I apologize in advance....

[Sixty8panther]

... for posting something wiht the term "JDM" in it. Just click it, you willnot be dissapointed.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SSS-RHD-Blu...8QQcmdZViewItem

But c'mon this is cooler than PeeWee Herman with a Mullet. A RHD Japanese market Datsun 510... over there they called it a Nissan Bluebird and this SUPER SPORTS SEDAN (say it with that ridicilous Japanime accent) has the cool double carb setup and the Japanese style mirrors, which are cool by themselves without the standard mirrors.

There's only one way this car could get cooler: if it was a hardtop. The rear glass area would not allow it without a Valiant style rear 1/4 window... but it would still be so awsome.

Okay, I now return you to my usual Toyota & Honda bashing. B)

Edited January 26, 2006 by Sixty8panther

[TurboRush]

it kinda has the stance of a Corvair but smaller, less refined, not as prety and has a cheaper looking interior..... but looks like a good little car to have fun with! I wouldnt be afraid of going around a corner too sharply since it doesnt have the same prestige or value as a corvar....

nice though!

[ocnblu]

Old School Japanese, eh?

[Flybrian]

No.

Not that its Japanese, but its ugly. I don't understand the appeal of these squat little compacts.

[76ChevyTrucker]

I haven't understood what the hoopla is about the squat little japanese compact but like turbo said, you could sling it around a corner and not feel too guilty about it.

[ocnblu]

To me, the fact that it's rear drive puts it in a whole different class. It would actually be fun to fling it around a road course. Another reason why GM needs to keep their promise for a few more small RWD cars. They will be loved.

[76ChevyTrucker]

I agree withthat wholeheartedly ocn. I really do. I remember the last rwd car that my mom and dad had and it was fun (if you can call a Caprice fun to sling around corners).

[Sixty8panther]

That's the thing... these cars debued in the late 60s wiht RWD, IRS, manual transmissions and decent little 1600cc engines. I think they have a Mini-Chevelle look to them personaly and since I was born in Europe I do still have a fascination wiht tiny $h!boxes... IF they are RWD and have good proportions. I personally think the 510/Bluebird has fantastic Proportions for a car of it's size. Kind of a more American looking BMW 2002.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention: the 510 kicked BMWs ass when they raced togeather in the Trans Am series. I have a lot of respect for BWM and therefore think that this accomplishment alone deserves a tip of the hat IMO.

I'm not saying this is as cool as a 1966 Chevelle SS, but it is a neat little coupe. If I had to drive a new Japanese car from the 1970s this would be the one.

[Robert Hall]

Another cool thing about the 510s is they could outhandle most anything Detroit built then (most muscle cars were straight-line cars only). RWD, IRS....good stuff.

[ocnblu]

And now we have a Maxima and an Altima that are rightly ripped for excessive torque steer with the V6. That's not progress.

[HarleyEarl]

I owned a 510 2 door once...great car. Had two big pipes out the back, sounded like a V8.

[Nick]

I love the old Datsuns. Such cool little cars. Great for tracking too.

[LosAngeles]

No.

Not that its Japanese, but its ugly. I don't understand the appeal of these squat little compacts.

Apparently, you don't remember the old race series they used to be run in. BMW 2002s and Alfa coupes used to have real brawls with them on the track. Even then, what's not to like about a fun-to-drive rear-drive compact, no matter how it looks?

The don't-like-anything crowd might not get it, but someone does.

BTW, guys, that Bluebird is an actual coupe (note the rake of the roofline)....our 510s were two-door sedans.

Edited January 27, 2006 by LosAngeles

[Sixty8panther]

BTW, guys, that Bluebird is an actual coupe (note the rake of the roofline)....our 510s were two-door sedans.

Later on the 510 evolved inot several hardtops... (look for an interesting thread soon)

Harley:

Man how can you keep getting cooler and cooler? I just don't get it!?

[ocnblu]

What is that faint tapping noise coming from your fridge, Sixty8?

[razoredge]

Ya they were pretty cool cars, looks better from side than front. Thats that Datsun yellow that our 710 had. L series motors were the best of their time. That (L16) is just a 4 cyl version of the L24 used in 240Z. Note : twin SU's ! "if the Japs even knew what carbs were" I see this car brought collector money..........not from me. These rear window open exactly as the ones on my 64 Alpines detachable hardtop did. Our 710 was a very good handling car and the L20B with 110hp was at the top of its class in those days. I went flying off the road in the winter time with our 710, front end plowed in turn, down off the bank into the creek bed, about 200 yard down this very same road...........it had crappy front tires.... and I was cookin right along, hit a section of sand free hardpack and that was all she wrote. As I sat in the creek bed I pondered if it was a good idea to put the best two tires on the back the days of poverty.

[Sixty8panther]

Wow... cool story Razor. Goes to show you if you had had modern snow tires THEN you might not have felt the need to buy FWD cars. Tires are everything... those four contact patches equaling like 2 square feet, that and keeping the speed down.

(not that I'm one to talk I've got lead in my right shoe too)

[Cory Wolfe]

Yes... tires are everything, even on a FWD car. My front tires are worn... needless to say, I can tell.

As for those Datsuns, they're alright with me. Styling isn't the greatest, but they're alright. Just alright. Not much more than alright. I guess you could say they're are perfectly alright.

Edited January 27, 2006 by blackviper8891

[HarleyEarl]

68....lol...I blush...what can I say?!..... for me, Datsun/Nissan began and ended with the 510...a straightforward, fun car.

[Sixty8panther]

68....lol...I blush...what can I say?!..... for me, Datsun/Nissan began and ended with the 510...a straightforward, fun car.

The more research I do the more I'm realizing my '84 Datsun is really a mix of three cars:

- 1979-83 Bluebird 910

- 1970 Datsun 240Z/ Nissan Fairlady

- 1970s Skyline & Gloria Sedans

I'll be postig an interestiong thread on the DNA of my Datsun soon. Look for a real wacky twist!