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Tom1200
Tom1200 PowerDork
10/28/24 4:10 p.m.

Obviously the Datsun 1200 changed my life as well. Can't believe it's been 40 years.

preach
preach GRM+ Memberand UberDork
10/29/24 5:12 a.m.

Cars that have influenced me:

#40 Le Mans class winning Porsche 914/6. It's the reason I own a 914.

Gruppe B Audi Quattro Coupe. Heeheehee turbo sound. I can't find one I can afford.

My 1st step dads '63 split window.

MiniDave
MiniDave HalfDork
10/29/24 2:52 p.m.

My first really fun car - a 63 Mini Cooper S, with a 1071 engine and tiny 7" disc brakes......I thought I was fast till I came up against Bob Hindson in his checkerboard roof 1275 S 5 speed!

I've had Minis and MINIs almost ever since.....still do!

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
10/30/24 9:10 a.m.

In reply to MiniDave :

We also had a Mini–a 1971 Innocenti Mini Cooper–and, yes, very fun. Got so much attention, too. 

Paris Van Gorder
Paris Van Gorder Associate editor
10/30/24 9:20 a.m.

In reply to Tom1200 :

The throwback photo is so cool. Gotta agree the Datsun is a pretty life changing car. 

Cooper_Tired
Cooper_Tired Dork
10/30/24 5:29 p.m.

Thinking about it, my first car, the 91 Mustang I just re-purchased, changed my life. 
 

My dad bought it in '95 when I was 11 years old. We spent 10 months shopping for the right car before he ultimately pulled the trigger. The process of buying it got me started reading car magazines as research and that turned into a life long obsession. 
 

Throughout my life I've met most of my friends through car related reasons. I met my wife because a car friend knew we both liked the same cars and introduced us. 
 

RacerBoy75
RacerBoy75 Reader
10/30/24 8:43 p.m.

I'm the third guy to say that a Datsun 1200 changed or at least steered the direction of their life! I bought it in high school and autocrossed it, where I learned a semblance of car control. With that car I won lots of events and a couple of championships, which was huge in my life at the time. Later, I built it into my first race car. I did really well with that as well, winning lots of races and several championships. Also huge in my life at the time!

It definitely set me on the path of being a gearhead race freak! 45 years later I still autocross, and although I don't wheel-to-wheel race anymore, I still follow it closely. Most of my friends I've met through motorsports, so that A110 series Datsun was pretty important to me.

Tom1200
Tom1200 PowerDork
10/30/24 9:38 p.m.

I'm always amazed at how much people love Datsun 1200s

They are always overshadowed by 510s a s Z cars but after having driven all of them I still like the 1200 the best. I think it has to do with how light it is.

RacerBoy75
RacerBoy75 Reader
10/31/24 11:26 a.m.

I agree, it was so responsive! Give it gas and you could feel it immediately accelerate, even if it wasn't accelerating very quickly! Same with turning and braking. Sub-1600lbs weight makes it fun!

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