Against All Odds Nissan Datsun 1600 / 510 BRE Racing John Morton, Mike Downs, Peter Brock and Kwech in the Alfa. Datsun verse Fiat, Volvo, Alfa Romeo, BMW. Sports car club of America 2.5 Trans America challenge.
In 1978, I owned a 1971 510 sedan. Bought it for $600. Put in the swaybar kit and good tires. It was a lot of fun. The engine was real tough. I once had to drive it for 15 miles with a broken water pump. Didn't even phase it. I should have never sold it.
Datsun runs deep in our family. My father worked for the local Datsun dealership in the early 70's. Then in 76 opened a shop specializing in Datsuns and Toyota's. I also had 2 uncle's that had Datsun repair shops. So 3 total in the family. There were lots of 510 in the family. I grew up in the backseat of a sss 510. My first car was a 63 Datsun 1200 and currently have a 68 SRL311. Thanks for posting this video it brings back good memories. Do it in a Datsun...
Would love to meet the 8 goobers who gave this amazing video a thumbs down. One would be the idiot who almost got picked off strolling across pit row at Laguna and the other 7 from the Alpha team?
I will never get tired of Datsuns. I daily drive a 76 280z 2+2 and the L series engine just sings. It's not a lot of horsepower in today's world but the experience of driving a vintage Datsun is special.
Such an iconic brand . So sad that its now struggling under Renault management. They made some of their best cars in the nineties and its ironic that they went bankrupt by 1999 resulting in the Renault takeover . I would take a 90s nissan over any japanese rival.
The 510 was designed specifically around the concept of the highest power to weight ratio possible. Believing light weight meant poor quality was a common misconception, when in fact, it's what makes this car perform as well as it does. Returning WWII airplane mechanics knew, the lighter it is the faster it goes. The 510 also has 50/50 weight distribution, a very low center of gravity, and semi trailing arm independent rear suspension that keeps the rear tires planted in hard corners. This allowed it to accelerate out of corners much earlier than the Alfa and the BMW. Set up right, once you hit the apex of a corner, you can loosen your grip on the steering wheel, hit the gas, engine mport
Datsun510zen The way you describe the to pick your line and nail the Gas and being launched out of the Apex, is exactly the way my Fiesta ST handles. 197 hp & 202 ft pound of torque at 2700 pounds, with a Close ratio 6 speed. I had a 1972 510 in 1972. I got to see the Riverside raceway race.
We had a 1973 Datsun 610, when I was just beginning to drive, back in the '70's. It was bigger and heavier than the 510 (2500lbs), but had the same great independent suspension as the 510. It handled great! I wasn't aware at the time, but 610's were used for racing, after they quit making the 510. Everyone hated to see the legendary Datsun 510 go, so a few years later, Nissan brought it back, but unfortunately, it was a Datsun 510 in name only. If I remember correctly, it didn't have the independent rear suspension, which was key to a Datsun 510 actually being a Datsun 510!
such a nice 'blast from the past'>i was just a kid during this time and my older folks used to praise these Datsun SSS..they called it 'king of the road'.
Love the sound of those 510's!! Carbs just gave the racing cars of those days a great sound! It would take ITB's to get a car to sound like that today. Also, this race series and this particular season signified the changing of the guard from European to Japanese cars in small car performance in my opinion. Mazda would really drive it home with the RX-7 in the eighties and their multiple back to back IMSA GTU championships.
Zupprezed dude the factory rally cars that won the east african safari in 70 are 4 door cars. A 2 door rally car is stupid, you can't get to your tools very quickly, and when you need to change a flat in the middle of a stage that is big frickin deal. seconds are miles.
also, a wagon rally car? That is the size of a 240z with none of the handling or power, which if you are going to race a car that big get a z. They have a even better rally history, and they are very stable at high speed but not great on tight stages which is why I want a 4 door 510.
Such an incredible video. Every time I watch it seems to be my first time. That was real drivers and real racing for sure ! Definitely love John Morton's way of thinking, I guess you're my hero haha. I only own an old '84 Golf GTi that makes me happy everytime I drive it but owning a 510/Z432/KPGC10 is an ultimate goal for me. One day...
It's now 2023 and I just watched this for the first time. Absolutely fantastic film. Enjoyed every minute of it. I had to laugh when the Italian manufacturer (Alfa) was found to be cheating! Really, Italian manufacturer cheating in motor racing, no.......that never happens!🤣😂🤣😂
What a great era John Morton/Peter Brock and BRE/Datsun created. I was too young to drive. Yes, I built the 46/240Z model, of course. I'm not entirely sure how I came to know of the BRE Datsuns. I'm guessing maybe from automotive magazine covers way back then. Such an iconic livery.
Fantastic video!! Datsun 510s are so underrated. I'm looking for one in that I can enter in antique races. It's hard to believe that the 510s where even beating Ford Escorts in the video!!
I've been hoping someone would post this film--known of it, but never saw it before. Many thanks! Love the Mini and Anglia and Escort and Saab running as backmarkers, LOL.
Tomorrow I will finally receive my recently passed out dad's old Datsun Bluebird '68, shame it is the older chassis but it is in top shape and should run smoothly, just need to do an brake operarion and then take it for the spin. Bluebirds, what an great cars, keep up the good work at racing tracks o/
When they mentioned the Alfa team cheating with a larger fuel tank.....it brought back memories. In the mid 90s I remember reading about this race in Sport Compact Car magazine. That was when I had my '81 510(wished it was a '68-'73).
I wish tv was still like this. Very inspirational... And some day i want to buy and build a 240 or 510 i just need to decide what to get and i need to get older im only 18
I first saw this as a 16mm film about 1981 when our 510 club borrowed it from Nissan. During the 80s, I got permission from Nissan to make VHS copies for 510 owners.
What? I'm not butthurt? Just simply said I enjoy the 510's looks more then the 2002. Race records show that 15 out of 21 races were won by the 510 over the 2002. Also, just because he was inspired by the 2002 doesn't make it an imitation. This coming from a 2002 fan as well. I enjoy both cars, but saying the 510 is an imitation is asinine.
my father had 1 of these during the gas shortage of the 1970's I think not sure but i remeber it well it was a 1968 510 and it was a ugly little car and it need a paint job my Father bought 1 case of rust kill spray paint from Ace Hardware Store and painted it flat black I learned to drive stick shift with this car itr was a 4 cylinder with a 4 speed cool little car back in 1981 my Father sold it real cheap to a Nieghbor Lady who desparetly needed a car it was a play thing for us but to her it saved her and her family !
Competed with a 1970 510 from 1975 to 1978 on a 1.6 mile circuit track at AMP near Halifax NS Canada. Tight track with eleven corners .Great experience 1600 Bottom end , flat tops & Twin 45 doc Webbers. 1800 top end shaved 55 000 .Cam that gave power between four & eight thousand .4/11 locked ear end . Ran 10.5 inch slicks from a formula Atlantic .Comp front struts & lowered rear suspension Cross member was .5" off ground with 10.5 slicks .Ran twin brake cylinders with proportional valve for brake bias control Wow it was fun
what model of alpha where they talking about here ? the volvo they used was it a 240DL and the Fiat was it a 500 ? The BmW was it a early m series hell in no car guy Im guessing here any help from real mechanics out there? Pls advise?
Nissan is reviving the datsun brand.The decision to change the name Datsun to Nissan in the U.S. was announced in the fall of 1981.I can still remember when they made the transition some cars had datsun and nissan name plates on them.Lol I knew my comment would get some reaction.Sorry No offense dude.
Literally the EXACT response I would expect from a 510 fan. I don't see what's so controversial about it. Yutaka Katayama (Datsun's President during the time) admitted that the 510 was "inspired" by the 1966-67 2002's and the 1602's. Granted, I was pissed off by a 510 Fanboy some time ago because he kept posting shit on 2002 vids. So, I was merely returning the favor. Apologies for any butthurt I may have caused. Have a pleasant day.
Wow, everyone got pissed since the last time I was on here! I even got called a cunt! Very creative insult, almost as creative as the 510... When you think about it, the odds were actually pretty well stacked in the 510's favor, far more so than the Alfa had with the bigger tank. The 510s had straight sixes under the hood while the 02s and alfas had their stock configuration 4's. The 510 weighed less because the sheet metal was so thin and flimsy, a rusty beer can had more structural integrity. Not to mention they had full factory backing. Maybe some things I said last year were unnecessary, but that being said, I drive my 02 every day. I have never seen a 510 on the road, only in the junkyard. I just wanted to throw in my final 2 cents. Don't bother wearing out your keyboard either, I have no interest in this video anymore. To me, and to many other gear heads, the 2002 will always be the best of the sports sedans. Enjoy your 510's.
510's didn't come with a straight six. BRE never ran one with a straight six I believe. I drive my 510 28 miles a day, every day, up and down a twisty hill to and from work. I am enjoying my 510 thank you.
haha 510s had a straight six?? Try a 1.6 liter 4 cylinder. You dont even know what your talking about, no wonder everyone laughed at you last time you replied, but thanks for coming back and continuing to embarrass yourself for all of our amusement.
+NITROUSINJECTEDFISHY One word to describe this little fish, troll, but a successful troll cuz he managed to hook you guys. Everyone knows the 510 is the undisputed OG Japanese tuner car, even him. Guy's probably a Chevy fanboy mullet head driving a 93 Camaro. Of course he's a hater.
I will always remember when I was 16yrs old driving my 510 around Long Beach and always these nerdy looking old guys would try to get me to sell it to them. I never did and it was my only car for the next 16 years untill it was crashed by a girl. Don't let women drive Datsun's!
I'd prefer a BMW 2002TI, Ford Lotus Cortina, Ford Escort RS1600, or an Alfa Romeo GTV over a 510. I'm not really sure why. I think it's mainly because the 510 is an imitation of a BMW 1602.