Modern Classic: 1962-'70 Datsun Roadsters

To qualify as "modern classics," we're choosing vehicles that are comparatively affordable now and that we think will increase in value over time. These are cars that many people would love to have: head-turners, trend-setters in their time, cars that people still see that make them smile, cars that were definitive in their own right, stylish and fun to drive. We're focusing on cars that are at least 25 years old so they can be registered and insured cheaply and aren't subject to annual inspections.


Tastes may vary, as may peoples' own definitions of "affordable." Our theoretical limit is $50,000 for a car in good to excellent condition, which rules out many of the traditional exotics. This month's selection is the Datsun Sports family.

First to Market
Nissan's celebrating its past and reprising Z-cars with a modern version, which calls to mind an earlier Datsun effort that caught the sportscar community by surprise. Datsun's chubby little fiberglass 1959-63 Fair Lady convertible was outdated by the time it appeared. But its successor was right on the money. At the 1961 Tokyo Motor Show, a prototype 1500 Sports (the SPL310) hinted at things to come. Some thought Datsun had simply copied the new MGB. Both cars were under development simultaneously, but Datsun actually beat MG to market: Production 1500s debuted first at the New York Auto Show in spring of '62 while road-going "Bs" didn't arrive until that fall.


Britain ruled the roadster class in those days, with solid, predictable offerings. Datsun followed suit with an equally conservative approach. The 1500 had a sturdy, box-section frame with a center crossmember, double A-arms and coils in front, a live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs and drum brakes all around. Its slab-sided body coincidentally resembled the MGB's, but the Briton's grille and deck were far more attractive than the Japanese car's fussier counterparts.

Sturdy & Stylish
Under its square-scooped hood, Datsun supplied a sturdy 71-bhp 1500-cc four, backed by a four-speed manual. The 1500 was all through at a decorous 95-mph, so a second SU-licensed Hitachi carburetor was soon added. More improvements followed: a 1596-cc, 95-bhp, 100-mph 1600 model (CSP311), then a five-main-bearing crankshaft, front disc brakes, an all-synchromesh gearbox and even more refinements in the later SP311.