AHH Grasshopper, read and learn...
Yutaka Katayama is an Automobile Legend, and I believe the only Japanese
inductee into the (American) Automobile hall of fame.
MR. K as he likes to be called, started his career with Nissan before WW2
in 1935, first in sales, then in advertising and marketing. after the war,
he was a founding member of the JCCA, the japanese equall of our SCCA. The
JCCA was formed by foreign sevicemen and some Japanese folks to race mostly
British sportscars in autocross/tarmack like events.
MR.K actually designed is own car in the early 50's, called the flying feather,
which was a touchstone for Japanese designers for quite a few years.
In 1957-58, he convinced Nissan Management to allow him to enter a 2 car
team in a race around Australia, which earned nissan its first class win
in international racing/rally. after returning to Japan as a hero, he soon
found that Nissan had given away his job while he was off racing. after
a publicity tour of japan, he was shuffled off for a short stint in america
to try and rev up Nissan's fingernail hold in that market.
MR. K, along with his eastern US counterpart MR Kawazoe, built Nissan in
America, becoming president in 1965, before being forced to retire in 74.
He is responsible for the design specs on the 510 and the 240z, and for
pushing for all of the improvements on datsuns that made them successful
in america.
He also has a fondness for onion rings and cowboy hats, was a marketing
genius, and shoud be considered the father of not only the two above mentioned
cars, but of Nissan's racing and rallying heritage.
Merlin Blackwell
Blackwell Park Operations Ltd.
www.explorewellsgray.com
www.datsunhistory.com
68 510
68 510
70 wagon
69 roadster
70 roadster
65 Nissan Cedric
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