Datsun Sports to the 'G' & 'Z'
#1
11-03-2013, 01:07 PM
Datsun Sports to the 'G' & 'Z'
A brief synopsis of the complex Datsun/Nissan/Infiniti evolution, from Roadsters to 'G' Series.
"Datsun Sports (called Datsun Fairlady in the home market), was a series of roadsters produced by Nissan in the 1960s. The series was a predecessor to the Z-car in the Fairlady line, and offered an inexpensive alternative to the European MG, Triumph, Fiat and Alfa Romeo sports cars. The first true Datsun sports car was the "Fairlady 1600" model. In America it was known as the Datsun 1600. Based on a modified Bluebird sedan platform instead of the truck platform of earlier models. The introduction of the 1967 Datsun 2000 was a major update with a 2.0 L I6 SOHC engine and offered a five-speed manual transmission, somewhat unexpected for a production car at the time. An optional Competition package included dual Mikuni/Solex carburetors and a special camshaft for 150 hp. The Datsun 2000 was lauded as a bargain sports car. The main reason for its production was for racing to build the Datsun image. It was raced by John Morton, Bob Sharp and others. Its sticker price was lowest in its class, but it won its class in C Production (Mikuni-Solex carburetors) and D-Production (Hitachi-SU carburetors), in SCCA racing on a consistent basis even after production stopped. A well-tuned stock Datsun 2000 was capable of cruising at 120 mph and capable of making better than 30 mpg. It red-lined at exactly 7000 rpm and 140 mph in fourth gear with a 5-speed manual. It was replaced with the more sedate, stylish, and popular Z series. The Z-car is a series of sports cars manufactured by Nissan. The original Z was sold in October 1969 in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z and was sold in Japan at Nissan Exhibition dealerships that previously sold the Nissan Bluebird, it was exported as the Datsun 240Z
Sedan racing introduced the Datsun 510, a series of the Datsun Bluebird. According to AutoWeek's G.D. Levy, the 510 has often been called the "poor man's BMW." The 510's engineering was inspired by contemporary European sedans, particularly the 1966 BMW 1600-2, incorporating a 1.6 L I4 SOHC engine, MacPherson strut suspension in front, independent, semi-trailing arms in the back & European-influenced sheet metal design.
Datsun introduced a new flagship sport sedan, the Nissan Maxima. A mid-size/entry-level four door, marketed as the "four-door sports car". The origins of the Maxima began in July 1976 as the Datsun 810, an upscale six-cylinder version of the Bluebird, and was spun into its own line in 1981. The Maxima model line began with the six-cylinder Nissan Bluebird 2000G6, which was available in the US as the Datsun 810 from February 1977. With a longer nose than the regular Bluebird, to accommodate a longer inline-six engine, it was powered by two versions of the SOHC L-series I6 engine: a 2.0 L displacement for the Japanese market and a 2.4 L24E unit (as found in the Datsun 240Z) for the US market. The Bluebird G6 used a carburetor for the base model and fuel injection for the sporty version. The 2.0 L engine was good for 122 PS JIS, while the bigger American engine could reach 125 hp SAE. The sporty sedan channeled power through a four speed manual or 3 speed automatic transmission. These cars were rear-wheel drive and had a semi-trailing arm rear suspension. The 280ZX adopted suspension similar to that of the concurrent Bluebird/810, with MacPherson struts in front and semi-trailing arm independent in the rear. In the fall of 1984, the first front-wheel drive Maxima (based on the Bluebird U11) was introduced. Aside from sharing similar engines, the Nissan ZX sports car based Maxima sport sedan concept ends.
The Infiniti G35/G37 series reprises the Nissan sports car based coupe/sedan relationship. Sporting the ubiquitous VQ series V6 engine and the front-midship engine, rear-wheel drive layout shared with the Nissan 350Z/370Z coupe and roadster sports car (AWD in the X sedan). To achieve a 52% front/48% rear weight distribution. Both body styles are available with either a 5-speed automatic (the only available transmission for the AWD sedan) or 6-speed manual transmission."
"Datsun Sports (called Datsun Fairlady in the home market), was a series of roadsters produced by Nissan in the 1960s. The series was a predecessor to the Z-car in the Fairlady line, and offered an inexpensive alternative to the European MG, Triumph, Fiat and Alfa Romeo sports cars. The first true Datsun sports car was the "Fairlady 1600" model. In America it was known as the Datsun 1600. Based on a modified Bluebird sedan platform instead of the truck platform of earlier models. The introduction of the 1967 Datsun 2000 was a major update with a 2.0 L I6 SOHC engine and offered a five-speed manual transmission, somewhat unexpected for a production car at the time. An optional Competition package included dual Mikuni/Solex carburetors and a special camshaft for 150 hp. The Datsun 2000 was lauded as a bargain sports car. The main reason for its production was for racing to build the Datsun image. It was raced by John Morton, Bob Sharp and others. Its sticker price was lowest in its class, but it won its class in C Production (Mikuni-Solex carburetors) and D-Production (Hitachi-SU carburetors), in SCCA racing on a consistent basis even after production stopped. A well-tuned stock Datsun 2000 was capable of cruising at 120 mph and capable of making better than 30 mpg. It red-lined at exactly 7000 rpm and 140 mph in fourth gear with a 5-speed manual. It was replaced with the more sedate, stylish, and popular Z series. The Z-car is a series of sports cars manufactured by Nissan. The original Z was sold in October 1969 in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z and was sold in Japan at Nissan Exhibition dealerships that previously sold the Nissan Bluebird, it was exported as the Datsun 240Z
Sedan racing introduced the Datsun 510, a series of the Datsun Bluebird. According to AutoWeek's G.D. Levy, the 510 has often been called the "poor man's BMW." The 510's engineering was inspired by contemporary European sedans, particularly the 1966 BMW 1600-2, incorporating a 1.6 L I4 SOHC engine, MacPherson strut suspension in front, independent, semi-trailing arms in the back & European-influenced sheet metal design.
Datsun introduced a new flagship sport sedan, the Nissan Maxima. A mid-size/entry-level four door, marketed as the "four-door sports car". The origins of the Maxima began in July 1976 as the Datsun 810, an upscale six-cylinder version of the Bluebird, and was spun into its own line in 1981. The Maxima model line began with the six-cylinder Nissan Bluebird 2000G6, which was available in the US as the Datsun 810 from February 1977. With a longer nose than the regular Bluebird, to accommodate a longer inline-six engine, it was powered by two versions of the SOHC L-series I6 engine: a 2.0 L displacement for the Japanese market and a 2.4 L24E unit (as found in the Datsun 240Z) for the US market. The Bluebird G6 used a carburetor for the base model and fuel injection for the sporty version. The 2.0 L engine was good for 122 PS JIS, while the bigger American engine could reach 125 hp SAE. The sporty sedan channeled power through a four speed manual or 3 speed automatic transmission. These cars were rear-wheel drive and had a semi-trailing arm rear suspension. The 280ZX adopted suspension similar to that of the concurrent Bluebird/810, with MacPherson struts in front and semi-trailing arm independent in the rear. In the fall of 1984, the first front-wheel drive Maxima (based on the Bluebird U11) was introduced. Aside from sharing similar engines, the Nissan ZX sports car based Maxima sport sedan concept ends.
The Infiniti G35/G37 series reprises the Nissan sports car based coupe/sedan relationship. Sporting the ubiquitous VQ series V6 engine and the front-midship engine, rear-wheel drive layout shared with the Nissan 350Z/370Z coupe and roadster sports car (AWD in the X sedan). To achieve a 52% front/48% rear weight distribution. Both body styles are available with either a 5-speed automatic (the only available transmission for the AWD sedan) or 6-speed manual transmission."
#2
11-03-2013, 07:09 PM
#3
11-03-2013, 07:47 PM
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