Vehicle Description
Back before Datsun's soon to be popular Z car was just a schematic
drawing, Datsun 1600s ably represented their manufacturer in the
sports car niche. They were nimble handlers and their sporty looks
prompted many a would-be buyer to fantasize tooling down the road
behind the wheel of one. The vast majority of these roadsters are
no longer on the road, so this 1968 Datsun 1600 is certainly a
welcome sight and would be a great score for the sports car
enthusiast looking for a distinctive, seldom seen ride.
This compact, open air car proved to be a big hit when it debuted
at the Tokyo Motor show back in the early '60s and it, along with
its descendants, would go on to make quite an impact in SCCA
competition, bringing home a nice collection of trophy hardware
that included a total of 10 National Championships. This 1600
represents the action-oriented model well - it's looking straight
and solid, with doors, hood and deck lid that show nice even gaps
and a foundation that shows no signs of sagging. The white paint it
now wears still carries a nice shine and looks perfectly
presentable - there's no doubt this sports car will draw its share
of admirers whether you decide to freshen things up or not. From
front to back, the brightwork is in great condition and both the
front and rear bumpers were very likely recently replaced, judging
from their fresh condition. When the skies darken, you'll have a
black manual convertible top with a clear plastic rear window at
your disposal that was also added not long ago and includes a new
frame for easy operation and a nice fit.
The interior is very much in road ready condition and features a
pair of low-backed bucket seats wearing black vinyl covers with
appealing blue plaid cloth accents. Back when it debuted, one of
the decided advantages a 1600 had over its competitors was in the
interior room it offered, along with a wider toe box and a steering
wheel positioned high enough that there was ample leg space
underneath. The carpet lining the floor shows no obvious stains and
the dash area is in outright good shape, offering an assortment of
factory gauges that still function as intended and are easily
readable behind their clear lenses, as well as a straight dash pad
over the top that shows no signs of cracking. The trunk area in
back is looking solid and offers a little more luggage space than
you'd likely expect.
A 1600cc 4 cylinder engine fills the compartment while still
leaving enough working room, and sports a pair of SU carbs sitting
next to the vertically mounted air cleaner. The powerplant
established quite a reputation for its rock solid durability - it
propelled a variety of Datsun models over the years, a surprising
number of which you still see on the road from time to time. It
teams with a 4-speed manual transmission to provide just the "hands
on" driving experience you'd want in a sports car like this. The
handling is great on this classic - it sits close to the ground,
yet not too close to make every day driving impractical and offers
a low center of gravity that gives it a slot-car feel. Front disc
brakes help bring this very appealing vintage ride to prompt stops
as it cruises on a set of sharp looking 14" wheels wrapped in
blackwall radial tires.
This 1968 Datsun 1600 offers a very appealing driving experience
and represents a unique period in the import sports car segment.
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