"Ask most enthusiasts what the first Japanese sports car of significance sold in the U.S. was, and the likely response would be Datsun 240Z. But you can make a compelling case for a series of two seat Datsuns before the 240Z and its successors. Called Datsun Sports convertibles, they are better known as Datsun roadsters though they were never officially sold as such. These were the first Japanese sports cars that could truly compete with the popular MGs, Triumphs, and Fiats of the day in terms of price and performance." Thx Motortrend.com, January 2017
For consignment, a 1968 Datsun 2000 roadster that received a frame off restoration and has a newer top, windshield, seat foam and covers, carpet, and the bumpers have been rechromed.
Exterior This car would look great in any color, but Pagoda Red really brings it to life. The elongated chrome bezel on the round headlights gives the face a distinctive look and the narrow grille between the bumper guards distinguishes it from an MG which has a wider grille behind the bumperettes. And of course, there's a hood scoop which is wider and flatter than an Austin Healey. In profile, the rear wheel openings are less deep and cover a good part of the rear wheel while the door gaps follow the angle of the rather upright windshield and a trimline flows the length of the car for visual interest. The tail of the car is exciting with three stacked, chrome housed circles for tail and marker lights, almost like triple afterburners on each side. Reverse lights are suspended from the wraparound bumper and a single exhaust tip extends boldly past that bumper. The black canvas top and its plastic windows, along with the 14-inch steel wheels and dog dish hubcaps are in great shape. And so is the rest of the exterior, we could not find obvious exterior flaws.
Interior Simple black door panels include a map pocket and metal trim piece on the bottom and are in good condition. The sport vinyl buckets seats wear a weave pattern on the insert and head restraints up top and aside from typical compression, present in very nice shape. Black continues with the simple plastic wheel that fronts a formed plastic dashboard that houses three main gauges with the tachometer in the center. Fit is not perfect on these gauges with some overlap and gapping around the speedometer in particular. The center stack contains a square analog clock just above a vertically mounted AM radio next to the choke and a series of knobs. The shifter rises from the center console, wrapped in black boot emerging from a black trim plate. Black looped carpet covers the floor and is in very nice condition protected by floor mats that have absorbed the usage.
Drivetrain Under the hood is a clean 2.0 liter 4 cylinder powerplant fueled by 2 rebuilt SU carburetors and rated at 135 horsepower. That might not sound like a big number, but for a car that weighs just a tick over 2,000 pounds, that's more than enough for spirited runs. And momentum is propelled by a 5-speed manual transmission sending power to the rear wheels and 3.70 gears. Rebuilt calipers along with a new master cylinder and brakes augment the disc in front and drums in the rear.
Undercarriage Very clean underneath with a dominant X-frame guiding a single exhaust to the back where it encounters a stock style muffler before releasing to the atmosphere out back through a tapered exhaust chrome cone. For suspension, the car is equipped with coil springs in front and leaf springs in the rear. Our consignor says new shocks have been added. There are no oil leaks, no sludge build up, and no surface rust to speak of.
Drive-Ability This Japanese roadster offers a contrast to the Brits, which we also love. It has the same small feel of an MG but the engine has a unique note and provides plenty of pep on the test loop where the low center of gravity results in great tracking and handling. A sparse interior means fewer functional components, but you have all you need and everything on our test worked as intended. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.
Show car, weekend toy, fun little grocery getter, the possibilities are endless in this uncommon little sports car. A total of 5,998 1968 Datsun 2000 "sports" or roadsters were built and it's likely that less than 1,000 of them were left hand drive. There's also speculation that not many remain on the roads worldwide today, but we'll let you join any of the numerous Datsun clubs to toss that quandary around. In the meantime, now is your chance to own a well sorted, bright red 2000 that's ready to deliver miles of smiles.
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
