Cars that apparently don't exist anymore - Datsun 120A

"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile) 01/27/2016 at 14:35 • Filed to: None

1

30

I saw one of these (the Datsun “Cherry” coupe, first gen 70-74) in a car book and was intrigued. So I checked just now, and it seems there may not be any for sale... in the world. Okay, that’s overstating things a bit - I saw where one a little while ago popped up in Portugal. But - for an affordable economy car, this one appears to have nearly completely vanished, and that’s a shame.

RallyWrench > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 14:42

1

Jobjoris posted a neat model of this on Live And Let Diecast not too long ago, probably the only way to get one now.

I’ve found that Fiat 131/Bravas seem to be suffering the same fate. It’s the first car I’ve stumped SearchTempest with.

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 14:46

0

I saw a couple for sale last year. One was around 1200 euro. In fact, there is one for sale right now for 4500 euro.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench 01/27/2016 at 14:47

1

Let’s add it to the Island of Misfit Toys list for when you, I, and beaux get fabulously rich. I’m thinking we make a special staggered twin-shaft four rotor to power it with.

Vítor > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 14:48

0

Don’t the Japanese update to newer models and recycle their older cars like crazy? I mean there is only one Toyota AA left(their first production passenger car) in the world, and it’s a badly kept example at one car museum in Holland. I can’t even think about so many Japanese cars that are now “extinct” or with very few exemplars left.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/27/2016 at 14:48

0

I guess they’ve finally reached the point at which their rarity has caused them to appreciate among the two dozen people who want one.

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/27/2016 at 14:49

0

There are two 100A’s for sale

The expensive one - The cheaper one

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 14:49

0

I did some googling into those because my dads second car was a 100A hatchback. I think that actually is the coupe version you’ve got in the picture, which was the only body style that had the 120A name, due to the A12 engine. The normal hatchback looked like this

and only had the A10 engine, and thus the 100A as a name. However neither the 100A which was relatively common if I have to believe my dad, nor the 120A which was less common back then already, can be found here in the Netherlands, or anywhere else for that matter. I saw a listing for a 120A F-II once, which was the facelifted version, however those are also really rare. It is indeed a shame, I would really like to find one to fix up with my dad, as a father son project since they look like really neat cars.

Edit: it seems like my research was not good enough and a few are for sale...

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Vítor 01/27/2016 at 14:50

0

As far as I was able to tell some weeks ago, there are almost no Type 95 scout cars left, either. One of the few remaining ones was owned by some guy in Russia.

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 14:52

0

On that note, my father had a Fiat 131 2000 tc racing abarth (I believe thats what its called) back in the day, it was his favourite, his trophy car back then.

I cannot for the life of me find out more info about that model, and if I have to believe his claims, it was quite the car.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/27/2016 at 14:53

0

The trouble is that I don’t think either of those are the super-neat 120A coupe, which is what I’m talking about.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer 01/27/2016 at 14:54

0

I meant to type coupe and put hatchback by mistake. The absolutely most choice model.

Berang > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 14:55

0

They weren’t sold in the U.S. - but the F10 which replaced it was, and is also nearly impossible to find. I last spotted one in person about eight years ago, and precious few come up for sale.

They are not pretty. One was used on the Tom Green show disguised as a UFO for a prank, but I can’t find a clip.

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 14:55

1

I know, but I saw a 120a Cherry for sale last year, this was just what I came up with looking for 120a’s.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Berang 01/27/2016 at 14:58

0

I figured they were never sold here, as the world of automobiles ‘74 encyclopedia I saw it in is Brit in origin and is fantastically and historically a douche gushing about cars that never made it here. However, having been sold in LHD Europe, it would be possible to make use of here if it could be found.

Vítor > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 15:00

0

With the Type 95 being the Japanese Jeep, I would expect to be at least some kept in WW2 museums or something like that. Surprised to know they are so rare with less than 5000 built, unlike the Jeep, Kübelwagen and the Defender.

RallyWrench > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 15:05

0

I can get down with that.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench 01/27/2016 at 15:20

1

Here’s what I’m thinking. Counter-rotating eccentric shafts, staggered inlets so that the trochoidal chamber of one rotor bank aligns with the dead space and inlet space of another. Have the rotors out of phase with one another either complentarily or with variable left/right throttling into a torque blender. Either would produce a V8 burble/ bee noise hybrid from uneven exhaust pulse overlap, which would be amazing. For greatest retardation, I’m thinking a Paxton feeding the valley...

RallyWrench > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 15:27

0

Sounds suitably Goldbergian to me. Paxton isn’t complicated enough though, how about a Latham? We get 4 carbs that way.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench 01/27/2016 at 15:32

0

Good thinking. The objective being to make anybody opening the hood have an attack of

Also, to have an awesome compact power unit of extreme power and horror, obviously. Six blocks of billet, some boring tools, a CNC, and some gear cutting, and the impossible becomes real.

Steve in Manhattan > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 15:36

0

Looks like a show car that turned into the B210.

Azzy > Vítor 01/27/2016 at 15:39

1

Actually, there are 3 known models of the Bantam Reconnaissance Car (the first Jeep), and if IIRC, all three are replicas.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Steve in Manhattan 01/27/2016 at 15:40

0

I’d rather have one of these than a 210, probably. Less power, but more character.

Steve in Manhattan > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 15:41

0

Agreed.

Cé hé sin > RallyWrench 01/27/2016 at 16:39

0

Must try harder

Cé hé sin > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/27/2016 at 16:42

0

Like this?

RallyWrench > Cé hé sin 01/27/2016 at 16:43

0

There is the minor issue of the Atlantic Ocean, and importation costing more than the bloody car.

Cé hé sin > RallyWrench 01/27/2016 at 16:46

0

There is that, I’m afraid. Quite honestly they weren’t great when new and the handful that haven’t rotten away won’t have got any better since.

There was a time when every taxi near me was a diesel Supermirafiori.

RallyWrench > Cé hé sin 01/27/2016 at 16:47

0

They are indeed crap, but my aunt had one as a kid and I like them a bit. I have dreams of creating a Gr.4 replica.

kanadanmajava1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/27/2016 at 16:57

1

Datsun 100A was really popular in Finland but very not many have survived. 120A was sold here too but it was very rare from the start. It had larger engine besides funky roof and very awesome real lights. At least one has survived in very original condition. The wheels are semi common 70's aftermarket wheels though.

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > Cé hé sin 01/27/2016 at 17:43

0

I sent him this.

Also we are in the progress of digitalising old dia slides, and he has some somewhere of his car. I will make sure to post them on Oppo when that happens.