1974 Datsun 180B SSS

Putting this up on behalf of my old man - it's one of his pride and joys (amongst an NA Mazda MX-5 and late model Mazda 6). He purchased it back in the early 90's from the original owner - having known the car from new and witnessed the first time it was returned home. He was suitably knocked out by the looks of it back then 1974 and jumped at the chance of buying it when it became available all those years later.

It was left pretty much as purchased and maintained for many years fitting a nudge bar and some tiny Cheviot five-spoke wheels. A more recent rust removal (early 2000s) had the a previously fitted duck egg blue (originally brown) vinyl roof removed and the car resprayed in a period correct 1975 Datsun Cream.

We've no idea how many times the odometer has been around the clock (it's only a 5-digit one), but given it's age we'd probably put it somewhere around 450,000-500,000km mark.

It still has the original owners manual, log books and purchase receipt and Dad continues to have it serviced regularly.

As Dad loves the badges, he's applied the commensurate number of varied non-standard ones...it's his car after all. He had a 240K 5-speed gearbox fitted about 25 years ago too, to make highway and country driving a little more sedate.

We are currently in the process of updating the front suspension - moving to a MadDat coilover conversation using 200B strut and disc brakes. A recent search for new discs uncovered the fact that no one makes the early 180B SSS model anymore, so we've moved to something that's likely to have a little more options into the future.

Of course one of the obvious modifications is the wheels - going for a 15x8+0 XXR wheel in the RS Watanabe-style. It was a bit of a gamble, but this really sets the car off - even if it does make the steering a little heavier than it should.

Apart from that the car is relatively stock.