Every time I bump into somebody I havn't seen in a while I get asked what I've been up to, I say "Fixing up a Datsun 1000".

If I need to explain what a 1000 is, the common response is usually something like "I remember those! Wayno had one."

After a bit more talking it becomes clear that they have no idea what a 1000 really is, and "Wayno's" car was a actually a 1200.

This must happen to every 1000 owner on the planet.

How often does this happen to you?


P.S. sorry to any Wayno's out there.

Happens to me all the time.

I like this forum, it's neat.

Why wait for ddgonzal to respond, he won;t mind. Dave is an easy going guy, plus it's the branco brothers that run that site.

danielblues and pfbranco are the two.

But seriously they grace the forums maybe once every three months so you'll be waiting for a while, just take a look at the suggesstions threads......

Chris

I've gotten that at every single show I went to this year...

"A 1200, right?
"Cool! A 1200?"

2010 was the first year I took the car to any shows around here in Vancouver since I got the car 6 years ago and it was really well recieved. The little sedan no one would have paid any attention to 40 years ago took Best of Show at the All Classic Japanese Show, Best Vintage at the Datsun/Nissan show and Best Asian Import at a classic car show.

I don't think I can ever let this car go....

Its always fun when someone argues a point because they just assume they know when you have something to show them to educate them shall we say.

I can't agree re any early (is there a better name) 1000 having a 4 speed in Victoria from new.  Every early car I have ever seen had a 3 speed or evidence of having had one, I've got two in my shed at the moment (well they've been there for several years).  Admittedly I have probably only looked closely at 10 cars but a friend who notices everything about cars had an uncle in Melbourne buy one new in 1967, with a 3 speed.  That 10 does include one VB10 with a 3 speed so original it had never had a radio fitted.
 
The FIA homologation papers (based on March to May 67 cars) list both 3 speed and the standard 4 speed and the three diff ratios (4.111, 4.375 and 4.625) even though the ute didn't come out 'til later.  There is a photo of the interior of a car with early steering wheel and dash and floor mounted gear lever so they did exist in Japan in early 1967.   Bruce Wilkinson used a 3 speed 1967 model car in the 1967 Alpine rally in Victoria.  I believe that he fitted a 4 speed gearbox for 1968 and did several more events.
 
The owners manual available here for download is clearly an early version (B10 and VB10 only) and it shows both transmissions, just not in Australia.
 
Is it known what body number was the last early type?  Did the engine change at the same time (single row timing chain on early motors)?
 
Also I have never seen a later (middle?) 1000 with a 3 speed and I have only seen one car with the bigger tail lights and it had a 4 speed also.
 
Edit in another observation, most early cars I have seen were the deluxe version and later cars not.
 
Mark in Research Victoria