Datsun 510 – Buy, Race, Win

Datsun 510 For Sale at Bringatrailer.com

To start your “My Ride is Me” obsession, you need to find that perfect car. So where to look? Instead of searching through disorganized and slow loading classifieds sites, check out BringaTrailer.com. The name might sound like basket-case junkers that need a flat bed to pickup, but that’s not it at all. Bringatrailer features everything from Obsure Fiat’s and Opels to mainstream hot rods and performance import cars.

A car I’ve wanted to own for a long time is the Datsun 510. Here’s a couple that recently came up at BAT:

This 1969 Datsun 510 has been a dedicated race car since the 70′s and has the SCCA log book to prove it. With all the obvious upgrades visible, there’s much more than meet the eye. The engine is a 2.0L Datsun with a dyno sheet reading 238HP. Gotta have it? It’s a Bringatrailer Exclusive car, so you’ll only find it for sale here: 1969 Datsun 510 For Sale

Another BAT Exclusive Datsun 510 for sale is this beauty:

This 1972 Datsun 510 sports the vintage BRE paint scheme and a NOS FJ20 twin cam JDM motor making 175HP. The interior matches the exterior badness and is all business with BRE reproduction seats and an array of Stewart Warner black face gauges. If this Datsun 510 must be your new, and possibly coolest in the state, driver, find it here: 1972 Datsun 510 for sale

So if you’re looking for a new Datsun 510 or possibly a 1986 Citroen 2CV (whatever that is!) you should sign up for the BringaTrailer’s daily newsletter. As far as newsletter’s go, it’s simple, got great pictures and nearly half the time I have to click on one of the pictures to see what the heck that is.  Check it out!

One Man, Two Datsuns: 510 Wagon & Fairlady 280Z

Datsun 510 and Datsun 280Z Japanese Classics

Graphic designer extraordinaire by trade, and a Datsun devotee by lifestyle, a guy who others refer to as, “Goki” is the epitome of a true enthusiast who appreciates the modernized ride of a nostalgic approach.

Goki’s Datsun 510 wagon and Nissan Fairlady 280Z haven’t necessarily undergone any flawless restoration processes, nor does it run sub-10 second quarter mile times or anything crazy like that. The modifications presented upon these vehicles fit within the parameters of what is efficient in his car lifestyle, both in terms of the daily driven aspect and budget. Sure, there’s small discrepancies such as rust on the undercarriage as well as loose electrical wires here and there; these qualities are not always noted as negative but instead gives unique character that solidifies the intended purpose of the vehicle.

A little history lesson without being too lackluster; Datsun started as DAT Motorcar Co. in 1931 with “DAT” a simple acronym made up from the first letter of the names from the three founding fathers of the company.  However, soon after they were acquired by the Nissan Motor Co. their name was changed to DATSUN. Surviving through several global tragedies such as WWII, the Datsun name was finally eliminated in 1986 by the Nissan president to strengthen the Nissan brand in the global market. The cool factor in owning one of these machines is that much like the recent Saturn cars, the brand doesn’t exist anymore.

Although there were plenty of coupe and sedan versions to choose from, Goki chose the 1972 Datsun 510 wagon for practical reasons. The extra cargo room of the wagon helps for everything from a tidy chill area for pre-game tail gate parties, but really, it was meant for his furry side kick, Dood. Goki insists “The sedan and coupe 510′s are cool and all, but you cant really take your dog to the beach or load up a few bikes with ease.”

The first thing Goki realized when he drove the car was the lack of power… not to mention reliability, and fuel efficiency of the engine. The old and tired L-series 1.6 liter Hitachi downdraft carbureted engine was swapped with a modern, fuel injected DOHC Nissan KA24DE engine donor-ed from a 1995 240SX. Considering the vehicle’s smog exempt status as well as the simplicity of this swap made it a perfect candidate for this upgrade.

The interior is mostly stock with a few modern touches. Custom fit were a center console from a 90′s Honda and a shifter from a Sentra SE-R Spec V, but the best part is the installation of the “Oh Shit” handle taken from a Japanese subway train.

The exterior received a set of old school Hayashi Street wheels and a lowered stance.

The 510 wagon’s evil sibling is this gorgeous 1977 Datsun Fairlady 280Z. This Fairlady’s used mainly as a weekend cruiser but at times, it’s unleashed to satisfy some spirited midnight driving needs. With a new front fascia, fender mirrors, and Konig wheels added, out on the town with his girlfriend, the 280Z turns a lot of heads from people who appreciate a cleanly restored Japanese muscle car.

Goki is an active member in the Datsun and Ratsun message boards, where he serves his talents to the online community by designing unique stickers. These designs are targeted exclusively for the Datsun old school lifestyle mixed with influence from Japanese insignias.

His devotion for these machines goes back a few notches in the family tree, where it roots from his influential father also owning several Datsun and Nissan cars throughout as Goki was growing up. One of his father’s current prized possession includes a beautifully restored 280Z which was unfortunately unavailable for this photo shoot.

Isn’t it bad ass when it seems like the manufacturers purposely built the vehicle for aftermarket components? One example is that the Autometer gauges fit perfectly with the diameter of the cluster and vents of the 280Z. There are a few hop-up performance gains made to the engine, but Goki claims that its mostly stock. For now, sacrificing factory reliability for performance isn’t very practical for him since he still has to smog the 1978 Datsun.

All car nuts like Goki still wish that their ride will soon one day be categorized as Smog Exempt (especially in Smog-Nazi state of California). As of now, the exemption is labeled as 1975 and older cars. As we make technological progress in lower emission automobiles, will the day of late 70s and early 80s cars becoming smog exempt ever come?

Datsun 510 Nickel + Dime = 1 Blast to Drive

Datsun 510 Driver from Australia

Datsun 510… I called it the Ultimate Japanese Classic Car in my “Hot Rod Ramblings Part 2″.  Why?  I explained that it had all the right ingredients for a pure driving experience.  The Dime is lightweight, rear wheel drive, independent rear suspension (rare for those days), manual trans and high revving, efficient, over head cam 4 cylinder that was willing to rev.  Now, I know there’s a lot of hot rod guys and gals out there that might be reading this, going “What is that car?”  or “What’s that little 4 door doing here?”

Let’s take a look at a 1969 Datsun 510 four door owned by our web friend from Australia, Anth of Build-Threads.com fame.  His website has gone crazy in the last year or so.  He’s also been busy updating and fine tuning his ’69 510 as well.

I love rolling shots like this.  The car doing what it does best, putting miles of asphalt and concrete behind it, quickly.

Comparing this compact import classic with the domestic behemoths that we at MyRideisMe love so much… I can agree, land missiles like 60′s Camaros, Mustangs, Chevelles, GTO’s and Cudas are bigtime for car lovers the world over, but these cars are heavy, more often than not run automatic transmissions (it is the cheapest, most reliable way to go fast in a straight line you know), have solid rear axles with leafsprings and weigh almost twice that of the Datto.  Sure they also have more than twice the horsepower, sometimes 3 or 4 times as many ponies comparing stock vs stock.  How can this little squirt be so cool?  I’ll try and explain my passion for the “little guys” using this 510 as an example, so please keep reading and entertain me for a sec’.

The first thing I notice about this Dime is the wheels and ride height.  The Wheels are Work Ewing III in 15×6.5 +21mm offset and 15×7 +16mm offset that he bought from Japan.  I had to verify the size again as they looked bigger than 15′s at first glance.

Check out Anth doin’ Work on his Work Wheels.  The black inner with polished lip and star edges looks awesome!  The new look really makes the wheels pop and goes perfectly with the white 4 door body color.

Test fitting the newly reworked wheels.  I catch myself staring at the perfect lines of this 41 year old classic car.  Look at the seam around the door, how nicely it fits and how even the gap is around the door.  Back to the wheel fitment.  The ride height part of the equation appears about right where Anth felt it would work well when you compare it with the finished photos of the car on the ground.  The offset and width get the wheel nice and close to the fender line allowing the wheel/tire package to dip up into the wheel well when pushing hard in the corners.  He used 195/45/15 tires, nice low profile and good width to grip those mountain roads. 

Speaking of mountain roads, or touge in Japanese, and pushing hard in the corners, Anth makes sure he lets his Datto do what it was designed to do:  Go for a spirited drive on narrow twisty roads.  I love this shot, its like he’s taken a break from a hard drive up the twisites, because, surely, his hands are tired from gripping the Nardi Classic steering wheel, not because the 510 is requesting a break.  LOL  This shot really gives you a look at the 510′s 4 door side profile.  For you American hot rodders reading this, it almost looks like a little 4 door Nova or Falcon doesn’t it, about ’64-’65 timeframe?  Mmm mmm good!

Anth picked up this Nardi Classic wheel to dial in his driving experience.  You’ll see by the photo below that the Mooneyes decal is a temporary piece, but I actually liked it there.  The close confines of the 510′s cockpit are like those of the Japanese Zero WWII fighters that were so lethal against the heavier, but faster in a straight line American warbirds (see a pattern here haha).  Just like the Zero fighter before it, the 510 is a nimble, lightweight machine made for cutting back and forth, changing directions, letting the tail step out to aid in making a tight turn and being able to dive into corners braking WAY too late and still be able to hang on and hold the apex. 

A closeup of the Nardi wheel that is putting the Dime to work, with the final horn button configuration.  Looks clean.  For some reason, I still like the Mooneyes decal.  haha

More details that show us how Anth made this 510 his own.  I dig the black and white and polished theme going on here.  The grille and headlight surrounds are from a 1973 510 (not sold in Australia, they only got through ’72 model year) and the front airdam is from a Volkswagen, yes a 1980s Vdub.  Looks perfect! 

I really liked this photo.  First, the grandma-esque rear window blinds actually work for me here.  Being a decal geek, I dig old school decals that actually fit the car like this “Get That Datsun Difference” sticker.  It gives the Dime a period correct look.

Ok, ok, I might have lost some of you hot rodder types by now with me geeking out over a Datsun, but this photo above should bring some of you back out of pure curiousity.  No, this is not the stock single overhead cam L16 motor, this is an FJ20 16 valve dual overhead cam factory turbocharged later model Nissan Skyline unit.  With no intercooling and about 12psi of boost pressure with an aftermarket ECU tuner, power is right above 200 horsepower.  200 horsepower (at the wheels) is quite the punch for a lightweight machine like this Dime.  Stock power was about half that, so Anth’s Datto is down right quick.  I’d guess 1/4 mile times (for those hot rodders who are dying to know) should be (if the launch is not too filled with tire spin) in the 13 second range.  There are plans for an air-to-air intercooler with increased boost pressure (16psi), an aluminum radiator and electric water pump with a fresh coat of engine bay paint.  That should bring power up to around 250hp or more.

This engine swap setup surely makes corner exit exciting and puts that independent rear end to use.  Typically, racing or driving a lightweight car hard against a more powerful car like a Mustang or Camaro (close your eyes and picture yourself back in the early 70′s during an SCCA Trans-Am race), the “little guys” have to make use of the cornering ability and momentum, meaning you’re gonna keep it close in the corners with overal corner speed and out-breaking the big guys, ’cause they’re gonna lose you on the straights.  Imagine having this turbocharged power from 80s-90s put in your early 70s Datsun…dig it?!

Cool photo-op taken by brokenlense.com with downtown Melbourne, Australia in the background.  Look at the driving position.  I just noticed it.  Talk about being smack-dab in the center of gravity.  Check out the short nose over the front wheels.  BMW is well known for using this design technique to place as little weight hanging over the wheels as possible, making for a well balanced ride in the corners.

I’ll leave you with this photo.  I can’t get over how well the front spoiler flows with the car with the fact that it was designed a decade later and half a world away.  The wheels give this car that resto-mod (hey, that woke up some of you hot rodders that are still reading) look.  The Nardi wheel, turbo engine swap and adjustable racing coilovers make this car a blast to drive the twisties and look good doing it.  The Ultimate Japanese Classic car for sure. 

Finally, I asked Anth about his little piece of Japanese Car history:

Why the 510?  “One reason, car magazines! When I was a car obsessed kid, I saw a magazine that featured a shootout featuring various Datsun 510s with different engine conversions and I was instantly hooked, love at first sight.”

What is it about this car that makes you love it?  “Everything. The boxy styling, the chrome, the aggressive appearance, the raw feedback you get through the steering, the lack of useless parts that make it easy to work on. I also love the interaction with the public you get with old cars, brand loyalty is thrown out the window. People who love old cars appreciate anything with a bit of history, regardless of the badge, and an interesting conversation is never far away.”

What does the car say about you?  “It says that I appreciate classic metal and am dedicated to keeping a little piece of history alive.”

I mean, you live in a place where you could get some great Japanese metal (skyline, rx7, etc).  “I actually sold an S15 Silvia to buy my Datsun, so what does that tell you!?”

Thank you Anth for allowing me to share these photos of your Datto.  For you readers, do yourself a favor and check out his site, there’s a little bit of everything from all around the world.  Everyone loves a project car!

Build-Threads.com

“Car of the Week” Hot Rod Ramblings Part 2

Part 2 of Hot Rod Ramblings “Car of the Week”, we take a look at some rear wheel drive beauties from all around the world, Japanese, European and even American.  These 5 cars have all been “Cars of the Week” in the last few years for me.  They all have great aftermarket support, wheels, suspension, exterior, engine, etc. and can all be built into multiple different styles, drifting, road racing, street car or show car.  Each has tons of potential to let their owners be creative and make their Ride an extension of themselves.

Toyota AE86 Corolla GT-S “Hachiroku”

A 1980′s Corolla?  You’re probably thinking I’m nutty.  I am, I love this car.  Why?  It is probably the ultimate drivers car.  Ever heard of Keichii Tsuchiya, the “Drift King”?  Heard of the Japanese comic book “Initial D”?  Anyway, that should give you guys something to Google today.  I can’t spoil all the fun.  But, suffice it to say, it has all the makings of a drivers car:  rear wheel drive, 5 speed manual, high revving 1.6L DOHC fuel injected aluminum 4 cylinder and lightweight construction.  I love the boxy lines of the “86″ (or hackiroku in Japanese) as its known.  This Orange beauty grabbed from Speedhunters.com is a circuit, track day example.  This one sports a big carbon GT wing, fender flares to fit bigger meats and a gutted interior.

This next example is a sweet street version, looking the part as a Japanese street/touge drifter.  This one also has aftermarket fender flares, carbon fiber vented hood, wide 15 or 16 inch wheels and body kit front, rear and sides painted in a typical for the mid 80′s two-tone jobby.  Boxy cars with flares just looks so good!  The 86 is a lightweight car that you can flick around.  It’s a nimble street car that can be made to drift, autocross or canyon run.  Too bad they don’t have airbags.  :(  If you wanna “Live the 86 Life!” go check out one of the top forums, Club 4AG and soak it in.

Nissan 240SX/Silvia

One of the cars that has recently been a “Car of the Week” favorite is the Nissan 240SX, also known in Japan and around the world as the Silvia, 180sx or 200sx, depending on what engine spec.  As is the case, the USA got the watered down version and in this case it is no different.  Instead of getting a highly modifiable Turbocharged SR20DET 2.0L DOHC 4 cylinder engine rated anywhere from 200-250hp, the US 240sx received the dull and weazing 2.4L DOHC 4 cylinder turbo-less truck engine rated at 155hp.  That of course doesn’t stop the enthusiasts in the know to swap in a JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) SR20DET engine into their chassis.  This red aggressive S14 240sx runs with the Risky Devil Street Drift Club, one of the crews that knows how to setup a Nissan!

There is a huge following and many forums and websites dedicated to the Silvia.  The 240 runs independent rear wheel drive, 5 speed tranny setup and weighing around 2800 lbs, making for a ball to drive.  Turbocharge that stock KA engine or swap in the SR and you have a Mustang beating, drifter or road racer!  Here’s another red Risky Devil 240SX showing us how its done sideways!

Why Nissan stopped selling the 240 in the USA is beyond me.  Apparently they didn’t sell well in their day, but now its hard to find a used example without an angled exhaust and some drift rash.

2005-2010 Mustang GT

Ah, the retro styled Mustang S197 chassis.  Released as a 2005 model, it came with a 300hp 4.6 3 valve V8 that could run on low octane.  The chassis and body was totally revamped from the Edge SN95 Mustangs and with that, a much improved handling suspension package.  So much so that the S197 Mustang has been very sucessful in GT racing around the world.  In 2008, Ford released its Cobra Jet special edition drag pak, I think only 50 were sold, body in white versions sold to drag racing teams that wanna cough up the dough of course.

If you don’t know yet, I’m a huge drifting and Japanese car nut.  Vaughn Gittin Jr is a drifter who has taken on the S197 chassis and shined, taking a few wins and many podiums in his new 2010 Mustang GT.  Here is his street car!  I here from Speedhunters/Motor Mavens (can’t remember which one) mentioned this week that JR will be going to the aftermarket selling Mustang parts and such.  This stang is clean looking.  I’ll take one in Grabber Blue though!  I love how the ’Stang has been updated for the 2010 model, with its more aggressive front end, angled rear and bumped up power.

Datsun 510

To me, the ultimate Japanese classic car is the Datsun 510.  Rear wheel drive with independent suspension, OHC 4 cylinder, manual trans and great looking boxy lines.  It was super successful in SCCA small bore racing in the 1970′s.   Throw a front airdam, wide sticky tires, roll cage and go racing!  Paul Newman learned the ropes of wheel to wheel racing behind the wheel of the 510, lovingly called the “Dime” by its followers.

If only Nissan or Toyota or Mazda could produce a modern version of the 510 or AE86 or even the 240SX, it would rejuvenate the sports sedan/coupe enthusiasts for sure.  I even saw a “dime” for sale in the local classifieds with a 350Z 3.5L V6 engine swap.  Wow!  They don’t make cars like they used to, in the USA or across the Pacific.

BMW M3/3 Series

If I had a little more money and didn’t live in Utah with its snow and long winters, I’d be driving a BMW M3 CSL (Club Sport model).  Look at this M3 running at the world famous Nurburgring race course.  Talk about grip!  Not sure what’s cooler, pulling the front tires off the ground at a drag strip or in a corner while road racing.  The M3 sold from 2000-2006 ran a 3.2L inline 6 that made 333hp and could rev to over 8000 RPM’s.

I’ve driven an E46 M3 right after driving a Terminator Mustang Cobra.  What a smooth revving engine!  One of the best sounding engines ever in my opinion.

One of the best looking and handling cars from the 80′s has to be the BMW E30 M3, with its fender flares and high performance 4 cylinder engine.  When tuned just right with suspension and wide wheels and perfect fitment, there’s not many cars cooler!

They’re hard to find used anymore.  They’re actually becoming a collector car of sorts for those who are BMW aficionado’s.  I can see why.

That’s it for this post.  What do you guys think?  Any of these cars fancy you?

Hechtspeed

Check out Build-Thread.com’s Project Datsun 510 story here