DATSUN 1600

SUSPENSION & BRAKES

If a Datsun doesn’t handle don’t buy it. Unless a car has sat in the corner and been forgotten for a long time the springs and shocks should be in reasonable shape with perhaps some clapped bushings and tie-rod ends to amuse the home mechanic. Standard 1600s use recirculating ball steering which may feel vague if you’ve stepped out of a rack and pinion car. Serious wear is cause for concern so check the steering box isn’t moving on its mounts and if there is more than 50mm of play at the steering wheel. Conversion to a rack is possible but tricky and needs engineering approval. 180B style brake boosters can be adapted; new discs, calipers and brake hoses are all available. Parts needed for a rear disc-brake conversion cost $1300-2000 plus installation.

INTERIOR & ELECTRICS

The original Nissan seats owe a lot to the design parameters of a park bench. If the original buckets are gone don’t worry or if they are there but beyond redemption (and the rest of the car isn’t totally authentic) then just replace them. Original seat frames break and the foam padding has likely turned to dust. Dash cracks are endemic and the only remedy may be recovering by a motor trimmer. A US supplier is offering reproduction dash pads which might be suitable for RHD cars but check before ordering. Window mechanisms jam with age so make sure they all work. Some owners have adapted Hyundai blowers as a replacement for the inadequate Nissan heater fan.