JDM Nissan Bluebird SSS Coupe (Read 1,868 times)

[randywanger]

Hello there.

First time posted, lurked for a bit.

This is the first old Nissan I've owned (I had an SR20 180SX and SR20 Silvia K's before JDM was cool) so at the time they were new. I've owned many Imports, mainly Mazda Rotary powerd and the odd pikey Subaru.
Living in France, planning my move back to the UK and wanting something worth moving home to, I started the hunt online for a Mazda RX2 or RX3, eventually found someone who has both models for sale, but after a while (almost 5 months) of talking to the seller, talking to shipping agents and costing things up, the seller threw a swerve ball, and I ended up buying a Nissan 510.

Not knowing anything (other than they existed) I started reading up and researching them which proved difficult, a lot of information in American, but not much on the Japanese Coupe, I spoke to a few people in Japan using the powers of Google Translate and tracked down the builder who promises to send me over some old pictures and tell me a little bit about the history

Currently, the car is still in Japan awaiting shipping via container, so still not 100% sure what I've purchased, but I'll know it'll need a restore.

Please don't expect an epic build thread, once the car lands in the UK it'll be hidden away until I return (which is 11-12 months away)


Enough talk, some pictures.













Some spares the seller included:



Any idea what the wheels on the right are? Also, pistons in a box is never a good thing, is it?



TRD 15000 RPM Guage in the middle, Tosco wheels on the front and a TRD seat, think at some point, the owner had a Toyota.

 

[Al Ramone]

wicked. will you be using it on the track or making it road legal?

[randywanger]

Thanks Al.
The plan is to make it a road legal track car. The odd track day and car shows that have track time, maybe some static retro shows. But being road legal would make it easier I feel.
Do you know how many Bluebird 510s are in the UK? I did a search but the thread hasn't been updated in a while, seems like 9 was the answer back then.

[Al Ramone]

the number has gone up recently. there have been at least 4 imports in the last year iirc. i think there was 2 other SSS coupes, but one of them was very rough... and at least one SSS 4 door, which has been over hear a long time.

i'm sure Darren or Preet will know far better then me and will be along to answer..

[randywanger]

I saw those go on eBay, one was a South African import IIRC, both rather doggy, worse than mine... would be good to have a few more, not too many though ;-)

[spottedlaurel]

Ratdat has brought in a LHD 1600SSS from France quite recently, from what I've read on Autosh*te his orange 1400 may become a donor for it.

Anyway, good luck with this one!

[randywanger]

I was under the impression the LHD 1600SSS was just badged SSS for trim level but the engine didn't have the SSS carbs or head? May be wrong but I'm sure that's what I've read. I live in France and did look to see what is available.

[jayom]

Holy moly Randy, what did you buy?! That is absolutely epic Looking at buying a Datty myself for when I move home to Ireland from Switzerland.

[spottedlaurel]

May 28, 2014 12:49:20 GMT 1 randywanger said:

I was under the impression the LHD 1600SSS was just badged SSS for trim level but the engine didn't have the SSS carbs or head? May be wrong but I'm sure that's what I've read. I live in France and did look to see what is available.

1970/71 Datsun 1600 SSS - French brochure by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

Just looked at scans from this brochure I used to have and it does show twin carb's. I'm pretty sure from Ratdat's discussions on his French import that it also has the SSS head.

[reallyloud]

Hi Randywangler, welcome to the forum. It looks like the car is far from standard(!) but it will be nice to see another coupe in the UK. The great thing about buying something like this is that you don't need to be a stickler for originality and as long as it's not been in shunt or been badly welded (but the photos do look positive) then its a great project car to try something creative.
Don't worry if the engines shot, the body and structure is far more important, because panels are virtually impossible to get hold of in the UK, but sources from Australia and the US are there. I believe Euro spec SSS model had the same gear as all export SSS models, so they had the twin carbs and specifics, its the 710 SSS models that had the export differences. Preet might be able to confirm this.
I think the SSS may have been offered as a special order for the UK, but I again it's difficult to prove this as evidence of sales is not easy to obtain, period magazine listings of the SSS being available is all I have on this - dealer brochures were generic at the time and there was no specific mention of the SSS being part of the UK range. There's a some debate on how many known cars are knocking around, I think there were 9 (maybe 10) confirmed UK 4 door models and an estate. First imports were in 1968, with the first batch of cars - 1300 and 1600's, with the 1400 replacing the 1300 in 1970. 1800's were not UK imports here. Add several imports that Nigel's mentioned (including 2 SSS saloons, 1 SSS 2 door saloon, 2 coupes and a car that's due to have a very interesting engineering overhaul), the figure could be closer to 15/16 now. Not to mention 3 other UK cars that disappeared in recent years.

Perhaps it's well overdue now for a collection of 510's to be seen together!

datsunclubuk.proboards.com/thread/219/general-info-pics?page=1&scrollTo=1655

[randywanger]

It'll be amazing to get a group of them together, mine will be about 2 years off completion. I know the car that's having a very interesting engineering overhaul too. I speak with Dave on a regular basis.
Thank you for the information on the French SSS 510. I've never seen one since living over hear but I'll keep my eyes peeled on the classifieds, maybe an old forgotten one will come up for sale, heres hoping!
jayom. Where in Switzerland are you? I'm tucked right up in the French, Swiss, Italian corner, maybe 15mins from the boarder. I've purchased mine to give me something to look forward to when I return, life out here is amazing, sadly, missus RW wants to move back, so the deal was I can get a play car to keep me busy as I won't have the lifestyle I have out here.

Hopefully it'll be a special car. Refresh60 stickers on the side windows and rear spoiler (I've been told it's a rare FIA rear spoiler) I've spoken to Refresh who remember the car, they did a lot of work to it and are going to see if they have any old pictures for me, it's been about a bit, originally white, then was blue, red and now orange! Lots of custom work to the suspension and chassis, so I hope the engine has some parts that can be re used and built into a great motor.

When I return, I'll be based down south, either Brighton, Essex or Surrey (I'm Brighton, missus is Essex and Surrey is good for S.E. London where the company we both work for are based) so if any 510 owners are local, feel free to pop over, have a cup of tea and chat and hopefully teach me something.

[jayom]

I'm in Lausanne, moved here about 2 months ago. Beautiful place, but not sure the lifestyle is for me, but we'll see!

[randywanger]

May 29, 2014 11:52:01 GMT 1 jayom said:

I'm in Lausanne, moved here about 2 months ago. Beautiful place, but not sure the lifestyle is for me, but we'll see!

On lake Geneva?

Montreux is lovely, they do a big festival there in the summer. I came here to race mountain bikes and bum about snowboarding in the winter so it's perfect for me. 

Do you have a proper adult job in Geneva then? I'm 'lucky' in a sense that my job doesn't take over my life and I get to enjoy being out here. Get to travel all over as we've got offices in Italy, Austria and North America that I cover.

[jayom]

Yep, right on the lake. Always wanted to hit up Montreux, being a bit of a blues fan its a bit of a Mecca festival in a way!

I'm actually working in Lausanne itself as a Software Engineer. I haven't really got to make the most of the location, so I've probably got a skewed view of what its like out here as I've yet to actually venture outside the city (Geneva airport doesn't count ).

One things for sure though - they love their cars here. I can't walk outside the front door without seeing Ferraris, Lambos etc and a healthy number of GTRs and Z34s. One of the first cars I came across after arriving was a super cool Z31! So, it does have the going for it 8 to 10 Francs for a Guinness isn't great, though .

You might be interested in this - www.jdmjunkies.ch/wordpress/2014-03-17/events-6th-japaner-old-youngtimertreffen-gloten-sirnach/

Unfortunately, I'll be in Bulgaria the weekend its on

[randywanger]

That's about 350k away, I've spoken to that dude from JDM Junkies, he is restoring a lovely S30.
I often pop to Verbier and drive past what looks like a Subaru breakers and then further down, a field of random JDM tat, nothing old or interesting though.
www.montreuxjazz.com Was good last year, also, if you stick about for the winter, the Christmas fair in Montreux is amazing too.
I work in IT doing remote support.