I’ve got to thank Alan Reinhart for this one as he found this little gem while scouring Craigslist in the greater Tucson area where he lives. This little 1967 Datsun 1600 Roadster strikes me as the perfect project car. The machine is all but intact in terms of the stuff you want. The body is all there, the suspension is all there, the engine is there and it runs, the interior, while tattered is there. You could take this thing in one of 200 directions. Straight up restoration of the (roughly) 100hp four banger and stock suspension, mile pro touring upgrade to the suspension with a stock motor, or you could drop a modern engine in this thing, modify the chassis and suspension, upgrade rolling stock, and go kill at an autocross.
These cars were the famed Fairlady before the Fairlady Z showed up in the early 1970s. By the time this car was built there were two identical looking versions that were actually quite different. The car we see here seems to have some of the upgraded equipment available from the factory, most notably the dual carbs. There was a 2000cc version that got you an additional 50hp and loads of factory race parts. These little cars were very succesful in SCCA racing and it seems as though they should have been with impressive horsepower and virtually no weight. This car should have a four speed in it but the full completion version of the car had a rare for its day 5-speed stick.
Not commonly found anywhere, this car with either a restoration or a series of modifications could make you the most unique dude at the cruise night. The asking price of less than $2,000 seems like smart money to us.
Link: Check out this little 1967 Datsun roadster for sale in Tucson, Arizona
These were the Datsun version of the MGB (I have a MGB SBC), a modern 2.0T engine and trans, front and rear suspension upgrade and it would more fun to drive then most anything. My MGB SBC (approx. 500hp) is all custom underneath and is incredibly fun to drive, this is an awesome blank canvas waiting to be hot rodded!!
morning moderator
Meanwhile barnfinds.com says “It’s a little rusty so frame rust and market value and veiled snobbery and working with your hands is dirty and gross.”
And bangshift says “If you like it, break it with horsepower, then fix it and do it again.”
Skyline front and rear suspension and a honking bored out and tuned Skyline motor should do the trick.
But an SBC should not be allowed within 500 miles of its engine bay!
Oh, the horror… I kinda agree with Geordie as to the SBC. Hot rod the snot outta that four banger, clean it up, and hit some twisty backroads with it! Had a friend who collected Sunbeams back in the ’70’s (not the Tigers) and they were a hoot!