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How much do drive your vintage Datsun???


mikec4193

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Hi Ratsun folks

 

I was just wondering how much you folks actually drive your old Datsuns???...Around here (upstate NY) Datsuns are as rare as hens teeth...I remember seeing an old 620 last year a couple of times but that was it...dont even see them at car shows either...I think Wayno on here still uses his old Datsun work truck as a work truck...

 

Do you guys get out and run them or are they more "Sunday" type drivers???

 

MikeC

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Usually 3 months of insurance in the summer encompassing a road trip to Canby up to Calgary and home. Probably 2,500 miles, though less the first few years and I don't take the most direct route. I might extend the insurance but I bicycle to work so maybe 3K a year, less usually. I've had the car 5 years and have put about 11K on it.

 

It's nice to drive it on a long road trip during my holidays and so I try to keep it in top running shape rather than 'good enough' and close enough to push it home.  

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1971 510 SW  Southern California                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Everyday also. Between Ojai, Ventura, Santa Barbara, sometimes LA.

   Have had it for over 30 years. Happy not to have lost it in the great fire :thumbup:

       Henry

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All my Datsuns have been daily drivers at some point since I have owned them except for the L320 and the U320.

The 67 Roadster was a daily driver for at least 5 years, I likely have put close to 60,000 miles on that car.

The 71 521 has been my work truck since around 95, I likely have put somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000 miles on that one if not more.

The 1966 520 is at daily driver status, but I have never taken it on a long trip before, I likely have only put a couple thousand miles on it since it was licensed for the road.

The 1969 Datsun 521 kingcab diesel has been on a few long trips, basically I got it on the road, got all the little shit working over a few month period, then I drove it to Los Angeles and back to Vancouver WA on it's first trip(2500 miles), I then drove it all the time over the next 5 years, it has been sitting a lot lately as it doesn't like to start when it is cold outside.

The 720 diesel was at daily driver status for 2/3 years but has been neglected since getting the 521 kingcab on the road, a lot of that time was spent trying to get it to run right turbocharged, well I finally succeeded and then turbocharged the 521 kingcab also, the 720 has been used as a backup work truck with a flatbed, but now that the 1971 Datsun 521 work truck has been updated with a new chassis, a dump bed, and a 1980 wiring harness the 720 will sit neglected again.

DSCN7793.jpg

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1967 RL411 SSS. 51 years old, I bought it as the dealer's demonstrator [so I consider that I am the original owner] and since I am now retired, and usually left the car in the long term parking lot of the Los Angeles International Airport while I was traveling on job related trips, I have a very low 160,000 miles on this 50 years of ownership.  I try to use it at least once a week for trips of 12 miles or less, but have gotten used to sleeping in !  I guess that means I have beaten the Japanese "standard" of 4000 miles a year .

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I daily drove my built not bought 71 510 two door, rocked that bitch all over California, Nevada, And a bit of Oregon. Had it for 16 years and just traded for a 71 510 four door that I will drive frequently but less than the two door, only because I have a crown vic to beat when the roads get shitty.

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When the grey 1200 was up and running I drove it as much as I could. I drove it to the Multi State Datsun Classic (Williams, AZ) 5 years in a row, about an 800 mile round trip. The green 1200 is more of a weekend driver, cars & coffee, grocery getter, etc.

 

The 510 wagon...time will tell. I would really like to daily it. Of course it need to get finished first.

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I got 12k miles on my 720 ive had for about 9 months now i was doing about 800 miles a week but now I am trying to not drive my 720 as much because I don't want it to blow up on me ( drive to work is 40 miles along hwy 1 at 80 mph) and I feel like it is meant to be a Sunday driver or a weekend vehicle.

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Keep full of water and oil and you'll never blow one up. Don't allow to over heat or will warp the head and/or blow head gasket.

 

Re torque the Z24 head bolts every 12 months on a cold engine. Don't loosen more than one bolt at a time and torque to 60 ft. lbs. It'll last forever.

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Lately I've been driving my 620 out of the garage about once a month so I can do other work in the garage. Though it doesn't actually make it to the street. It's just a project. Some day I may actually drive it to the store or somewhere (Datsun meet?).

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I've had my '74 B210 for almost 20 years. Was my daily driver for most of that time.

 

Last couple of years I take the bus to work (no place to park) so I don't drive so much.

 

Usually only comes out a couple of times a week now.

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Everyday.   

 

Actually a guy I race with, he has a 74 Duster, asked me why.  Like why do I drive a datto everyday.  I've never actually thought about the fact I could just buy a newer car.  There are lots of cheap drivers out there.  For a 1/4 the price of a decent 510 you could have a reliable good fuel efficiency car with AC and cruise control.  Then I drive one of those cars.... Yuck!  Nothing better then a 510 setup for autoX.   So much fun!!!  I would like to get something like the Tesla model 3 for a family car though haha :)  

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my 521 everyday about 44miles just to work + errons Since 2000 . Snow days have a cherokee

 

My RisingSun510 maybe on weekends,(right not haven't driven it since summer)

 

The Datsun thing is coming to a end for me

...what u mean hainz?
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