This Datsun owners have one common passion…..the 510!
In the 1960s, Japanese carmakers were known for selling simple basic transportation. The Europeans on the other hand were the providers of fast entertaining cars.
Yutaka Katayama, then president of Nissan USA believed that his company could build an affordable sport sedan that buyers will want to own and drive and not just a transport bubble. The result, launched in late 1967 as a 1968 model, was the Datsun 510. This little sedan was to become a iconic tarmac racer and a family sports sedan that found global acceptance. Fashioned after the BMW 2002, this Datsun was soon reaching the far corners of the globe and becoming a favorite against BMW, Fiat and even Volkswagen.
The Datsun 510 four-door sedan and wagon went into production in 1967 and then in late 1968, a two-door sedan joined the lineup, and while a two-door coupe was offered in Japan, it was never officially imported here.
Under its hood was a brand new Datsun engineered overhead-camshaft engine that was a cast-iron block with an aluminum head. It was a 1.6-liter (97.3-cu.in.) four-cylinder engine that produced a claimed 96 horsepower and 99.8 pound-feet of torque.
This engine was mated to a four-speed manual transmission which on a good day allowed this Datsun 510 to accelerate from standstill to 60mph in as little as 13 seconds. It had a possible top speed of 100mph.
Underneath, the Datsun 510 sedan needed the right suspension setup to keep its driver entertained and so it received four-wheel independent suspension, with MacPherson struts and coil springs up front and semi-trailing arms and coil springs in the rear (510 station wagons, however, made do with a live rear axle and leaf springs). An impressive setup for its time.
This Datsun 510 in Malaysia continues to have a loyal following of fans and many past owners will today look at a unit with a few ownership stories to share.
The ‘Malayan 510’ club is a group of enthusiast who have spent time and money to keep their beloved Datsun 510’s running sweet, sweet enough to take long drives with family and friends and here is a series of pictures of the club members and their rides at a recent Sunday drive.
It all took place in the Northern states of Malaysia and we are sure there are more of these rare 510’s running around the country with passionate owners. Many would have been hit with the rust bug and will be rotting away in small towns and outside workshops.
If you find a full intact car with minimal rust and a most of its chrome bits intact, think about restoring it and being part of the ‘Malayan 510’ club.
Picture credit Nije Axe
