Discovered hidden away in this shed in Chesterfield in the United Kingdom, is a Japanese car that is now a relative rarity on UK roads. It is a 1977 Datsun 180B Mk II, and while it is virtually complete, it will need some work if it is to grace our roads once again. The owner has dragged it out of hiding and has decided to list it for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached £1,060 in what is a No Reserve auction. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Richard M for spotting the dirty Datsun for us.

Once the owner dragged the Datsun out of hiding, it has been revealed to be an essentially complete vehicle. It is missing its bumpers, but any other parts that aren’t firmly attached to the car seem to be sitting in the trunk. Judging by the car’s overall state, I believe that it is probably a restoration project that stalled many years ago. When you consider the amount of oxidization visible in various locations around the car, it seems apparent that the shed where the Datsun has been stored is not climate controlled. However, this oxidization is the tip of the iceberg with the 180B. There is rust for the buyer to tackle, and it has impacted a few of the lower areas that are pretty common in these cars. We’re talking about the doors and the front fenders, but the rockers look surprisingly clean. There is a fair helping of filler in both rear quarter panels, but it isn’t in the areas generally associated with rust repairs. The owner supplies no information on the state of the floors, but the brief glimpse that we get of the inside of the trunk is quite encouraging. There is also rust visible in the cowl, and addressing this could be a significant undertaking.

One of the greatest strengths of cars like this 180B rests in the relatively bulletproof design of the engine. The 1,770cc L18 4-cylinder engine produced 86hp in its prime, and in this case, the power was fed to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission. This combination didn’t make the car a jet, but it could still cover the ¼ mile in 19 seconds. Longevity was this engine’s strong suit, and Datsun did an excellent job of ensuring that owners would get some incredible mileage out of these motors if they treated them with respect. They featured a dual row timing chain and double valve springs as standard. These components meant that the L18 could be taken well past its recommended redline with relative safety, and even when the timing chain has stretched until it rattles madly, they would rarely fail. I have seen these engines clock more than 200,000 miles, receiving nothing more than standard servicing and maintenance. It isn’t clear when this engine last ran or if it even turns freely. However, if it does turn, there’s a fair chance that it could be saved. Parts are easy to find and are relatively cheap. A rebuild won’t break the bank, and a competent person could perform the task in a home workshop. If the buyer isn’t too worried about keeping the car completely original, there is no shortage of off-the-shelf components that can be used to extract some impressive performance from these little fours. A mildly upgraded camshaft and a Weber carburetor can unleash a surprising amount of power in these motors, and they can still remain incredibly reliable and easy to live with.

The interior of a 180B is typical of many cars from this era in that it is a sea of plastic. You will never mistake it for a Rolls, but it does feature some faux woodgrain inserts in the dash. These are surprisingly comfortable cars for the price, with seats that offer decent support. Aimed mainly at growing families, a 180B can seat two adults and three children in relative comfort. It is hard to gauge the condition of this interior, but what we can see of the plastic looks encouraging. This isn’t that surprising because the plastic trim in Japanese-developed cars of this era tends to survive better in the UK climate than in many other countries. The driver’s door trim is not attached, but it may be there somewhere. Interior features include an effective heater, an AM/FM radio, two-speed wipers, and a ventilation system that can provide an excellent flow of fresh air on warmer days.

Potential buyers will need to decide whether this 1977 Datsun 180B Mk II represents a viable restoration project or whether its fate is to become a parts car. The 180B was viewed as affordable family transport when it was new, and it sold in respectable numbers. Time has taken a toll on those numbers, and they are now a relative rarity. According to the website How Many Left, there are now only seven examples of the 180B Mk II licensed on UK roads at last count. Does that number justify someone tackling the restoration of this vehicle, or has this one deteriorated beyond the point of no return?