Datsun Shorts
Description: Datsun is an automobile brand owned by Nissan. Datsun's original production run began in 1931. From 1958 to 1986, only vehicles exported by Nissan were identified as Datsun. By 1986 Nissan had phased out the Datsun name, but re-launched it in June 2013 as the brand for low-cost vehicles manufactured for emerging markets. The "classic" Datsun logo, based on the Flag of Japan and Japan's nickname as the "Land of the Rising Sun". After the Nissan rebrand, the logo remained the same, with "Datsun" replaced by "Nissan".
Description: Datsun didn't make it's way to America until the late '50s, but by the time the 1973 oil crisis came around, they were well-positioned with their smaller, fuel-efficient line of vehicles. This design is based on the logo most Americans probably recall when thinking of Datsun as it's their most refined version which was in use from 1976 to 1986 before the nameplate was retired in favor of the Nissan brand.
Description: The American Road Race of Champions showdown at Road Atlanta in 1970 was without a doubt the most competitive grid ever seen in an SCCA national competition. The Datsun 240Z has just arrived in America and despite its sporty appearance, it was considered a non-starter as far as competition goes for a number of reasons. Of course, people make assumptions all the time, and more often than not, they're wrong, and that was certainly the case with the race-prepped BRE 240Z as it went on to rule the circuit and take the ARRC championship title in the end.
Description: The 720 pickup was Datsun’s first foray into the 4-wheel drive mini-truck market in both long bed and extra-cab variants. It was introduced as a 1980 model and continued until 1986 when the Hardbody style (model D-21) was introduced as a 1986.5 model. Prior models of Datsun mini-trucks were the 521 and 620 which did not offer a 4-wheel drive option. The 720 featured an independent front suspension with torsion bar springs, a leaf spring live axle rear suspension, and a 4 cylinder engine displacing 2.0 liters at introduction, later enlarged to 2.4 liters. The manual transmission on the 720 drove a divorced transfer case that required extra clearance over a married setup, resulting in the 720 4×4 models having a lifted look and riding higher.
