We don’t normally think of 1980s Japanese cars as being barn finds, but this 1982 Datsun 200SX is just that. This dusty Datsun can be found here on eBay and it’s located in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. There is no reserve and a handful of bidders have thrown $500+ at it so far. The Datsun 200SX was known as the Nissan Silvia in most parts of the world, or the Datsun Sakura in Mexico.
Those of you who have been commenting that there aren’t enough actual barn finds here lately, here ya go. No, it isn’t a Hemi Cuda or a Chevelle SS but it’s an actual barn find. Here’s a photo of the barn where the owners found it when they bought a house recently. The owner says, “This is literally a barn find in that when we purchased our home this was in the barn. I have the title and the key and in 1996 when it was put in the barn it drove great…. that is all I know, sorry.”
The interior looks like it’s seen better days, which it has because it’s been in this barn since 1996. I can’t imagine that these seats will clean up to look like new again, but I could be wrong. It’s rarely good to speculate unless it’s on penny stocks (kidding), but I would have to believe that there have been some rodents living in that barn so I’d prepare for the worst in that regard.
This engine doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would after sitting in that barn for a couple of decades. I hope that things haven’t been chewed on too much or the wiring hasn’t been messed with. This is Nissan’s Z22E, a fuel-injected 2.2L inline-four with just over 100 hp. With only two exterior photos who knows what condition the body is in. It looks like the left-front fender is dented in the first photo but as long as there isn’t a lot of rust it could be saved, maybe. Any thoughts on this dusty Datsun 200SX?
I see a future drift car, it’s probably not worth restoring since there appears to be some rust. The drifters are always on the lookout for cheap RWD manual transmission imports and 240sx’s are getting hard to find, it’s reached a point around here that 1980’s-90’s 3 series BMW’s have become the most common drift cars.
Steve R
Yes, it’s true, no one normally thinks of 1980s Japanese cars as barn finds because they are too busy posting every freaking Grand National in the country on barn finds! LOL
I can’t tell if this is the fastback model or coupe. I got one with a slush box as a company car when they came out.
Nice little car but could get out of it’s own way. I wish it would had three pedals instead of two.
An employee rolled it coming back from the car wash.
I couldn’t tell if it had a hatch or trunk either until I looked at the listing on ebay. It’s a hatch.
With the right amount of work, it’ll go 125. We race a later model one that came with a 1.6L engine. yes the image is a 200sx…minor mods. HAHA
My Grandmother bought one new, a hatchback. I remember a couple of things about it. The AC was ICE cold, the louvers on the hatch made alot of noise, and you couldn’t kill it. She sold it to my Uncle, he drove it forever, and then sold it to someone else. Who knows where it went after that.
“When it was put in the barn it drove great”………..WHY the heck was it then put in the barn????????
I had an 81 trunk model that my sister bought new in 81 (funny how that works!) I bought it from her in 88. Great car. She really wanted that 200, could have bought a 280 but noooooo…… She paid 10,001.00 out the door for that car….that was a lot of money in 81.