I read with some interest how several of you have found the 510 to be a fun
and quite capable little datsun and have to fully agree. All you have to do
is look back at the BRE race team which was brand new in 1968 and sometime
during the season while Pete and John and Frank Monise were building and
racing the 2000 roadsters they were given a brand new 510 and a young
Japanese engineer and asked to build a car for the Mexican 1000(later called
Baja 1000) and they tried hard not to embaress the young engineer or datsun.
I have yet to find out how they did in 68 but I know they also started a
whole series of the worlds toughest Rallyes to test the cars. The 510
predated the Z car by almost 2 years and was really thought to be Mr. K's
first real crowning achievment and car he helped concieve for american
buyers.
I mention all of this because your comments could not come at a better time.
Several weeks ago I was asked to let the Petersen museum in LA borrow my
Factory works SSS 510 1969 Mexican 1000 car for a historical exhibit to be
held Wed the 6th. As some of you know or have seen tucked away in the back
corner of the shop usually covered with junk I have been trying to locate
certain rare missing parts to do the resto on this rare car. My car was the
4 th place finisher in the 2 wheel drive passenger car class and was only
beaten by 2 factory Saabs in 1st and 3 rd and One Famous guy James Garner in
a 1969 Olds Cutlass(the Banshee) and my car was driven By Pete Brock and Bob
Lyons and did finish in the money and out of the 4 cars prepared by BRE only
one other finished the race. On an interesting note one of the 510s had a
U-20 roadster engine installed and it was interesting to find out that the
engine fell off the mounts and cracked the aluminum pan and put a hole in
the radiator. Mac Tilton told us stories a few years back of how they used
to throw oil out the window of a slow airplane on little parachutes down to
the car when they could not find places to land. No one knows where the
roadster powered 510 ended up but it would sure be nice(never mind ) Today I
delivered the car to the museum and was hanging out with Bruce Meyers who
created and sold the Meyers Manx dune buggy that won Baja also and come to
find out the guy who co-drove my car with Pete ended up being the lawyer who
represented Meyer in court when he had to sue others who copied his cool
dune buggy design. So tomorrow evening I along with 800-1000 will be
attending the premere of the new book 1000 miles to glory and a preview of
this years 2000 mile event. Pete came down today and John Morton who
co-drove with Pete in 1972 is going to come by and Parnelli Jones and Many
others from the history of Baja should be a fun night and there is rumor
that James Garner may be there as well. I will try to get pictures and post
them soon and also Speedvision is filming a special about this and we should
be able to see more about it then. Should be a huge whos who of automotive
history.
Thanks for indulging me yet again!
Les
Les Cannaday
Dennis Currington
Classic Datsun Motorsports
345 Olive Ave
Vista, CA 92083
(760) 940-6365 Voice/Fax
classicdatsun.com
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