This car with this color exactly was my first new car that my dad bought me in 1972 . It is one of the best car I ever used . It was undistructable and fast. when it came no 4 cylinders car ever beat me at that time.💐
The Datsun 510 is the smart man's BMW and the original Japanese tuner car. It was made famous by it's underdog image with decades long racing success. What made the 510 stand out in it's price range wasn't the chrome details though, it was it's semi trailing arm independent rear suspension, 50/50 weight distribution, high revving overhead cam engine, and impressive power to weight ratio. Peter Brock, designer of the Shelbey Detona Coupe, started the race team Broke Racing Enterprises aka (BRE). With John Morton driving the 510 #46, BRE team won 2 back to back TransAm manufacturers championships for Datsun in 71' and 72, beating Europian powerhouses BMW, and Alfa Romeo. Bob Sharp and Paul Newman had similar success with the 510 along with hundreds of independent SCCA B sedan series wins and 2 outright championships in the African Rally. This car has a rabid fan base that spans multiple gererations, and still has broad aftermarket parts support to this day. My first car was a 510, I've built/raced many, and have one in my garage today. I can say with confidence there is no chance this 510 will ever be sales proof. From what I could see, other than the rims and mirrors the car is original. Rare indeed.
I bought a 510 manual new in Escondido, CA, in 1969. It didn't have AC as a factory option but was added by the dealer as an under-dash unit. Total cost was just over $1,900. I then almost immediately moved to northern California and a couple years later moved to Maryland. The 510 never gave a bit of trouble, but in 1974 I was moving back to the Middle East and sold it. I put an ad in the paper for $1,500, hoping I would get $1,200. It sold within hours of the paper coming out for the asking price. Great little car.
In Australia l am old enough to remember these cars and it was the Datsun 1600 because we got them with 1600 litre motor very popular many sold in Australia also older Japanese cars are fetching very good prices l do enjoy your channel becsuse you review a lot of cars l grew up with keep it up
I got to drive one of these when I was a college student. I was shocked by the acceleration and ride compared to my 1960 VW! An amazing car for the time.
I've owned two of these, the first one was a two door sedan that I drove during my senior year of high school (1982-83 school year) and the second one about a year later which was a four door wagon. Both of these cars had four speed manuals and were a lot of fun to drive. I actually switched the original engine out of the second car with a larger two liter one by my self when I was 18 and I'm not much of a mechanic. I would love to have another one!
My first car was a 1971 510 wagon. It was a great car for 135,000 miles. The fan motor only controlled the heater and defroster. The dashboard side vents were purely dependent on car speed. There were “exhaust vents” on the rear roof pillar or, in the wagon, on the tailgate. And, the rubber-like material on the seats is called vinyl.
Sale Proof Car Reviews it’s possible that the 78 and 79 years did but not sure. I’ve owner over 10 of the 68-73 models and know for sure about them.just looked up the later years on 510s looks like they had 2 liters in them.
@@overland8081 Thank you for the clarification. So this particular one has an L18, so it's possible it had an engine swap. Is it also possible it was available in other countries from the factory?
Correct. L16 was the only engine available in the 68 to 73 510. Rear suspension and differential was basically lifted out of the 240Z sports car. All parts interchangeable. L16 was basically a four cylinder version of the L24 6 cylinder 240z.
@DH McC I beg to differ. An underpowered but light car with a good suspension and handling is a joy to drive. I've read and heard statements from rich people who can own any car they want and even race drivers talking about the joy of the process of actually working a car like that gradually up to its limits. As opposed to driving a supercar hard that, as Jay leno says, goes vroom vroom vroom and you're in jail! (or rapped around a tree). I had a 1973 Datsun 510 (Same color as the one in this video that's why I'm commenting lol that brought back good memories) that I bought used with 89000 miles on it in 1985 for $400. It was cheap because the trunk was bashed in a little. Pushed that back out with a big sledgehammer and a big wood block. Drove the heck out of it. Used it on my delivery job. Commuted 40 miles every day for a few years and drove it countless times to Las Vegas 300 miles away. Came within inches of my life many many times driving flat out on the winding Angeles Crest Highway near LA. That independent suspension was unbelievably well planted on the road it was one of life's pleasures ( my 240Z and later 280ZX were the same). Datsun designed magical suspensions. Yes it was underpowered at low RPM but it had good torque @3800 RPM+ which is where mine lived half its life lol. The engine was bulletproof and so was the clutch. The shifting was precise, the steering was accurate and the brakes were adequate. Routine maintenance was ridiculously easy it was actually enjoyable. The distributor getting wet happened to all cars back then I had V8 American cars that did the same but I just learned not to drive fast into a big puddle of water and almost never had a problem. On the rare occasion it did happen you just took the cap off and dried everything up with a rag, put the cap back on and drove off. The joy of that car was that you could drive it fast and not kill yourself in the process. It really handled, but wasn't overpowered so you enjoyed the process of giving it full throttle, watching the revs go up (cheap RPM gauge mounted on the steering column lol), worked the accurate shifting 4 speed tranny and cut curves confidently at good speed getting amazing feedback from the suspension which stuck to the road and got your back every time. It was amazing. If I had driven my solid rear axle V8 Firebird the way I drove my independent suspension Datsun, the Firebird would have killed me. So after putting an extremely hard 100,000 miles or so on the car with no issues except the aftermarket AC blowing it's bearing, I sold the car with almost 200,000 miles on it for $400 (same price I paid for it years earlier), and the guy that bought it was happy because it still drove very well. I wish I had kept that car.
Is that 918 orange or 110 red? ...My '70 2-dr 510 was stolen 3 times. Went through L16, L18, now having my KA24DE rebuilt. L16 was the only motor offered. 610 and 710s had the L18 and L20 motors. 510s are climbing to the 40k territory, like the Z cars. Look at Bring A Trailer.
I love this car! If that's the original paint then it looks great! I am a little disappointed that you never popped the hood. I know that it's an OHC in-line four but I'm curious about the carburetion. Did it have dual side drafts? Or was it just a conventional down draft 2-barrel 2-stage carb like most Japanese cars of this period had? I'm always especially interested in fuel delivery systems. If I had more space, I would probably have a collection of carburetors as well as diecast car models, as weird as that might sound!
We car guys are a weird bunch! And thats a great question about fuel delivery, I don't know. You're right about not opening the hood, I really should have.. I sometimes forget especially if I have limited time with the car. Oh! I was going to tell you, I'm working on procuring a Starion (I found a couple willing owners near us) and a Toyota Corona (I found two unwilling owners). Stay tuned!
Actually the mirrors are not original, it came with driver side mirror only. The only engine available that year was the 1.6. So that car is far from original, but nice just the same.
I owned 1973 Datsun 510. It as an underpowered, mediocre gas mileage vehicle. Had to carry extra plug wires and distributor cap to swap out in wet weather. Kept it for 2 years and went to a Chevy Nova. What you have there is a well preserved vehicle that was, in my experience, not very good when new.
Sale Proof Car Reviews Yes - I modified it into an even worse 1974 Chevrolet Nova hatch back with a 264 cid v8. The 1970’s was the golden age of junk. Poor quality, poor gas consumption, lack of power due to intro of emissions stuff, minimal warranties and if it hung together mechanically it would rust out as you watched. They don’t make them like they used to - thank goodness!
So much incorrect information... Please do some actual research before you make a video. I realize that you're quite young, but many of the things you point out were extremely common back then. This 510 is not all original.....🙄
I appreciate you watching and your engagement. I'd love to address your claims of incorrect information and extremely common back then features. If you provide specific examples to justify your claims, that would be great
@@SaleProofCarReviews Technician for over 30 years, former Nissan tech, former president of a Datsun club. I could talk on Datsun for days, there are many subtleties to Datsuns. Differences between years and even within the year. Even differences between cars destined for different countries. Not enough time or space to explain it all. A lifetime of knowledge.. Many common things from old cars that someone would didn't grow up around old cars wouldn't realize. Many owners of Datsuns love to spread misinformation. I hear it constantly and find it frustrating. I appreciate your efforts, but if you had even taken the time to read Wikipedia you wouldn't have made some of your mistakes. These cars are becoming increasingly popular and lots of people jumping on the bandwagon with lots of energy and little knowledge. I'm just a crotchety old man who tires of constantly correcting people and reading poorly written articles.
@@Datsuntech it certainly sounds like it. Well I'm sorry you feel that way about the video. You're right, there are tons of intricate details and differences not just for Datsun, but for any vehicle manufactured. The challenge is knowing which of those details and intricacies are worth putting in a review video, especially when the primary goal is to evaluate the car in general for investment grade. While they may matter to you, unfortunately many of those details don't matter enough to investors, flippers, or casual hobbyists.
@@SaleProofCarReviews And I take exception to flippers and even investors... This is an enthusiasts car. Meant to be enjoyed and driven. Not to get a quick buck or stuff in a barn till they go up in value again. I used to buy these all day long for under $500. Drive them, modify them, race them. Enjoy the crap out of them. Now the prices have gone through the roof. It's pricing me out of the hobby. Luckily I have many and I hope they last me till I die. Till then I'll keep using them for what they were designed. A driver's car.
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This car with this color exactly was my first new car that my dad bought me in 1972 . It is one of the best car I ever used . It was undistructable and fast. when it came no 4 cylinders car ever beat me at that time.💐
@@khalfanalmuhairbi7011 Amazing!
The Datsun 510 is the smart man's BMW and the original Japanese tuner car. It was made famous by it's underdog image with decades long racing success. What made the 510 stand out in it's price range wasn't the chrome details though, it was it's semi trailing arm independent rear suspension, 50/50 weight distribution, high revving overhead cam engine, and impressive power to weight ratio. Peter Brock, designer of the Shelbey Detona Coupe, started the race team Broke Racing Enterprises aka (BRE). With John Morton driving the 510 #46, BRE team won 2 back to back TransAm manufacturers championships for Datsun in 71' and 72, beating Europian powerhouses BMW, and Alfa Romeo. Bob Sharp and Paul Newman had similar success with the 510 along with hundreds of independent SCCA B sedan series wins and 2 outright championships in the African Rally. This car has a rabid fan base that spans multiple gererations, and still has broad aftermarket parts support to this day. My first car was a 510, I've built/raced many, and have one in my garage today. I can say with confidence there is no chance this 510 will ever be sales proof. From what I could see, other than the rims and mirrors the car is original. Rare indeed.
05:48 the vent can be opened or closed manually by a rod that is connected to vent door under dssh
Interesting. I did not know that (I don't think the owner did either...)
I bought a 510 manual new in Escondido, CA, in 1969. It didn't have AC as a factory option but was added by the dealer as an under-dash unit. Total cost was just over $1,900. I then almost immediately moved to northern California and a couple years later moved to Maryland. The 510 never gave a bit of trouble, but in 1974 I was moving back to the Middle East and sold it. I put an ad in the paper for $1,500, hoping I would get $1,200. It sold within hours of the paper coming out for the asking price. Great little car.
You found a very rare aged vehicle with low miles and original owner. Fun video to watch.
Christopher Talamantez thank you! How are you doing?
I'm doing well and staying busy during the lockdown. Take care and stay safe.
In Australia l am old enough to remember these cars and it was the Datsun 1600 because we got them with 1600 litre motor very popular many sold in Australia also older Japanese cars are fetching very good prices l do enjoy your channel becsuse you review a lot of cars l grew up with keep it up
I got to drive one of these when I was a college student. I was shocked by the acceleration and ride compared to my 1960 VW! An amazing car for the time.
I bet! The 510 was a great car for its time which is part of the reason so many sold.
I drove a 1965 VW recently and my Yugo is faster than it was..
I've owned two of these, the first one was a two door sedan that I drove during my senior year of high school (1982-83 school year) and the second one about a year later which was a four door wagon. Both of these cars had four speed manuals and were a lot of fun to drive. I actually switched the original engine out of the second car with a larger two liter one by my self when I was 18 and I'm not much of a mechanic. I would love to have another one!
Luckily there are still a few of them out there!
What about the independent rear suspension? That was truly unexpected in this price category.
Very good point!
Let me know if you want to review another one, but heavily modified 😆
Thanks for the offer!
We have the 1200 and then this one it looked like a match box.
They have yet to make a 1200 hotwheel! Bummer
There is a pin leavers pull down to open push up to Close those side vents flush at bottom of dash.
Thank you for pointing that out!
My first car was a 1971 510 wagon. It was a great car for 135,000 miles. The fan motor only controlled the heater and defroster. The dashboard side vents were purely dependent on car speed. There were “exhaust vents” on the rear roof pillar or, in the wagon, on the tailgate.
And, the rubber-like material on the seats is called vinyl.
Awesome looking Datsun. I remember when the Datsun was on the market. My dad had a Datsun PL510.
Literaly my dream car 😍
The 510 68-73 DID NOT come with the L18 motor . ALL 510s came with the 1600cc L16
Can you clarify which year 510s came with the L18?
Sale Proof Car Reviews it’s possible that the 78 and 79 years did but not sure. I’ve owner over 10 of the 68-73 models and know for sure about them.just looked up the later years on 510s looks like they had 2 liters in them.
@@overland8081 Thank you for the clarification. So this particular one has an L18, so it's possible it had an engine swap. Is it also possible it was available in other countries from the factory?
Sale Proof Car Reviews well I don’t really know about non US 510s but if it’s left hand drive it’s most likely from the US
Correct. L16 was the only engine available in the 68 to 73 510. Rear suspension and differential was basically lifted out of the 240Z sports car. All parts interchangeable. L16 was basically a four cylinder version of the L24 6 cylinder 240z.
It's been said the 510 is the 57 Chevy of the future as far as resale and desirability
It's certainly possible
Watching this made my brain hurt. Maybe some better research or getting someone who knows Datsun would have helped.
Yikes. Right? See my comment above. Kid knows nothing about his subject matter.
Brutal review!! Don’t remember the 510 ever having a factory 2.0L option.
@DH McC I beg to differ. An underpowered but light car with a good suspension and handling is a joy to drive. I've read and heard statements from rich people who can own any car they want and even race drivers talking about the joy of the process of actually working a car like that gradually up to its limits. As opposed to driving a supercar hard that, as Jay leno says, goes vroom vroom vroom and you're in jail! (or rapped around a tree).
I had a 1973 Datsun 510 (Same color as the one in this video that's why I'm commenting lol that brought back good memories) that I bought used with 89000 miles on it in 1985 for $400. It was cheap because the trunk was bashed in a little. Pushed that back out with a big sledgehammer and a big wood block. Drove the heck out of it. Used it on my delivery job. Commuted 40 miles every day for a few years and drove it countless times to Las Vegas 300 miles away. Came within inches of my life many many times driving flat out on the winding Angeles Crest Highway near LA. That independent suspension was unbelievably well planted on the road it was one of life's pleasures ( my 240Z and later 280ZX were the same). Datsun designed magical suspensions. Yes it was underpowered at low RPM but it had good torque @3800 RPM+ which is where mine lived half its life lol. The engine was bulletproof and so was the clutch. The shifting was precise, the steering was accurate and the brakes were adequate. Routine maintenance was ridiculously easy it was actually enjoyable. The distributor getting wet happened to all cars back then I had V8 American cars that did the same but I just learned not to drive fast into a big puddle of water and almost never had a problem. On the rare occasion it did happen you just took the cap off and dried everything up with a rag, put the cap back on and drove off. The joy of that car was that you could drive it fast and not kill yourself in the process. It really handled, but wasn't overpowered so you enjoyed the process of giving it full throttle, watching the revs go up (cheap RPM gauge mounted on the steering column lol), worked the accurate shifting 4 speed tranny and cut curves confidently at good speed getting amazing feedback from the suspension which stuck to the road and got your back every time. It was amazing. If I had driven my solid rear axle V8 Firebird the way I drove my independent suspension Datsun, the Firebird would have killed me. So after putting an extremely hard 100,000 miles or so on the car with no issues except the aftermarket AC blowing it's bearing, I sold the car with almost 200,000 miles on it for $400 (same price I paid for it years earlier), and the guy that bought it was happy because it still drove very well. I wish I had kept that car.
Is that 918 orange or 110 red? ...My '70 2-dr 510 was stolen 3 times. Went through L16, L18, now having my KA24DE rebuilt.
L16 was the only motor offered. 610 and 710s had the L18 and L20 motors. 510s are climbing to the 40k territory, like the Z cars. Look at Bring A Trailer.
Funky' Furballs this one is orange and yes certain configurations are climbing pretty high!
my first car.! got 9 kids in it for a softball game...7 in the car two little guys in the trunk
Now that is a feat!
Minor point but JDM means Japanese Domestic Market - right hand drive built for domestic market only.
True, I might as well change it now before I get crucified
Very cool car 😊👍 I like these Japanese 70-80s 😊👍
KIRI’S GARAGE it is cool!
Now we are talking!!!
I love this car! If that's the original paint then it looks great! I am a little disappointed that you never popped the hood. I know that it's an OHC in-line four but I'm curious about the carburetion. Did it have dual side drafts? Or was it just a conventional down draft 2-barrel 2-stage carb like most Japanese cars of this period had? I'm always especially interested in fuel delivery systems. If I had more space, I would probably have a collection of carburetors as well as diecast car models, as weird as that might sound!
We car guys are a weird bunch! And thats a great question about fuel delivery, I don't know. You're right about not opening the hood, I really should have.. I sometimes forget especially if I have limited time with the car.
Oh! I was going to tell you, I'm working on procuring a Starion (I found a couple willing owners near us) and a Toyota Corona (I found two unwilling owners). Stay tuned!
I can't wait!
6:25 looks like it could be easily hotwired, are those the ignition wires?!
Actually the mirrors are not original, it came with driver side mirror only. The only engine available that year was the 1.6. So that car is far from original, but nice just the same.
i am building one now take a look .nice car be safe.
Beautiful car
Great color!
My dad bought a yellow 510 coupe in 1973. I loved that car but he traded it in on a wagon a few years later.
Did you not like the wagon as much?
Sale Proof Car Reviews the wagon was a great car but look what it was up against.
You probably mean 510 sedan as the 510 coupe was not offered for sale new in north America.
@@tenossos my grandfather had one, a ‘73. Purchased from Southside Datsun (Sunbelt Nissan) in Augusta, GA.
@@THX-C That wasn't a coupe. It was a 2dr sedan. The coupe was JDM only and had completely different body panels.
door handle is like a flusher
And epicenter? Bro, come to New York.
Christopher Wall we we’re the epicenter at time of filming
How much is the owner looking/wanting for this?
I'm not sure he still has it, I filmed about 10 months ago, I will get in touch with him and see if he's still open to selling it
Still car would sell for 40k plus. I'm sure the owner keeps track of values. Good friend sold one similar for 45k on bring a trailer 2 days ago
I have a 2 door 510 second owner. What does that go for??
Victor Montes from what I can tell, a clean low mileage unmodified 2 door 510 will sell for $10k-$15k
Hi Victor. I am looking for a clean 2 door. Do you have a photo? 4 or 5 speed?
@@glewinDA yes i have a few. Were would you like me to send them
@@glewinDA its a 1.6l 4 speed.
@@victormontes2133 geofflewin@gmail.com
why no rear window defroster?
Because it was built on a Friday
In the late 60s early 70s Made in Japan meant what made in China means now.
I believe it! Give it a decade or two and we'll be saying the same thing about Korean cars (Kia, Hyundai), and then Indian cars (Tata) after that.
We had one in the ugly blue Toyota has brought back on the Rav 4 2020
Ugly Blue? Did the trademark run out on the color name and Toyota bought the rights?
I owned 1973 Datsun 510. It as an underpowered, mediocre gas mileage vehicle. Had to carry extra plug wires and distributor cap to swap out in wet weather. Kept it for 2 years and went to a Chevy Nova. What you have there is a well preserved vehicle that was, in my experience, not very good when new.
That's fair. Did you ever think about modifying it?
Sale Proof Car Reviews Yes - I modified it into an even worse 1974 Chevrolet Nova hatch back with a 264 cid v8. The 1970’s was the golden age of junk. Poor quality, poor gas consumption, lack of power due to intro of emissions stuff, minimal warranties and if it hung together mechanically it would rust out as you watched. They don’t make them like they used to - thank goodness!
Hahaha! Very true! You should see the Plymouth Valiant I reviewed! You just described it to a T
@@dhmcc9882 lol
I would buy it 15000
2500 dollares
Not anymore Nissan is junk ,what a shame the French destroyed them
I feel like there have been issues long before the alliance with Renault
Beautiful car. I couldn't watch till the end because this guys voice is annoying.
Have you tried the mute button? Asking for a friend
I had one of those...... Your video is full of mis-infomation and BS..... Thumps down.
6/10?? Really? Don't like!
When you said you had a wife I laughed
Corona is more desirable
Are you referring to the car or the illness?
My family had a used '76 Toyota Corona MK II with the 2.6 liter in-line 6. It was a jewel of a car!
So much incorrect information... Please do some actual research before you make a video. I realize that you're quite young, but many of the things you point out were extremely common back then.
This 510 is not all original.....🙄
I appreciate you watching and your engagement. I'd love to address your claims of incorrect information and extremely common back then features. If you provide specific examples to justify your claims, that would be great
@@SaleProofCarReviews Technician for over 30 years, former Nissan tech, former president of a Datsun club. I could talk on Datsun for days, there are many subtleties to Datsuns. Differences between years and even within the year. Even differences between cars destined for different countries. Not enough time or space to explain it all. A lifetime of knowledge..
Many common things from old cars that someone would didn't grow up around old cars wouldn't realize. Many owners of Datsuns love to spread misinformation. I hear it constantly and find it frustrating.
I appreciate your efforts, but if you had even taken the time to read Wikipedia you wouldn't have made some of your mistakes. These cars are becoming increasingly popular and lots of people jumping on the bandwagon with lots of energy and little knowledge. I'm just a crotchety old man who tires of constantly correcting people and reading poorly written articles.
@@Datsuntech it certainly sounds like it. Well I'm sorry you feel that way about the video. You're right, there are tons of intricate details and differences not just for Datsun, but for any vehicle manufactured. The challenge is knowing which of those details and intricacies are worth putting in a review video, especially when the primary goal is to evaluate the car in general for investment grade. While they may matter to you, unfortunately many of those details don't matter enough to investors, flippers, or casual hobbyists.
@@SaleProofCarReviews And I take exception to flippers and even investors... This is an enthusiasts car. Meant to be enjoyed and driven. Not to get a quick buck or stuff in a barn till they go up in value again. I used to buy these all day long for under $500. Drive them, modify them, race them. Enjoy the crap out of them. Now the prices have gone through the roof. It's pricing me out of the hobby. Luckily I have many and I hope they last me till I die. Till then I'll keep using them for what they were designed. A driver's car.
@@Datsuntech as you should!
4 door. Ehh