Sometimes, I wonder if people just drive their cars right off the showroom floor, into a time portal, and materialize in the present day. I spotted this Datsun Sunny (aka second-gen 210) being driven by an older couple, who undoubtedly are the original owners. If this were a Datsun Cherry, I’d say it was a peach but… well, I can’t think of a pun for this Datsun.
I sometimes forget this generation of Sunny exists but can you blame me? These followed the memorable 120Y (B-210 to North Americans) which, while noisy and ugly, was certainly distinctive. Datsun’s design language in the early 1970s was bold and brash but was toned down as the decade drew to a close. This left the early/mid-1970s as a rather anomalous chapter in a company history largely typified by conservative designs like this Sunny. Fortunately, this wagon has a little flair – ironically, more than the preceding generation’s wagon – but the same can’t be sad for the derivative sedan.
While this generation of Sunny built on its predecessor’s success in markets such as the US and UK, the Aussie Sunny was even more forgettable because of its interim status. The 120Y had been locally assembled but had been replaced with the Stanza, an Aussie-built version of the larger Auster/Violet/510. It proved to be a disappointing seller, in stark contrast with the larger 180B (610/Bluebird) and later 200B (810/Bluebird). So, Datsun introduced the Sunny to field another compact entry. It could never achieve the success of the 120Y, but that was also because it was hamstrung by import quotas.
These were a further refinement of the 120Y, with numerous enhancements like coil springs for the rear suspension (instead of leaf springs) and more powerful engines. Despite the Sunny name’s decades-long usage in Japan (and it’s recent resurfacing in China and India), this was the only generation so named in Australia. During its run, Datsun began importing the similarly-sized Pulsar (310) and that name ended up continuing into the 21st century. So too did the Pulsar’s front-wheel-drive layout, leaving the Sunny as the last rear-wheel-drive small car by Nissan.
This elderly couple’s Sunny has outlived the Pulsar nameplate in Australia, which has been discontinued once again. I wonder how long these folks will keep driving their little Datto. And I wonder if it’ll ever visibly age.
Related Reading:
Curbside Classic: The Humble But Well-Travelled Datsun 210
CC Classic: 1980 Datsun 210 Sunny – The Curbside Classic Manifesto
I had that same experience of spotting a car that looked like it had passed through a time portal from 30-something years ago to the present last year. And with a pretty similar car, too — a first generation Nissan Sentra that appeared to be in like-new condition. I wondered if someone had actually gone through the trouble of restoring one. But it was parked in front of a retirement home, so it is a possibility that it belonged to a little old lady who hardly ever drove it.
A playful reference on the Datsun Sunny? I’ll bet nobody else’s mind jumps to the obscure Gershwin song from the 20s “A Sunny Disposish.”
The lyrics even sort of go along with a car like this, such as “A sunny disposish will always see you through” and “life can be delish with a sunny disposish.”
Maybe there’s a reason this one fell out of the Great American Songbook. It’s still a fun period song, though – if you like that sort of thing.
There seem to be two versions of the Sunny wagon regular and Californian I saw one like this dumped behind the salmon net factory I worked at in Huonville it was in quite good order and complete but unwanted, I didnt want it either. A local guy nearby has a squarer type wagon he still uses which sports the same front, the one in Tassie was badged Californian and had the sloping tailgate like the posted car, someone will know the full story.
Yep, two wagon variations. The regular Sunny wagon has a more traditional “square” backend and leaf spring rear suspension. The “Sunny California”, the wagon seen here, has the sloped backend and uses a four link coil suspension out back.
Thanx for that, the local car is badged 120Y from memory as some of these were here.
That A Series Motor Under The Hood Just Keeps On Going& Going.Even After The Body Gets Destroyed They Put That A14(ORA15)On Fork Lifts To Continue It’s Service.
It’s almost exactly like the one I first wrote up back in 2009. And I saw it around until just about a year or so ago, but no more. I shot it again shortly before it disappeared, and talked to the owner, an older woman who had had it since the early 1980s, having bought it used.
Can’t say I’ve ever seen one of these in the metal, but the more I look at it the more I’m liking its belt-line and side styling.
CC effect: Saw one just like this a few hours ago except in silver parked on Grand Street in Jersey City, NJ. I will try to find and photograph it tomorrow.
Interesting that this RHD car has American-style bumpers.
Or did Nissan simply find it cheaper to give all cars the same bumpers worldwide?
During the 70’s quite a few Japanese cars had the option of US spec bumpers as an “upgrade”. I don’t get it either. The Toyota Celica was the most notable offender in this regard, because they were abhorrent compared to the standard units. I would not be shocked to learn the Sunny fell to the same fate. Celica liftback as proof in a period photo:
When they were new they were the ultimate disposable car. When I lived in Panama they were plentiful. Not so much so when I returned to the states but the driving conditions were very different. I really liked the Japanese cars of this era as they seemed to be very like the big three products but sunken. Just before the whole world turned to fwd.
Nice one Will, I can’t remember the last time I saw a Sunny wagon, if ever.
Every car has a story.
This unmarked machine, backed with care under the shade despite the suction-cap windscreen shades, the furry dash, the furry seats with covers over covers, the side wind-deflector, announces that it has no airconditioning, in a sub-tropical place. The old couple you saw must for sure be the buyers from 1979. Who else? “Aircon? Oh, no no, we don’t need that, windows will do us fine, won’t they Val?.”
As for your time warp, these two aren’t elderly but are properly ancient. This device is demonstrably low-mileage, a retirement car, yet it is near 40. They are themselves, surely, glorious defiant survivors.
And another story I’ll impose. In 1980, folks didn’t retire with good money and buy the Landcruiser with caravan and do the Big Round Aus tour. They went on a pension, they sewed for the poor and did Meals On Wheels. If they had a little bit from Aunt Enid’s estate, they bought a lovely new Sunny wagon and thought themselves very lucky indeed.
Every car has a story, and perhaps every car can also have the imaginings one drapes upon it.
I agree, most likely the original owners. I see quite a few cars that fit that description, most recently a Toyota Corona that was in good nick (not quite as good as this though). Looked after they last and last, luckily we didn’t have the same emissions hassles as the US cars so carbs were still viable, and most are still rwd too.
I never heard these called a “Sunny”; only “210”. They sold like hot cakes here in north Florida in the early 80s, no doubt as a new car price leader. I do remember a B-210 model being called a “Sunny”, but I think it was just a distributor’s option package. I also recall the Honey Bee, which I think there was a CC article upon. I always thought these 210s were handsome designs, the B-210 not so much. Seemed more of a return/update to the old 510’s look.