1968 Datsun Other

2000 Fairlady Sport Convertible

2000 cc U20

5 spd Manual

31102855

Clear

Distinctly Japanese Decidedly Vintage Roadster The body lines on the Datsun roadster are addictive. The hood lines alone deserve hours of careful observation and study. Yes, the hood scoop is functional, but look at the ever so thin crease down the middle. Elegant, but strong – timeless. Why stack 3 tail lights? Take a look, that’s why! Make no mistake about it, the Datsun roadsters (the 2000 being at the top of the class) were designed and developed to give the ambitious Japanese company a chance to compete in road races and leave an impact on the globe. Notice the single jack slot on each side. One crank lifts both wheels. What says vintage racing more than that?The 2000 completely tore up the C class right out of the gate. They got bounced to the D class frequently to make a fair fight and still fared very well, notching up wins against much more expensive cars like the Porsche 911. No wonder Paul Newman chose this vehicle to start his racing career – he could spot a winner. Not very many cars were fitted with front disc brakes in the 1960’s. How many had 5 speed transmissions? Exactly, very very few. This car meant business and served well to establish Japanese engineering as a force to be regarded with respect. Imagine in retrospect how true this proved to be over the following decades. By gone era Marketing (think Mad Men) Called the Fairlady in the Japanese home market, the Datsun “Sports” 2000 and its contemporary 1600 are also credited with being the centerpiece of the nascent marketing efforts involving the Miss Fairlady showroom attendants. By today’s standards, it was very Mad Men era like, but the beauty queens were trained extensively and remain a source of great pride in Japan. See -- http://reports.nissan-global.com/EN/?p=6299 for more details. The prodigious power of the car in a cute elegant design put Nissan on the map to stay. The z-cars to follow further etched the company’s credentials into the global motorsport enthusiast’s market. Vehicle Specifics & Link to more Pics This particular car is finished in Sora Blue. The bright pastel was one of many copycat colors from British motorsports. It certainly suits this car well. The orange turn signals and rally lights provide a nice contrast. Handsome and cute. This repaint was done about 8 years ago and has seen very little daylight let alone wear. The original factory code on this car is the slightly darker “Nissan” blue. The repaint was thorough leaving only the cowl under the engine compartment in the original color (see pics). It was not a concours quality job, but is overall very presentable. There are a few small swirl marks near the tonneau and soft top clips and a few minor chips. Examine all photos and many more at the following link – https://www.flickr.com/photos/105315473@N02/ This car seems to have spent it’s entire life in and around Vail – Iowa. The previous owner bought it in 1995 from a local couple who had it since new (or at least since the early 1970’s). Both owners used it sparingly only on fair weather days. The last owner never even installed the soft top, using instead the handy tonneau cover. The 72,500 miles are believed to be original. The gentle use seems to have helped preserve it. Mechanicals The brakes were gone through completely over the winter. All brake lines and wheel cylinders were replaced. The front discs did not require much attention and remain in excellent shape. It also received a complete tune up including a new air filter (very cool design, btw). The radiator was flushed and spot welded to ensure excellent operation. A new muffler was also installed. The stock throatiness comes through nicely. This little car pulls very willingly. It is easy to see, feel, hear and touch the racing lineage. Track day anyone? Interior & Brightwork New seat covers, carpets and soft top were installed. The rear jump seat and all vinyl panels are brand new. The door panels remain original and are in good shape. The interior is very sharp. Check out the classic diamond shaped patterns in the seats and head rests – great early Japanese design details. The dash on these roadster (as with most from the era) do not survive well. Most have a plastic cap covering them. A viable option, but not as original as the one in this car. The center console and dash show signs of common wear but have held up well. The bumpers and chrome trim show the signs of wear of a driver. Driver’s side door stop has a couple dings, for example. The rear bumper has a small dent (see pic) and should probably be re-chromed at some point. Drive and Enjoy A Datsun 1600 sold for $50k at Amelia Island this Spring. It was a real stunner – silver over a red interior. Examples like these are cementing the Datsun roadster’s place in the very hot early import market. The 2000 with larger displacement and standard 5spd typically the more coveted models. Driver level examples in solid presentable shape such as this one for auction are rare and the market is treating them accordingly. The engine and gear box on this car combine for a thrilling seat of your pants experience! This one is eager to see more of your favorite scenic routes and provide the thrill only vintage roadsters can offer. Bidding, Q’s, etc. Thanks for all the interest in this car! I am re-listing it in part because there were quite a few overseas bidders and nearly all of them had reservations about final price. The buy it now price helps alleviate that concern. Out of fairness to the bidding process, the reserve price will be kept in confidence but is very reasonable and easier to estimate now with the published price. Simply bid the amount you feel comfortable spending for a ready to use classic with this level of restoration or click buy it now and own it. Shipping is the responsibility of the buyer, but I will accommodate in any way I can. I will certainly make it very easy to load, etc. I hope to have captured the details of the car well (through photos and descriptions). If you have any questions, by all means don’t hesitate to call – (816) 786-7534. On Jul-24-14 at 09:51:20 PDT, seller added the following information: This just in (July 23) -- I found an endorsement from "Bring a Trailer" that I thought I'd share -- http://bringatrailer.com/2014/07/22/ideal-driver-1968-datsun-2000-roadster/ They really seem to have a wealth of knowledge and no doubt have a very keen eye for detail. The wheels comment in particular gave me a kick. They are fresh from powder coating and suit the vehicle very well. Thanks for all the interest in this Datsun and good luck bidding.