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Identifying the First-Gen Ford MustangDatsun 510: One Great Japanese Compact
Nissan is known for models like the Skyline, Silvia, and the various Fairlady Z cars, but the Datsun 510 led the way for these famous Nissans.
Nissan’s Greatest Classic Cars
Over the course of 110 years, Nissan has amassed a good list of notable nameplates. We have Nissan to thank for iconic models like the 240SX, 300ZX, and the GTR. And that’s only a few of the models we got in America. Others like the R34 Skyline GTR and S15 Silvia are at the tops of enthusiast lists as some of the greatest import vehicles of all time. All of these big names have one thing in common, an aim for fun performance backed by racing heritage.
Many point towards the 240Z as the beginning of Nissan’s involvement in motorsports and performance cars given its coupe design and success at the 1971 East African Safari Rally, but it was actually compact Nissan sedan that led the way. The Datsun Bluebird, otherwise better known as the 510 here in the States, found success in motorsports early on and has become a cult classic tuner option for JDM car enthusiasts. Find out what makes this historical Nissan model so important and why people are still trying to pick up this old compact car.
The Datsun Bluebird’s Early History
The Bluebird’s history technically dates back to the Japanese manufacturer DAT and their 1929 DATSON Type 10, an early compact car. The model carried a 495cc engine which allowed it to be driven without a license in Japan, as the ordinance for requiring a license was for vehicles 500cc and above. This niche of small engine, compact cars that didn’t require a license was just the first in a series of subsequent compact models from DAT like the Type 11 and Type 12.
Nissan took control of DAT in 1934 and went on to pivot the manufacturer name from DAT to Datsun. Nissan continued to produce compact models while using the Datsun name for branding of the models. The company went through 17 iterations of compact cars before stopping production during WWII.
Following the war, Nissan continued building compact models such as the Datsun DA. While this car looked like an Austin 7 visually, it rode on the same chassis as the pre-war Datsun Type 17. This similar design eventually led to an agreement between Nissan and Austin in 1952 to produce their own Austin A40 Somerset models in Japan. It wasn’t until 1955 that Nissan would update their passenger car chassis and introduce a new compact sedan.
The Datsun 110 series, otherwise known as the Datsun 1000, debuted in 1955. Nissan designed the compact sedan model to adhere to the Japanese dimension regulations of 1950 while keeping its engine displacement to 860cc. This engine size helped it reduce its annual road tax in Japan by being below 1000cc and it was just below the threshold to be considered a small taxi there as well. These models were also some of the first from Nissan to utilize mass production strategies rather than hand-built like early predecessors. The Austin influence could still be seen in both its engine design and the use of the A40 Somerset’s transmission early on.
While it wasn’t officially adopted until 1959, the Datsun 1000 models were recorded as having been associated with the “Bluebird” nameplate in some capacity as early as 1957. That year also coincided with the short-lived Datsun 210 series sedan models. The shape of the 210 series was similar to that of the 110 series, but they gained additional chrome trim and extra lighting. These second-generation Datsun sedans also carried engines that ranged from 860cc domestically up to 1189cc for export markets. Speaking of which, this generation was the first to be exported to the US where it was known as both the Datsun 1000 or Datsun 1200 dependent on engine choice.
This early “Bluebird” also carried the honor of participating in the 1958 Around Australia Trial, a long-distance rally race that ran 16,250 km (10,087 miles) around the continent of Australia. The compact Datsun 210 won the Class A group and secured Nissan their first ever motorsports win. Subsequent Nissan models went on to participate in other motorsport events following the 210’s win. The Datsun Fairlady 1500 roadster won at the 1963 Japanese Grand Prix and the Skyline 2000GT took places second through sixth the following year.
1965 is when the Datsun Bluebird reemerged as in motorsports by adding further motorsports accolades to the nameplate. This time the Datsun Bluebird was in its fourth generation 410 series form. This generation was the first to utilize unibody construction rather than body on frame and the sedan’s design was heavily influenced by European automotive design. The sports tuned Bluebird SS was also added in 1964 to the lineup featuring a performance tuned 1.2L four-cylinder engine. 410 series models carried a 71-horsepower version of the engine while revised 411 series models gained a 78-horsepower, double-carbureted version. In either case a four-speed manual transmission was employed.
There was also the 411 SSS, a further race ready variant that gained a longer rear-axle, a uniquely designed manual transmission or a 3-speed BorgWarner automatic, and a 96-horsepower dual-carbureted 1600cc engine borrowed from Nissan’s Datsun Roadster. The 411 “Super Sport Sedan” was able to achieve not only a win at the South African Grand Rally de Angola but went on to win the fourth National Stock Car Race, and finishing in the top three at the Macau Grand Prix. Some of these 411 SSS models happened to make their way to the States in 1967 too where they were used as fun little road cars and even affordable circuit racers. But the peak of the Bluebird’s story came in the next generation with the Datsun 510.
The Datsun 510: The Pinnacle Bluebird
Nissan introduced an all-new Bluebird generation in 1967 that was tailored for American audiences thanks to Mr. K. Yutaka Katayama, better known to Nissan fans as Mr. K, was a Japanese executive for Nissan who was commonly at odds with other top Nissan executives. It was his idea to push their vehicles into motorsports initially, which proved successful following the Datsun 210’s win at the 1958 Around Australia Trial. He was made the first president of the Nissan Motor Corporation USA in 1960 and quickly engrained himself with the Southern California car culture. Mr. K knew what American’s wanted in their cars and that was a fun performance model – not an efficient, slow Japanese toy.
The Datsun 510, as it was known in the States, took on boxier proportions and handsomer styling under Mr. K’s direction to more closely compete with the BMW 1600-2. It was only available as a four-door sedan initially, but two-door sedan, five-door station wagon, and coupe body styles followed in subsequent years. Mr. K wanted this car to handle like a driver’s car, so a fully independent suspension was employed composed of MacPherson struts, coil springs, and an anti-roll bar at the front while coil sprung semi-trailing arms were used in the rear (apart from station wagon models that rode on a solid rear axle with a leaf sprung suspension). 510 models also featured front disc brakes as standard equipment.
Japanese and other non-American export Datsun 510 models carried a 1.3L single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine producing 73 horsepower as the standard powertrain option. Mr. K knew that this engine wouldn’t do alongside the gas-guzzling powerplants on American roads. So instead, under the hood of the North American Datsun 510 models was a 1.6L SOHC inline-four with a Hitachi produced downdraft-carburetor that helped the engine produced 96 horsepower. That engine claimed a top speed of 100 mph and 0-60 in 14.5 seconds. It wasn’t beating a Dodge Charger of the same time in a straight line, but it was better acceleration than the 1.3L would have provided. Nissan provided the choice of either a four-speed manual transmission or a three-speed automatic.
Nissan priced the Datsun 510 to be super affordable. Base models started at $1,996 which kept it priced within the same realm as the already affordable Volkswagen Beetle, but the Datsun 510 performed significantly better. This approachable price not only made the 510 a desirable car for American shoppers, but that price coupled with its independent suspension and easy to swap powertrain made for an ideal platform for racers.
One of the first to jump on the Datsun 510 train in the motorsports world was Bob Bondurant, wan accomplished American racer from Southern California who opened a racing school that trained everyone from actor Paul Newman to NASCAR great Jeff Gordon. After being turned down by Porsche for loaner vehicles, a call to Mr. K quickly secured Bondurant a pair of Datsun Roadsters and a pair of Datsun 510s for his school. The little sedan proved to be an ideal training car as it was a basic road car, easy to throw around, and could take abuse as it made its way around the track.
Mr. K made sure to bring the Datsun 510 into American motorsports like he had in other parts of the world. Two American teams were provided the Japanese sedan to participate in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Trans Am Championship events for the Two-Five class. One was Bob Sharp over on the east coast with his red, white and blue liveried Datsun 510, the same car that Paul Newman was introduced to motorsports with. The other came from southern California’s Pete Brock, the iconic BRE Datsun 510 painted in its own patriotic scheme.
Prior to Borck and Sharp’s Datsun entrants into Trans Am competition, the Two-Five class was dominated by European compacts like the Porsche 911, BMW 2002, and the Alfa Romeo GTA. That trend changed once when the BRE Datsun 510 driven by John Morton dominated the championship and took home the ‘71 SCCA Trans Am Championship and then did it again the following year. Bob Sharp also notched a win in the ‘71 SCCA Runroffs along with a number of other victories.
With the Datsun 510 showing up on American shores and taking over SCCA Two-Five events, the European competition was dismembered, and the class was quickly filled by more Datsuns in following years. Internationally, the Datsun continued to take home victories too. The 510, known outside the US as the Datsun 1600, took home the win at both the 1970 Ampol Trial and the 1970 East African Safari Rally. These motorsports wins in turn led to better public perception of the Datsun brand and sales of the compact car took off.
Why is the Datsun 510 Still Sought-after Today?
The Datsun 510’s history of success in rallying and Trans Am events may be enough to keep this model alive as a sought-after classic alone, but more people are looking to modify these old Japanese compacts rather than keep them in pristine condition. Some of the qualities that made the 510 such a great race car make it increasingly approachable for modern amateur races and for tuner culture. The independent suspension, lightweight, cheap components, and easy to swap bits and pieces make it ideal for crafting a performance compact.
Tuners can easily swap on a ton of aftermarket parts tailored to the 510 thanks to the popularity behind this vehicle internationally. New bumpers, spoilers, new hoods, revised suspension geometry setups, roll cages, and so much more to make it race ready. There’s also the benefit that early race teams experienced, the capability to swap between different Nissan powerplants. Some of the most common swaps people make are with the SR20DET from the Silvia as it can be done with relative ease. 510 enthusiasts have even swapped in different engines from other manufacturers too like the F20C out of the Honda S2000 or a Chevy V6 crate engine (with a little modification to the firewall).
Then, all that’s needed is a turbo (or two) to be installed, along with a new intercooler and new air intake, and this old compact will have its power to weight ratio sent way off the charts. The Datsun 510 can be shaped just about any way you choose and you’ll end up with a sweet car for cruising, showing off at meets, drifting around corners, or taking to local track events. While it may hurt some to see these ‘70s era classics being heavily modified and thrown around corners at high speeds, it’s exactly what Mr. K would have wanted to see.
