I owned a Datsun 2000 for about a year. It replaced an MGA
1600 MKII (totaled while stopped at a red light by an idiot in a
Ford convertible). It was fast as he** in a straight line. The
top speed was WELL in excess of 100 mph. It handled fairly
well too. I used to enjoy blowing off TR6s and other such
cars. The shifter was EXTREMELY sloppy. More than once
I downshifted from fifth to second. The engine was redlined
at 7,000 rpm and would rev well over that. Tires (good ones,
not the cheap crap that came on the car) could be screeched
in first and loudly chirped in second. In one of the
autocrosses in 1970 it beat a guy in a Lotus Elan. I got rid of
it because I was getting married and wanted a more practical
car. Wife-to-be was really PI**ED OFF (I did not consult her)
because she loved the car. Twenty years later I bought my
current toy (1977 MGB). Wife loves this car too. Parts for
the MG are now readily available. Parts for Datsun 2000 are
not. If you want a car which is maintainable and high
performance get an MGB (rubber bumper) in good shape and
drop the Rover V8 into it. It will out handle the Datsun 2000
and blow its doors off.
Ken Scott
|