The Datsun 2000 Sports was one of those unexpected boons that suddenly dropped in our laps. The 1600 Sports had been around for several years, and offered competitive if not thrilling performance in its class. But then suddenly this arrives, with a hot 135 (gross) hp SOHC 1982 cc four. And backed up by a slick-shifting five speed transmission. This was the domain of Alfa Romeos at the time, not cheap Japanese wanna’ be sports cars.
The result was a gobs of fun, especially if the optional 150 hp twin dual-throat Solex carbs were part of the package. R&T tested both.
I think this was the writing on the wall for the likes of the MGB and Triumph Spitfire… at least in the US. At the time, Datsun probably had the widest and best reputation among Japanese brands. At least among those who would consider buying a Japanese car. British cars were believed (right or wrong) to be finicky, but a Datsun was more of a car you could just hop in and drive. Although they abandoned this marked before Triumph and MG left in 1980, it was a strong marketing move.
Nissan/Datsun really built their reputation on niche market vehicles – Patrol, mini-pickups, and this roadster. I imagine buyers of niche vehicles were more willing to take a risk on a (mostly) unknown brand (in the US). And only after they cemented this reputation did they begin their big push into common cars for the common man.
To me, it’s more like Datsun rolled its way through the 2-seat roadster thing, and did a better job with it than the British did with theirs, especially as to quality, before moving on to GTs (the Z-car) and performance sedans (the 510). Later the 240SX and various ZXs. Meanwhile, MG and Triumph stood pat, milking their same old 2-seat sports car offerings for 15 or 20 years, and they got more and more obsolete, before fading away. Datsun had the foresight and corporate ambition (and the Japanese-style financing, and the sales of lots of non-sports car, bread-and-butter cars) to move the product offerings along. Triumph, and especially MG, had nothing, and no corporate support to take things to new levels. Triumph did have the Dolomite in the ‘70s, which was a terrific car in the idiom of the Datsun 510/BMW 2002, but it wasn’t sold in the U.S.
It’s not that British Leyland (established in 1968) didn’t know they needed new products. Both MG and Triumph were already working on new designs when they were merged into the new conglomerate, and BL ultimately selected the Triumph design, which became the TR-7. The MG design, ADO21, was mid-engine and had a hydro-elastic suspension, pretty innovative stuff.
The TR-7 was more traditional, a front engine/rear drive layout with solid rear axle. However, it was of monocoque construction and was designed with crash safety in mind, a significant update compared to earlier TR models.
For a host of reasons, the TR-7 had a problematic history – poor build quality, no convertible version on launch in 1974 due to the anticipated ban in the USA of soft tops, and an engine that had multiple issues, including a lack of power and head studs that had a tendency to seize. That’s not to mention the controversial wedge styling, which was and still is polarizing.
By the time the last cars were being built in 1979-80, these problems had been addressed, and the TR-8 version with Rover V-8 power was an excellent car, performing very well in SCCA racing. However, by then the larger problems of British Leyland meant that MG and Triumph had to leave the American market.
What I think many people don’t know is that the TR-7 was the best selling Triumph TR car ever. I suspect that if it had had a better engine from the get-go Triumph might have been able to hold on longer.
Navy buddy had this car in British racing green and it was a huge amount of fun. It is a wonder that we are still alive to talk about it.
Remember one/two of these in my hometown. For sure , remember a blue one. The buzzy, humm replays in my ears.
Thinking a red one rolls across my memory as well.
I still see one nice 2000 Roadster around town occasionally. And there is at least one 240Z that’s a daily driver. But I see more British sports cars of similar vintage.
Back in the day, in autocross and club racing circles, owners of this car were some sort of “secret society” that “got it” with these things, while the rest of us went about our day. Unlike the 510s or the Z-cars, which everyone liked and admired, the 2000 owners kept to themselves, didn’t say much, and basically blew everyone’s doors off when they had a mind to do so. The rest of us knew that they had a potent car, but didn’t relate to it or give it a second thought, until they smoked us in the competition results.
The Z-car drivers got the girls, the 510 drivers got the drinking buddies, but the 2000 drivers took home the trophy hardware.
Seems like nothing has changed, check out the linked vid. Both car owner and the poster of the vid fit the type (starts at 16:23)…
No surprise after my COAL on these, but I was and am a big fan. Other than a 911S, it’s difficult to conjure up other imports with a similar power to weight ratio (with the Solex equipped cars).
And Dutch1960 has it right – these weren’t flashy boulevard cruisers and didn’t attract drivers that needed that kind of attention. “Walk softly and carry a big stick” is more like it. But the low end torque was non-existent, so keeping rpm’s up was critical with the higher horsepower version.
Great article and car!
I bought one of these Datsun 2000 sports in silver for my 2nd wife when the 240Z was new and still in production. It was a 1969. We both loved driving it, especially on longer drives, which we made a point to do on weekends. I purchased a hard top for it too and that made it a much better all-weather car. But the fun was driving it with the top down.
Then the ‘70s gas crunch hit and I bought her a new ‘73 Honda Civic.
Why didn’t this car cannibalize Karmann Ghia convertible and British roadster sales? I was ten years old when it came out so I can’t say for sure, but was it because the were an unknown quality compared to the former? It’s not bad looking compared to the competition and it was absolutely completive on performance. Maybe, in 1968, Datsun had yet to earn its chops for reliability and dealer support? My guess is that the majority were sold in CA where car buyers were more open to buying Japanese cars due to the lack of cold winters/road salt.
Attractive factory alloy wheels would have really improved the looks of these. This very conservative chrome hub cap and steel wheel combination is unfortunately synonymous with this Datsun.
Wire wheels would have helped on sporting looks during that era thats what the established British brands wore, Very few if any came here Datsun and other Japanese brands were just testing the waters here with some quite ordinary sedans at this point and their rep for reliability was still years away, then suddenly from nowhere the 240Z turned up and Datsun had a sports car in its mediocre lineup, the only other sporty offering was the 1200SSS which had the engine modified by local tuner Dennis Marwood but that didnt evolve until 71 or so.
It’s a shame Datsun never offered a 510 SSS with the single-carb 2 liter.
FWIU the aft carb in a 510 located in the airspace where the LHD brake master cylinder was; Datsun made a dual-carb Bluebird 1600SSS for the Japanese home market and a few RHD export ones but the 1600 was the “big” motor for it.
Owned 2 of these fine machines , one a 68 135 Hp 2000 & the second was either a 68 or 69 ( its been some years ) 1600 that I put a balanced & ported 2000 & 5 speed in . Both of these cars were my first introduction to 120 MPH + the first one in the early 70’s & the second the one I built in the late 80’s early 90’s .It was much easier to reach 100 MPH + in the 70’s that it was in the later years with the second one , but after a few attempts on different nights & finally managed to make it happen . I ended up selling the one I built to a guy I thought was a friend for a ridiculously lower price thatn it was worth . He ended up donating it to some church cause he made too much $$$ tht year . I’m hoping its still on the road somewhere . They stopped the roadster cause they wanted to sell more Z’s even if the Garagester has a better motor .
animal
I was a factory Datsun mechanic in 1970-71. I never understood why the 2.0 5 speed wasn’t offered in the 510. It was a bolt in and would have been real competition for the BMW 2002. It appears that management in Japan just had no real comprehension of the U.S. market. And refused to listen to the U.S. management.
Yes, a 2000cc powered Datsun 510 with 135 HP would have definitely put that unassuming but good handling economy car in the center of the sports sedan market that was occupied by the BMW 2002/Tii and the Rover 2000 TC at the time. And imagine the sales numbers it could have attained with the performance this 510 would have delivered at a price probably within only a few hundred dollars over a standard 1600cc 510!
I’ve owned examples of the 1600 and 2000 since 1976, and one thing I’ve always delighted in pointing out is that this body style came out in 1961, before the MGB. Tokyo Motor Show, 1961. Months later, in 1962, the new body style of the MG was unveiled. The race was on. Your re-published 1967 article, again gratefully received, points out there already was a winner. I agree.