Long-time readers of this site know that old 710 Datsun wagons are a CC thing. If one shows up, it must appear on our pages. It’s a tradition of sorts.
This one took me a bit by surprise. Not for being an old Datsun; those are a dime a dozen in Central America. Rather because it’s the US-spec model, not the 140-160J version sold here back in the day.
I had to double-check with Paul on this one. After all, old 710 wagons were kind of a thing in Eugene some time ago, and he confirmed my US-spec suspicions. Regrettably, the latest word is none of those old 710s seem to be around anymore. But what about mine? Could this taxi-yellow one be an ex-Oregon resident?
Considering the number of old Datsuns in San Salvador, I’ve no idea who would bother to import a US one. Then again, the burgeoning gray-import market is aimed to bring models that locals rush to purchase. Old Datsuns meet that description fittingly, and this one is certainly getting some use on our streets.
The 710 is, of course, the sorry kind-of replacement for the late and lamented 510; with fuzzy detailing that’s so-’70s Nissan. Depending on your location in the world, the 710 was a decent daily hauler; or a penance ride during the crisis-ridden ’70s. In either case, the model is one more bemusing chapter in Nissan’s bewildering corporate history.
In the end, I’ve no idea where exactly this 710 came from; could be Oregon or California. It doesn’t really matter in the end, visitors in San Salvador are welcome from wherever they may come.
Further reading:
Curbside Classic: 1974 Datsun 710 Wagon – Third Time’s The Charm; Or Not
Curbside Classic: 1975 Datsun 160J SSS (710/Violet) – Peak Fuji-lage.
Since the gas shortage was in full swing, I traded in my 1978 Bonneville for a 1980 Datsun 510 wagon. It had a 4-sp and was fantastic on gas mileage. Dealer talked me into rust-proofing it. He drilled holes in the door frames and sprayed stuff in there and plugged the holes with rubber plugs. About 3 years or so later, I started noticing rust around all the holes he drilled. Sold it fast.
I find the side profile extremely jarring, with that rising coke bottle line on the rear door followed by the …(…designer’s thinking: oh let’s do something different and interesting..) lower level cargo area window. No thanks.
At least the 610 wagons we got in Australia instead of this 710 didn’t have that styling feature.
This model only looks good to me in JDM Violet SSS 2 door hardtop form.
Don’t forget….this thing was designed a looooong time ago!
Nissan had a thing in the seventies about wagon side windows. Their ’72 ‘Kenmeri’ Skyline didn’t have any!
While the ’79 Skyline ‘Japan’ had this.
I reckon the 710 Rich found got off easy!
Nice find. It’s not one of the ones I caught here on the streets in prior years, but who knows where it hailed from? I do miss ours though. Where did they go to?
Dad had a blue one. Not Oregon, but in suburbs of NYC.
Was a reliable hauler for his business.
I recall low seating & more vibration than modern smaller cars.
The gear changes in the auto. trans. were loud enough so you’d always know what gear you were in.
Wonder if this one is manual or auto.
I also had a blue one (4 door sedan) as my first car while I was an undergraduate. It was far from my dream car, but in retrospect, it was a perfect first car for me. It wasn’t too powerful, so no temptation to drive too fast (which was doubly good as I was a commuter student living in Shelburne VT going to school in Burlington….the car was a light RWD and traction was an issue much of the year). It was simple to work on and didn’t break (much) so easy on a student budget. My Dad helped by gifting me a battery (they didn’t last long up there) and a Craftsman toolkit (which I still have, became the basis of all the tools I’ve gotten since. Also learned how to do tune-ups, the car was old school so it had points and a 1bbl carburator.
The color pallet was a head scratcher though…you could admire the white vinyl seats which went well with the bright blue paint, but it also had brown carpet and a black dash (before color matching dashes were common in imports).
Predictably, mine was pretty rusty by the time I sold it in 1981. The main reason was I’d been in a minor accident where I hit some black ice driving up from my new job in Massachusetts between White River Junction and Sharon VT on I-89. I nursed the car the rest of the way to Shelburne, despite having a crunched headlight and fender. Got it fixed just to sell it, I no longer wanted a light RWD car.
Bought a VW Scirocco as replacement….probably should have waited though, in another year and a half, I was to move to Texas, though I loved the Scirocco it didn’t have air conditioning….which I lived without for 4 years (could have had it added but never did). Had no problem selling the 710; right after the 2nd gas shortage small cars were selling well, and despite the rust, and a terrible test drive where some trim fell off the car, the guy bought it…of course I was still living in the rust belt (just a bit farther south than Shelburne though).
I’ve noticed that many of the Datsun-Nissans come from the North-West, what is it with Washington-Oregon that brought so many to that area? Just curious?
This car looks positively like a shrinking violet in contrast with that HondHyunda driving by. These have not been on the road in my part of the world in forever.
Nice to see it’s being used and cared for .
-Nate