Vehicle Description
If you've been paying attention for the past few years, you know
that Japanese cars are finding new homes with collectors. Early
Toyotas, Hondas, and Subarus are all seeing a resurgence in
interest as the guys who enjoyed them as kids now have a chance to
buy back their childhood. And this 1978 Datsun 510 Station Wagon is
no exception, with an astonishingly low 19,218 actual miles, an
incredible survivor-grade presentation, and wonderful vintage
driving dynamics that will undoubtedly bring back those
warm-and-fuzzy memories from your past.
And that's really what this hobby is all about: memories. Many of
you probably remember cars like this being ubiquitous on US roads,
but when was the last time you actually saw one? Wait, scratch
that. When was the last time you saw one that wasn't rusted to
oblivion? This one has been impeccably preserved, and I mean that
in the most extreme version of the word, as that bronze-brown paint
is 100% original and pretty much looks exactly like it did when it
was leaving the factory. Honestly, any imperfection (and quite
frankly, we haven't seen any) has more to do with the factory
quality control than actual use, which isn't so outlandish when you
consider the low mileage. Bronzes, browns, and yellows were all the
rage in the late-'70s, not so much today, but we must admit that
this shade is very palatable and is the perfect complement for the
original Datsun design. The bodywork is shockingly straight and
clean, the panel alignment is factory-precise, and thanks to an
almost unreal level of care bestowed on this wagon in the last 45
years, all the totally unobtainable parts are still in place and in
excellent condition. Build quality is typical Datsun with great
gaps and all the factory neat, conservative trim is still intact
and in excellent shape as well. The federally mandated, US-spec
black rubber on the bumpers actually don't look as awkward on this
car as on so many of its contemporaries (we're looking at you,
Mercedes 450SL), and the 5-door design features a lift-back rear
hatch that practically defined the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Yeah, it's safe to say that we REALLY dig this car.
The tan bucket seat interior is totally original as well, which,
given the mileage, shouldn't be surprising to anyone. What is
surprising is how insanely clean the cabin is and just how modern
it actually feels from behind the wheel - with supportive seats, a
great driving position, and a compact center console that houses
the shifter for the automatic transmission below. Even the carpets
(which aren't a very attractive shade of green, but nevertheless
are plush and clean) and headliner look practically untouched, same
for the rear seat and cargo area out back. Japanese vinyl and
plastic materials from the '70s and '80s were notoriously cheap and
cracked almost instantly, so to see an unblemished dash flanked by
like-new door panels deserve very high praise, and that spotless
presentation is continued in the original gauges, controls, and
switches that line the car's command center. The original
leather-rimmed steering wheel might feature the coolest Datsun horn
button ever created, and yes, you guessed it, it's as close to
'like new' as we've ever seen. As an economy vehicle, options are
sparse, although the factory A/C system is still in place (needs
service), there's a a working AM/FM radio in the center stack, and
seatbelt came stock front and rear. The back seat is well-contoured
for two and really uncomfortable for three, and it easily folds
down to double the storage area.
The 1952cc L20B inline-four feels energetic and eager, moving the
lightweight 510 with ease. Typical of Datsun/Nissan, it's really
packed in there, but thanks to its bulletproof reliability and low
mileage, you won't need to spend a ton of time under here. With a
factory rating of 97 horsepower (although many experts consider the
real horsepower to be closer to 110) it's not nearly as slow as
you'd think, and even with that peppiness you can still manage
between 25-35 mpg's. It's quite stock under the hood, from the
light blue air cleaner assembly to the hose clamps to the decals in
their proper places and its low mileage status is apparent
everywhere you look. The 3-speed automatic shifts smoothly and yes,
this 5-door wagon is rear-wheel drive and has solid rear axles,
making it a very entertaining handler on twisty roads. As you might
expect from a car that's spent most of its life in California, it's
incredibly clean underneath with zero issues and plenty of
originality and the single exhaust system gives it just the right
4-cylinder buzz to match its look. Steel wheels adorned with stock
hubcaps are exactly the right choice, punctuated with modern
175/80/13 white-wall radials wrapped around them.
Go ahead, try to find a nicer one. And don't laugh, because
Japanese cars are the next big thing. No, this one won't make you
rich overnight, but we'll wager that there will always be a line of
guys eagerly waiting to own this incredibly preserved Datsun 510
wagon. Call today!
