1972 DATSUN 1600 DELUXE SEDAN P510

JEFF HUGHES

I CAN TRACE the history of this car back to Wayne Davis, who bought it as a project and installed an L16 SSS motor with twin 38mm Hitachis, a Stanza SSS dogleg 5-speed and a set of 200B SX turbine alloys.

Wayne had a few other projects on the go, so when he decided to sell in 2005, my colleague Don Plush bought it and treated it to a WRC blue respray, reflecting both his love of Datsuns and his love of WRXs.

Don moved to Queensland for work in 2013, so I offered to store the car in my shed, but it grew on me and eventually I convinced him to sell.

The paint started to go off on the bonnet and along the swage lines, so I had Andrew at Auto Transformers sort it out, adding a cool black stripe down the sides. I also added the Pete Brock-designed BRE front spoiler and Watanabe alloy wheels at that time.

The interior was already done, including the C210 Skyline steering wheel, however I added a custom centre console made by Hot Wheels Datsun Wagon guy Adam Burke at AJ Trim; apparently it was the first thing he ever made!

Future plans include giving the L16 a freshen up and having the engine bay resprayed as it’s still ‘Honey Brown’ under there. Other than that, I’m keen to keep it as is. I’ve previously owned two different SR20-powered GTi-R Pulsars, so the gofast bug is now out of my system.