Arriving is good, but driving there is better. Just ask Jose Mendez, who drove this bitchin' 1975 Datsun 710 ninety miles each way from Modesto to hit a gathering of imports in Santa Clara. Jose says that besides the wheel and tire combination and a lowering treatment, the Datsun is as stock as it was when he found it wearing its original wheels and hubcaps. The SSR MKII hoops … [Read more...]
Budget Motoring Five and Dime
From the driving a work in progress department comes this 1973 Datsun 510. Dan Carney woke up the coupe from a longish and stationary nap. Over the course of a year he's enjoyed his lot as builder and test pilot of this poor man's BMW. On the way to roadworthy Dan stepped up the mechanicals beyond the usual resurrection process of swapping out rotten hydraulic hoses and spongy … [Read more...]
Datsun by Nissan
One of the more amazing things about moving to the west coast in the eighties was seeing 20-something year old cars driving around that looked as if they had rolled off the assembly line only a week before. No road salt? No rust! Original hubcaps. Shining paint. Occasional Malibus and Novas were then punctuated by an odd Barracuda or similar economical yet stylish choice from … [Read more...]
Santa Clara Sunset
It was hard to tell what sort of deal this fairly clandestine roll-in of old school imports on El Camino Real had in store. Word came in by way of forums, text messages, and Craigslist postings, but the simple facts were enough. Old schools. 7PM until whenever, and finally a good reason to go park near a Starbucks. By nightfall cars had rolled in from as far out as Modesto, and … [Read more...]
Treasure Island Vintage Bonanza
Old schools from all points descended from the Bay Bridge onto Treasure Island for a gathering of a different than the usual vintage show cars and trucks. An unofficial but mostly adhered to 1984 or so cutoff date allows for later lineage, as long as the model is progeny of the original. A 1988 Mitsubishi Starion? OK, as the turbo coupe made its debut in 1982. Everything from … [Read more...]