510 Reasons to Love this Datsun

Growing up obsessed with cars from the Japanese markets golden age’s meant speaking with more letters and numbers than words half the time. It was like a treasure hunt for the next cool submodel that you could learn everything about and then discus with your friends at school on Monday!  Dreaming of building the cleanest and meanest 70’s or 80’s JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) car was a goal, not a pipedream. That is the attitude you get when you are able to witness what I can only describe to you as “the best example of a 510 I have ever seen in person.”  Have I seen countless 510’s between car shows and race days? Of course. Are they all cool in their own way? Absolutely. But none have rubbed in my face what I knew the ultimate classic build should be quite like this one did. It’s the kind of car you would drive to the racetrack; bag on all day, and then pickup groceries on the way home from the late night car show you stopped by afterwards. The car has been restored in a way that brings every element of the “Car life” together. Daily drive-ability, show car cleanliness, and track day performance. 

Originally released in late 1967 as a 68 model year, the 510 was a humble and practical vehicle for your daily needs, with body styles from Wagon to 2 Door.  We all know that I have a soft spot for wagons, but the choice of 2 door by Hayden (the cars owner) could not better embody the way the build has turned out.  Pulling up to the property where the car is located you could immediately tell there was an unparalleled level of care of the build; a small one bay garage nestled into the property is where the 510 calls home. And being that it doesn’t need a lot of space, its quite the quaint space to park such an iconic piece.  If I was a videographer, not a photographer, I would have taken that staple shot of the garage slowly opening to the darkness behind the car; with the headlights turning on. You know the one, and if I ever make the jump to video; I’ll be sure to bug Hayden about a shoot!  It is abundantly clear when the garage door opens that this 510 means business. It looks like something you would expect in a video game, with every piece of the car modified in a way to bring high revving adrenaline, and artistic form together. When I say that everything on this car has been replaced I do mean everything. The body has been widened to give the car a more aggressive stance and menacing feel for when it pulls up behind you on the back straight of whichever track you’re about to lose at. (That is if you could get in front of it to begin with!) Each modification has been thoughtfully applied to create a work of art that will, and I do mean will; smoke you in any situation.

Before we set off on our little photo adventure, we did our typical “stand around and drool while the car warms up” car guy chats. Talking about the weird one off pieces on the car down to the nuts and bolts used to hold a very original engine setup together. Discussing the differences between the European CA-18DET vs the North American CA-18DET while the 4 port version (Euro) hum’s in the background is a simple pleasure I’m sure most people will not be able to identify with. But as a car person, it seems to be a small, and often over looked pleasure. Like a weird little reminder that our kind of nerd is a different breed. Gain Restoration, (which I will have to write a separate story on if I can get my foot through that door with a camera) is responsible for the absolutely flawless body work on the 510. And I do mean flawless. Gain’s hard work and dedication to perfection would be overlooked by most on this build, but the custom moulded fender flares, and the perfect application of the classic Safari Gold paint to those beautifully crafted body lines, is nothing short of art. Period. Can we go drive now please? K thanks.

The CA-18DET absolutely sings through a custom made 3 inch exhaust and is relatively quiet as it moves modestly; but putting your foot down will wake up the Tomei cams, and you will experience a sound no symphony could compete with. As far as the handling is concerned; there is some very impressive custom fitment going on. The front subframe is all custom, and retro fitted to hold 240 SX suspension to provide a handling experience that the stock Datsun parts could not compare to. BC racing coil-overs keep the ride stiff, but allow for enough comfort that there is no reason you couldn’t take the 510 for road trips and to work all the same!  300ZX brakes have been fitted all around with a rear disk conversion, instead of the outdated stock drum brakes. For those of you who have made it this far and aren’t as into cars as some of us are: 300ZX = bigger and heavier. Brakes that can stop a unit like that quickly are able to halt this lightweight vehicle in a hurry! A fully forged bottom end, and a GT28RS pair nicely with the overhaul to provide what I would call an obscene amount of power in a chassis this light. A Haltech Platinum sport 1000 Engine Control Unit (or ECU as the cool kids are saying) and a Custom fuel delivery system create a driving experience you would be hard pressed to find in any other restoration type build; and dare I say a supercar either. 

We headed to downtown Victoria on the one way city streets to try some rolling shots (which we’ve talked about in a previous post) with the tight city streets as the backdrop. Driving through a city in a car like this breaks necks. The general public was either confused as to why a car could make sounds like this one, or absolutely floored due to having yet to see another 17970 Datsun this clean. In any case, it turns heads fast enough to cause some trips to your local chiropractor on your next available weekend! To contrast our city scape we headed to road that I would be lost trying to find again, all so I could take some of those low rollers you all seem to love so much! The Safari Gold exploded on the dark forested road and having a driver as capable as Hayden was a roller shoot experience I will never forget.  I typically ask drivers to get close to my car to get a very “in your face” kind of shot while moving and I have yet to see a driver get as close, as quickly as Hayden. Years of on track experience, and countless hours in the garage building the 510 allow for a level of comfort and control that most people driving on the highway will never compare to. Once we managed to get out of the public eye and into the private property is where you could truly let the Bluebird fly. The tires on the 510 are a 245/40zr15 Hooiser setup, as opposed to the seemingly miniature looking stock setup on 13 inch rims. Now keep in mind, the wide fenders help to create the illusion of stock fitment for the wheels and tires, but trust me when I tell you this is not. The CA18 spins the massive slicks with ease and having the GT28 turbo spool only a few feet away from me as I shot out the back of the Golf was a wonderful adrenaline rush; and a great reminder that I try to get as up close and personal with my automotive subjects as I can. The r200 and Kaaz 1.5 way LSD help to make sure that when you really want the power at both wheels, it’s already there. The tight road was echoing with sounds of automotive excitement as we made our way back to the real world; and as much as I wouldn’t trade my seat a few feet away from the car shooting for anything, I bet it would’ve been cool to hear the noise move through the forest like an angry animal looking for prey. 

As our time came to a close with the 510 I was reminded again and again why I enjoy shooting inside the automotive niche. It’s not just about the fastest car, the loudest car, or the coolest photo. It’s about showcasing the countless hours spent slaving in a garage to create a master piece like this Datsun. Many of you may not understand this article in a technical sense, but I bet the vast majority can appreciate the way the colour pops on the forested Vancouver Island backdrop. You might even be confused as to why you like photos of a (seemingly harmless) little 2 door car from the 1970’s. Subconsciously you are appreciating the unending hours in the shop needed to bring this Bluebird to life. If a stock 510 drove past you in public, would you notice? I’d be willing to bet it would pass like a summer breeze; unnoticed. But I promise if you were to witness this mini monster in public you too would be left with a sore neck, and a happy heart.