G'day can someone please help with correct petrol for a Datsun 1200 1971 model. I have been using lead replacment additive (I am in OZTRALIA!) when filling with standard unleaded. Someone mentioned that I can use premium unleaded without the lead replacment additive and it would not harm the engine. Is this correct?

You can just use regular.

The A12s all had hardened valve seats suitable for unleaded fuel right from the go. See Fuel Requirements

Many thanks for your response. Those little bottles of lead replacment addative were getting expensive!

If you had a 1971 GM, Ford or Chrysler, you'd need them.

Glad you have a Datsun.

Its actually my sons. As soon as he got his licence (18 years old) he wanted a Datsun 1200. I offered to help him get a more modern car but he just wanted a Datsun. I dont know if its the chrome or the more classic lines of the old cars but they seem to be very popular among younger people. Still alot of work to do but slowly getting there as funds allow. Thank you for your help once again.

My first car was a Datsun 720 Ute which I rebuilt several times. I leared a lot with it and still own it. Much better than a more modern car.

Funny though, my "new" 1200 is 10 years older than my Datsun truck.

Newer cars have too many things to go wrong and too many added features that give you a false sense of security. Safety features are nice, but with some cars, you don't feel the danger you're into until its too late to do something about it. Something about older cars keeps a person in tune with the road better.

Statistically young drivers with older cars have fewer accidents than ones with models newer than 3 years old. That speaks volumes.

You're probably not interested anymore but the only difference between premium and standard unleaded is the octane rating, energy content is the same, fuel additives (except the octane modifiers) are more or less the same.