Datsun Problems

The Datsun 2000 Sports arrived here in 1967 to rave reviews, but it faced an uphill battle to win over fans of the British sports cars that dominated the market segment. Anti-Japanese sentiment was still present in the Australian community and it was often expressed as a resistance to buy products produced in the country we'd been fighting just a few years earlier.When it arrived the Datsun 2000 Sports had to overcome this hurdle in addition to breaking down the well-established loyalty of locals to traditional British sports car brands like MG, Austin-Healey and Triumph.MODEL WATCHThe Datsun 2000 Sports was the last in the line, and easily the best of the traditional open sports cars that began with the 1962 Fairlady 1500. In 1970 it was replaced by the very popular 240Z, the first of the Z-Series cars that continues in the 370Z today.When the Fairlady arrived on the local scene in the early 1960s the market was dominated by the British, with cars like the MGB, Austin-Healey 3000 and Triumph TR4 all selling well. The MGB in particular was a top seller, and a very popular and affordable sports car for local fans of open-top motoring.Perhaps not surprising the Datsun Fairlady looked much like the cars it was trying to beat, with long lean lines and athletic proportions of the sort that were familiar on British cars.But the oddly named Fairlady 1500 wasn't a great success. Sports car buyers mostly shunned it, because it was Japanese. Japanese cars were yet to fully establish a place in the market and hadn't had a chance to demonstrate their qualities of reliability and durability. But by the time the 2000 Sports arrived in 1967 the MGB had been on the market for five years and was looking rather tired in comparison.A steady rather than stunning performer the MGB was easily outpaced by the 2000 Sports, which had a top speed in excess of 200 km/h when the British car barely topped 160 km/h. The source of this performance was a 2.0-litre single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine that put out 112 kW at 6000 revs and 184 Nm at 4800 revs. It was backed up by a five-speed all-synchro manual gearbox.Underneath it boasted independent coil spring front suspension with semi-elliptic leaf springs and torque rod at the rear. Braking was by discs at the front and drums at the rear, while steering was without power-assistance.IN THE SHOPIt's important to realise the Datsun 2000 Sports is now an old car, and as such most are wearied by age. While they are now more appreciated they were once thought of as ugly ducklings, and many were neglected as a result.Neglect, poor maintenance and years of being driven hard are the main causes of problems in the otherwise sturdy car. Look for rust in the sills, footwells, and around the boot hinges, and check the door gaps, as they can be a giveaway to previous crash damage.The 2000 had the U20 engine, which was generally a reliable and robust unit. Look for oil leaks around the rear of the cylinder head and the fuel pump. It's important to use a good coolant, changed regularly to prevent electrolysis with the aluminium cylinder head and cast-iron block.Check for worn synchroes in the gearbox and make sure it doesn't jump out of gear, particularly in fifth when backing off after hard acceleration. Clunking or binding when steering is an indication of wear. The chassis is quite robust and gives little trouble, but look out for sagging rear springs.Generally the interior holds up well, but most parts can be sourced if needed.IN A CRASHDon't look for airbags in the Datsun 2000 Sports, it came from an era before airbags and relied on an agile chassis, responsive steering and powerful brakes to avoid a crash.AT THE PUMPLike all sports cars fuel consumption of the 2000 depends largely on the driver's thirst for speed, but driven normally it's quite economical. Road testers at the time of the 2000 Sport's release reported fuel consumption of 12.2 L/100 km.Of greater interest today is the fuel that can be used. The Datsun was tuned to use Super leaded petrol when new and a fuel with a similar octane rating is best used now. That really means 98-octane unleaded, with an additive to take care of the valves and valve seats.LOOK FORLusty performanceSolid constructionClassic roadster looksRobust and reliableAffordable fun motoring.THE BOTTOM LINE: A sturdy, reliable, and fun sports car capable of outperforming similar British cars of its era.

Bathurst conjures up images of Holdens and Fords racing around the Mount Panorama track but the great Bathurst race was once more than a race between our two biggest brands. Unlike today’s race, which has become more a marketing marathon than a showroom showdown Bathurst began as a mobile comparison test conducted in full view of the car buying public on the neutral ground of a racetrack.Classes were based on sticker price, which made comparison both easy and relevant for anyone trying to decide which car to buy.While the Holdens and Fords that now contest the annual 1000 km race are purebred racers that bear no relationship to anything we can buy there was a time when the cars that raced around Mount Panorama were available for sale to the public. They were stock standard or lightly modified production cars that were truly representative of what was rolling off the assembly lines at Elizabeth, Broadmeadows, Milan, Tokyo or Stuttgart.Anyone interested in buying a small four-cylinder family car in 1968 couldn’t have helped but be impressed by the Datsun 1600 when it won its class in the Hardie-Ferodo 500 that year.Datsun 1600s finished first, second and third in the class for cars costing between $1851 and $2250, beating home its Hillman and Morris rivals.If that wasn’t enough to have buyers rushing down to the nearest Datsun dealer, finishing in the top five placings in the class in 1969 when it beat Cortinas, VW 1600s, Renault 10s and Morris 1500s must have done the trick.The Datsun 1600 story doesn’t end with the 1969 race, however, as the little dasher won again in 1970 and 1971.MODEL WATCHThe Datsun 1600 arrived in our showrooms in 1968. It was a rather plain conventional three-box design, but its clean simple lines proved timeless and still look attractive today.Look at a BMW E30 3-Series or a Toyota Camry from the late 1980s and you’ll see a similarity that can’t be denied. All three have stood the test of time, and still appeal.Anyone who dismissed the Datsun 1600 as a plain family four-banger were doing themselves a disservice as under the skin lay all the elements of a fast little sports sedan.Under the bonnet was an alloy-headed 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine that produced a very respectable for the day 72 kW at 5600 rpm, but it soon became clear to tuners that it would easily respond to modification.In no time at all it became a favourite of sports minded drivers who wanted to participate in amateur racing or rallying.The gearbox was a sweet shifting all-synchro four-speed unit.To see the full potential of the Datsun 1600 you had to look underneath where you’d find it had independent rear suspension. While the front was conventional MacPherson Strut the independent rear-end was quite remarkable for such a modest priced family sedan at the time.What’s more the independent rear boasted ball-splines instead of the more conventional sliding splines that tended to bind when under torque. The ball splines ensured the Datsun’s rear suspension was smooth and friction-free.Inside, the Datsun 1600 was rather spartan, although it must be remembered that most 1967 cars were spartan by today’s standards. Apart from criticisms that there were no armrests on the doors there were few complaints from contemporary road testers, who generally praised it for being better fitted-out than they would have expected for what was sold as an economical family car.Many 1600s were used in motor sport, particularly in rallying, and they remain in high demand even today for historic rallying, but there are many that have been looked after and are now an attractive car for anyone wanting cheap reliable transport or for someone wanting a cheap and cheerful classic.IN THE SHOPRust is the enemy of all old cars and the Datsun is no exception. Now 30 years old expect to find rust in the rear quarters, sills and the back of the engine bay if it’s been used as a road car, but look carefully for any damage that might have been caused by forest bashing in rallies.The engine is strong, but because of its renowned strength many 1600s have been abused, so look for signs of use, like oil smoke, oil leaks, engine rattles etc. Many engines have been replaced with later 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre Datsun/Nissan engines.Gearboxes and differentials are strong, but again many have been replaced by units from later models.The standard disc/drum brake set-up was sufficient for normal road use, but many 1600s now sport heavier callipers and four-wheel discs for much more effective braking performance in motor sport.The Datsun interior stands up quite well to the harsh Australian sun. The crash pad survives well as do most other parts.LOOK FOR• plain but appealing styling• robust motor that can be uprated• independent rear suspension• rust in rear quarters, sills and engine bay