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...once upon a time there was a little Datsun


stanski

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I have to thank AK350Z - who's fault this really is ultimately - otherwise I would'nt have looked at car and classic for a while! :lol:

 

I think my midlife crisis has finally arrived..nope no interest in Porkers, Mercs etc instead I picked up this little fellow from Edinburgh yesterday (why does my life revolve around that place! :wacko: )

 

I had to save it from the scrap yard. :surrender:

 

4 owners since 1974 only 32K miles from new, been in a lockup for the past 12 years. We put a set up of jump leads on the battery and it started on the button, all the gauges work etc, I went for a little drive around the lockups and brakes although a little spongy work fine as does the clutch , gear change is slickest ever and well it just works!

So thats 12 years stood in a garage ! Fantastic ! :yahoo:

 

Yes it will need some welding but not as bad as it looks in the pictures - I need to patch the sills in places and of course there will be other bits I will find along the way but so far its good enough to rescue.

Its had a respray at some point in the original colour but I will try to polish it up first but will respray it all myself in the summer once all the welding is completed.

 

Lucy although not entirely happy thinks its cute too and we hope to have a little drive in it once the rain stops on the weekend.

 

Before Nixy says anything I am in the process of finding a lock up for it and the Wolseley. :blackeye:

 

So there you can laugh now.... :snack:

 

Incidentally it cost me more to hire the car transporter for the day +fuel than the cost of the car - figures! :headhurt:

 

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Its a Datsun 100a - later known as a Cherry - 1971 - 1976 for this mk1 model.

 

998 cc - FWD independant suspension all round, aparently they were good rally cars once you dropped the suspension

 

Will bring it to a show once ready - I understand there are only 90 left in the country, 91 including this one.

 

Whats suprised me the most is the general thickness of the metal and build quality is superb - shame they did'nt rust proof them better otherwise the streets would still be littered with them now!

 

No name as yet still pondering -the numberplate is probably worth more than the car at the moment but I wont split it - one of my pet hates.

 

Once we clean it up a bit this weekend it will be easier to see where to begin the resto.

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I was going to say you were born in the wrong era Stan, but then who would rescue these old girls. Get it looking spic & span and then start emailing Clarkson with pictures of a classic Datsun :lol: (might get on the cool wall)

 

You are so right mate - I was born in the wrong time - I am well ahead of being behind! :blush:

Ironically I prefer driving old tins to new ones but liked the Zed because it had that Classic sports car look and feel - even though it was very advanced :D

 

Btw a Smurf?????!! :surrender:

 

Will have to grew side burns and start to wear flares soon at this rate I will end up playing this in the car! :lol:

 

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And i think you should call it Dinky! Dinky Datsun! :lol:

 

 

Sounds good will ponder that one too and yes I know I know - but it had to be saved from the scrappers - worse case I was going to break it and sell the parts on fleabay but I cant do that - it wants to live! :)

 

I admit it has a pong of petrol about it at the moment but thats because it had a little wee on the ramp - petrol tank - will have a peep at the pee on the weekend if it ever stops sodding raining! :blink::boat:

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Don't blame me mate, you're your own worst enemy! Very nice though, just asking for a few modern tweaks though. Maybe some decent suspension and lower it a touch on some period style alloys?

 

:lol:

 

A lot of owners do that - Viper stripes, minilites, lowered springs , the next size engine in + turbo -but thats not what I want I like it factory boggo - thats its period charm - it even has the 1970's aroma inside - heady mix of plastic, metal and goodness knows what else!!! :blink:

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I had one of the Mk 2 Cherrys..in fact I had 2 of them! The first one was a Yellow base model S reg, not a lot different to your blue one, more of a facelift than a new model really. Did 25k in it including a trip to Austria. So much more reliable than the British Leyland junk I'd had before. Looking at the photos I'd forgotten just how long the gear lever was, almost as long as a minis :lol:

 

 

Pete

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I had one of the Mk 2 Cherrys..in fact I had 2 of them! The first one was a Yellow base model S reg, not a lot different to your blue one, more of a facelift than a new model really. Did 25k in it including a trip to Austria. So much more reliable than the British Leyland junk I'd had before. Looking at the photos I'd forgotten just how long the gear lever was, almost as long as a minis :lol:

 

 

Pete

 

A neighbour had a MK1 in the 70's in yellow and suppose thats where I remember it from? It was the only car on the street!

Like you say compared to the Leyland cr** they must have been years ahead - just like they are now. Lucy's 2002 Zed had the Jap all in network setup in the car - forgotten the name but its basically any service you want via a mobile internet and phone connection - so you can order goods say - traffic reports anything infact at the touch of a button. They are only discussing this sort of stuff in Europe now and making it a big seller for the posher end of the market - this stuff has been around in Japan for at least 15 years now! :surrender:

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Had a Datsun Cherry in the mid 70's for a couple of years, the colour was not far off the ginger Zeds, never let me down great little car.

:worthless:

 

Would if I could but can't find any, it was 35 years ago!! If I remember correctly it was a 1974 E10.

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