible droning exhaust sound after they had a few miles under them, a “feature” the uglier 120Y successor inherited.
The JDM received a long nose version with the L series OHC engines.
There was no 2 door sedan version sold here in Oz (inexplicably we did get the 2 door 120Y) but like the other comment her I wasn’t a fan of it due to that waistline. ( I think that model is on a Joni Mitchell album cover.) Most were the 4 door sedans, and a few 4 door wagons (perhaps 2 door wagons were available in other markets) but with a strip speed dashboard and drum brakes. We also received the imported 2 door fastback with front disc brakes, and a round dual dashboard with tachometer. I suppose that back in the day one of those in JDM trim in 5 speed 1400GX guise would have been a decent little car.
Interesting to note the Datsun 1200 got a derivative who had a longer life in South Africa in the form of a bakkie or ute. http://www.autosavant.com/2008/03/23/retirement-time-for-the-champion-of-africa/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_1400
Great write-up on a Great Little Car (sorry Mazda). This is the poster child illustration for the term “honest car”, and shows how far today’s basic cars have come.
A high school mate had a dead ringer of that featured car as his daily driver in the late 80’s, down to the orange colour and hubcaps. It survived central Finland winters at ease but I’m guessing it’s long succumbed to the rust trolls…
Finland was one of the first successful european markets for Nissan and the company even produced special models, and these little Datsuns were known to teenagers of the time as “Datsun Finns” due to the special import model name. Google translate the ad 🙂