Small trucks are slowly trying to make a resurgence again, very, very slowly. But, they’ll never be as small as this 1963 Datsun 320 pickup again, or I can’t imagine that will ever happen. The seller has this one listed here on eBay in Leavenworth, Kansas and there is an unmet opening bid price of $3,600 and no reserve after that. Thanks to Larry D for sending in this tip!
Even as “small” as any new small truck might seem when it’s parked next to a hulking four-door 4×4 pickup that a good percentage of drivers commute with today, they still have to be bigger than this Datsun 320 in order to fit all of the required safety systems and everything else that modern drivers both want and need today.
I love small trucks, I have one that’s about a foot longer than this one. My 1980 Dodge D-50 Sport pickup is small, or I thought it was before I found out that this Datsun’s 97-inch wheelbase is a foot shorter than the one on my truck. Here’s a composite photo of both of them for a comparison, which is basically meaningless now that I think about it.
The Datsun 320 pickup was made for a handful of years, between 1961 to 1965 and it came between the rarely-seen 220 – the truck that introduced Datsun to the US market – and the Datsun 520. You can see that this example needs work, or not, depending on whether a person just wanted a small and interesting truck for light hauling duties or a trailer queen.
The interior houses a Datsun 520 seat which is a couple of inches wider than a 320 seat so the seller modified a few things to get it to fit. It’s basically sitting in there due to 9.8 M/S2 (gravity) and there is a lot of work to do inside other than the seat. But, this is a running and driving truck with a 4-speed manual column shifter. It’s a truck that you can use as you bring it back to maybe a bit more closely as to how it might have been from the factory. Again, if that’s not your bag, that’s cool. We can all do what we want to do with our vehicles.
The engine is, or was, Datsun’s 1.2L E-1, an inline-four with around 60 horsepower. The seller says that the one in there now is an Mk4 E-1. The list on the “good” side of things is pretty encouraging that this 320 pickup is ready to go for the most part and is usable right now. Any thoughts on this one?
Never seen one before. Belongs in a museum.
These were basically a truck version of the Datsun Bluebird sedan. They have the same front end.
There’s an unusual dual cab for sale in Australia at the moment ( not mine ).
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/1963-datsun-pickup-u320-manual-dual-cab/SSE-AD-11821402/?Cr=0
Man, I love utes! I want a Valiant version like on Crocodile Dundee, it from of the bar. 340, 4 speed. Perfect little caruck.
Where’s the gearshift? I see a hole in the floor, but no shifter.
It’s a column shift 4 speed. I got a ride in one while hitching from MO to AZ in the ’60s on Rt 66. The guy never passed a hitcher and we had a truckload by the time we got to Tucson. Never forgot that 4 on the tree! Ahh, to be young again…
This one has to be the least rusty originals in existence. I had 2 of the next version in the day for my lawn care service. It’s a great price and would love to have it!
What do you mean “making a resurgence”? Did they ever “go away”?
I think he’s saying that there’s been little interest in small trucks for quite a while.
I had a 520, it was awful. No power, rode like there was no suspension at all. Somebody prior to me had put a van porthole in the roof and it leaked terribly. Oh, I forgot, the heater would not keep up with sub zero temps that used to be more common here in Vermont. But. I drove it for two years, just a glutton for punishment.
I had a friend who was about 6’ 3” who crammed himself into a ‘64 Datsun and made a 70 mile commute every day- for about 30 years. No thanks.
I bought a ‘64 as well but it rode so harshly that I couldn’t bear to drive it.
They are very durable, and have a high coolness factor in my opinion. I just can’t use one for anything but a static display.
My first car was one of these (but the special NL320 Sport Truck with unibody bed and pointed tail lights – google it). I got it for $500 in Fresno, CA and drove it home to the coastal town of Morro Bay at the tender age of 15 with no driver’s license. I loved that truck and drove it for a couple of years until I was offered to trade it for a ’59 Porsche 356A Convertible D! I couldn’t say no, and still have the Porsche to this day-
The deal of the century, you lucky dog!
When I was in high school,we had a student teacher,
Jim Wyatt who had a new 240Z,as well as one of these.He
called it the “Ugly Duckling”.
Wonder where he (and the truck) are now?
Used to be one of those in Crestwood ky that sat at apartment complex in 80s,never inquired about , one day it was gone.
That’s a very original looking D-50 with those small white wall tires. This 320 reminds me of a Ute just because the front end from the cab forward looks more like a Volvo than a truck. I have a similar cap like the one on this D-50 pictured here on an 86 Mazda B2000 Cab Plus except the side windows look 2″ higher and 2″ longer on mine.
What a homely vehicle. I love it!!!
I’m now an old man and consequently repeat myself regularly, so I will apologize in advance. My Father as a supplement to our small income would buy damaged-in-transit cars and trucks, bring them home and fix them for sale. Until the NHTS Act, transit companies were required by contract to buy every car that sustained damage – any damage. From striking bridges to having glue mistakenly sprayed, if it could be driven, Dad bid on it. Well, when KAT started bringing SAAB, Toyopets and Bluebirds and Sunbeams and Hillmans, we had these unusual cars to sell. He was bringing several when he was pulled over by the Montana Highway Patrol for having his bright lights without dimming. Dad and the cop went over that truck (like the one pictured) without finding anything to dim the lights. Remember, in those days the dimmer was on the floor. He couldn’t dim the lights until he called the nearest Datsun dealer – Portland 400 miles away. The next day. That same trip we learned of putting oil in the gas of the two stroke SAAB, just like my Yamaha Enduro. I had a lot of fun going with Dad everywhere to do Dealer Drive or bid on wrecks. To his credit, he documented the repairs with his camera to show to the buyers so they could decide if the savings was worthwhile. Now, when I see these first Gen imports I cannot help but smile and think of those two large men trying to find the switch.
That is a pretty cool old truck, and in remarkable condition, all things considered. I had a 79 620 King Cab 5 speed with an aftermarket AC under the passenger side of the dash, needless to say you could use the truck as a meat locker. I towed countless numbers of cars using a car dolly, loaded and overloaded it, abused the crap out of it and it never failed me. To this day it still amazes me that it was so dependable. I finally got rid of it when the rust got out way of control. The bedsides were shot, the cab mounts were gone, the seats were about to fall through the floor, etc. Loved that old truck!
Scotty, your D-50 looks exactly like my dear departed father’s, right down to the camper shell! He drove the heck out of that thing visiting family from Arkansas to OK, CA and AZ, before he sold it with 150k+ miles! Just the sight of that pic made me choke up, but it’s all good! Thanks so much for the memories!
glad to see Scotty back to the ‘small’ or ‘unusual’. Got both here~
“…meaningless now that I think about it.”
Just put a av szed person nxt to them for scale / eye.
I’d daily this…
Auction update: this truck sold for $5,702.
Scotty, both the feature truck & your D50 are cool trucks. I had a friend who had a D50, same orange but no stripes or cap, his was 4×4. I didn’t fit in it at the time lol. I probably would now, but I still wouldn’t be comfortable lol.
I would love to drive the feature vehicle, just because I never drove a 4 on the tree lol.