How about “It’s a long way to empty, in a Datsun”. The yellow B210…wasn’t that the “honey bee” version? Really scraping the grey matter now…we’re talking fourth grade…

If we take a look at Japanese cars of this era, we see transitioning, not revolution. The reason for this makes common sense. By 1980, the Japanese recognized that many Americans didn’t consider Japanese cars to be reliable – just as they considered American cars of the period to be periodically unreliable. American shoppers of this period were often in dealer garages, and have accepted a certain level of crap in their vehicles. Reliability wasn’t expected.

What the Sunny and the Corolla did was demonstrate that not only were these cars Japanese, but that they were reliable. This was new. To accomplish this, the Sunny and the Corolla were old-school. They used designs that were reliable. So we see rear drive, and bullet-proof mechanicals within these 1980 cars. What they lacked in cutting edge – they more than made up for in reliability and value. This was an important step for Japanese manufacturers in this era.

If you look at Mazda’s history in the US, you see why their Japanese competition went with dated reliable designs. Mazda made a big publicity splash with Wankel engines. Mazda saw outstanding growth and PR with these engines. But just as publically, Mazda tanked when these engines didn’t deliver the frugality and reliability expected. Mazda looked like a goner until the GLC saved them from extinction. There was no way Honda, Toyota or Nissan would allow this to occur to their companies. Consequentially, these companies handled new product with great care.

Laugh at the Sunny, but what you are not seeing is how well these boring tinny little cars caused the US market to reconsider Japanese manufacturers when they didn’t before. These cars were comfortable considerations for buyers of this era. They didn’t frighten away the US customer. They demonstrated value, frugality and reliability in an automobile at a time when US manufacturers were unable to do so.

Anyone can salivate over beautiful cars [ the ones everyone seems to feature], but it takes a true car lover to appreciate the value of the pedestrian stuff and it’s time and place in the automotive scheme of things.

It made me sad to hear about that poor old Granada
I hope the end wasn’t painful…..

Thanks again.Reminds me of that feature in Hemmings Classic Car: Driveable Dreams.

To those whose day was ruined by this feature, you’ll live.
If you don’t get it, you’ll never understand it, so why hate?

It was actually not a bad ride. With snows, it did just fine. The struts or shock towers or whatever eventually gave way to the rust and the front of the car collapsed in on itself.

the war in Lebanon heated up after that and spilled into our front and back yard, a 150mm tore through the poor Datsun…i just wish i had photos to share… so I didn’t get a chance to actually experience the drive. but i hear stories from my dad (who worked abroad) that mom drove it for a good 7 month once with no oil in the engine as the stupid mechanic forgot to tighten the filter well…he put oil back in and the car worked as it’s supposed to, never gave my family a problem with its almost 11 years of service, until the shit was blown out of it…talk about a way to go, i guess casualty of war is a bit more acceptable than the crusher…

Also, I’ll say that the 1985-1990 Euro-spec Sunny was one of the best cars in the world. You still see them every day, 19 years after the end of production.

Until it was painted white after a crash, instead of blue with green accessories. The hell with that.

You have a gift for bringing to life those things that are endearing and enduring.

I’m there, literally; delayed gratification is good.

gus plus, thanks; and the money is flowing again,in the right direction.

Sam Bonds get-together: Yes. a Saturday later this year. We can check out the 50 Caddy, just a few blocks away. I’ll put up a post/invite. Maybe some weekend when son Ed is in town. Stay tuned.

Bottoms up!

You’ve added much appreciated context, both personal and national, to these little essays.

These are the cars most of us grew up with. Sure, many were heaps of crap, but you’ve found a way to put the appropriate lens on your writing to romantacize each and every one of them. That’s not so bad.

Write them long. Write them short. Let the car decide.

If you’re not making money at this by now, then the Best and Brightest have spoken on your behalf. Again. Still.

And…Curbside Classics would make a badass, smart-ass coffee table book. Just imagine…thick, creamy, glossy pages of crumbling, rusting relics from the eclectic avenues of Eugene.

If there’s gonna be a TTAC fest at Sam Bond’s, I’m there. While my friends were attending the U of O, I spent many a weekend with them attending shows. One of my greatest memories was of Elliot Smith at Sam Bond’s.

Keep up the good work.

And what’s with all the hate for the Citation? My parents bought one, and compared to the Pinto wagon (complete with faux wood siding!) it replaced it was heaven. Roomy, and the V6 had decent power (compared to the Pinto remember) and gas mileage. Ugly as hell? Well yeah, but name a GM car built between 1975 and 1990 that wasn’t.

Definitely the place for a Eugene TTAC fest, now that there’s more than three of us.

gusplus, seen it, but not tasted, yet.

It was rough, crude and noisy but in the whole two years I drove it, it never once failed me, this on a car that had many, many miles on it before I got it. In that two years I replaced my alternator and starter on it, both myself and with simple tools. Try that these days! I must have put another 100,000km on in in that two and a half years I had it and I drove it at ridiculous speeds, like 120 km/h on that tiny 1200cc motor.

After said two and a half years it was getting towards the end of its service life. It need a valve grind a the very least but it made it to the scrap yard under its own power. I took the near new 12″ tires off of it and installed them on my newly acquired 1985 Chevy Sprint. It owed me nothing.

At the time I disdained my Datsun 1200 but looking back, it was one heck of a little car. It was indestructible. So was my CB550. No matter how hard I flogged each of these poor beasts they kept coming back for more. Now compare the Datsun to a Vega or a Pinto of the era or the CB550 to a shovelhead hog! These were the products that put the Japanese makers on the map; they were far and away better than anything Detroit could produce at the time.

Should have a Eugene area TTAC enthusiast drink-athon there at some point.

Great writeup, in any event.