Ok so on my weekly check of e-bay and the classifieds I saw a couple of coupes that I would deem $600 and $1200 cars.............$2500 for "stock" 1200 and 35 bidders!!! c'mon these are obscure little econo boxes that are cheap cause no one wants them. (Well at least in 1985) So it occurred to me I really am living in "The days of Datto past". It also occured to me I can't be the only one..........so kiddies spill it , what aspect of 1200's now being popular amazes you??

For me , besides the price , it's a 1200 being our little secret.

Tom

The almighty DATTO is definately a secret that has been kept for a long time but now the beans have been spilled. Everyone loves they. They are fuel efficient, classic cool, heaps of ability to be modified and pretty much just the best allround car ever lol

small, light, "right" wheel drive unlike anything newer

i'm glad someone bought this up... i'm only 17 and i bought my 1200 ute when i was 16 1/2 ish, i got it rego'd and i've been driving it ever since.

To me it's the coolest car on earth, nothing else compares, it's small like me so i feel as though i "fit it" and everywhere i go in it, it turns heads even though it's stock as a rock and goes really slow.

I'm in the process of having it lowered and my exhaust done, so it'll look and sound a lot tougher, no doubt it'll turn more heads.

I really love it when middle aged people (like my old mans friends) come up to me and tell me they used to own a 1200 or some sought Datsun back in the day, and as much as people boo-hoo them, most admit they where the greatest cars they've ever owned.

LONG LIVE THE DATSUN.

Excellent thread, Tom. For me, it's fun to drive, economical, super-easy to work on, and they have classic styling. I liked them back when they were new. (I'm an old fart)

Also, for those of us who live in the US "smog states" they are free and clear of any and all smog certifications, so you can do literally anything to it and still be legal.

Mine's mostly stock, and I drive it every day!

It's the same old story. If a car has great intrinsic worth, then it's value in the marketplace follows a curve.
It has blue book value for the first decade or two, however its inherent qualities mean that many are kept in service long after its lesser contemporaries have fallen by the wayside. Eventually these cars have nostalgia value & many recognise their racing herritage, great styling, wonderfull mechanical simplicity, reliability, rebuildability, fun quotient etc. [pick whichever applies to your favorite toy]
Next we have a supply & demand situation that is getting heavier on the demand side & lighter on the supply side & 'market forces' start to take over. This seems to happen anytime after the car reaches about 30 years old in most cases.

This is when prices for the rare & desireable parts, as well as for the 'sporty' models in very good condition stops falling & starts an inexorable turnaround. Base models in ordinary condition will continue to languish for a while & be used as parts donors, but eventually they too will become sought after.

If you think that you want to realise a proffit on your Datsun [eventually] then get the best car you can find & restore its bodyshell to better than new condition as this is where the money is.

Lets face it, our Datsuns have gone as low in market value as they will ever sink, so don't be surprised when prices for the good ones start looking better each year [for sellers] or worse [for buyers] Just blame it all on supply & demand & 'market forces'

Which ones are likely to be the future money spinners in Australia?
In my view, you could include 1000 coupes, 1200 two door sedans & 1200 coupes all in excellent condition or better, with blemish free body shells, but thats just my opinion.

I feel like I'm livin in the past.

OK, so I finally got used to prices for classic excellent condition Mustangs or Camaros at $20,000; that seems OK since new ones cost more.

You can buy a brand new economy car for $7000, but I don't see why someone would pay $2100 for a beater...

the old dattos will go forever with a bit of tender loving care, and with my datto i love em and wouldnt have anything else. As someone else mentioned before they are easy to work on, economical, and its just the wow factor that people thought they work gone forever, and some didnt even know that some models were around,but they are still around and will always be around. FOREVER LONG LIVE THE DATSUNS.


Cheers Mitch

They are a new weapon of choice among the performance nut group.

They are light, really light, so thats half the power to weight ratio battle already won.

easy to work on ;You can pick up the gearbox with one hand ; one person can pick up an A series no need for an engine crane if you have a mate to hand the motor to.

They are little cars. girls think they are cute and someone stepping out of a 1200 isn't going to come across as a bad ass heart breaker. You are positioned well when someone asks the question " would a nasty guy drive a car like that? " .Take note; nasty guys are now driving the price up as they buy them in an effort to diguise themselves

Why are they more expensive?

They are less and less common and more and more sought after.

I cant tell you any one who has said to my face Datto 1200s they suck.
I have been stoped in the street by 4 year olds asking what kind of ute is that, and I have been stoped by 80 year olds re living their past to me. But to me its understated its un assuming and the look on peoples face when this little blue ute tears off into the sunset