When Nissan Motor Company decided to change its brand from Datsun to Nissan in the US market, it was one of the most disastrous brand name shifts in history. In fact, the decision has been used as a case study in business schools worldwide of how NOT to rebrand a company.

In 1960, Nissan entered the US market using the old Datsun name — perhaps in part to counter the anti-Japanese sentiment that remained fresh in a post-war era. By 1981, the Datsun brand was strong in many other countries, even though the company was still selling vehicles under the name Nissan in Japan.

In the early 1980’s, the awareness level of Nissan in the U.S. was only 2% as compared to 85% for the Datsun name. In the fall of 1981, a decision was announced to change the name from Datsun to Nissan in the U.S. During the 1982-1984 model years, the products were changed gradually to implement the name change. For instance, 1982 models had “Nissan” on the grille, “Datsun” on the left of the trunklid and “Nissan” on the right. Other Datsuns simply had “by Nissan” included in their emblem. Some models switched completely in 1983, such as the Datsun 510 being replaced by the Nissan Stanza. For the 1984 model year, the name change transition was complete.

As a function of the change, Nissan Motor Corporation issued several documents to assist with the explanation of the name change – not just for the car buying public, but for its own employees.

The following brochure (and its accompanying introductory letter), is one such document… We’ve scanned this 1985 brochure from our collection to share with you – We hope you enjoy this little piece of Datsun history! [Click to reveal the full-size images]

Long before the Internet, and even before the hand-held calculator, people needed a way to make quick calculations without doing a lot of mathematical computation. The slide rule, a 17th-century device, rapidly became the most commonly used calculation tool in science and engineering.

The slide rule was the inspiration for countless pocket calculators, referred to as “slide charts.”

Typically made of cardboard or plastic, a slide chart was typically task-specific, and these handy devices could be tucked in a pocket for quick reference. For decades, the slide chart was the go-to gadget for engineering, aviation, photography, finance, construction, machine work, surveying, and even cooking!

An example of a common slide chart:

Of course, it goes without saying that there are people who collect these, and they’re still used in certain industries today. But we’re interested in Datsun collectibles, so here’s a few Datsun-specific slide charts that I think you’ll find interesting – Enjoy!

In 1961, Motor Trend predicted, “Datsun will soon have a lot of Americans driving cars marked Made in Japan.” There’s no question they were right, and the road test they conducted on the Bluebird and Fairlady Roadster are pretty awesome to read, 53 years later!

In 1967, Datsun was still an unknown quantity to the American motoring public. Car & Driver reviewed the 1967 Datsun 411 in both sedan and wagon form – they proclaimed several of its virtues, while bemoaning other characteristics. Either way, it’s a great read for early Datsun enthusiasts!

The following is a listing of books pertaining to Datsun vehicles over the years. Some may be out of print, but can often be found by searching ebay, Amazon, used bookstores, or even your local library!

If you run across a book that’s not listed here, please let us know – We’d love to include it in our listing. Email us at [email protected]!

Finding a replacement key for your Datsun can be a challenge if you don’t know what to look for. Here’s a chart showing all of the correct keys, by model, for the Datsun lineup.

“They don’t make ’em like they used to…”

As Datsun enthusiasts, we all know that the chances of finding an early Datsun 510 that is stock and unmolested is usually pretty impossible. While there are several examples of well-preserved stock 510’s in North America, there is one particular car that really stands out. We’d like to tell you more about this amazing car… but more importantly, we’d like to tell you the story that goes along with it.

On November 9, 1971, Arthur Hughes purchased a 1972 Datsun 510 4-door sedan from Brasso Datsun in North Vancouver (Canada’s largest Datsun dealer). The car was intended to be driven by his aunt, who, due to her age, could no longer drive a larger car. The 510 came with most of the available options: Automatic transmission, tinted glass, rear window defroster, AM radio, dual side mirrors, engine trouble light, complete undercoating, and radial whitewalls and several other options.

In January 1979, Arthur’s aunt passed away, but bequeathed the 510 to Arthur in her will. At that time, she had only put 7,000 miles on the odometer. Amazingly, even the factory-installed clear protective vinyl was still on the rear door panels.

This factory-issued manual contains all the information you need to troubleshoot, maintain and service the fuel injection system on your 1975 to 1980 Datsun.

The manual covers fuel injection systems for the Datsun 810, the 200SX, and the 280Z and 280ZX.

The manual is broken up into sections for ease of use – Click the link for the section you wish to view.

Section 1 – Principles of Operation

Datsun EFI Fuel Circuit
Datsun Fuel Injection Air Flow
Sensor Inputs to Control Unit
The Cold Start System
EFI Electrical System

Section 2 – Datsun EFI Troubleshooting

EFI Quick Checks (without special tools)
EFI Multimeter or Volt/Ohm Meter Checks
Wiring Diagrams (All Models) 1975 – 1980
EFI Troubleshooting with Kent/Moore J25400 Analyzer

Section 3 – Adjusting EFI Settings

EFI Adjustments

Part 2 of “Datsun Competition Parts Catalog 1976” – Click here to return to Page 1!