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Revision as of 11:10, 21 September 2016

Nissan made a pickup truck version of the B110 Datsun Sunny 1200--the B120 "Datsun Sunny Truck" as it is named in Japan. In Australia this was called the Datsun 1200 Ute. In South Africa it was known as the Bakkie. It was sold in South America, but sadly not in North America. The B120 is a Coupe utility type of pickup truck. A Coupe Utility is based on a car design and has an integral cargo bed (not a separate bed and cab as with traditional trucks).

Overview

Owners manual

The Nissan part number prefixes for B120 are G10 through G19 and 95W.

Datsun 1200 type	Model Years
Sedan, Coupe, Wagon (B110)	1970-1973
Datsun 1200 Ute/Truck (B120)	1971-1979
Datsun Sunny Truck (B121)	1979-1981
Datsun Sunny Truck (B122)	1981-1994
Datsun 1400/Nissan LDV (B140)	1982-2007

2332, pronounced in Japanese as Ni-san San-ni

122 is a popular faux license plate number
full

Model Years Produced

The "Datsun 1200" line has been produced from Model years 1971 to 2007. 1970-1973 was the regular run for the Coupe, Sedan and Wagon production. Production of the B140 pickup ended November 2007 in South Africa.

NOTE: Model Years (MY) generally runs from October to September. So the 1972 MY was from Oct 1971 to Sep 1972

Tail lights

Black-trim tail lights

Silver-trim tail lights

Long Wheelbase Models

G- models are long wheelbase (GB120), which is 295 mm longer overall, but with a 230 mm longer wheelbase. The bed overhang past the rear axle centerline is 60 mm longer. Also known as "longbed". Most easily identified by the five hooks on the tray rather than the normal 4-hook model.

album

Long wheelbase was available in Japan and New Zealand, but not in Australia nor in other countries.

Australia

B120 production ended with 1985 models. However the 1200 utes are still a wildly popular vehicle and common on the used car market. Only regular wheelbase 1200 utes were sold, however over the years some used GB-120/121/122 (long-wheelbase models) have been imported for the used car market.

Stock hub caps (1973)

Stock bumperettes and Aussie reflectors

Recent feature in Daily Telegraph May 29, 2009
50th

Japan Domestic Market

The Datsun 1200 truck was made from 1971-1994. Many of these used truck have been exported to many parts of the, especially Africa, South America, and New Zealand world and with the notable exception of USA). Assembly was done by Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd. (41% owned by Nissan). Aichi in Nagoya assembled the Vanette, Sunny Van and Sunny Cab and also the Evolution VIII.

For the 1989 Model year a major switch was made to the R-B122 model which features square headlights.

Sunny Truck (B122 & GB122) production in Japan ended in late 1994.

In Japan it is used as a commercial vehicle.

Sunny Truck Tank Lorry

Facelifts

Facelifts do not correspond to B120/B121/B122 split, which was more about Japan Emissions controls.

Also see:

Etc.

Original Style

Originally, Sunny Trucks used sedan Grille, Dashboard, Badges, and black interior.

1978 Facelift

In April 1978, Sunny Truck changed to a Coupe-style Grille, unique grille Badges, and brown interior.

Facelift models (plastic grille round eye)
B120 1978 Apr - 1979 Aug
B121 1979 Aug - 1981 Nov
B122 1981 Nov - 1989 Oct

1989 Facelift

In late 1989, Sunny Truck changed to a square-headlight Grille, NISSAN Badges, and gray interior. At the same time, the R-level emissions were adopted and so the model changed to R-B122.

1989 was the first badging of "Nissan" brand for Sunny Truck. Prior to this Datsun and Nissan were both used.

1989年11月に、ビッグマイナーチェンジ
Wikipedia JP
[Big minor change in November 1989]

B122

B121 changed to L-B122 when the Japan Emissions certification changed. R-B122 was the emissions changed to EGR & catalytic converter and the interior/exterior was changed at the same time.

Early B122  L-B122  1981-1989 round eye
Late B122   R-B122  1989-1994 square eye

L emissions (G)B122 (G=long body)
Album 23169

R emissions (G)B122 (no G = short body)
Album 25511

United States

No Sunny trucks were ever sold new in the United States. At present there are known to have been a handful of B120s privately imported into the United States. See United_States#B120s_in_USA.

A reason given is the 25% import tax on light trucks. Datsun and other companies worked around this by assembling the 521 and 620 pickup bed after arrival in USA (thus avoiding the 25% tax), but with the 1200 being a unibody, that was not feasible.

Nissan New Zealand

See main article: Road*Star

The Datsun 1200 ute was also sold in New Zealand:

1971-1980 B120 models

Later, Long wheelbase (GB-) models were sold with Roadstar and Sportstar market names from 1981-1985. It was marketed as a "1/2 tonne pickup":

1981-1983 models had A12 power and a 4-speed gearbox
1983-1985 models had A15 power with a 5-speed transmission

1/2 tonne is is listed as "500kg" payload. So that is 1/2 metric tonne, or 1/4 long ton.

SportStar

Marketing information use the spelling Road^Star and Sport^Star. And Road*Star and Sport*Star.

It came with a "long-bed wellside tray".

Older utes are now relatively rare in New Zealand, perhaps because of rust issue in this island nation. However, newer utes are still common, as are used Japan-market utes that have been imported for the used-car market.

Fuel economy was advertised as 17.3 k/liter (49 imperial gallons/mile, or 41 US gallons/mile), which is very possible with a 5-speed

Road^Star

RoadStar standard features included:

* 69 bhp
* 49 mpg (17.3 km/l)
* 1/2 tonne payload
* Heater-demister (2-speed)
* Inertial reel Seat belts
* Carpet
* Electric Clock
* Lighter
* Vanity Mirror
* Low-back bucket seats (no headrest)
* 'DATSUN' lettering on tailgate
...and more

Sport^Star

SportStar includes all RoadStar features plus:

* Tonneau Cover
* Wool trim Seats
* Black window surrounds
* Black Front Bumper
* Sports stripe and pillar panel
* Tonneau Cover
* Datsun exclusive white mag Wheels
* Left and right hand exterior Mirrors

Options

Options included:

* Fibreglass Canopy with sliding interior window, side and rear windows
* Mirrors (does this mean L.H. mirror or vanity mirror?)
* Halogen replacement Head Lamp unit
* Nudge bar
* Spoiler (Air dam)
* Centre Console
* Cowling scoops (Cowl-top vents?)
* Flares
   SportStar Flares
* Weathershields - left & right hand
* Floor Mats
* Stripe kit
* Radio & Stereo equipment
* Rally Jackets (anyone got a pic?)
* Driving lamps
* Mirrors (left & right)
* Wheels: Mags
* Hubcaps
* Wheel trim rings

Rally Pak
* Front spoiler (Air dam)
* Wheel-arch Flares
* Cowling scoops

Off-Road Pak
* Front nudge bar
* Rear nudge bar
* Driving lamps
* Mudflaps
* Plate frames

Pak 1
* Stripes
* Mudflaps
* Plate frames
* Radio
* Floor Mats
* Tonneau Cover
* Weather Shield - Right hand

Pak 2
* Stripes
* Mudflaps
* Weather shield - Left and Right hand
* Plate frames
* Stereo cassette/radio
* Floor Mats
* Left hand door mirror

L.H. mirror standard on SportStar, optional on RoadStar. Also a part of the Dress Pak 2 for Roadstar.

Nissan-Datsun South Africa

Nissan-Datsun South Africa originally imported B120s into South Africa.

120Y Bakkie

In 1976 production started in the Roslyn factory and these were marketed as "120Y" bakkies after the current 120Y (B210) sedans.

Post click for topic Album 26478 Album 14756

120Y Bakkie

Album 11951

1400 Bakkie

In 1980 the South Africa-specific B140 model debuted with A14-power and in 1986 the raised roof was introduced.

See the main B140 Bakkie article

The B140 is marketed as the Nissan 1400 LDV but commonly called the "Nissan bakkie".

Production of B140 ended November 2007. Obviously B140 Bakkies are very accessible, but older B120 bakkies are hard to find for sale. It seems the owners don't want to part with them.

B140s were also sold new in other African countries such as Zimbabwe.

Also see: Nissan B140 in-depth article.

South America

LHD Datsun 1200 trucks are fairly common in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatemala. They are commonly called Camionetas (little pickups) and also nicknamed Picopita (micro pickup) in Guatemala.

Ecuador

Aymesa (Automóviles de Ecuador) assembled CKD LHD Nissan 1200 Pickups in an in-country assembly plant from 1987-1999. This was necessary to meet government-mandated goals for domestic production. The 1200 was assembled in Quito, Ecuador.

1987 ... Se inicia la producción de la Datsun Pick Up

LHD 1200

Ecuador used cars

Production in Ecuador started in 1987.

Ecuador-built 1200s had brown LHD interior in the late 1980s, and 1990s models came with square headlights.

Production DATSUN 1200
* 1987 280
* 1988 464
* 1989 341
* 1990 635
* 1991 540
* 1992 934
* 1993 926
* 1994 1400
* 1995 1311
* 1996 479
* 1997 568
* 1998 642
* 1999 360
TOTAL 8880

1994 Production DATSUN 1200 
* Jan: 79 
* Feb: 121 
* Mar: 120 
* Apr: 120 
* May: 80 
* Jun: 150 
H1 total: 670

Ecuador EXPORTS DATSUN 1200
* 1992 0
* 1993 10
* 1994 1
* 1995 0
* 1996 0
* 1997 0
* 1998 0
* 1999 0

1200s at AYASA

The largest Nissan distributor in Ecuador was Ayasa (Automotores y Anexos S.A.). The company was founded in 1963 and it began importing and selling the Nissan Junior. In 1970 they began to import Datsun 1000 and Datsun 1200. In 1982 government authorities decided to ban the import of vehicles, so in 1985 Ayasa decided to import the 1200 Pickup kits. Assembly began in 1987 through an agreement with AYMESA which came to assemble 8,880 units in 13 years.

Sales Dates

* B20 February 1967 a.k.a. Datsun 1000 ute 
* B120 February 1971 a.k.a. Datsun 1200 ute 
* B122 October 1981-1994 (Japan) 
* B140 1986-2007 (South Africa) a.k.a. Bakkie

Sunny Trucks
B120T	1975 10 - 1979 08
B121T	1979 08 - 1981 10
B122T	1981 10 - 1994
B140	1987 - 2007 Nissan South Africa

Specifications

Wheelbase
* 2300 mm regular bed
* 2530 mm long bed
Cab Height: 1395 mm
* Height at back
** 1010 mm regular bed
** 995 mm long bed
overall length
* 3845 mm regular bed
* 4140 mm long bed
Width: 1495

Tray dimensions

See Bed#Measurements

Also See

* Sunny Truck Model Changes
* Ute Drawings

Competitors

The other subcompact RWD trucks offered at the introduction of the Sunny Truck were the Mazda Familia and the Toyata Publica. Only the Sunny and the Publica were unibody vehicles.

Sub-compact Utes: Toyota vs Mazda vs Datsun. Which do you think has the most style?

GM T Platform

GM's T platform (Gemini/Chevette) was RWD and was in the subcompact class. The coupe utility versions were approximately the same size as a Datsun 1200 pickup.

Chevrolet Chevy 500 from GM Brazil (1983-)

Grumett pickup & double-cab pickup 1979-1982 by Autopiezas Esposito (Uruguay), fibreglas body

Mazda Familia Truck

The Mazda Familia truck version was marketed under differ

ent names in diferent countries.

Mazda Familia Truck introduced 1964 November
Mazda 800
Mazda 1000
Mazda 1200
Kia Brisa B-1000 pickup truck introduced 1973

Mazda Familia 800 Pickup (1967)

Toyota Publica Truck

トヨタパブリカ. It was introduced February 1964 as the truck version of the Toyota Publica UP10 so arrived earlier than the Sunny B20 pickup. The Publica pick-up continued until 1988, being later fitted with the 1166 cc 3K and 1290 cc 4K-J engines.