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isn't it weird how who ever stops to comment on a datto ALWAYS seems to add that either he or one of his distant relatives used to or does own one... If it was any other car they would probably have forgotten about it by now...

Not only that, but has anyone ever met one that actually hated a datto? maybe a 120y or something thats actually on the some what ugly side of the scale...

I guess as they get rarer (and become collectors only material) all those people will probably want one more too...

in NZ once a car is forty years old, the rego is half price. I can't wait!
1200's are already selling on trademe for a whole Extra zero more than they cost back when I first got into them.
The only way is up.

Quote: Now that's a country I like. One where they ENCOURAGE you to keep an older car on the road & actually REWARD you if you maintain your car untill it reaches reach the goal age. I like that.

I did the bare shell rebuild on my KB10 15 years ago thinking it may be worth a small fortune in the future
cost me about 6k with a panel beater friend painting it for 500 bucks
I would be lucky to get my money back now
My race coupe owes me about 15K
But the best joy i get is that i built both these cars and enjoy them both
1000 utes are also rare but dont seem to pull great dollars
but im shaw the rat ute will also turn heads

has anyone realised that the datsun 1000 wagon is also just as rare as a kb10 i have only ever seen one wagon for sale and i bought it other than that i have never seen another wagon for sale

Back in the mid to late 60's you could buy a 1934 Ford from Albert G. Simms [now Simmsmetal] for as little as $10 & turn it into a speedway racer. No loss, there were plenty around & no-one really valued them, so they were cheap.
These cars were a little over 30 years old at the time.
What's a rough but runable one worth now.

Today, our Datsuns are a little over 30 years old & apart from some enthusiasts, they are not really high on the 'must have' list, & besides, there's still plenty around & they are still cheap.

Is history about to repeat itself here? Keep the faith brothers.

Im sure they will definately be sort after by enthusiasts, just as much as they are now. But it will only be the real enthusiasts. I find it funny that money value has been mentioned. Does a true enthusiast care about money value? What for, So you can sell it? Is that a true enthusiast? There are easier ways to make money. Maybeee its just for pride to tell people your car is worth xxx amount.
Personally I dont care what my cars or anyothers will be worth. I just hope some are around so they can be stripped for replacement parts if required.

I don't think any true enthusiast cares what the car is worth , myslef included or I would have taken the porfit on the car.
I notice the owners here have owned their car for some time and most of us are constantly taken aback by how Datto's have gone from cheap little cars people bought because they couldn't or wouldn't afford a "real" enthusiast car. (remember the TR6 tosser on here a couple of years ago) Now regular car folk see them as a legitimate classic.
My thought on this post was more of; 510's and Z cars have had a mainstream cult following for at least 20 years, so those cars have been preserved, 1200's up until recently were used abused and crushed. So we were thinking with less of them they will be more sought after.
The attibutes that make 1200's great are still there; Light good handling and cheap to operate. Like most 1200 guys I've kept enough parts to keep my going another 20 years so my running cost are still dirt cheap.

Now I'm still having trouble with the guy who came up to my 1200 at a track day and spent 15 minutes taking pictures of it and the gal who came running over from her husband's Porsche to check out the 1200. Of course if Datsun is ever a featured make at the Monterey Historics..........I'll be playing up the "snob" appeal of 1200's for sure.

Tom

there's just no car like the datsun. We're lucky to have the ones we do.

It's an amazing balance of everything good. if anything the cars were sparse and there's plenty of room for goodies.

we probably won't see cars as cool for a long time.

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can we not say ugly please? just obscure or not so hot..