What have you heard?

[Phred58]

Look at the side of my car - at the end of the stripes, it says "DATSUN" "2000" in 2" high letters. You would not believe the number of people I've had come up to me and ask me what brand car it is... Really??

My license plate rim used to say: No, it's not a MG; it's a 1968 Datsun Roadster!

Still had people puzzled.

[Dave Can]

I really like where that TR4 is being restored.
As for my roadster, the only thing I've heard is "That's a lot of rust."

[caraddict]

We took the two liter out for breakfast last weekend and got a primo parking spot right next to the patio where we sat. Got a kick out of listening to the comments as people walked by when some genius starts telling his posse that it couldn't be a 2000 cuz Datsun never made a 2000. I just laughed but my date was chomping at the bit to straighten the guy out. That is till I pointed out to her that Mr. genius had a couple of young kids with him so she rightfully gave him a pass so as not to embarass him in front of his kin.

He's probably on some Triumph or MG list right now telling his tribe about some "fake" Datsun 2000 he saw last weekend.

[Nissanman]

@ Dave Can: -
Here is the Link to Bill's album on the TR4 resto.
Not a huge amount of pics. but there you go: -
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=462f351e ... &sc=Photos

[Kurt]

You know the look you get with eyes rolling around the back of one's head when you tell someone you own a Datsun Roadster, a two seat convertible ...

I say it kinda resembles a TR4. Okay...is the usual response.

[Phred58]

I usually tell them it's looks like a Japanese MG.

Yeah, Yeah, I know the roadsters came first but there were more MG's made so more people know what they look like.

Wow Jon, kudos to the good self-control. As the saying goes, "it's not what you know but what you "think" you know that isn't so..."

[Thomcraft]

Granted, I haven't had my 2000 for very long but I think I have heard every one of those. The most common being "I used to have one of those!". I have had guys waiting in the parking lot for whoever owns that car to come out to talk about it. Where I live they are pretty rare and I can honestly say I haven't seen one since I got mine, and you know i'm keeping a sharp eye out.

[caraddict]

As the saying goes, "it's not what you know but what you "think" you know that isn't so..."

Amen to that.....Chip Foose also had a great line on Overhaulin a few years ago when he said "It's the stuff you learn AFTER you know everything that counts".

Jon

[FairladySPL]

Interesting comments about the tendency to ask what kind of car it is.
My experience is predominantly one of "I didn't know Datsun made a convertible," with no mystery as to the brand name.

Yet, with about 30 years since Nissan began to discontinue "Datsun," that's two generations of drivers, and far fewer old cars of all models still on the road with the old brand.

Now take the 311 subset, which already was rare, and you can see why there's puzzlement.

Makes me wonder whether we now have two challenges -- what's a "datsun," and "who made your car?"

Maybe we should start saying it's a rare version of an "Infinity" from Nissan.

[Linda]

Consider that people can walk by a TR and say "what is that?" as well. Basically because most folks are not car nuts. They don't know a TR from an Austin Healy from an MG, much less a Datsun.
I just try to remember that if it didn't catch their eye they wouldn't ask

Linda

[DatsunDave]

I have received all the usual questions cited but the one that I find the most interesting is "what year is it"?

I answer and then I get "nice car" in return.

Does this mean if I picked a different year, the car would not be nice? Does this mean they approve of the year of the car? Is there some affinity they have for the year and that makes the car more appealing?

This one is a head scratcher for me.

[Roman]

"I used to have one of those!".

For every time I have heard that line that would make the production number more like a 100,000 or so.

Besides, we all know if you have/ had a roadster, you had more than one.

I have received all the usual questions cited but the one that I find the most interesting is "what year is it"?

I answer and then I get "nice car" in return.

Does this mean if I picked a different year, the car would not be nice? Does this mean they approve of the year of the car? Is there some affinity they have for the year and that makes the car more appealing?

This one is a head scratcher for me.

Just petty small talk. keep in mind whoever starts a conversation is at least interested in the cars. This is a credit to their interest and a credit to our cars...........they can at least inspire conversation.

[garth]

This is a very interesting subject with great comments. Alvin, thank you for initiating the post!

My car has not gotten any comments from the streets but quite a few from the floor of the restoration shop where I am finishing it's interior. All comments have been positive and most with a little envy. The shop caters to sports and performance cars of the late 50s to mid 70s so the visitors are usually well informed about vehicles of the era.

Two comments stand out:

A '72 Karmann Ghia convertible needing a complete restoration arrived yesterday on a trailer. Its owner who arrived on a Harley, literally could not take her eyes off my roadster and pressing me with questions and speculative purchase offers. Like a lot of us boomers, she has a sentimental attachment to her Karmann, but she said "I gotta get me a Fairlady like that one"

The shop's activity is mostly related to body and paint work but occasionally a mechanic will come in to work on suspensions or install an engine. The most frequent visiting mechanic is a very experienced, very spry, semi retired 75 year old who served his apprenticeship assembling Austin Healeys but worked in BMW and Porsche dealerships when he came to Canada. He has an encyclopedia knowledge of vintage cars and their mechanical strengths and weaknesses and is willing to share knowledge and help anyone. Super guy! A few days ago he politely asked if he could take my car for a test when it is on the road as it has been a long time since he last drove a Datsun and cursed his years working with an expectation of brand loyalty. Makes one feel lucky and humble at the same time.

[krismon]

at least once every couple months in the year I daily drove (when it looked completely beat to death, rust and all) I got offers:
"you willing to sell your car?"
"how much for your car?"
"give you a grand for it right now."

[Thomcraft]

Just yesturday I was sitting at a stop light when a scion pulled up next to me with a couple of young guys in it. Out of the corner of my eye i could tell they were making kind of a fuss as the driver was inching his car forward enough to get a look at the front of my car. Suddenly he jerks to his passenger and exclaims, " its a Datsun!". I chuckled to myself and looking in my rear veiw I saw the guy behind me is holding a camera over his steering wheel and taking a picture. Wow I haven't had this much attention since the wheel bearing on my 5th wheel seized and caught on fire going down the hiway.