Welcome back!I learned to drive in one of these.
- Thread starter pooroldcodger
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Welcome back!I learned to drive in one of these.
First car was a datsun 100A, K-reg (suffix) Learned to do most everything on that car.
first job was to drop the gearbox - it was like stirring porridge.
Engine was immaculate - despite high mileage.
First new car was a datsun stanza, 1983, A reg (prefix). that was on the cusp of the name change. It had a datsun badge on the grille & I was offered a new Nissan badge as a replacement. I accepted the new badge but put it on the grille alongside the datsun badge (same on the rear).
Also given another badge to mark ??years (I thought it was 50).
Had a choice, either the ford sierra or the Stanza. Similarly priced, same size cars - but poles apart in terms of spec. The datsun included radio/cassette as standard (nothing in the sierra!), mudflaps, intermittent wash/wipe (with 6 intermittent settings in 2 sec increments), lights on alarm, eye level brake light, 5spd gearbox, bulb failure warning on dash, seatbelt warning, tailgate & fuel flap release lever by driver's seat, low washer bottle fluid warning, rear screen wash/wiper, colour coded carpets, carpet mats, powered vent shutoff system (each outlet set had its own control flap - rear footwell, rear body, front footwell, front body, screen, front door glass - any combo selected via switches and electric flaps (not just a rotary dial with a few factory options), tinted windscreen with sunstrip (choice of blue or green tinge, fading in to heavier tint for sunstrip).
Got a decent price for PXing my old car as a discount.
first job was to drop the gearbox - it was like stirring porridge.
Engine was immaculate - despite high mileage.
First new car was a datsun stanza, 1983, A reg (prefix). that was on the cusp of the name change. It had a datsun badge on the grille & I was offered a new Nissan badge as a replacement. I accepted the new badge but put it on the grille alongside the datsun badge (same on the rear).
Also given another badge to mark ??years (I thought it was 50).
Had a choice, either the ford sierra or the Stanza. Similarly priced, same size cars - but poles apart in terms of spec. The datsun included radio/cassette as standard (nothing in the sierra!), mudflaps, intermittent wash/wipe (with 6 intermittent settings in 2 sec increments), lights on alarm, eye level brake light, 5spd gearbox, bulb failure warning on dash, seatbelt warning, tailgate & fuel flap release lever by driver's seat, low washer bottle fluid warning, rear screen wash/wiper, colour coded carpets, carpet mats, powered vent shutoff system (each outlet set had its own control flap - rear footwell, rear body, front footwell, front body, screen, front door glass - any combo selected via switches and electric flaps (not just a rotary dial with a few factory options), tinted windscreen with sunstrip (choice of blue or green tinge, fading in to heavier tint for sunstrip).
Got a decent price for PXing my old car as a discount.
Not for sale in the UK though 
One wonders if it'll be another euroNcap flop
One wonders if it'll be another euroNcap flop
Not for sale in the UK though
One wonders if it'll be another euroNcap flop
Apparently the reasoning behind it not coming here is nissan is part of the same group as Renault and they won't allow them to compete with Dacia.
That was the dilema at the time:
Do we keep on buying rubbish British cars (which at the time they generally were) or do we forget Bridge Over the River Kwai and what they did to our POW's and buy Jap?
As ever, the pound in your wallet speaks louder in the end than conscience.
I was "brilliantly" taught to drive by my Dad in a Viva HB. I only failed because the examiners had a cartel going with the instructors......or so he thought. In actual fact he didn't do a bad job, I just blew it. However, back on topic, I then went with a local instructor who had a 120Y Sunny in which I passed, thus reinforcing his belief of skullduggery.
Even now looking back, I can see why the Datsun sold in such high numbers, but if I was looking for a small "classic" from that era, I'd be more likely to look for a Viva than a Sunny.
It took 35 years before my Dad actually bought a car from that stable when he bought a Note a few years ago and was quite pleased to find he'd accidentally bought a car made in Britain.
I'm probably way off with this, bought somewhere, in the deepest recesses of my weird mind is a little nugget of information that the founder of the company was actually called Sun Dat, hence the name.
Also somewhere back there is a feeling that their first car was a licence built Austin. If so, I do love irony.
Even now looking back, I can see why the Datsun sold in such high numbers, but if I was looking for a small "classic" from that era, I'd be more likely to look for a Viva than a Sunny.
It took 35 years before my Dad actually bought a car from that stable when he bought a Note a few years ago and was quite pleased to find he'd accidentally bought a car made in Britain.
I'm probably way off with this, bought somewhere, in the deepest recesses of my weird mind is a little nugget of information that the founder of the company was actually called Sun Dat, hence the name.
Also somewhere back there is a feeling that their first car was a licence built Austin. If so, I do love irony.
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