Your First Datsun? What was it? When was it?

[CGS1948]

My first Datsun was a 1966 SPL311-U Roadster with a fiberglass hard top that I bought in 1971, with 26k miles on the clock..

 

Did a body off chassis restore later on, and sold it in '79.

[ericsb210]

?, How many first Datsun topics are necessary? Does it count still if I only post in one? Are we running out of topics?

 

I am done whining now, Maybe, I will start another topic about whining to make sure.

[paradime]

Why would you say this when you own a B210? I shove people in line at the grocery store and scream "Get out of my way, I Own A Datsun Bitch!"

 

Besides the thread Mike shared the link to was just "First Dat". This one in the new and improved version.

 

 

Your First Datsun? What was it? When was it?

 

Progress is good yes?

[ericsb210]

Alright already...In the spirit of progress, here is a copy and paste  :rofl:

 

I was 18, bought a "64" 320 uni-body with a 4 speed on the column for $500, Sold it 3 months later to make a down payment on a bright green 1977 B210 coupe 5spd with only 7,000 miles on it. Had it for 3 years traded it in on an 810 wagon to accommodate my newborn son. For the following 30 years the driveway has pretty much always had at least one Datsun in it. And I have to say I miss the "64" 320 and every Datsun thereafter, but alas I have to share.

[Rushnracin]

17 just started senior year high school 1967 520. Still have it just made it road worthy for my son 19 years old. That was 1976 now 2014 you do the math.

[mikeanike99]

13 a couple months back bought me a 620 :rofl: can't wait to get me permit so I can drive it every now and then :D

 

EDIT: I paid $400 for it

[Rocket Dog]

I bought a 71 521 truck when I was 17 years old for $800.00 

 

Funny they're selling for about that now too (if it's a non-op roller with a siezed engine)

[Chris92SE]

When I was 15, getting close to 16 (late 1980s) my folks knew I wanted my own car. My step-dad had a friend that was a gun dealer and this guy had a small economy car that he used to travel around for sales, gun shows, etc. That car was a 72 510 2-door and had a somewhat tired motor. The second gear went out on the trans and he asked my step-dad to help him replace it. Instead, my step-dad talked him into selling it to me, and I scooped it up for $200 and we bought a used trans at U-Pull-It in Portland for $50.

 

The car was painted by Maaco (or someplace cheap) olive drab over the original blue, but everything other than that was immaculate. Interior was perfect white vinyl, no dents, no rust, all four hubcaps intact. I owned the car for a little over a year. I had it painted the original blue with added metal flake and bought lowered springs and better struts. Before I could get the springs put on, I was T-boned by a drunk driver. Car was totaled, but my step-dad and I pushed the dent out and I drove it another 6 months or so. Sometimes, around corners the latch would give and the door would open. It happened with my brother in the car and he ratted me out to my mom, so she made me sell it and buy something else.

 

It has been one of my all-time favorite cars and I would like to get another one. I have owned 11 different Datsun/Nissan/Infinitis since then.

 

 

Cliff notes: 1972 510 2-door, first car when I was 15, bought it for $200 (bad trans), got hit by a drunk driver and eventually sold it.

[Nuclear Water Boy]

I was 16 early Jan '72 got a used 71 Datsun Truck. Perfect for band equipment, surfboards + the camper shell and ladies. Fast forward to '76 picked up my first 510. Bought it from a guy who did Muholland suspension, Libras, header, headwork and Isky cam setup on a set of SU carbs. All work was completed at Sun Datsun in Whittier, Ca. Then he wrecked it but wasn't bad just a left fender, bumper grill headlamp stuff hood and had the whole 510 repainted and pin stripped and it looked great. So I gave him $1800 for it 8>) 2 years later I got rear ended and the 510 was totally killed pretty much nothing was good on it except for the wheels.

[paradime]

Heart breaker story Dude.

[floyd17]

15, was given the 210 i have now. It's the perfect car to learn on. i've had it for about a year and have torn it down with my dad several times. easy to work on, which makes it fun to work on. What makes it so cool is i grew up going places with my dad in the little thing. It was special to get to ride "up front" and have my hand on the stick as he shifted gears, and now, 10 years later, im shifting it around town. i finally have something to take pride in, and ill admit, its become an addiction. i find myself staring at it in the driveway every time i walk by the window. Watching this car get slowly restored has been one of the best experiences I've had. there is no greater pride than a pride in what you build.

[Twodoordime]

I was 14 (11 years ago) roaming eBay. I found 2 510's 400 miles away with bad pictures and body damage. I bought the cars without my fathers permission. We then had to make 2 trips to get the 510's because we didn't have a long enough car hauler. I still own one of those 510's to this day. By 16 I had 3 more 510s of which I have 3 still. They are the 3 keepers. I also knew from very early on I did not want an L series. I have swapped all my driver 510's to ka24's from L series. My favorite 510 has an fj20 but I have never finished it. My father always encouraged working with my hands and welcomed my big dreams of building gorgeous 510's. He never funded them though. I went through other cars while in my teens but always got bored of them.. I had built Hondas, mustangs, a supra, rx7, jeeps, ae86's, and many other cars but I've never been without a 510 to drive. That's my story.

 

Side note, I don't know how I discovered 510's exactly. My dad didn't know what they were I just saw one when I was 13 and decided to save up and buy one. I was also looking at a 1973 roadrunner with a 4spd when I bought my first 510's. I'm so glad I didn't turn into a mopar or muscle guy.

[mrmark]

My first Datsun was a copper 82 280zx.  It was the first car that I bought with my own money(that ran).  It had t tops and I drove it from PA to FL and back. Then I drove it from PA to CA for my new duty station(Navy).  I ended up selling it and getting an '80 280zx turbo with ridiculously low miles, then i found my dream(at that time) a 260z that was more my muscle car style than the other softer Z's.  I had that for a couple years then went back to muscle cars(chevelle, camaro, gto).  

 

I will never forget how shiny my first datto was after a good wash/wax, the metal flake in the paint really made it pop in the sunlight.

[Ryoskatekov]

I was 15 when I got my Datsun 280zx. At first, I wanted a Miata, but decided it's too small, Then 924 but reliability was shit so I stopped looking. Then S30 Z's but too expensive. and reached 280zx. Which I like almost everything about.  Started working at a shitty local place and saved up 3000 bucks. (yeah I know what your thinking but Z's are expensive in Houston. All beat up and rusted.) Ever since then, I've been pouring all my paycheck on maintenance, upgrades, etc. so much time into the car that I forgot about the licence. turning 17 this year and I still don't have a licence. lol. 

My thread:
http://community.ratsun.net/topic/60615-ryos-carbd-zx/

[kelowg]

1979 210 sedan back in 1991, first drive was calf cen valley to  Phoenix and back. that mustard yellowish brown

[bonvo]

most of the guys who have been here a while know this story but i was 17 my dad gave me a 76 610 that was originally his step dads dad told me to knock myself out i had to fix it  i got it running and driving dailyed it for 4 years before a unlicenced driver ran a red light and t-boned me 

 

shortly after i got it road worthy

 

at its best

 

 

 

in the end 

 

 

 

i then built this from what i could salvage from the 76 

 

started with this 

 

 

ended/ still build / working on this 

 

[Ranman72]

 this Datsun infatuation all started in 1983 my first car was a 69 510 2 door , it didnt run and had a hole in number 3 piston 

I changed the piston and rod never checked the bearing size , the car got a rod knock and I drove it like that for a year before shooting the rod out of the side of the block 

next I built an L18 flat top piston with a87 closed chamber head almost all new internals 

new pistons/valves /valve seats and guides/ new bearing /valve seals/ rings / freeze plugs/ beck and arnley HP roadster clutch and pressure plate 

it would grab third gear scratch if I hit it right 

second car was a 72 2 door 510 I paid 100 dollars  I took my motor out of the 69 and put a head gasket in the motor from the 72 and installed that in the 69 because the car went to the next kid driver when I moved out 

third car was a 79 620 king cab truck with shaved handles and lights I traded that for the paint job on the 72   I totaled that one and got another 72 2 door also paid 100 dollars  and put all the good parts from the totaled one on the new one 

I sold that car in 94 

bought another 72 in 2007/2008 had that car for about 2 years till I sold it and bought the 68 2 door 510 that I have now 

I had other non datsun cars in this time period but they dont matter 

one from 2007/2008

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current car 

one of the canby trips all packed 

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when I got it

L]

now

[josh_t]

My first datsun and first car was a rust bucket '76 B210. Bought it for $150 on Black Friday of 2010. I didn't know about Datsuns or that a B210 even existed. I was just looking to get my 16 year old hands on a car for cheap. I had my friend hang on to it for me until i got the money. Bought it with money i got for my 17th birthday. It was off the beaten trail in southeastern Tennessee at my friends aunt's house, and we had to tow it home. It was an a14, automatic 2-door sedan with about 228k miles on it. I got it running in about 2 days and for the next two years slowly got everything working right. Then i finally got my license 3 months before i turned 19 and i finally got to drive the car. It was my daily for about 7 months until i parked it for about 9 months. Just sold it in January of this year.

[mikeanike99]

I got mine in September so I was 13 and started with this

 

Then lowered it put my bros mags on it and had this (my favorite look)

Then he sold those and I bought these and lifted my truck

Then I bought these

And still don't have tires for them...

 

Then I have my truck back lowered in the front that is...

Put my bumper on and now it sits like this with it crooked from uneven bump stops and sitting on them...

[jalen]

1981 280zx at age 12 a Month later i turned 13 and then I sold my mom the car and bought a low mileage valiant

[Mattndew76]

My very first Datsun was a White 72-240Z. Bought for $1000 in 1993. Drove it for a year and the previous owner purchased it back for a little more. Then I moved onto a 76-280Z.

 

I was a teen who wasn't hip on photo documenting life milestones so lots car adventures went undocumented..

[510venture]

I became a Datsun 510 fan many, many years ago but I just acquired my first one last week.72 Datsun 510 4dr 4sp with just over 65k. Its only the second 510 I've seen around these parts (Western New York). I dont think they are a popular choice here. Lots of z cars around but no 510's. Previous owner was from Montana and that's where the car lived most of its life. When I got the car there was a very large metal coffee can over flowing with cigarette butts in the passenger seat that the seller was gracious enough to include in the sale. The amount of tobacco tar I have cleaned out of the car was mind numbing. At first I thought the metal on the interior was rusted...nope, just completely covered in tobacco. I immediately fell in love with the car. I have a Subaru wrx I thought I loved but I was wrong, so very, very wrong. I'm going to sell it to finance a tasteful rebuild. Nothing crazy, just straighten out the body and paint and maybe a ka swap over the winter. For now I'm just happy to be driving it. I just joined the ratsun forums and this is my first post so I'm unsure of how to post pics. If there's any 510 fans in the NY area hit me up, williamconroybrown@gmail.com I'd like to connect with some locals if possible. I'm glad this forum exists so thanks for that and thanks everyone for sharing your stories. Lotta great lookkng datsuns here. I'm sure I'll be bothering everyone as I begin to fix up the car.

[KELMO]

First Datsun was a 1200 Sedan. Bought it from the dealership I was working at in the mid 80's. I was young and didn't have the $300.00 to buy it outright so they took $50.00 a paycheck til it was paid off.

 

Yeah, that's right...I financed my first Datsun.

 

Then a 510 Wagon, then a 510 2 door Sedan, then a 1200 Coupe, then another 1200 Coupe, then another 510 Wagon.

[mzdat]

My first Datsun was also my first car a 1968 datsun roadster 2000. My Dad purchased it used in 1970 and I have some fond memories of my Dad taking me for a ride, but mostly it just sat in our garage. I often played in it at a youngster shifting gears and making engine noises. When I was around 16 My Dad said " if you fix it you can have it". I wanted to make my Dad proud (don't we all) and restored it twice and finally made it reflect the car pictured in the owners manual. Finished it last month and now I'm in my mid 40's...Hey Dad want your car back it's fixed! 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/red86driver/14032491810/in/photostream/

[DaveyDaveDaveDave]

Family car growing up was a 1980 510 hatch. I was supposed to learn to drive in it. My brother got in a high speed collision with a suburban driving it. He was thrown 30 feet from the car and knocked out. Received minor lacerations on his pinky.

Wait, thats the first datsun I didnt get....

 

Was working at a wrecking yard. in 2008. A 78 KC came in, in decent shape. I threw a fit till they sold it to me for 700(?). Drove it home, fixed it up for a little while. I wound up "giving" it to a friend so he could gtfo. Put well over half a ton and his two year old in it, drove it to California without a problem. Without going in to details, Ive never, and will never, see it again. Unless someone has come across an abandoned 620 outside needles, CA. If you have, PM me. Seriously.