Though not as legendary as its earlier namesake, the A10-chassis Datsun 510 deserves a second look.
The Datsun 510 was more or less an instant classic when it landed on US shores in the late 1960s. It garnered a well-deserved reputation as a giant-killer on the race track, raising the profile of Japanese cars in the United States at a time when they weren’t really taken seriously.
It makes sense, then, that Nissan would opt to re-use that name for a new line of compact cars that debuted in 1978. These days, though, few folks know about the “other” Datsun 510. Based on Nissan’s A10 platform, it was known overseas variously as the Violet, the Stanza, and the Auster.
We found this 1980 Datsun 510 wagon on Facebook Marketplace for sale in Madison, Wisconsin. It appears to be in tremendously good condition, from its beige paint to its equally beige vinyl interior. With just 69,000 miles on the clock, it’s offered at $13,900.
Available as a two-door coupe, four-door sedan, three-door hatch, five-door hatch, and station wagon (as seen here), there was a 510 to suit just about anyone. Just about anyone, that is, besides the hard-core performance enthusiasts that turned “Datsun 510” into a household name.
Powered by the L20B four-cylinder (and later, the Z20S four-cylinder seen here), each and every one of these later 510 left the factory with fewer than 100 horsepower, and a choice of a four-speed manual, a five-speed manual, and the automatic seen here. Worth noting, however, that the five-speed featured a dogleg first gear – just about the raciest part of the car.
Lesser-Known Legend
Don’t let the lack of underhood excitement fool you, though. Believe it or not, the A10 chassis had a quite an illustrious racing career overseas. In fact, the A10 won the Safari Rally every year from 1979 through 1982, as well as the 1980 Rally New Zealand and the 1981 Rallye Côte d’Ivoire.
As such, this humble wagon shares its platform with Nissan’s most successful World Rally Championship entry. Maybe – just maybe – it’s time to reconsider this later Datsun 510’s place in the history books.