Filed Under: News
Continuing our look at Japanese Classic’s I researched some of the reviews written by actual owners rather than the motoring press and it came as no surprise to find that virtually everyone expressed similar views, the sports cars the 240Z’s and the 260’s etc were loved by their owners, of course Japanese reliability is legend, and with the saloons the same results, though with a difference.
One person had owned their car for twenty odd years and found it boring, it started first time, nothing went wrong and apart from regular servicing it cost very little to keep, though there were critical comments relating to the dreaded tin worm, but what makes didn’t suffer the same problem.
The 120Y or Sunny, described as luxury in miniature, the list of items included is impressive even by today’s standards, tinted glass, cloth reclining front seats, built in head restraints, thick carpet, individual arm rests, electric clock, cigar lighter, electric screen wash and two speed wiper’s radio, heated rear window and reversing lights, yes I know we have all that and more but it comes at a price, I won’t spoil it by telling you the cost of the Sunny.
Technically one got front discs and rear drums, but they were serfvo assisted, engine wise a 4 cylinder ohv 1171cc unit producing 65bhp, twin choke Hitchi carbs, 4 speed all syncro box, independent front suspension using coils and McPherson struts, the back end semi eeiptic springs, top speed was 93mph with petrol consumption in the region of 30-32 to the gallon, and the tyres were 155×13’s
Apart from the four door you could get a two door coupe with a lift up tailgate and folding rear seat.
Having said all that there is nothing written about safety, unlike Swedish and German cars who even then were making their cars much safer, though there is an opinion that a lot has to do with the person behind the wheel, trouble is it might not be your car.
Whilst on the subject of safety I use the Callan road most of the time and of late have been tail gated by articulated lorries who think 100kmh is not fast enough, for a timid driver having the rear view mirror filled with the radiator of a truck that if you have to brake suddenly is definitely not going to stop in time frightening, as there are very few passing places what does one do?
The 140Y or Violet, it has all of the luxury’s of the 120 plus such things as steering lock, interior bonnet release, radial ply tyres and a 1428cc overhead camshaft motor, five main bearings, Nikki twin choke carb, suspension is identical to the 120 and top speed is only 1 mph more, petrol consumption 26-34mpg, once again tin rust was it’s worst enemy, otherwise is was a brilliant buy.
The Laurel 6 another offering loaded with luxury items as standard, apart from everything in the Violet, the Laurel gets quad headlamps, a cassette player, full flow ventilation and nylon facings on the upholstery, under the bonnet you get a 6 cylinder 1998cc overhead cam unit giving 100bhp, a top speed of 106mph and petrol guzzled at 25-30mpg.
The brake and suspension set up is again identical though the Laurel has 185x70HRx14 tyres, no doubt to cope with the extra power.
Body designs are almost identical the Violet being slightly larger the Sunny and the Laurel larger than the Violet.
For a difference there is a Cherry Coupe the F-11, this differs considerably from the rest of the line up in that it has a transverse engine and front wheel drive, there is a third door, well to all intents and purposes it is a lifting tailgate, with the rear seat down you get space for a 30 odd cu:ft load.
You are really spoilt with the Cherry, a rev counter, water temperature and it says fuel gauge, I presume they ran out of things to say, though it might have helped to say what sort of steering was applicable, though having driven a Datsun Estate I was often wondering which way the wheels were facing it was so light.
The normal brake set up front discs and rear drums, servo assisted but with dual circuits, suspension independent coils at the front with coils at the back with trailing arms.
Power, a 1171cc ohv unit giving 52BHP and a top speed of 93mph, tyre wise you only got 12’s but they were 155SR’s.
Of course built in tin worm, it is such a shame that so many of the early Japanese models have virtually disappeared from the classic scene, unless it was lucky to get a coating of Ziebart or similar you didn’t stand a chance of keeping it long term, well not in the UK.
Well happy motoring, until the next time regards
Ted tedlay@gmail.
Subscribe Our News (RSS)