I had just gotten out of my car to capture a few snaps, while not far away, both mechanics stopped working. One of them, the pick-up’s owner, approached me with a stiff-legged walk and a half-closed right eye. He looked not too different from a cast away pirate.
- You like it? Tell me a price and I’ll let you know if it’s for sale! – As he talked, his gait and posture showed a demeanor mirroring my ‘pirate’ assessment. What shore had I arrived to?
Did I want to buy it? The vehicle did call my attention, not for purchase, but for posting. Better not get into details, or ‘pirate-dealer’ would likely inquiry into details in hopes of hidden gold.
I won’t deny it, I did double-take at the sight of this old Datsun pick-up. Cars from the early ’60s are just antediluvian in these lands, as the vehicle populace was in the low thousands at the time. Survivors of such age are rare.
The little truck barely existed, held in place by Bondo and Lord knows what else. Prayers probably, as ‘pirate-dealer’ was a devout Christian. Or so the signs around the shop suggested; a large GOD (Dios – in Spanish) being the easiest to spot.
- Does it run? – I asked.
- Yes it does! Too bad you didn’t see it before. Just a few months ago a drunkard side-swept it and ruined it. We’re getting it back together now!
The little truck ran on miracles, it seemed. On its front bumper I noticed one more caption: “The Enemy Will Not Take Victory Away From Us” (In Spanish: “No Podrá El Enemigo Robarnos La Victoria”). Not an exact Bible quote, but keeping in spirit.
Said caption probably applied to Nissan back in the early ’60s, as it was rather busy holding off eternal-rival Toyota. No idea if Nissan ever prayed, but the company’s early successes did seem to come with tiny miracles attached, positioning itself in international markets against long odds. Victory would prove fleeting in the end, but not from lack of effort.
The 320 (1200 in the US) Datsun pick-up was one of Nissan’s early international successes. These early chapters have already been covered at CC, starting with an early 211 pick-up found in Thailand. By the time the 211 was launched Nissan was still assembling Austins (the A40-50 Sommerset) under license. The UK connection allowing the company to gobble up much needed know-how in car making techniques.
As the Austin license agreement was coming to a close, Nissan launched the 300 series Bluebird and its variants (station wagon and pick-up) starting in 1959. The 300 series sent the company to number 1 in its native Japan, setting a series of passenger-car sales records.
How much Austin remained in the Bluebird is a matter of debate to this day. What’s not in doubt is the Bluebird -and its derived 320 truck- certainly carries UK genes in mechanicals and looks. A toy-like interpretation of those genes, mind you, looking somewhat clunky and basic against contemporary offerings.
In all fairness, this post’s find is probably not the best to assess the 320’s styling, as much has been retouched and all trim is absent. What has remained as ‘was’ and what has ‘been intervened’ is rather hard to tell apart.
From what’s left in place our sample seems to be the integrated-cab “Sports Pick-Up.” The rarest pick-up variant, with only about a thousand built. At least, according to Wikipedia. Could that be right? Doing a quick Google search, 320 “Sports Pick-Ups” seem to have highly unusual survival rates. Something seems askew.
Still, is Wiki right? Should I go back to my ‘pirate-dealer’ and offer him a deal he can’t refuse? Have I been the one that found true treasure?
Simple and basic were qualities still in accordance with trucks and pick-ups back in the early ’60s, and Nissan found unexpected success with its small truck abroad. Not sales-scorching numbers, but finding a significant-enough niche in the US. It allowed the brand to find its footing in American soil, further investing and researching, providing much needed feedback to Japan. By 1972 the company would have enough of a presence to set up Nissan USA in swanky newly-built installations in Gardena, California.
In those early international foray days there was general agreement among Japan’s makes that their products lacked refinement. There was also agreement that in lack of new-tech and performance, reliability and cost were going to be their calling cards. Some of those goals seemed elusive by the early ’60s. Toyota had to partially retreat from the US scene, while Nissan stuck it out, improving steadily their products.
Now, such issues were of main importance in Japan’s quest to garner Western sales. Elsewhere their products more than sufficed, with lack of brand recognition being their biggest sales obstacle.
With Japan still having plenty of rugged rural roads and an urban infrastructure still in postwar recovery, the Asian nation’s products performed well in similar conditions to be found in the rest of Asia and Latin America. As such, the 320 pick-up seemed tailor made for non-developed nations. Sturdiness, low cost, and ease of maintenance being the attributes conquering early sales and developing a loyal clientele. Low-tech was the right trait for many markets.
Talking about tech, this open bay shot of our “Sports Pick-Up” shows its unusual non-battery-tech engine bay. Some early solar-power adopter? Or did ‘pirate-dealer’ lie to me? Was the little truck really just a pusher?
And talking about engines, on Datsun forums there are claims Austin seals and gaskets work on some of these components. No way to check if such claims are true, but Austin presumably entertained the idea of taking Nissan to court over patents infringement back in the day.
Wait, there’s the missing battery! Is it recharging? How? Talking about power sources, is the gas tank still in place? The fill-up hose seems wholly absent. What secret advanced Japanese-Salvadorian technology is at play here?
Talking about mods, much work has been put into the back-cage, a common local addition. Lots of iron added on this little one, probably not a good thing for its limited performance capabilities. Then again, low-tech and slow-moving are traits that complement each other well.
I believe some embellishment has been done to the headlight surrounds. A bit of creative enhancement in lieu of the impossible-to-find headlight rings, adding some Chevy-esque essence to the little truck. After all, how much damage can a few more styling genes do?
It didn’t take long for ‘pirate-dealer’ to notice there was no gold to be found in my hide. After a short moment, he walked away, hunched over, to resume work next to his younger assistant. Around me, more discarded old Japanese iron; an E40 Corolla wagon, and some additional Toyota carcasses. And about which, we all know Toyota did take victory away from Nissan in the end.
Before leaving I looked carefully at the workshop again, the sign “Your angel will protect me, Lord Jesus” now calling my attention. I’m not much of a religious person, but I agreed. Yes, little angels; come, protect and watch over this rare survivor.
More on the 300 Series Bluebird and early Nissan:
Curbside Classic: 1959 Datsun 1000 (211) Pick-up – The First Step In The Long March
Curbside Classic: 1962 Datsun Bluebird (312) 1200 Deluxe – Still Looking Chirpy
Great find. There’s something really appealing about early Japanese autos.
I see what appears to be a nicely restored example of this truck in current Nissan commercials with actor Brie Larson behind the wheel. My wife saw the commercial and said she thought the truck was “charming.” She did not say what she thought about the driver. 🙂
The period USA ad touting “Imperial fittings – no special tools required!” makes me think there’s a lot of Austin in this truck. Although I suppose Datsun could have chosen to use inch fasteners, but would they really have done that for the purpose of increasing export sales? Nonetheless, it’s a very interesting selling point, as metric tools were indeed “special” in early 60s USA.
These were great trucks for there time, If you ever come across one, beware the electrical system is “Positive +” is ground.
How much Austin remained in the Bluebird is a matter of debate to this day.
True, but there’s no question it was a considerable amount. Just looking at the engine makes it very obvious that it was an evolution of the Austin engine, or an improvement, but the basic architecture and many details are either the same or very similar.
Goals that were not quite up to spec by the early ’60s. Toyota had to partially retreat from the international scene, while Nissan stuck it out, improving steadily their products.
That’s not quite correct. Toyota did withdraw from the US market, because its Crown was the wrong product; too expensive, large, heavy and slow to compete against American cars. But Nissan started selling this pickup in the US in 1961 or 1962, and had a slow but steady success in doing so. Toyota was banned from selling their small pickup by Japan’s regulators, who did not want the two to compete against each other. But I’m not aware of Toyota stumbling in other export markets. Nissan’s little pickup was simply a more appealing vehicle to both Americans as well as other export markets in developing countries, for obvious reasons. That of course did not include Western Europe.
Nissan established its foothold an reputation in the US with these trucks in the West Coast very early on, and it propelled them to become the largest Japanese brand here for some time until Toyota’s Corona and Corolla took the crown away.
Love this one you found; what a soul survivor.
Yes, that Toyota line is rather misleading. It’s been retouched now.
Looks like Brie is in the more common, non-sports, version. But pretty cool nonetheless (the bit with her driving the 320 is right towards the start at about 0:05).
I think that the Sports Pickup is attractive, but I still prefer the standard bed. Those tie-downs along the outside top of the bed seem like a fixture on Japanese pickups of the time pretty much through the 80s or 90s. I had the same thing on an Isuzu pickup from the early 80s. Super useful devices.
Thanks for another great article Rich! The way you describe the truck and its seller are fabulous. I would say that from the look of things (re. that picture with the battery in the bed), he may be going for a kind of Central American Subaru Brat effect. That lawn chair seems even jankier than what Subaru produced…but probably not by much.
Oh, and can I say that “The Enemy Will Not Take Victory Away From Us” is a most excellent corporate mission statement? I’ll have to find a way to incorporate that one into some piece of work. 😉
I don’t recall ever seeing this variant in Australia. The regular pickups, for sure, and integral-bed Corona utes, yes, but not this Datsun variant. At first I though it was Salvadoran bodywork skills 🙂 applied to the two-door wagon, but then I scrolled down – okay, it’s real.
Wow!
The engine is Austin A series with a revised cylinder head the 1200 Datsun engines are a common swap into Morris Minors and things built from Minor parts, Datsun was still using Austin based OHV engines in their pickups in this market in the mid 70s and Austin was still selling A60 pickups and vans in 74 here, the Datsun pikups rusted like mad the Austins not quite so fast
Love this post.
Surprised by the high price $1596
At the same time they were hoping for $1596, I bought a brand new 1961 Ford Econoline pickup for $1635 complete, out the door.
Later, owned several Datsun/Nissan pickups and always liked them.
Howdy All
Just came upon this article.
Thought you might be interested in seeing how a fully restored (& then some) NL320 looks. Proud to say, (OK, I’m bragging), it won 1st place in the Datsun Pickup category at the Long Beach Japanese Classic Car Show a few months ago.
It’s not a Trailer Queen, but driven several times a month on shopping trips, etc.
4 on The Tree & no O/D!..in a reverse pattern from the typical US “H”…very confusing.
Seems I can only attach 1 pic…here’s the front