Datsun 1200 (1960s) "Ute"

[oldcar]

I have been offered a 1960s or there about, Datsun 1200 "Ute" that had been "put out to grass" two or three (maybe more) years ago.

It is remarkably complete and with just some rust in the door sills as far as I could see from a quick walk around it. The tray is well loaded with junk and scrap, The seats are a mess otherwise it appears to be complete.  Sorry no photo yet.

 

IS IT WORTH SAVING ?

 

Bernie j.

[nzcarnerd]

21 hours ago, oldcar said:

I have been offered a 1960s or there about, Datsun 1200 "Ute" that had been "put out to grass" two or three (maybe more) years ago.

It is remarkably complete and with just some rust in the door sills as far as I could see from a quick walk around it. The tray is well loaded with junk and scrap, The seats are a mess otherwise it appears to be complete.  Sorry no photo yet.

 

IS IT WORTH SAVING ?

 

Bernie j.

 

Might not be as old as it looks to you.  They built them for quite a few years. Definitely worth saving - to the right - probably younger - person.

[oldcar]

You are only as old as you feel, one way or another? 

Either way it will have to wait until we return home in August, after our three months in Europe. I will need something to keep me occupied until the Lagonda comes home by sea.

 

Bj.

[Pfeil]

A "UTE"? We called it a Sunny Truck. The only ones I ever saw were sample vehicles imported from Mexico for evaluation for U.S. markets. A bit cramped compared to a LB110 sedan or fastback because you can't get the seatback angled back, but a great little performer. The 1200 engine or "A" engine is a sweet running engine that was originally built under license in a earlier design  from the British going back to the 30's. The Japanese have a way of perfecting things making it better ….and with no oil leaks.  

[8E45E]

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 7:48 PM, Pfeil said:

A "UTE"? We called it a Sunny Truck. The only ones I ever saw were sample vehicles imported from Mexico for evaluation for U.S. markets. A bit cramped compared to a LB110 sedan or fastback because you can't get the seatback angled back, but a great little performer. The 1200 engine or "A" engine is a sweet running engine that was originally built under license in a earlier design  from the British going back to the 30's. The Japanese have a way of perfecting things making it better ….and with no oil leaks.  

Absolutely correct!  I owned a 1981 Datsun 310 with that A-12 engine (The 'A' stood for 'Austin' who's engine it was designed after.)  It was bulletproof and never leaked or burned oil.  I bought it used for $300, and drove it for seven years before it got wrote off by a Chevette making an illegal left turn in front of me.  I believe that engine is still being manufactured by Nissan as a stationary power plant for gensets, steam cleaning machines, etc.

 

Craig

[Pfeil]

4 hours ago, 8E45E said:

Absolutely correct!  I owned a 1981 Datsun 310 with that A-12 engine (The 'A' stood for 'Austin' who's engine it was designed after.)  It was bulletproof and never leaked or burned oil.  I bought it used for $300, and drove it for seven years before it got wrote off by a Chevette making an illegal left turn in front of me.  I believe that engine is still being manufactured by Nissan as a stationary power plant for gensets, steam cleaning machines, etc.

 

Craig

At one time ( 1973) marketing had brought in two Sunny trucks from Mexico. Very interesting cars with a pushrod diesel. 

[oldcar]

After something of a break in proceedings I was reminded today that the "Ute" is still outside waiting for me to go and rescue it. As I now have a period of two or three months waiting for our Lagonda Rapier to return from the UK (to Australia) so what better time to go and collect the Datsun 1200.

Hopefully I will manage to take some photographs this time.

 

Bernie j.

Edited September 1, 2019 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Oops!    A little time has past since my last post, the custodian of the 1200 Ute has just reminded me (last night) that it is still waiting for me to go and "take it away". As nothing else has "crossed my path" I suppose that I should at least out of common courtesy go and look at it.

As I see it, the problem with this is, that it will end up in my front garden one way or  another.

Oh well!................ I suppose I should at least see how much (effort not money) it will take to make it go.

First thing will be to get it out of the cow paddock? And, I must have "known something".   Since we are now home again, after 3 months "holiday" in France and England,  I have just spent the last two days "sorting-out" the front garden.

Bj.

Edited September 18, 2019 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

AND I have been selling the Datsun short?  Looking further into its heritage It  seems that it cannot be earlier than 1971. I cannot say whether this is a good thing or bad.

Only time will tell.

But wait! Perhaps it will turn out to be a "1000" instead of a "1200" then it could be much earlier, I as with the rest of you, will have to wait until after the "weekend".

 

Bj.

Edited September 19, 2019 by oldcar (see edit history)

[mike6024]

If it's free, at least you know the price is right.

 

Has "Mr John Q Smith" issued you a refund-in-full for his services yet? On the ENV transmission? Or ought I not bring that up!!!

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by mike6024 (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Hello Mike 

You really need to ask that question on my Lagonda Rapier thread:-

But the short answer is NO! and to the second part NO again!

 I will know more when the car arrives back in Australia in November.

Bj.

[oldcar]

Sorry about that, I am due to collect the Datsun "Ute" this weekend so I will know a whole lot more about it then.

 

Bernie j.

[oldcar]

Thank you Mike

Sorry but I am still procrastinating, I still have to go and have a "proper" look at the Datusn. You will be among the first to know when I do.

 

Bj.

[oldcar]

This morning I went and had a very good look at the Datsun Ute. I was all alone out in the paddock so there was no interruptions to my thoughts. 

If I happened to be a Datsun fan, which I am not, it may have been different BUT after giving it a lot of thought, some may say TOO MUCH.

Either way I have decided not to pursue this one.

Attached are todays photographs.

 

Bernie j.

Edited September 25, 2019 by oldcar (see edit history)

[mike6024]

 

I have that same type of lichen here in northern California.

 

 

[Pfeil]

On 9/19/2019 at 8:51 PM, mike6024 said:

 

I had a Datsun 510 once. 1972, maybe but I'm not sure. They used the same sort of engine in the pickups as in the cars. 4 speed stick shift and a simple as can be 4 cylinder with a single overhead cam. It had independent rear suspension like a bmw of the time. 1600cc I think it was.

 

So if you are getting a 1200cc "Ute" it would be earlier. The engines got progressively bigger over the years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not in other parts of the world.

 

 

As said earlier at the time ( 1974-1975) NISSAN MOTOR Corp.IN U.S.A. marketing and Product Planning  brought in the Datsun 1200 ( UTE down under) pick up from Mexico for evaluation. They were very similar in front end body style to the LB 110 or Datsun 1200. The engines were the 1200"A" pushrod engine. A red and white one as I recall because I prepped them when they came in. This was in about 1974-75. 1973 was the last year for the LB110 in the states because NISSAN replaced them with the LB210 ( B210) for 1974. About a year later we also brought in another group of the same truck, but they had a pushrod version of the "A" engine which was a diesel. Nissan USA decided it was not right for our market.

 

The PL510 in the picture appears to be a 1973. 1973 cars were only made in 2 door models because NISSAN in the same year had brought the Datsun 610 with the L-2000 or L-20 as they were known and in 1974 the Datsun 710 with the L-1800, all of these cars I mentioned were powered by the L-series engine.

In 1974 the Datsun 510 was gone, 1973 was the phase out year hence only a two door version. 

 

The L- series engine first arrived in the 520 pick up as the L1300, later the 521 pick up the engine displacement grew to the L-1500 &  L-1600. In 1972 The Datsun pick up changed bodies to become the PL620. The 1972-73 PL620 used the L-1600, in 1974 the L-1800, 1975-1979 the L-2000.

 

This L series was a single overhead cam. It's valve train is VERY similar to the Mercedes SOHC I-4, I-6 engines, in fact it uses the same valve adjusting special tool for untightening and tightening the lock nuts for valve adjusting. From the L-1300 L-1500, L1600, L-1800, L-2000 also came the Z car 6 cylinder engines, the Z car engines just had two more cylinders added. The valve train is the same design. The L- series engine in the Z car was L-2400 ( 240Z) L-2600 ( 260 Z ) L-2800 ( 280Z). ALL these engines use the same timing cover, oil pump, crank and cam sprockets, timing chain, chain guides, of the same design.

 

This car is very similar in general body shape of the Mexican version of the LB110 1200"A" engine pick-up except for the grille and headlamp. We didn't get a long body. These trucks were a very tight fit for a six footer. In the LB110 sedan version you could tilt the seat back to fit.

 

[Pfeil]

9 hours ago, oldcar said:

This morning I went and had a very good look at the Datsun Ute. I was all alone out in the paddock so there was no interruptions to my thoughts. 

If I happened to be a Datsun fan, which I am not, it may have been different BUT after giving it a lot of thought, some may say TOO MUCH.

Either way I have decided not to pursue this one.

Attached are todays photographs.

 

Bernie j.

 

In our corporate museum we had a version ( 1964) of this model with the bed and the cab as one body- like a El Camino.  

[Matt Harwood]

I think that's a cool little thing that has a lot of possibilities.

[Stude17]

6 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

I think that's a cool little thing that has a lot of possibilities.

 

I would love to see Richard1 from Bolivia get his hands on this.  Remember the little Morris Mini ute? 

[nzcarnerd]

Just looked at the this thread for the first time in several weeks. When you said the ute was a 1200 I was thinking of the 110 series that has been mentioned by other posters. That model was sold here in NZ as the Road Star for quite a few years after the 1200 car ceased production.

 

I see 'your' 1200 is a much earlier model. It must be a rare survivor and there is someone out there who needs it, although an image search show there are quite a few still out there.

 

It shares its mechanicals with the early Bluebird. I note it uses 'torsion bar' front suspension. It appears there were several variations, even in the short period it was produced.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datsun_Truck

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_E_engine

 

https://www.nissan-global.com/EN/HERITAGE/016_datsun_pickup_1200_dx.html

[zepher]

I had a PL521 pickup years and years ago.

One of the most reliable and easiest cars to work on.

Wish I still had that little truck.