21st Sep 2009, 22:11

I purchased a new 1974 B210 hatchback while stationed at the Naval Training Center in Millington, TN (near Memphis). It was my first 'brand new' car. I think it cost around $2800 or so. The mileage was great and the car was surprisingly quick 'off the line' with the manual tranny. I beat on it pretty good and it took everything I dished out. Very rugged and reliable.

Being young and stupid at the time, a guy in my barracks with a Trans Am dared to race me on the road that surrounded the base. In the corners I could pace him, but on the straightaway he walked away from me. We didn't crash, didn't kill anyone else, and didn't get caught. Afterwards, he said he was surprised and a bit impressed at how quick it was off the line and through the corners.

The car travelled with me from Tennessee to Virginia (NAS Oceana), then home to Wisconsin. The car did surprisingly well in snow, likely due to the small, thin tires. However, Nissan apparently didn't realize how much salt we use in Wisconsin (my home state) in the wintertime, and the floorboards rusted out. My dad and I bolted in some metal plates he brought home from the machine shop where he worked. I also remember going through distributor caps like crazy. The car either wouldn't start, or sometimes would just 'die' when putting the clutch in. Moisture in the cap. The only other problem I had was that the heater core went out and had to be replaced.

After teaching my wife how to drive a stick using the B210 as a test platform, we finally traded it off for a 1978 Chevy Nova.

2nd Dec 2010, 14:09

I had a 1976 Datsun B210 Hatchback while living in Guam from 1980 to 1986. That car was the best I'd ever had. It always ran. I mean, check this out... I was having problems with the water pump, so I took off the radiator gasket, solved the problem. Car never over heated. It blew a head gasket. One of studs snapped off and I couldn't retrieve it, so I simply put the head back on and torqued all the other studs as hard as I could. Car ran fine.

Some say it didn't have much room, but I could put my 12 drum set in it without any problems. It did rust a lot though.

Really a great car.

11th Feb 2016, 05:18

Had my 76 B-210 for five years. Drove it hard and everywhere, and the only problem I had is the master brake cylinder went out.

I took my wife out for 1st date in it and we've been together 29 years. She always hated that car, said it was ugly. I had the orange one.

Had a dream about that car the other night and that's why I was looking at this site.

Would buy another, just for the fun of it.