Most will remember Datsun’s 510, a pretty common sight in the early ’70s. It was an important car for Nissan as it ushered in their, “We’re here and we’re not going away” moment in America. Nissan exported cars to the U.S. prior to the 510’s 1968 arrival, but now, they were building volume. The 510 was actually an offshoot of Nissan’s very popular Datsun Bluebird series and there were higher-performance versions produced known as the “SSS”. You’ve probably never encountered one as they were Japanese market-only cars. Well, today, we have one for your consideration and it’s in sharp shape. Calling Pomona, California home, this unusual Datsun is available, here on craigslist for $70,000.
The listing states, “Rare one year only 1971 1800 bluebird SSS” but in reality, there was an 1800 Bluebird SSS produced in ’70 too but those two years appear to be the only ones where an 1800 CC version was offered – all other SSS designated cars made do with a smaller 1600 CC powerplant. Our subject car is in possession of a dual carburetor fed, 113 HP, 1800 CC in-line, four-cylinder engine that makes its rear-wheel drive connection via a four-speed manual transmission. Not said is how this rarity operates though if the 42K mile recording is accurate, it should still be lively.
The exterior shows well though the seller mentions that this Bluebird was originally a “Greenbird” and the color was later changed to white. It has spent most of its life on the other side of the Pacific but it must have been stored well and driven carefully – it looks great! Images of ’71 SSS models that I could surface show steel wheels with full wheelcovers so I would imagine that the vintage eight-spoke alloys are a more recent addition. Finally, note the Japanese required exterior mirrors, perched near the front edge of the fenders. I have never driven a car so equipped and I wonder how much of a difference it makes, say performing lane maneuvers with that forward position.
The right-hand drive interior is stated as being original and the center console is identified as being “rare”. It’s all in fine shape with no indication of rips or obvious wear. I’m hard-pressed to find an issue with the seats, carpet, dash, door panels, or headliner. The interior environment has a typical 1971 vibe to it.
OK, so this isn’t a barn find, but not everything that we present is. However, this 510 Bluebird SSS is most definitely a seldomly encountered car and I always am amazed at what turns up, from well-established manufacturers, that we here in the States either didn’t know about or had no opportunity to drive or own. Yeah, $70,000 is a big number – maybe too big but if you’re looking for rarity, you’ll likely be the only one in town to own one, right?
Jim, for me those mirrors perched ‘way out on the fenders were more of an adjustment than anything else on (or in) an RHD car. I’m sure one gets used to them in time.
Neat car, but at 70 Large, it’d be too expensive to drive, and far too expensive to restore and show off in a collection. A 510 fanatic might disagree with me on that.
Given that it’s on Craigslist, it may be that the seller really doesn’t want to part with it. If he was really hot to let it go, he’d do better on Bring a Trailer, no?
Driving CDL, we have mirrors out on the fenders. I’ve come to rely on those more than the traditional ones while driving. Different type of vehicle but I get the concept.
JDM mirrors are toward the front of the fenders because regulations required them to be visible through the portion of the windshield swept by the wipers.
As has been said…rare does not translate into desirable.
This is an interesting piece. Interesting to read about, to those of us who saw Datsun’s rise and then slow fall into irrelevance. But not $70k interesting.
This is apparently a performance car, or “sporty,” given the JDM of the time. No doubt it was. For an American driver, sitting on the right side of the car…all the muscle-memory calculations of when you’re clear, when you can mash the pedal, what to look for as you glance in mirrors…won’t be there.
As a kid, decades ago, I drove an old Postal truck a couple of winters. I had no problem with RHD. What I didn’t realize was, part of the reason for no-problems, was, I could see over the roofs of the econoboxes that were the norm in those years.
Later I had to drive a RHD car a short ways. A Jeep Cherokee, special-ordered with RHD for postal part-timers who had to supply their own cars. Jeep used to indulge such buyers.
The Cherokee was lower and other traffic taller, and I couldn’t DO it. Just passing or lane-changing was, at moments, moving blind.
There’s nothing to do with this one. Convert it to LHD, it’s no longer genuine and unmolested. Drive it in cold weather in the North, and it will dissolve into iron oxide in two winters. Good luck ordering parts.
It will take a special buyer with a purpose in mind, to find it worth digging so deep.
Being a California native this is all wrong. Just think of all the very interesting cars you could by for 70 large, and be PROUD to drive and own.
I remember in the ’60s when all the cool people who drove sporty foreign cars had Talbot mirrors out on the front fenders.
Too nice to rally 😮😒
One used to be able to buy 55,000 mile(or less) used Japanese engines down at the docks in Portland. They advertised them in the Nickel Ads weekly. The 1800 SSS was the hot ticket for a little while. With carbs and exhaust manifold still on, no alternator, it cost $279, circa 1980. We thought that was crazy expensive. The 1600 SSS cost less, and a regular L16 with single carb was around $150. Those dual SU’s (okay, Hitachis) sure look cool. I was a 510 nut as a kid and the Coupe was only a heard about rumor, like there might be one down in SoCal. Sedans and wagons were all we got stateside. I hunted them down and people would sell them cheap or give them to me. On a routine car hunt we spotted a couple Edsels at a farm once we stopped to investigate. The 510 I was driving came up and the farmer ended up giving me the titles to four 510’s and told me I could retrieve them from a creek bank a few miles up the road. I got that four, and others, and before long I had 12 510’s. I was a junior in high school. Thank God we had some property and I could hide them from my mom, or at least out of sight from the house.
70 large is a lot for a fragile sheet metal origami box, even this ultra rare body style
Gee, if only there were any cars you could buy for a fraction of the $70 large that would be more interesting and fun.
A neighbor had one of these that he imported years ago. It was always covered. While he was outside doing yardwork, I finally got to ask him about it. I only have a slight interest in vintage Japanese cars, but it’s neat to have someone do a show & tell of something really special.
Funny how an economy car can suddenly become anything but economical.
I had 2 510’s. They were fun cars but no amount of maintenance prevented them from disintegrating.
They would start rusting with a heavy dew, let alone a Canadian winter.