B-Sedan Racer: 1972 Datsun 510

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Cheap and nimble, Datsun’s 510 played the role of “poor man’s BMW” in the American market, competing with BMW’s nifty 2002 on show room floors and racetracks alike. The lightweight 510 sedan offered room for a family of four, a brilliant 1.8L overhead cam engine, crisp handling, and an independent rear suspension, the latter design exclusive to Corvettes among contemporary American cars. This 1972 Datsun 510 emerges after about 15 years of storage and an even longer retirement from racing in SCCA’s B-Sedan series. The seller has the appliance white two-door running and licensed, according to the listing here on eBay. At least two bidders have the Cypress, California classic’s market value over $10,000 in the auction’s final two days. Fun Fact:  two and four-door 510s share their wheelbase so you can convert a four-door to a two-door if you’re so inclined.

Stripped of anything not related to fast laps, the 510 bears only a passing resemblance to the stock 510 engine compartment. A focus on affordability capped B Sedan engine mods, but count on this one making at least 130 HP, a healthy bump from the stock 96 ponies. With a racing curb weight around one ton and sticky tires, the sprightly Datsun could frustrate more powerful and expensive cars. Mathematically to make a car twice as fast, you can either halve the weight or quadruple the power, granting lightweights an inherent advantage dollar for dollar.

It’s all business in the cockpit too, with an oversized tachometer front and center, grippy steering wheel, and deep racing seat. You can still enjoy Historic B Sedan racing or possibly make this racer street-legal in some states. We’ve all seen grossly perverted street cars, and this one’s roll cage lends confidence in the safety department. If vintage racing isn’t your bag, check out SCCA’s new B-spec series for today’s low-budget mites.

Check out the hood pin as a trunk latch. I’m going outside right now to add that mod to my wife’s car. Well, maybe later. Joking aside, let’s get this 510 back on the track. Eyeballing AFX cars as a youth, I chose a replica of Bob Sharp’s quintessential 510 over a similar Datsun Z, favoring the boxy sedan in racing trim. I’ve fancied a modified 510 daily driver for economy, raw simplicity, and a nimble driving experience. One high school friend’s gear-head Dad ran his beloved orange 510 until rust rendered it nearly see-through for these reasons.

Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) lent the 510 a sophisticated combination of ride and handling during a time when American RWD live axle cars came with either luxury sponge handling or harsh riding sportiness. Mid-corner bumps at speed in a live axle muscle car can produce a teeth-gritting sideways skip at the rear. Would you consider Datsun’s 510 as a practical classic driver?

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Comments

  1. bobhess bobhessMember

    Nice car. This car set up as a pure race car would take a lot of doing and money to put back on the street but would be more than welcomed by the many Vintage road race organizations in the country and abroad. In the late ’90s I spent a couple years racing a 510 in SCCA endurance races and really cleaned house and failed to win only once with a second place finish. Lots of power and nothing beat it in the corners.

    Like 12
  2. Howard A Howard AMember

    I had a friend with a 510, and I thought it was a miserable car. The B210 that replaced it was a much better car, if the ones that bought a 510 first, didn’t ruin it. On the track, however, specifically Road America, they literally dominated the class. Anyone with a 510 usually did pretty well. They outhandled any live axle car, and the motor withstood a lot. Some of these can hit 140+ on a long straight with I heard the front end getting light. Odd, probably the crummiest car for the street, but the best on a race track. If this car doesn’t thrill you, nothing will.

    Like 6
    • bobhess bobhessMember

      Notice the air dam on the front. It didn’t take long for the pros and weekend racers to find that it was needed to keep the car on the ground.

      Like 6
    • Rocco Russo

      I had a four-door and went through a couple of head gaskets and other things. This car taught me how to drive, drifting before drifting was a concept. Somewhere around 1984-85. It redlined high and I got it to 120 once, quite the tin box, however.

      Like 3
  3. John Alger

    My family owned several Datsuns during the 70’s starting with my 71 PL521 truck which I drove 22 years. My dad bought a 4 door 510 with dealer installed AC and an AMFM radio which was 4 speed, fun to drive, cheap on gas and reliable. My sister and brother both had 78 620 king cab pick ups and then my folks bought a 4 speed 810 with the 2400CC in line six. The 510 was one of the more fun and practical of all of them and I wish we had never traded it in on a UGH 76 Ford Granada. At least my mom got a Granada with a 302 and a floor mounted 3 speed stick along with 4 doors.
    I would like to find a nice 4 door 510 sedan as a daily driver but they seem to sell for stupid money today. I still have my cam chain spacer tool for pulling the head that I fabricated from a paint brush handle. lol

    Like 3
  4. Old greybeard

    Put antique plates in it and its street legal here in PA. Would be fun to run on State Forest roads! Or better yet the STPR rally. Neat car

    Like 2
    • bobhess bobhessMember

      If this engine is what I think it is you surly won’t be able to drive it on the street. It probably idles at 3,000 rpm and tops out at 8,000. It also requires at least 100 octane fuel.

      Like 6
    • RallyeMember

      It’s been many years since I’ve seen “STPR”! I remember when I said to myself “Those aren’t bushes, they’re tree tops!” on a stage in PA and I was in a 510.
      It was the same weekend as the rattlesnake festival.

      Like 1
  5. Roland

    I have to wonder if this type of vehicle – fast, light, and cheap, but well engineered, will come back as electric 3-wheelers. Technically motorcycles in most states, folks are starting to do interesting things with this configuration. I wonder what handling would be like with a single rear wheel with a high quality tire, good suspension, and good balance compared to what Datsun achieved in the early 1970’s.

    Like 0
    • Big C

      Surely, you jest?

      Like 5
  6. Mark Z

    I had a 72 510 in 1975, swapped the 4 speed with a 5 speed from a 200SX along with the seats. A Weber and a header made for a great little street daily driver.

    Like 4
  7. Joey MecMember

    In their day, the 510s could be ‘gotten for a song’! Good reliable, simple Japanese cars that were fun to drive. My girlfriend had one and it was a nice driver. I was a 2002 guy so I never had the need to to buy a 510. This one with those side draft Weber DCOE carbs is a track car. I never liked those carburetors for the street. They are designed for full-out output. The down draft Webers ( for me) were better for the street! Good memories of these!!

    Like 4
  8. David Peterson

    I was once sent out to appraise several cars for an estate. The one sitting under the back patio was a RHD 510 with a fastback roofline. No one wanted it at any price. Times do change, yes?

    Like 3
  9. Bill West

    AHH, the modified 510’s. They were something! Brings back memories of Bob Sharp Racing (who had Paul Newman as one of their drivers) and those killer BRE 510’s.

    Like 3
  10. Michael Freeman Michael Freeman

    Friends’ dad in 1972 was the southeast Datsun rep. Chuck’s dad kept getting these as company cars and altogether there were 6 of us that had one. When we were parked together we looked like Easter eggs. $2400 brand new with what they called factory air in 1972, 92hp which was down from 96 in 71, and a 4-spd. At 18 my first new car. The only engine available was a 1.6L which I dogged for 85,000 miles before I traded it off. Considering it was my daily car, I delivered newspapers in it and raced Solo II slalom in it every weekend it qualified as a pretty darn good car. All I ever did to it was tires, brakes and a clutch.

    Like 2
  11. Howard Horton

    The ads that pop up on this page just destroyed a half hour of writing on this topic. A huge picture of a “funny”( haha how original) cat left no room to write and eventually the message is now adrift in cyberspace. The gist of the message was why didn’t Honda and Toyota and Yugo (jk) have similar rwd offerings?

    Like 2
    • Michael Freeman Michael Freeman

      I don’t think Honda ever did except I’m not sure about the 600 they started with. Toyota had a rear drive Corolla, smaller with 2/3 the hp and a solid axle and the Corona Mark II with a 1.9L engine, also a solid rear axle neither of which handled very well but the Corona’s rode ok.

      Like 1
  12. Robin Rich

    Be still my beating heart. At the same time, I remember wanting to relive my faded youth with a Honda 305 Super Hawk and how my teenage passion gave way to my middle aged backside and the desire for sensible gear ratios. My 510 took a lot from me but gave me more in return. I think as an old man the trade off would go the other way, but still…

    Like 2
  13. Steve R

    Sold on 2/3/2025 with a high bid of $24,400, there were 22 bids amongst 12 bidders.

    Steve R

    Like 2

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