Meet Mr and Mrs Sellas, a dynamic duo with a couple of classics in the garage, pure unadulterated Datsun enthusiasm.
On one side we have a 1973 Datsun P510 four-door SSS (the blue one) with an L18 1.8-litre engine and on the other, a 1975 Datsun 160U SSS coupe (the white one), with a two-litre powerplant.
Both were, and still are, highly coveted pieces of machinery what with affordable performance and the simple mechanicals that make them easier to keep on the road.
The 510 was built in South Africa between 1969 and 1974, and the sportier looking 160U, from 1974 to 1978. An interesting fact about these early Datsuns is that many of the parts were interchangeable, including engines, transmissions and suspension setups. This allowed the 510, for example, to be upgraded from a 1.6-litre to a 1.8-litre relatively easily.
With minor modifications, you could also go from four-speed to five-speed gearboxes.
The 160U is definitely a sporty looker, and says Joseph Sellas: “My wife Jade has her eye on this as her drive, what with its looks and the fuel injection. I’ve always been a 510 guy, so all good there. In fact I was 17 when I owned my first 510, and it’s still parked at my parents place.”
At present, Joseph owns no fewer than five Datsun/ Nissans. It seems that the brand is part of his family heritage, and Joseph describes his father having a 160U and his grandfather a 1969 510. He says: “I learned to tinker on the cars from them, they taught me the tricks of the trade when it comes to keeping old cars looking good and operating smoothly.”
It’s quite a talent that, when you own and older car you need to learn how to listen to its signals when it asks for attention. There are no digital diagnostics available.
Joseph’s design ethos is to return the cars he buys back to the original state, as far as possible and with a nod to interior comfort and increased performance where he can get it. Also, having owned so many Datsuns, he has access to parts.
Joseph and Jade are more into long trips as opposed to park-offs, often taking these cabbies on road adventures.
He says: “My cars need to be able to drive from Cape Town to Joburg, they are not trailer queens.”
His advice to anyone wanting to acquire an old car is to have patience. He says: “There is always something that will give you an issue, so find contacts for parts too. Also you must look after them and preserve them for the next generation.”
It’s fair to day that over it’s almost 100-year history the Datsun marque has produced some classics and amassed a cult-like following.