Just after some opinions,

I have owned 5 1200 utes and have a soft spot for them. Parts are easy to find and plentiful. New panels are cheap, and they are a good ute to modify. I don't need to sell how good they are to anyone here.

But i am looking at the mazda 1000 utes, and am liking them more and more. I have owned a few rx3's and the rotary would be my all time favourite engine (hence the reason for looking at the mazda utes- keen to try the conversion). They have a full chasis??? This i'm not too sure about, i know they can come with a tray, as well as the style side version, so things like tubbing should be easier than the 1200 due to the fact the rear tub/tray can be removed- unlike the datsuns. would this make them a stonger, more stable car?
I'm just interested if anyone knows much about these little utes and can give me sme comparisons between them and the datsuns. I've got my eye on a mazda shell, but don't want to rush in and regret anything later.
thanks

My old man loves his 1000s. Best thing about them is the full chassis(yes they have one). Good solid platform for an hipo engine and engineers love them. Downside is. Parts, and converting to front discs requires more stuffing around than a 1200. Pretty sure they all came styleside but over the years the trays rust away an people just through flatbeds on.

Thanks for that.

The full chasis may end up getting my vote... but it's the lack of parts and the fact that i am familiar with the 1200 that's keeping me from taking the plunge.

parts are realy dear. my mate has 2 1000 utes, 1 with a 13b turbo gt45r on it. crazy car.

A car hit him in the frount, hears the price for the parts: right guard $500 grill $500 apron $200 light $100. not cheap at all.

Whoa!
that's what i figured with parts!
score 1-1
Makes it 1 for the mazda in regards to the full chasis, and 1 to the datsun for parts cost and availability...

well basically you see alot of 1200 utes and not many 1000 utes if you wanted 2nd hand parts theyd be rare and then to get new 1s very expensive but on the other hand the 1200 ute is the complete oppisite lots of 2nd parts around and new 1's cheap go the 1200

if you wanted a ute with a full chassis you could get a datsun 320 ute except you would have to get a tray back style i think they were the only style to have a full chassis
[edit] if you want one i know where one is pm me if your intrested

Forgive my ignorance...
but what does a 320 ute look like?

edit- never mind found one... the pics i found did have a tub rear, as well as the tray.

320 utes are FUGLEY!!!!!!

^^^^ yeh, a little too like a morris for my tastes.

To tell you the truth, i actually looked at a toyota stout a few weeks back. A damn site bigger than the 1200's! But bagged on some big rims it could look sweet.