From the Classifieds: 1981 Datsun 200B GL

There was a time, back in the 1960s and early 1970s, when the Datsun badge was well regarded in Australia. Everything from the sporty hero cars (2000 Sports and 240Z), all the way down to the tiny 1000 and 1200 small cars earned their stripes in the demanding (and frankly, slightly xenophobic) Aussie market of the era.

The original Datsun Bluebirds of the 1960s owed much to British engineering -- but were fairly robust cars despite that. It was the successor to those early Bluebirds, however, that cemented the Datsun name in the Australian cultural psyche. Introduced here in 1967, the (510 series) 1600 delivered unprecedented levels of technology for the price.

How many cars at the time, for under $3000, could boast a semi-trailing arm independent rear suspension, or a modern 1.6-litre engine with an alloy head and overhead cam?

The Datsun 1600 was well equipped too, and it was both thoroughly dependable and economical. Agile and compact, the 1600 became a popular choice for rally drivers too. Its independent rear end delivered remarkable performance on dirt, relative to the leaf-sprung live axles of its competitors.

But Nissan failed to capitalise on the trail-blazing technology of the Datsun 1600. In 1972, the company introduced the (610 series) Datsun 180B, which was built on a longer wheelbase and featured a larger 1.8-litre engine, but mechanically, was little different from the 1600.

The 180B (like the 1600 before it) as built at Nissan’s local plant in Clayton (Vic), as was the (810 series) 200B, which followed in 1977.

For the first few months, however, all 200B models were imported from Japan while the local factory converted to a model that did away with the independent rear end in favour of a live axle with coil springs, assembled from locally sourced parts. This helped the 200B meet with the federally mandated requirement for 85 per cent local content.

Powered by a larger 2.0-litre engine that was initially unique to the Aussie version, the 200B was nothing if not a commercial success. Indeed, at the time it was the best-selling four-cylinder car in Australia.

It was the larger engine, ironically, that was the Achilles heel of the 200B. Essentially a stroked version of the L18 engine from the 180B, it was coarse and uninspiring at higher revs.

Little wonder that the Chrysler Sigma with its smooth Astron engine (employing balance shafts) quickly overtook the 200B in sales.

Between the retrograde suspension and the noisy powertrain, the 200B scored some detractors among the local press. A 180B with 20 more faults, acerbic motoring writer Paul Harrington penned of the Datsun at the time.

The rally fraternity didn’t take to it either. Its rear live axle was simply not as forgiving as the IRS of its forbears

Yet somehow, the mystique of the Datsun 200B has (slowly) grown over the years. It has been the subject of a song by comedy musical trio Tripod. And the young drivers who got their start behind the wheel of a 200B are innumerable.

For all its shortcomings, it was cheap to run, hard to destroy and, by the standards of its day, safe to drive.

There are even Nissan/Datsun fans who regard the 200B as the last ‘solid’ series of the line -- many scoffing at the lighter 910 series Bluebird that followed.

The 200B’s longevity is more than just an urban myth, as this car advertised on carsales indicates.

In very good original condition, this car is the base model with the standard four-speed manual gearbox. Its current owner, an elderly lady, bought this car from new, making it an original one-owner vehicle.

According to the advertisement, this Datsun 200B has always been garaged, the seat upholstery is ‘as new’ after being protected by covers for decades, and it has travelled less than 82,000km from new.

At an asking price of $8000, the 200B in question is not as affordable as you might expect, but just shy of 40 years old, it could be a dark horse for speculators.

Prospective buyers should be aware that the 200B is being sold in New South Wales with a roadworthy certificate, but only two months of unexpired registration.

See previous carsales From the Classifieds