Autoblog

Petrolicious drinks in the glory of two Datsun Roadsters in wine country

George Kennedy — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Videos

The latest Petrolicious video, entitled "Napa Valley Roadsters," features high-def footage of Japanese metal rolling though beautiful California hill country. Specifically, the classic two-liter Datsun Roadster.

Like many of the Petrolicious videos that proceeded it, this is a celebration of the personal connection that one has with an automobile. What's more, it's always heartwarming to see how a mutual interest can bring two complete strangers together, who are now close friends. And finally, who doesn't enjoy watching classic machinery mosey through beautiful scenery?

Check it out for yourself in the video below.

Continue reading Petrolicious drinks in the glory of two Datsun Roadsters in wine country

Petrolicious drinks in the glory of two Datsun Roadsters in wine country originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch Indycar driver Alex Lloyd drive the legendary Datsun BRE 510

Zach Bowman — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:19:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Videos, Racing

If you have even a passing interest in vintage Japanese cars, this machine needs no introduction. The number 46 BRE Datsun 510 is perhaps the poster child for racing underdogs. When it first hit the SCCA Trans Am scene in the early '70s, it lined up against several storied marques. It took lots of wrench time and plenty of determination, but the BRE team pushed to two national championship wins against rival Alfa Romeo in 1971 and 1972. Race cars have evolved at about the same clip as telephones in the last 30 years, but there's still something special about watching this machine tackle a race course.

Road & Track recently turned to Indycar driver Alex Lloyd to get his interpretation of what makes this particular car so important. The sound quality in the video below could certainly use some love, but we'll never turn down the excuse to burn 12 minutes of our work day watching this machine eat up some tarmac in Memphis. Check out the video for yourself below.

Continue reading Watch Indycar driver Alex Lloyd drive the legendary Datsun BRE 510

Watch Indycar driver Alex Lloyd drive the legendary Datsun BRE 510 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Depth of Speed gets cozy with a Datsun 510 Wagon

Zach Bowman — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Budget, Truck, Wagon, Videos, Toyota

The Datsun 510 will always hold a special place in enthusiast's hearts. The anonymous little coupes and sedans quickly established themselves as willing performers on the nation's race tracks in the early '70s. But while the goons at BRE were busy embarrassing other manufacturers in the Trans Am Challenge, scads of 510 Wagons contented themselves with family hauler duty. These days, the unloved wagons are easily outpaced by their two- and four-door compatriots at car shows, but the guys at Depth of Speed managed to find one very well-executed long roof 510 to hang out with for an afternoon.

Unlike most tin top examples, this particular model came with a port-installed vinyl roof. The owner saw the ratted vinyl as an excuse to install a Volkswagen-style canvas sunroof and went to town. Years of tinkering later, the wagon now rides on a lowered stance with some sharp wheels. The machine isn't perfect by any stretch - the paint doesn't exactly match and there are dents and dings - but this one gets driven on its original engine. And that's good enough for us.

Oh, there's also a bonus Toyota Hilux, too. Check it out below.

Continue reading Depth of Speed gets cozy with a Datsun 510 Wagon

Depth of Speed gets cozy with a Datsun 510 Wagon originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan Juke takes to the dirt against the Eyesore Racing Datsun 510

Zach Bowman — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Videos, Crossover, Hatchback, Nissan, Racing

Forty years, countless miles, a corporate name change and untold heaps of abuse separate Dave Coleman's 1971 Eyesore Racing Datsun 510 from the 2011 Nissan Juke. But that didn't stop the guys from Inside Line from pitting the two distant cousins against each other in a gravel there-and-back race over a little more than a mile. The beater 510 has plenty of rally class wins under its belt and has been prepared to tackle the worst a stage can throw at it. There's a full cage on board as well as plenty of skid plates, and everything else has been gutted in the name of weight savings.

The Juke, meanwhile, is a bonafide street-legal commuter. Where the 510 has race harnesses, the Juke has airbags, but it also has the benefit of all-wheel drive on its side. How did the two fair on the impromptu rally course? We won't ruin the surprise for you, but we will say that the show down was closer than we would have thought. Hit the jump to check out the clip for yourself.

Continue reading Nissan Juke takes to the dirt against the Eyesore Racing Datsun 510

Nissan Juke takes to the dirt against the Eyesore Racing Datsun 510 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Grassroots Motorsports' Tim Suddard picks ten future Japanese collector cars

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Japan

First generation Mazda Miata - Click above to see entire list of future Japanese Collector Cars

"Everybody wants to go to the dance, no one wants to stay and clean up." So says Robert De Niro's Sam in John Frankenheimer's spy thriller/car porno Ronin. We mention the line, because it's not only well written, but nicely sums up most people's attitudes towards classic, collector cars. Yes, we'd all love a Boss 302 Mustang or a Maserati Bora, but no one wants to pay the tens of thousands of dollars it takes to procure and maintain them. But what if in the future collector cars weren't limited to American muscle or exotic Europeans? What if relatively cheap and reliable Japanese cars came to be collectors items?

Regardless of the answer, that's the exact future that Tim Suddard, publisher of both Grassroots Motorsports and Classic Motorsports, is predicting. In fact, here's what he has to say about it:

Right now Japanese cars are generally overlooked by the collector car world, but we expect that to change. A generation that grew up on Hondas, Datsuns and Mazdas is coming of age where they're after the icons of their youth. Where previous enthusiasts paid big money for the Mopars, Chevelles and GTOs that they couldn't afford when teens, we expect the same happen soon with milestone Japanese cars.

Which, if what Suddard is saying is true, means that both demand and price should increase. Which is probably... bad. Click here to see the ten cars (with captions) that Suddard claims are going to be future classics, plus our own two cents on each selection. And of course, what do you think? Also - like what you see? If you're in the Southern California area, don't miss the 2009 Japanese Classics car show this weekend

Gallery: Tim Suddard's ten most collectable Japanese cars

Grassroots Motorsports' Tim Suddard picks ten future Japanese collector cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Nissan's Fiesty Mr. K calls out the 370Z

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Japan

Recently one of our bloggers raised the hackles of many a commenter by announcing to the world that he preferred driving a Nissan Versa to the new 370Z. You can hear the whole exchange on Autoblog Podcast #140. To protect this poor blogger's identity, he shall remain nameless (we'll call him Jonny X for short. No, too obvious. Let's go with X Lieberman). Point is, obviously this person is out of his mind because who on earth prefers driving a economy car like the Versa to a Z? Turns out Nissan's Mr. K.

Yutaka Katayama, known to American Datsun/Nissan fans simply as Mr. K, will be remembered for two very important cars: the 240Z and the 510, both of which are now considered classics. Mr. K turned one hundred years old on September 15, but age hasn't tempered his mind. In fact it seems sharper than ever. Talking about the new 370Z, Mr. K calls it, "So-so." He continues, "Very different from the 240Z. First, it's very heavy, and it's also very expensive."

And not only does Mr. K feel the car new Z is too expensive, but that it's not actually living up to the Japanese sports car legacy laid down by the 240Z, "I'd like to have a sports car like the Miata. The Miata is taking the place of the 240Z." Harsh. But check this out, "Katayama has a 350Z in his garage but prefers to drive the family's Versa compact." And there you have it.

Mr. K would like to see the Datsun nameplate come back, and with sportier cars. "The fun of driving cars is the same as riding a horse. We need a car that is like riding on horseback. We are making robots. Robots don't like human control." Even at the ripe old age of one hundred, Mr. K just might be around to see his wish come true, "I just entered the 100s. I have a long way to go."

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. | Image: MTZC]

REPORT: Nissan's Fiesty Mr. K calls out the 370Z originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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