1974 DATSUN 140J GL
NAME: ALEX MILLAR // AGE: 19 LOCATION: CHRISTCHURCH // OCCUPATION: APPRENTICE SPRAY PAINTER
NZPerformanceCar : Hi, Alex. Tell us, how did you get into cars and what was your first?
Alex: Hey, guys. I’ve been into cars ever since I can remember — I have photos of me in nappies playing with toy cars, and I started racing go-karts at five. My dad always had some sort of project on the go when I was young, so it was just bred into me, I guess. My first car was a 1961 Mk1 Mini project that I built up and drove a couple times, but [I] let it go, as it had no body tags and some rust, so I lost interest.
And how did you end up with the Datto?
I was about 13 years old when my cousin purchased it off a lady named Lucinda Randal (most people in Christchurch know this car as her old one). As a kid, I always told my cousin, “If you ever want to sell it, I’ll buy it from you.” He unfortunately went up the back of another car on the way to work, and messaged me asking if I was still keen to buy it. There was no doubt in my mind. I bought it and got to work fixing her, bit by bit — the whole front end got bare metalled, with new radiator support, new radiator, new grille, new bumper, etc. I spent hours panel beating and getting her ready for a coat of paint.
Now that’s a labour of love. What’s it like as a daily-driver?
Daily driving a ’70s-era car riding on bump stops, with a drive shaft that hits the tunnel, a crappy heater, and no power steering is an interesting time, to say the least — but so much fun.
Like the good ol’ days. Is there anything else you’re wanting to do to it in future?
For now, I’m just enjoying driving the car as much as I can until the funds become a bit more favourable. One day in the near future, I want to engine-swap it with something with a few more ponies. I always want to go lower, with a bit more dish on the SSRs, and maybe a colour change, too, but we’ll see how it goes.
Cheers for the yarn, Alex.