Other Datsuns – Page 5 – the DAILY DATSUN

November 25, 2012

Hot Models

The holiday season is upon us, and it’s got me a bit nostalgic. Everyone remembers being a kid. And nearly every boy has had a toy car of some sort. Maybe they were a Revell scale model kit, slot cars, Hot Wheels or Micromachines – we were lucky to have experienced all four.

Certainly, if you haven’t got the garage (or the cash) for all those dreams cars, chances are they’ll fit on the shelf. And what if those dream cars aren’t in your favorite livery or paint scheme? Check out this sweet build for a BRE Datsun Hot Wheels:

Post like these reminds me of of the larger 1:32 scale slot cars my dad used to have. He and my uncle would pull them apart, paint them, race them, pull them apart again, re-wind the coils, race’m some more.

Of course we grew up racing with the smaller slot cars…and whata know, they make a 1:24 AND 1:32 slot car Z’s!

Silver Line - 240z rally slot cars — 1:24 scale

Sources: JNC, Slot Car Today, Slot Car Illustrated

October 16, 2012

Zpotted: NOREZON

Every now and again you spot a Z on the road – maybe it’s a Z all tricked out, or one just chilling in the parking lot. Some of my friends shoot me a pic every now and again too. This time it’s from Dana spotting “NOREZON”, a first gen 300zx. You don’t see these too often! Looks to be very stock, well taken care of, and even has those t-tops too. Thanks, Dana!

NO REZON – love it

October 14, 2012

Datsloco, Livermore – My 1st Meet

Dat’s right! Datsloco!

My previous posts have all been car shows (which i’m quite fond of) like the Willow Glen classic, but this was my 1st MEET! I was super excited to say the least. Datsloco is a local meet organized by a guy named Gino, usually held in the Livermore area, and simply just peeps and their Datsuns. Well of course they had plenty of parts for sale, bbq (supposedly Gino makes an off the hook carne asada), and even a guy workin on his tranny in the parking lot.

Before the meet though, first things first: a pint. Campfire stout @ Tap25.

Highwater Campfire Stout

Though we got there a few hours from the end, there were plenty of Datsun trucks, and every variety of 510’s possible: 2-dr, 4-dr, Bluebirds, Coupes, and even a RHD from Japan. Two other Z’s remained when we rolled in. Additionally, a Nissan 240sx and 70’s Toyota Corona rounded it out. OK, HOODS UP!

Gino’s Bluebird Coupe – if this doesn’t make you want one…

You can just hear the snarl on this one.

Super hilarious!

Dean’s 240z w/ Fairlady Z432 grill

Hoods up!

Triple carbs on a L28 engine w/ polished valve cover – love it.

There were a few Crown Royal bags around

A RHD Bluebird Coupe from Japan!

Someone testing out some gold Watanabe wheels. I like Wats, but the wheels he had on already looked great.

Powder blue wasn’t no slouch – just check out where all the color is…

October 7, 2012October 7, 2012

Jay Leno visits Datsun / Nissan, asks a few questions

Latest on Jay Leno’s Garage is his visit to Nissan earlier this week. He gets to tour the Nissan Zama Warehouse (aka Nissan DNA Garage), drive a Fairlady Z (Japan’s 240z), and even visit their design studios. With Nissan’s 80th Anniversary coming up, Jay asks if there’s a new “240z” in the works. Of course there’s not straight answer from Nissan’s Chief Creative Officer and friend Shiro Nakamura, but we get to see a spread of concepts in the background and watch them talk about the Z.

My favorite part is when Jay details the best part of the Datsun Z to wash, and I HAVE to agree. Best part to wash AND wax. Check it out.

Source: Jay Leno’s Garage – Nissan Fairlady aka Datsun 240z

September 13, 2012September 13, 2012

Cruise for a Cause – Willow Glen Car Show 2012

This past Sunday, I get a text from my brother: willow glen classic car show.

To which i responded: i’m there.

Willow Glen’s Cruise for a Cause car show has been about family, fun, a food drive and, of course, classic cars. And I was hearing it has been for over 50 years. This was truly a wonderful spectacle of classic cars ranging from oddities (like the purple Henry J) to the wild (a Jag E-type…w/ NOS). And believe it or not, it was the first car show the 280z has ever been to!

Despite the Z being a spectator, I gotta mention, it got plenty of looks / comments. No sooner than a minute after parking did a friendly guy named John come over w/ his girl and family. “Hey, you’ve gotta park next to me”, he smiles out. See, John rolled over to the car show in his red 240z. :]

I got there around 1, but for the few hours it took to roll around all the cars, we were the only two w/ Z cars. Actually, it might even be safe to say, the only two vintage Japanese cars from what i saw! Not a bad thing – we certainly stood out among the gorgeous Caddies, awesome Ford Duces and the rest of the American muscle that dominated the show. 280z’s first show, but certainly not it’s last! On to some pics!

John just picked up this fantastic lookin 240z after getting t-boned in his 280zx. Lucky he’s unharmed and even luckier he now drives a 240z.

While rockin’ the fender flares and mirrors (a look originally on the Japanese version), the American Racing rims keep it USDM grounded.

Definitely a head turning daily driven, daily datsun!

Additionally it sported Fairlady Z badges and a stacked Monza exhaust.

Amazing rims on this Caddie

Check out the underside! Notice where the rotors are?

Gorgeous Chevy truck interior – simply gorgeous

My favorite car of the show – all business

Check out that jeweled suicide knob! At least you can loose your thumb in style.

This Barracuda was jet black and easily one of the best cars there.

You could squeeze the flyer under here, that’s about it.

I like interior shots, especially this Corvette’s.

Millimeters off the ground - Daily Datsun

July 26, 2012

Datsun 240z and a laptop

How does a Datsun 240z and a laptop have anything to do with each other? Maybe if you’re Mitsubishi, who made both computers way back when* and cars, you’d be in the running. No no, there isn’t going to be any Nissan computers, but there is a link between the 240z and the Ampere WS-1 “knee-top” computer: Kumeo Tamura.

Kumeo Tamura is one of the industrial designers who penned the Datsun 240z… and apparently a laptop. To have such an iconic car under your belt is amazing enough, but then have the breath to stretch into tech space, well that’s pretty awesome. Read the original post here (thanks Oscar!): read more

*I remember my dad brought home a Mitsubishi computer a long long time ago in the 80’s.

July 21, 2012

Against All Odds

I remember first meeting my brother’s 4-door Datsun 510. 5-colors, a little bit of rust, heater on all the time, no power steering, had to start it in 2nd and it had the smell of musty foam with a thin veil of gasoline. A far cry from our Integra, all i could ask was, ‘why?’. I didn’t even want to take it around the block.

Shortly there after came understanding, then hours of work on the car, then appreciation, more hours of work on the car, and then finally realization that this was a fantastic car for so many reasons – independent suspension, great feeling of the road, period style, simple to work on, operate and maintain. And for many reasons, turned heads. :]

Then there’s this little documentary that threw it over the top. Titled Against All Odds, it accounts the Datsun 510’s Trans-Am race against it’s classmates from Alfa Romeo, BMW, Fiat, Volvo and other similar cars at the time. Driver John Morton and Peter Brock’s engineering team battle it out in an “attempt to make the transition from show room to victory lane in a single season… against all odds“. It’s great. And it’s on YouTube. Enjoy!

Against All Odds, 26mins

July 13, 2012

Z Owners of Nor Cal Annual Car Show – Brisbane Marina

Z Owners of Northern California (ZONC) are having their Annual Car Show at the Brisbane Marina on July 28th, 2012!

Wow, that first sentence just sums it all up. There’ll be plenty of 240Z, 260Z, 280Z, 350Z and 370Z cars you can shake a stick at, with a special section just for the older cars. Of course plenty of 510’s, Datsun Roadsters, G35 coupes and GT-Rs will also be there in full force. I won’t be entering in 280Z just yet (plus i don’t want to spend 5 hrs there), but I’ll certainly be there to check it out. Should be a blast to see what everyone’s done with their Z cars up close and personal.

For more information go to ZONC’s website: http://zonc.org/

For photos of last year’s event, check out Z-Car Garage’s page. Rob’s got a host of photos to gawk at.

July 3, 2012July 3, 2012

Spotted: White 260z 2+2

I spy with my little eye…

Ever experience getting a new car, and thinking, ‘wow, there just aren’t that many around’, then shortly after driving it off the lot, sure enough you’re seeing that car everywhere?

It’s always true that once you’ve begun to pay attention to a car, they seem to pop up. Of course if it’s a car you don’t mind looking at, that’s not quite a bad thing. Heading down the street, outta the corner of my eye, I managed to spot something about 200ft away:

See it? :] Here’s a close up:

haha! A white 260z 2+2!
Since then I’ve driven by a few times and noticed it hasn’t moved at all, so though it seems to have a decent exterior, it’s probably just parked there to stay. Maybe if i have time, i’ll inquire what it’s deal is.

June 25, 2012July 3, 2012

Spotted: White / Gray S30

Took the McKee on ramp to 101 this morning only to find a white S30 (240z or 260z) pull up behind me! A pleasant surprise! A quick wave to each other and we zoomed off in separate directions. I noticed as it turned onto McKee that it had a gray passenger front fender amongst it’s relatively all white body.