Meet one of the vehicles that helped the Japanese automakers to win over American consumers: the rugged and reliable Datsun 520.
When the Japanese automakers set out to conquer the U.S. car market in the ’50s and ’60s, they started on the West Coast, and in no small part they accomplished it with unimposing, compact pickups like the Datsun 520. The dinky trucks were nothing fancy, but they were economical, rugged and reliable, and fun to drive. Califonia’s tradesmen and business people adored their Japanese pickups, tossing off American preconceptions about cheap and flimsy Asian products. As the Japanese makers then steadily marched upmarket with solid products including the Datsun 510 and Toyota Corona Mark II, American consumers were ready and eager to embrace them.
First produced in 1965, the Datsun 520 was powered by the overhead-valve 1.3-liter J13 engine that had its roots in the BMC B-Series engine from England, and it was good for 67 hp. (Left-hand drive models sold in the USA were designated L520.) In typical Datsun fashion, the product was continually improved. In preparing this little feature, we encountered this discrepancy: The truck in the commercial spot below is clearly identified by the announcer as a 1967 model, yet it has two headlamps rather than four. In Datsun lore, the 520 was upgraded to the four-lamp style for ’67, so what gives? Near as we can sort out, a running change was made on the international export models early in the ’67 model year. If any of our Datsun experts out there can help us nail that down, please chime in. Meantime, check out the video.
My brother had a ’67 L520 with dual headlamps but the motor manuals always showed quad headlamps. So that’s what it was.
A neighbour had one of these new. Rode like a dray and was gutless then.
I have since traded 2 of them and they were worse!!
The first one that was ok was the 720, around 1980. Hilux too around then was the first decent one. Even then bare bones transport but fairly tough.
The 510,, or Datsun1600 in 68 as they were here too were the first decent thing they sold.
Is Datsun pronounced “Dot-sun” or Dat-sun”, the 2nd spelling with the letter “A” to rhyme with “Rat-sun”? I live in the South, and we are notorious for butchering our pronunciations and spelling.
Inquiring minds would like to know. My Uncle Bob had one of these little ’60s Datsun pickups. He was employed as a Honda Motorcycle Assembler at a local shop, and he loved this little truck. Perhaps his exposure to working with Honda products helped him to accept the different engineering approaches used by the Japanese.